Great Advice For Picking An Amazon FBA Prep Service
The process of preparing your inventory to be ready for FBA can prove frustrating. You're running low on inventory at the Fulfillment Center, orders are coming in, but you've hit a bottleneck - you can't prepare your inventory quick enough to keep up with demand. You're now convinced that it's time for FBA outsourcing. There are so many factors that you must take into consideration that you don't know where to start. You're essentially handing responsibility for certain aspects of your business to a third party, which is why you need to be sure that you've considered all the factors and made the correct choice. To help you make a decision, we have described FBA Preparation, identified reasons that many sellers choose to outsource, and discussed some of the most important choices when choosing an FBA Preparation service. Check out the top Amazon FBA Prep Service blog for info.What Is FBA Prep?
When sellers send their inventory to FBA the process isn't just a matter of putting everything into a container and handing it over to a courier. Fulfillment Centers require that your stock meet certain standards. Some of the rules are universal while others are specific to the particular category. FBA preparation is the procedure of getting your inventory prepared to be shipped into Amazon. It mostly focuses on packaging and labeling of items however some sellers, particularly those importing goods, also consist of an examination of their inventory. It's crucial that you get your FBA preparation right. If you do it incorrectly, Amazon won't accept your stock and you'll have pay for it to be all returned. And, even more so, if damaged inventory is shipped to Amazon the customers are likely to complain and return the product. The complaints could build up and lead to your listing be removed or your account to be suspended.
Why Outsource FBA Prep?
In the case of FBA prep you have three options: prepare it yourself or pay Amazon to handle it, or outsource it to a third party. FBA preparation can be difficult and complex, making it difficult to do correctly. By outsourcing the process, in theory, you're handing it over to experts. FBA preparation services must be well-versed in the process. They will ensure that any stock that is sent to FBA is compliant with Amazon's guidelines. This will lower the chance of your stock being rejected. This is particularly important if it is your first time sending items to FBA, as you never realize how complicated an operation is until you've done the task and learn from your mistakes. Amazon's many rules make it difficult to prepare inventory for FBA. The process of analyzing stock, creating boxes and printing labels could be time-consuming. Your time can be better used to source new products.
Price
Many sellers will be worried about the price when selecting the FBA prep company. While it isn't the primary consideration but it's normal to seek out the most affordable price. If your expenses start high, it doesn't mean they have to stay high. In the beginning, you must inquire whether your prep services are charged per item or monthly. A monthly charge is best for big volume sellers. Per-item charges are better for low volume sellers who are likely to be selling only small quantities. You will then want to be aware of the costs associated with the packaging process as certain prep companies will charge extra for packaging materials such as bubble wrap or poly bags. It is also helpful to understand the storage charges and if there is any minimum quantity of units you have to deliver to the center at one time. The primary consideration when choosing the FBA prep service is cost. The price of FBA prep services should not be a decisive aspect. But, the same goes for budget-friendly ones. You want your prep expenses to be affordable. Even if your initial costs are expensive does not mean they have to remain high. You can cut costs by becoming more comfortable with the process of preparation. For example, you could split some tasks between your factory and your prep company. See the best Door to Door Delivery website for details.
Location
Strategic thinking is key when deciding where to locate your preparation center. If the majority of your company is private label, then you're likely to ship in large amounts of products from China. The best way to handle this is to find out the ports at where your goods arrive and to choose a prep facility nearby. Danny McMillan knows that prep centers can be an excellent assistance in terms of time and cost savings, and also for the smooth running of your company. In the rare occasions that things go wrong, your prep center could possibly send someone to the port to help to sort out the issue. It wouldn't be possible in the event that the distance between the prep center and port was 300 miles. Preparing a center close to your home is another option for sellers of retail arbitrage. This allows them to pick up the inventory themselves or have very low freight costs. It is essential to select a prep center that is near an Amazon Fulfillment Center. The Amazon warehouse you send your merchandise to could be different each time. This is regardless of whether Amazon's Inventory Placement Service is signed up. Amazon will permit you to ship your entire inventory of a single product to the Fulfillment Center. But Amazon is able to change the shipping destination from the shipment to the shipping.