Shipping To Amazon FBA – The Ultimate Guide

Pack&Label

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) has helped millions of businesses worldwide and will continue to do so in the future. By helping sellers create product listings, providing customer support, and shipping to Amazon FBA, there is no doubt that FBA has completely changed the dynamics of businesses. 

After setting up your Selling on Amazon account, you also set up FBA and created your product listings.

You’ve prepared your products, and you just have to ship them and process the orders. This is where guidelines come in. 

Amazon has strict rules on shipping to Amazon FBA because they have standards that sellers need to meet. Such instructions would be helpful to people who don’t know how to send products to Amazon FBA. It is essential to follow Amazon’s requirements to avoid having the shipment returned, damaging the product, or wasting time and money.


Interesting: Pass FBA Business Due Diligence

How to Pack Products for Amazon FBA

Certain rules must be followed for product shipments in Amazon. These packing requirements are in place to ensure that the products are carefully stored.

  • Use an appropriate box.
    A six-sided box with intact flaps is a must. It is possible to reuse old boxes but ensure that there are no confusing markings or previous shipping labels remain. To reduce delays in receiving or delivery, boxes with at least 6″ x 4″ x 1″ dimensions are recommended.
  • Put proper labels.
    The address label should be complete with its delivery and return information. There should be a label on the top center of each side of the box, and each box needs a label. Aside from packing requirements, Amazon also has its FBA label requirements that must be met.
  • Pack the items carefully.
    The items must be wrapped separately and they shouldn't move when the box is shaken. To ensure this, there must be at least two inches of cushioning between the items and the inside of the box. Use a strong shipping tape to secure the package.
  • Protect the items.
    Don't use packing peanuts like foam strips, Styrofoam, shredded paper, or crinkle wrap. The recommended protective packing materials are bubble wrap, inflatable air pillows, or polyethylene foam sheeting.
  • Secure the boxes
    All boxed shipments must be sealed securely, otherwise, there will be a reason for doubt that the product has been tampered with. The sides of the boxes must be able to withstand pressure to some extent.

How to Print Labels When Shipping Amazon FBA

Labeling packages and products correctly is essential, not to mention it also saves time and money. Incorrect labels might cause delays and even additional fees in the Amazon warehouse.

The Amazon FBA system on your seller account will create labels for the shipment.

Individual products must be labelled with their own barcodes. The same goes for boxes, and there should be no other barcodes aside from that one.

People often wonder how to print Amazon FBA shipping labels, and what they need to remember is that these labels shouldn't fade, otherwise it may cause problems. To make sure that doesn’t happen, simply print the barcode labels with laserjet printers.

Note that 15-30 kg boxes should also be labeled as "heavy-weight" and this should be seen from any angle of the box.

Polybags can also be used to protect products, but they have specific label requirements as well. Those with at least a 5-inch opening should warn for possible suffocation. It is a strict regulation that might risk the need for product repackaging if not done correctly. Babies and children might mistake the plastic bag as a toy, which can be dangerous.

Labels also have a corresponding requirement for the point size:

  • For a bag less than 29 inches, the print size should be at least 10 point.
  • For 30-39 inches, the print size must be at least 14 point.
  • For 40-59-inch bags, at least 18 point is required.
  • For bags sized 60 inches or more, the print size should be at least 24 point.

How to Send the Products to Amazon?

After properly packing the products and ensuring that the boxes have been labelled properly, the next step is to send the products to the Amazon FBA warehouse. It can be difficult to figure out how to ship to Amazon FBA if there aren’t any clear guidelines on the website. Those who have sold products with Amazon have also begun not knowing shipping to Amazon FBA.

How Much does it Cost to Ship to Amazon FBA?

For those who are living in the United States and have access to a UPS drop-off point, the Amazon FBA shipping cost will be cheap. Small to medium-sized items that are fairly light can cost around $8, while big, heavy items can cost about $16.
The rate depends on the dimensions and weight of the box. There is no way to know the exact cost until those factors have been entered and you are about to make the shipment, but, in general, the rates are very low even when shipping across the country.
The distance is also a big factor, so for overseas shipment, the rate will be much higher.

How to Ship from China to Amazon FBA?

There is often a difficulty in deciding how to ship items to Amazon FBA from China and shipping from China can be quite tricky.

Luckily, there are many options to choose from, depending on which one is more convenient for the seller:

For air express, it is possible to send the items from the factory to the warehouse through UPS, DHL, FedEX, or other services

Air freight, fast sea freight, and slow sea freight are also options where a professional FBA shipment company who has Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) services can complete the shipment. The product would be shipped through air freight from China to the USA and then after the customs clearance process, UPS (or other similar service companies) can pick up the good to deliver to the Amazon FBA warehouse.

If you need help figuring out which is the most profitable way for your business to handle shipping, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Where to Ship Your Amazon FBA Shipment?

As one of the biggest companies in the world right now, Amazon has more than 175 fulfillment centers globally. The majority of these are in North America and Europe, and overall, it spans more than 150 million square feet of space.

When you create your shipping plan on the Amazon Sellers Account, the location where the boxes should be shipped is automatically generated. Each FBA order is different, so the location isn’t always the same. Amazon doesn’t allow sellers to drop off products and boxes at the fulfillment centers directly, so you would have to ship them through UPS or FedEx.

It is confusing to know where to ship the boxes, but Amazon has a service that allows a seller to ship to just one Amazon fulfillment center for all future shipments. It is cheaper than sending to multiple warehouses, saving you lots of money.

How to do this?

Simply go to the Inbound Settings in the Amazon Sellers Account and change the Inventory Placement Option.

After confirming that the selection has been updated, the Amazon Sellers Account will indicate where the products are being sent, and it will be specific to one fulfillment center only.

How Long Does It Take Amazon to Process an FBA Shipment?

It usually takes Amazon 2-6 days to process an FBA shipment after it is delivered to an FBA center. Inventory that is sent to Amazon is scanned and available for sale in a matter of days. However, busy holiday seasons might cause some unforeseen delays in the processing time. The status can be checked through the Amazon Seller Central under Shipping Queue. It gives an indication when the delivery was made and when the shipment is received in full. 

As
full-service Amazon agency, we know how confusing and time-consuming the shipping process can be, we've put together a highly effective and specialized team that can help you save time and money by handling your shipping the right way!

To learn more about how we can help your FBA business
contact us and schedule a free consultation now!


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