As a third-party seller on Amazon, utilizing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) can streamline your business operations by outsourcing storage, shipping, and customer service to Amazon. One of the key steps in this process is creating FBA shipments to send your products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Getting this right is crucial to ensure your products are available for Prime-eligible shipping and remain competitive in the marketplace.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create FBA shipments step by step, covering everything from preparing your inventory to ensuring your shipment complies with Amazon’s guidelines. Follow along to ensure that your FBA shipments are created efficiently and correctly, helping you scale your business and boost customer satisfaction.
What Is an FBA Shipment and Why Does It Matter?
An FBA shipment is a batch of products that you, as a seller, send to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Once your inventory is in Amazon’s warehouses, Amazon takes care of storing, picking, packing, shipping, and even handling customer service and returns for your products.
Properly creating FBA shipments is essential because it ensures:
- Inventory Availability: Your products are in Amazon’s fulfillment centers and ready for Prime shipping.
- Faster Delivery: Products stored in Amazon’s centers are eligible for Amazon Prime, which means faster delivery times and happier customers.
- Higher Visibility: Prime-eligible products tend to rank higher in search results, leading to more sales.
If you’re looking to streamline your logistics and offer fast, reliable shipping to customers, using FBA is a game-changer. Let’s dive into the step-by-step process of creating FBA shipments.
Step 1: Prepare Your Inventory
Before you can create an FBA shipment, you need to ensure that your inventory is properly prepared and meets Amazon’s requirements. Here are some important considerations:
1. Check Your Product Listings
Make sure that your product listings are complete, accurate, and up to date. If your listings are missing vital information, such as dimensions or weights, it may delay the shipment process.
- Product Titles: Make sure your product titles are clear and optimized for search.
- Images: Ensure your product images meet Amazon’s standards and show your product clearly.
- Bullet Points: Use detailed bullet points to highlight key product features.
- Description: Provide a thorough description of your product that answers potential buyer questions.
2. Ensure Proper Labeling
Amazon requires that each product you send to its fulfillment centers is labeled correctly. Products without the correct labels may be rejected or delayed. Here are the labeling requirements:
- FNSKU Label: Each product needs to have a Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit (FNSKU) label, which identifies the product as yours.
- Manufacturer Barcode (UPC, EAN): If you’re using manufacturer barcodes, ensure they are scannable and meet Amazon’s requirements.
- Amazon-Provided Label: Amazon provides FNSKU labels in Seller Central, which you must print and attach to each unit before sending.
Step 2: Create Your FBA Shipment in Seller Central
Once your products are ready, the next step is to create the actual FBA shipment in Amazon Seller Central. Here’s how to do it:
1. Go to Manage Inventory
In your Seller Central dashboard, navigate to Inventory > Manage Inventory. Here, you’ll see all the products you’ve listed for sale.
2. Select the Products to Ship
Select the items you want to send to Amazon’s fulfillment centers by checking the box next to the products. Once selected, click the Action drop-down menu and choose Send/Replenish Inventory.
3. Choose Your Fulfillment Type
You’ll be asked whether your inventory is Case-Packed or Individual Units:
- Individual Units: Products are not pre-packed in cases, and Amazon will pick and pack individual units.
- Case-Packed: If you are sending multiple units of the same product in one case, choose this option.
4. Enter the Shipment Information
You’ll need to provide key details about your shipment:
- Ship From Address: Enter the address from where you’re shipping the products.
- Packing Type: Specify whether your shipment contains individual products or case-packed items.
- Number of Units: Enter the number of units you’re sending for each product.
5. Review Ship-To Locations
Amazon will automatically assign your shipment to the closest fulfillment centers based on your inventory’s destination and demand. You may be asked to split shipments between different locations depending on Amazon’s storage capacity.
Step 3: Prepare Your Shipment
Once you’ve created your shipment in Seller Central, the next step is physically preparing your products for shipping.
1. Label Your Products
As mentioned earlier, each product or case must be labeled correctly. Depending on the shipment type (individual units or case-packed), Amazon will generate the appropriate labels. Make sure you:
- Print and affix Amazon’s FNSKU labels (if using).
- Ensure that the labels are scannable and securely attached to the product or packaging.
2. Package Your Products
Follow Amazon’s packaging guidelines to avoid delays or issues with your shipment. Here are the key considerations:
- Sturdy Boxes: Use strong, undamaged boxes to prevent items from being damaged in transit.
- Proper Packing Materials: Use bubble wrap, packing paper, or other suitable materials to ensure products don’t shift during shipping.
- Tape and Sealing: Use durable packing tape and ensure all boxes are sealed securely.
3. Weigh and Measure Your Shipment
Before completing the shipment process, weigh and measure each package. Amazon will ask for the exact dimensions and weight to estimate the shipping cost.
Step 4: Choose a Shipping Carrier
Amazon offers several options for shipping your products to their fulfillment centers. You can either use Amazon-Partnered Carriers or choose your preferred shipping method.
1. Amazon-Partnered Carrier
Amazon offers discounted shipping rates through partnered carriers like UPS. If you opt for this, Amazon will charge the shipping cost directly to your account.
2. Non-Amazon Carriers
If you prefer to use a different carrier, you can arrange shipping through a third-party logistics provider, but make sure they are reliable and familiar with Amazon’s requirements.
Once you’ve chosen a carrier, print your shipping labels and attach them to your packages.
Step 5: Ship and Track Your Inventory
After everything is packed and labeled, drop off your shipment at the carrier’s location or arrange for a pickup. Once the shipment is on its way, you can track its status in Seller Central.
- Go to Shipments: In Seller Central, go to Inventory > Manage FBA Shipments. Here, you can see the status of your shipment as it’s received and processed at Amazon’s fulfillment center.
- Track Status: Monitor the status to ensure your products are successfully received and stored by Amazon. If there are any issues with your shipment, Amazon will notify you through Seller Central.
Step 6: Manage Your FBA Inventory
Once your products have arrived at Amazon’s fulfillment centers, your inventory will be updated in Seller Central, and your products will become available for sale as Prime-eligible items.
Amazon automatically manages your inventory by distributing products across fulfillment centers as needed. Here’s what you can do to manage your FBA inventory efficiently:
- Restock Alerts: Set restock alerts in Seller Central to ensure you never run out of stock.
- Monitor IPI Score: Keep an eye on your Inventory Performance Index (IPI) score to avoid excess storage fees and improve your inventory management.
- Track Shipments: Use the FBA shipment tracker to monitor future shipments and ensure timely delivery.
Best Practices for Creating FBA Shipments
To maximize the efficiency of your FBA shipments, consider these best practices:
- Consolidate Shipments: Whenever possible, consolidate your shipments to reduce shipping costs and minimize the risk of split shipments.
- Optimize Product Listings: Ensure that your product listings are optimized with relevant keywords and high-quality images to maximize sales once your products are in Amazon’s warehouses.
- Stay Updated on FBA Policies: Keep yourself informed about Amazon’s FBA guidelines and policies to avoid delays or issues with your shipments.
Conclusion
Creating FBA shipments as a third-party seller may seem daunting at first, but with the right preparation and attention to detail, the process can be smooth and efficient. By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll ensure that your products are prepared, shipped, and available for sale on Amazon as quickly as possible.
By leveraging Amazon FBA, you can scale your business, offer Prime-eligible shipping, and streamline your fulfillment process, allowing you to focus on growing your sales and customer base. At Marketplace Valet, we’re dedicated to helping third-party sellers succeed on Amazon with our end-to-end FBA management services. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you grow your Amazon business.
FAQs
- How long does it take for Amazon to process FBA shipments? Processing times can vary, but typically Amazon takes 3-7 business days to receive and store your inventory in their fulfillment centers.
- What should I do if Amazon splits my shipment between multiple fulfillment centers? Amazon may split shipments based on their storage capacity. While it can be inconvenient, it’s often unavoidable. Be sure to carefully label and track each part of the shipment.
- How do I avoid common mistakes when creating FBA shipments? To avoid common mistakes,