All Blogs & Seller News

How to properly package your items for Amazon FBA?

Published

5 months ago

December 25, 2022

Unfortunately for sellers, it’s not just a question of packing your items into any box you have lying around and sending it off to Amazon. Amazon has some specific packaging requirements for their FBA clients.

It may seem onerous at first but when you think about the below, it’s really just common sense:

Poorly packaged goods can be damaged in transit.
Poorly labelled goods may get lost or mixed up.
Over-packaged goods are wasteful and damaging to the environment.
Poor packaging could negatively impact the reputation of your business.

All fair points, no?

Amazon takes its packaging requirements seriously and there are penalties for suppliers who fail to comply. For example, Amazon may dispose of your inventory and even block future shipments to its fulfilment centers – not the makings of a successful business model.

Improperly-labelled products may be marked as unsellable, and you might be slapped with a non-compliance fee. Not good.

But don’t worry, it’s all totally avoidable if you just stick to the rules.

General packaging requirements

Each unique unit or product type (e.g. size or color) must have a unique FNSKU.
Each unit must have an exterior scannable barcode with corresponding readable numbers that are easily accessible.
You can either use manufacturer barcodes (eg GCID, UPC, EAN, or ISBN) or Amazon barcodes (ASIN or FNSKU).
Existing barcodes on the outside of shipping boxes must be rendered unscannable. This can be done by covering the redundant code with tape or by using a black felt-tip to block it out. This ensures that the incorrect barcode cannot be accidentally scanned.
Each unit, including multiple volume book sets, must be contained within a single, secure package.
Units may not include multiple pieces requiring assembly by Amazon.
Units not contained in secure packaging must be bagged or secured with tape.
Footwear must be packaged with no shoe material exposed, either in boxes or in poly bags. Poly bags must have a suffocation warning (see below for detailed packaging requirements for poly bags).

Approved packaging materials

Amazon can provide packing materials for you which meet their requirements. You can get Amazon-preferred poly bags, boxes, stretch wrap, bubble packs and other materials directly from Amazon.

US-based sellers can also get free supplies from UPS, FedEX and USPS provided the seller is using those services to send products to Amazon fulfilment centers.

Amazon FBA-approved standard boxes

You can’t just use any box to ship to Amazon FBA, you need to stick to the following:

Regular slotted carton
B flute
ECT-32 (edge crush test)
200BH (burst strength)

Amazon FBA-approved packaging materials

The types of packaging that Amazon uses include:

Foam sheets or cushioning
Air pillows
Bubble wrap
Full sheets of paper

Amazon FBA general labeling requirements

The labels you need for Amazon FBA must meet the following criteria:

Product labels must all include the exact same product title.
Use no more than 50 characters.
Capitalize the first letter of each word but do not use ALL CAPS.
Symbols and special characters are not allowed.
Promotional titles are not allowed.

FBA items sold as sets

Units that are sold as sets must be marked as sets on their packaging, and clearly labelled to that effect. For example: “Sold as set” or “Part of a set, do not separate.”

Units must be sealed so that sets cannot be separated.

FBA items sold as boxed units

If you intend to ship boxed sets to Amazon FBA warehouses, make sure to follow these instructions:

Boxed units must be six-sided and must have openings that will not easily open on their own.
If the box can be easily opened on its own, adhesives or staples must be used.
The box must not collapse when medium pressure is applied to any of the sides.
If the boxed unit has perforated sides or openings, it must pass a 3 foot drop test. This consists of one drop on each side and one drop on a corner.
If the product does not pass this test, it must be placed in a poly bag with a suffocation warning.
Boxes containing multiple standard-size items must not exceed 25 inches on any side. The limit may be exceeded if the box contains oversize units that measure longer than 25 inches.
Boxes may not exceed the standard weight limit of 50 lbs unless they contain one single oversized item that exceeds 50 lbs.
Boxes containing jewelry or watches must not exceed 40 lbs.

FBA case-packed products

To send case-packed products to Amazon FBA, make sure your items meet the following criteria:

All products in a box must have a matching SKU and condition and must have been packaged by the manufacturer.
Boxes with the same product must contain equal quantities of that product in the box and contain no more than 150 units per case.
When receiving this type of shipment the fulfillment centre scans one unit from the box and the box is placed in the inventory.
In some cases multiple case packs may be packed into a larger box called a master carton. The above requirements apply at the case pack level.

Requirements for poly bags

To use an Amazon FBA poly bag for protecting items, you must follow these instructions:

Poly bags with a 5 inch opening or larger (measured when flat) must have a suffocation warning either printed on the bag or attached as a label.
Amazon has precise requirements for minimum suffocation warning label print sizecorresponding to the length plus width of the bag.
The thickness of the bag must be at least 1.5mm.
The poly bag must be transparent.
The poly bag must have a barcode or XOO-label that is scannable through the bag or have an XOO or ASIN label on the outside of the bag.
The poly bag must be completely sealed.
The poly bag or shrink wrap must not protrude more than 3 inches past the dimensions of the product.

You can use poly bag alternatives as long as they meet these requirements. If you want more environmentally-friendly options, there are plant-based poly bags and biodegradable poly bags.

Expiration dates

Do your products have expiration dates? Make sure to follow these rules:

Products that expire must include the expiration date on the master carton in 36-point or larger font and on the individual units.
Expiration dates must be in the format MM-DD-YYYY or MM-YYYY.
The expiration date must be accessible to Amazon during the receiving process even when the product is subject to additional packaging requirements (e.g: for fragile items).

I hope you found this article helpful. Many Amazon sellers recently started trading stocks and crypto currencies, hoping to diversify their income, which is a very good idea with all the uncertainty which comes with the platform. For this reason, we launched a new Facebook group, Crypto Arbitrage Income (Bitcoin, Crypto, Altcoins, Blockchain, Trading) – feel free to join us and forget about the troubles of selling on Amazon for a moment!

Regarding Amazon Seller Performance, you can always participate in our Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide group, where you will be very welcome.

If you are an Amazon Seller who needs help with any Amazon-related issues such as suspensions, listing blocks or is looking for professional assistance, please don’t hesitate to subscribe to my new OnlyFans page at: www.onlyfans.com/kikaangelic

In case you are an Amazon Seller who needs help with Seller Identity Verification on Amazon, please feel free to watch my most detailed video on the subject, addressing all common questions:

Kika Angelic

followers0

following0

My name is Kristina Hajdukova, but I am known as Kika Angelic. I have been selling online since high school and I dedicated my entire life to helping other Amazon Sellers and building the seller community Regarding Amazon Seller Performance, you can always participate in my Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide group, where you will be very welcome. If you are an Amazon Seller who needs help with any Amazon-related issues such as suspensions, listing blocks or is looking for professional assistance, please don’t hesitate to subscribe to my new OnlyFans page at: www.onlyfans.com/kikaangelic

Up Next

What are the types of intellectual property that can be enforced on Amazon platform?

Don't Miss

Europe top court rules Amazon should not sell third party knock-off Louboutin shoes

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Check out Seller Union’s new free background remover tool!

Kika Angelic Trying Her Friend’s Miss World 2022 Winner Tiara & Sash

London Gay Pride 2022 – Kika Angelic & Amazon Seller Union Team

A secret way how to avoid a suspension on Amazon without a Plan of Action

All Blogs & Seller News

Everything what you need to start a wholesale FBA business on Amazon

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2023

Kika Angelic

Form your LLC and obtain the necessary documents: To start a wholesale FBA Amazon business, you’ll need to create a legal entity and obtain important documents such as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Reseller Certificate, and your LLC documents.

Set up an e-commerce website: You can create a dummy e-commerce website to contact brands, distributors, and wholesalers. This website can serve as a platform to showcase your business and the products you plan to sell.

Obtain a unique address: If you are not a resident of the US, you will need to obtain a unique address in the state where you plan to open your LLC. You can use a virtual mailbox service or a registered agent service to get a unique address.

Identify profitable products: Use tools such as Keepa, Scan Unlimited, Helium 10, and others to identify profitable products that meet your criteria. Some of the factors to consider include low BSR, good buy box rotation, low competition, good profit margin, and no price war.

Contact brand/distributor/wholesaler: Once you’ve identified profitable products, reach out to brands, distributors, and wholesalers and apply for approval to sell their products on Amazon. You can approach them through email, phone, or you’re website

Test inventory: Before buying inventory in bulk, start with a small testing inventory of under 100 units to gauge the product’s potential. If it sells well, you can move on to buying inventory in bulk.

Repack and label inventory: Use a 3PL (third-party logistics) provider to repackage your inventory and apply labels as required by Amazon’s FBA program.

Create a shipment plan: Once your inventory is ready, create a shipment plan and send the products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

Launch your products: Once your products are live on Amazon, monitor their performance and make any necessary adjustments to your strategy.

Continuously improve your business: Keep researching and testing new products to improve your business and stay competitive in the marketplace.

Keep Eyes Open: Once your product is live keep your eyes open to monetizing your Price to get a buy box Tackle the price war and Create an Excel sheet if what you’re selling to get motivated for next time

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

Consider using tools like Keepa, Jungle Scout, CameCamel, and Scan Unlimited to help with product research and analysis.

Build a strong relationship with the Brand/Distributer/Wholesaler to negotiate for a good cheap price and get high quality at a low price

Stay up to date with Amazon’s policies and regulations to ensure compliance.

I hope you found this article helpful. If you are experiencing issues with your Amazon Seller Account and your Seller Account already received a warning or is under a review, I can assist you and help you resolve the matter.

In order to receive a professional advice and get help with your Amazon issue, feel free to subscribe and reach out through my dedicated assistance help page at www.onlyfans.com/kikaangelic, where I provide help with Amazon related matters in exchange for a small $24.99 fee.

If you have an Amazon-related issue, feel free to join and post into my large Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide Facebook group, where you will be very welcome.

Many Amazon sellers recently started trading stocks and crypto currencies, hoping to diversify their income, which is a very good idea with all the uncertainty which comes with the platform. For this reason, we launched a new Facebook group, Crypto Arbitrage Income (Bitcoin, Crypto, Altcoins, Blockchain, Trading) – feel free to join us and forget about the troubles of selling on Amazon for a moment!

Additionally, here you can watch my YouTube video, where I am presenting you several secret tips about appealing Amazon Seller Account suspensions (don’t be confused by the opening of the video, where I am enjoying a vacation – it’s a part of the story):

All Blogs & Seller News

Account Health Rating expands into Amazon Europe, UK and Turkey

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2023

Kika Angelic

As you know, last year Amazon updated Account Health Dashboards across North American marketplaces by introducing numeric scores. The same features are now available on European marketplaces as well.

Account Health Rating constitutes a numeric score ranging from 0 to 1,000 (in addition to the color coding), enabling you to see how close you are to the various thresholds that move your AHR from green (‘Healthy’) to yellow (‘At Risk’) to red (‘Unhealthy’).

If your AHR is green (“Healthy,” based on a score of 200-1,000), that means your account is not at risk of deactivation. If your AHR is yellow (“At Risk,” based on a score of 100-199), your account is at risk of deactivation. When your AHR is red (“Unhealthy,” based on a score of 99 or lower), your account is either eligible for deactivation or already deactivated.

Account Health Rating is also displaying the degree to which any violations you might incur impact your account health, allowing you to prioritize addressing those that are most negatively affecting it.

Here you can learn more in a screenshot of e-mail regarding the matter from Amazon:

New Account Health Rating features are live – preview your rating and address open issues on your Account Health page now!

Hello,

Over the past few years, sellers have asked for more insight into account health-related issues. We heard your feedback and have rolled out the new version of the Account Health Rating in August 2022 to our sellers in the US and Canada stores. We are now excited to share that we have expanded the program to the EU, the UK, and Türkiye. Starting today, we have added new features to your Account Health page that will provide more transparency into your account health status. These new features will allow you to spend more time growing your business and delighting customers, and less time worrying about your account health and potential disruption to your business.

We are now also displaying your AHR as a numeric score ranging from 0 to 1,000 (in addition to the color coding), enabling you to see how close you are to the various thresholds that move your AHR from green (‘Healthy’) to yellow (‘At Risk’) to red (‘Unhealthy’). If your AHR is green (“Healthy,” based on a score of 200-1,000), that means your account is not at risk of deactivation. If your AHR is yellow (“At Risk,” based on a score of 100-199), your account is at risk of deactivation. When your AHR is red (“Unhealthy,” based on a score of 99 or lower), your account is either eligible for deactivation or already deactivated. We are also displaying the degree to which any violations you might incur impact your account health, allowing you to prioritize addressing those that are most negatively affecting it.

We offer a 7-day preview period that starts today, for you to see your AHR score and status and address any open violations in your account to improve your score. Starting 7 days from today, your account may be deactivated if your AHR score is red or “Unhealthy.” By looking at your policy adherence holistically, we want to create a predictable and consistent experience for you to manage your business, while still maintaining a high bar for Amazon customer experience. We encourage you to go to your Account Health page and, if your account is in “at risk” or “unhealthy” status, address open issues that impact your score before the 7-day period ends to avoid potential deactivation.

We will continue to work hard to make it easier for you to monitor your account health and performance. If you have any questions or suggestions about how we might improve the AHR, please visit the Seller Forums and browse to the “Account Health” category there to share your thoughts. Our team of Account Health Specialists is ready to answer any questions surfaced there.

To learn more about the AHR, please visit our Help pages.
Thank you for selling in Amazon’s store.
Selling Partner Support

If you have an Amazon-related issue, feel free to join and post into my large Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide Facebook group, where you will be very welcome.

Additionally, here you can watch my YouTube video, where I am presenting you my advice how to avoid getting suspended on Amazon and get help with a Plan of Action without having to spend a lot of money on a hired guru:

All Blogs & Seller News

Amazon is now adding “Regarding store” notes into e-mail communications

Published

2 weeks ago

May 16, 2023

Kika Angelic

If you are carefully monitoring Amazon’s notifications, you must have noticed a recent change in wording, concerning e-mails sent regarding different international Amazon marketplaces.

Previously, informative e-mails used to be sent in different languages, depending on the store’s local language.

Now, all e-mails are being sent in English regardless of the store’s location and a header stating “Regarding store: Germany / Sweden…..” is being added.

Here you can view what the new notifications look like:

Another one:

If you have an Amazon-related issue, feel free to join and post into my large Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide Facebook group, where you will be very welcome.