Many businesses rely on Amazon for distribution and sales services. The business boasts one of the world’s most well-known and influential distribution networks. Companies who sell on Amazon have the freedom of buying a logistical solution to address further issues by utilizing Amazon FBA, which stands for “Fulfillment by Amazon.” It means that Amazon will care about and manage your inventory.
Your client will detect no change in the quality of service they get. The vendor is just utilizing Amazon’s tried-and-true services and paying for the privilege. You have the peace of mind of knowing that Amazon manages distribution, while the consumer benefits from Amazon’s massive distribution network and seamless distribution system.
Some startups may be unaware of this service, and there is a lengthy procedure involved. Therefore we will attempt to provide a summary of Amazon FBA for beginners. It is essential to go through all of the procedures and carefully follow them since the fulfillment service provided by Amazon is valuable.
Still, it is very complicated, and there are many places where you may go wrong. Therefore, it is critical to be accurate in all of your activities, and you must perform the procedures precisely to prevent packages from being refused and distribution delays increasing.
How to Get Started with Amazing FBA
So, what is Amazon FBA? Many businesses who want to enhance their distribution networks and save time and money may benefit from Amazon FBA.
However, to take advantage of Amazon FBA, a business must first complete several procedures. This ensures that Amazon will fulfill your existing and future listings, giving you more time to focus on developing your company.
Logging In
To begin your Amazon FBA journey, log in to a seller’s account and then proceed to the Manage Inventory page. Mark any listings that you want to convert to Amazon FBA from this page. Then, choose the Convert to Amazon Fulfillment option by clicking on the Actions button.
Picking the Goods
After that, pick the goods you wish to send using Amazon FBA and click the Send/Replenish inventory button. You have the option of sending individual goods or several packaged packages. Amazon prefers to handle items delivered in a packed box, so it may be worthwhile to wait until you have more things to distribute to make the process quicker and simpler.
Shipping Options and Labelling
Examine the shipping process option on your company’s Amazon profile page. After that, you must label, pack, and ready your products for shipment. Finally, you must choose between two labeling choices and verify that you have packed and packaged your goods precisely as Amazon requires.
Options for Labelling
You will be prompted to choose your labeling choices at first. There are two options: comingled or stickerless packaging or labeling.
Stickerless or Commingled
The stickerless or comingled option eliminates the need to apply stickers or labels to the goods you submit to Amazon for fulfillment. However, at the fulfillment center, they will be mixed up with other comparable goods. The advantages of the no-sticker alternative are the ease of packing and processing at the fulfillment centers.
There are a few things that do not meet the criteria for the commingled option. These are some examples:
- Anything that has been used or reconditioned
- Gemstones
- Clothing
- Timepieces
- Footwear
- VHS tapes
- Computer software
- Musical Instruments
- Literature
- Computer and video games
Optional Labeling
If you choose the marked option, you must label each item you submit to Amazon for fulfillment. This implies that each item will be labeled to identify you as the seller and will not be put in the fulfillment center with goods of the same kind. Therefore, if you choose this option, you will track your goods more efficiently on Amazon.
For a nominal charge, Amazon may apply labels to your shipments. However, regardless of your choice, each item must be immediately identifiable as the product itself and identify you as the vendor.
Amazon FBA Step-by-Step Instructions
When you submit your first shipment to Amazon for fulfillment, you must meet specific requirements. For example, you must specify how many pieces each item has and where you are sending them from. The shipment’s shipping method and carrier are then chosen. Amazon has preferred carriers that provide competitive prices for transporting services.
Amazon will notify you of the location of your completed shipment. When they arrive, they will be accessible to UK Amazon customers. If you are shipping from another country, there are comparable fulfillment services in that country that you may use.
If you send goods to several countries, you may choose a Multi-Country Inventory. Amazon will ship your most popular products to the nation where they sell the most, but they will also ship the same items to Fulfillment Centers in the countries from where they will ship.
If you are new to Amazon Fulfillment, Amazon may ask you to provide the dimensions of your shipments, so make sure you have them on hand. It would help if you informed Amazon how many shipments you are shipping to the fulfillment center. If you input erroneous quantities on the Send/Replenish Inventory page, it will cause your order to be delayed.
You will need to prepare your products for distribution and, once again, add this information to your Amazon business page. Again, you have a drop-down menu with various packaging choices to choose from, so highlight the relevant packaging information.
You will then be sent to a website to print labels for each of your boxes or individual products based on your choices. You will be given a carrier tracking number, which you will put into your account, mark the item as sent, and you will be ready to dispatch the goods.
If there are any discrepancies in the process, you may utilize the Shipment Reconciliation Tool by selecting the Reconcile tab. Another option is to automate this whole process through one of the services of Amazon Automation.
Optional Additions
Did you get overwhelmed by the costs you had to deal with? But, if you want to be an Amazon FBA seller, why not attempt the FBA New Selection program?
On qualifying new-to-FBA ASINs, this program provides free monthly storage, free returns processing, and free removals. Participants will also get a $100 discount on Amazon-partnered carrier delivery.
There are now over 60,000 vendors registered in the new ASIN program. In addition, they’ve introduced additional perks this year, such as:
- Eligibility for Large Items: Amazon will begin offering free storage (up to 90 days) and free removals (up to 180 days) on qualifying large goods on April 1, 2021. (up to 30 units per parent ASIN).
- ASIN restriction: Amazon will enable an unlimited number of qualified, new-to-FBA parent ASINs beginning April 1, 2021. As a result, the 500-ASIN restriction is no longer in effect.
- Advertisement that has been sponsored: Beginning April 1, 2021, the online retailing behemoth will provide promotional credits for sponsored advertising.
This program seems to be intriguing, but how do you enroll?
ASIN Restriction Enrollment
So, what is Amazon FBA’s ASIN restriction program? First, you must determine whether or not you are qualified. Professional sellers are the only ones who can sell on Amazon. You must also keep your IPI score at 400 or above. New Professional vendors and sellers who have not yet been given an IPI score are welcome to join as well. However, if your IPI score falls below 400, Amazon will immediately drop you from the program.
ASINs are examined in addition to seller eligibility. You have the option of enrolling in small standard and big standard-size goods. Also, make sure you haven’t listed the parent ASINs in the last 180 days. Please keep in mind that used goods and the Media categories are not eligible. Finally, only Jewelry, Apparel, Luggage, Shoes, Handbags & Accessories, and Watches qualify for free returns processing.
Please keep in mind that your registration is still subject to Amazon’s approval. You may learn more about the FBA New Selection program by clicking on this link.
Web Service Marketplace
Amazon’s marketplace web services, or MWS, enable businesses to connect Amazon FBA transactions into their management systems.
This is accomplished via different APIs that enable you to execute various FBA tasks inside your system. Sending shipment inventories to FBA centers is one of these tasks. This inventory system may store orders made by non-Amazon transactions as well. MWS may also keep inventory data at its fulfillment centers.
It is entirely free to use the MWS system. All of this is included in the costs for utilizing the Amazon FBA service. You can also check out Amazon Automation’s services to get your hands off most of the operations of your online business.
What Happens to Your Products?
So, what happens when you send your products to the fulfillment center using a carrier? Then, we can examine the procedure step by step till your products are sent.
First, reception personnel at the FC receive and scan the goods. Second, you may check the progress of your purchase by going to your Amazon account’s business page. Third, if the fulfillment center does not handle your shipments within three days, you may contact the Seller Support Centre.
The goods you delivered to the FC are then placed on shelves until they are selected for delivery to customers.
Delivery of Pallets
You must be aware of specific restrictions if you are shipping your products to Amazon on a pallet. For example, if the pallet is single stacked, it cannot be taller than 1.7m or 1.5m if double stacked, including the pallet’s height.
The natural pallet must meet 1200mm by 1000mm, or it will be rejected. You must securely cover the pallets with stretch transparent plastic or tape labeled “do not break down.” Any goods weighing more than 15kg should also be labeled as a heavy load.
The employees must access the products using their Power Pallet Truck when the pallets are brought to the Fulfilment Centre. Therefore the truck that delivers the goods must be 7.5 tons or more prominent. It must also be able to reverse to the FC loading bay door.
Any carriers must make a delivery appointment. Fill up your booking form and send it to the courier so that he may notify the FC through email.
Common Issues in Amazon FBA
You want your items to arrive at the fulfillment center securely and promptly. Therefore, you can make the procedure go more smoothly. However, if you do not correctly follow the procedural guidelines, shipments may be delayed.
Check that your goods are adequately packaged. Next, make sure that your labels are firmly affixed and simple to read. Lastly, check that you have placed the correct item in the corresponding packaging.
Because various nations have different customs requirements, you must ensure that the products you are shipping conform with the country you are sending them to and their laws. If you find this part of the distribution process too difficult, you may hire a customs broker to assist you. You will then have the peace of mind that an expert has addressed these complicated problems.
Using Amazon FBA to Launch a Company
Enrolling in Amazon FBA is a natural next step for a well-established company that is currently importing or producing goods. If you are establishing a company, you may intend to utilize Amazon’s fulfillment services as part of your business strategy.
Once you’ve acquired your goods and arranged for them to be produced, they may be delivered directly to the Amazon Fulfillment Center, thus removing you from the equation. You’ll still be in the thick of things, processing inventory and keeping track of orders and sales. However, when it comes to warehousing goods and arranging for them to be delivered, Amazon FBA will take care of everything for you.
Even after paying Amazon for distribution, you will still make a nice profit on your products, provided you have priced them reasonably. You will need to create an Amazon professional account since you will be a business seller rather than an individual seller. You will want to sell goods in quantity rather than individually.
Other benefits are available to Amazon corporate customers. When you begin selling on Amazon, you are a mystery to the customer. Therefore, it is advantageous to have reviews and star ratings to provide consumer trust. Using an algorithm, Amazon can handle all of this for you. They may assess your selling profile by weighing sales and reviews. As a result, when you first start, ask all of your friends and family to purchase and review your goods. This offers you a head start, and a rung on the Amazon recommended seller ladder.
Wrapping Up
If you want to make a livelihood as an Amazon seller and use FBA, you may enroll in a course to learn the fundamentals of how to get started. Courses offer a blueprint for utilizing Amazon FBA, whether you are a beginner or an experienced merchant.
The advantages of utilizing the Amazon Fulfillment Service for a company are self-evident. Your company will operate more smoothly, and you will save time and money in the workplace.
Your consumers will be pleased since they will have access to Amazon customer support and shipping choices when they purchase your goods. As a result, you will increase your sales and enhance your client’s happiness. To maximize your possibilities in the Amazon FBA program, schedule a free consultation with Amazon Automation now!