How to Ship to Amazon FBA

How to Ship to Amazon FBA? The best way to ship to Amazon FBA Fulfillment Centers is a critical step for sellers hoping to use Amazon’s wide fulfillment and logistics network. 

Amazon’s infrastructure includes a wide network of fulfillment centers strategically located across the globe, which enables efficient order processing and rapid delivery to customers. 

This strategic partnership offers numerous advantages, such as increased sales potential due to Amazon’s proven track record in customer satisfaction, as the platform handles returns, refunds, and customer inquiries, freeing up sellers to make data-driven decisions to optimize their product offerings and inventory management strategies.

How to Ship to Amazon FBA

How Does Shipping to Amazon FBA Work?

Amazon FBA shipping service (Fulfillment by Amazon) streamlines the order fulfillment process for sellers. 

When a customer purchases a product from an FBA seller, Amazon handles the entire fulfillment process, including picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. 

Sellers send to Amazon FBA fulfillment centers, where they are stored until purchased. 

Once an order is placed, Amazon picks, packs, and ships the product directly to the customer, using the seller’s shipping settings and rates. This service offers numerous benefits to sellers, including increased sales potential, improved customer satisfaction, and reduced operational burdens. 

How to Send Products To Amazon FBA

To send products to Amazon FBA, sellers must follow a specific process: 

  1. Product Preparation: Ensure products meet Amazon’s packaging and labeling requirements. 
  2. Creating a Shipping Plan: Use Amazon Seller Central to create a shipping plan, specifying the products, quantities, and shipping address. 
  3. Labeling Products: Generate and print shipping labels for each product and box. 
  4. Packing Products: Carefully pack products according to Amazon’s guidelines to prevent damage during transit. 
  5. Shipping to Amazon Fulfillment Center: Schedule a pickup with a carrier and ship products to the designated Amazon Fulfillment center.

How To Properly Pack Products For Amazon FBA Shipping

Proper packaging is necessary in safeguarding products during transit and preventing damage. 

Adherence to Amazon’s packaging guidelines is essential. Use sturdy boxes with appropriate dimensions to accommodate the product securely. Employ cushioning materials like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or air pillows to protect fragile items from impacts and vibrations. 

Seal boxes with high-quality packing tape, ensuring complete closure and preventing accidental openings. Clearly fix shipping to Amazon FBA labels to the exterior of boxes, ensuring visibility and accurate delivery. For an extra level of protection, avoid using fillers to prevent product movement within the box and reinforcing box corners with additional tape for added protection. 

What is Send to Amazon?

Send to Amazon (STA) is a streamlined workflow introduced by Amazon to simplify the process of creating shipments for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) sellers. Designed to replace the previous “Send/Replenish Inventory” process, STA offers a more efficient and user-friendly experience. 

The workflow guides users through a step-by-step process, allowing them to create reusable case pack templates, pack single or mixed SKU boxes, and update quantities as they pack. 

How to Create a Shipping Plan With Send to Amazon

To create a shipping plan, navigate to the Inventory tab in Amazon Seller Central and select “Send/Replenish Inventory.” 

You will be prompted to create a new shipping plan, where you will specify the products you wish to send, the quantities of each product, and the shipping address of the Amazon fulfillment center. 

Once you have entered this information, Amazon will generate a list of shipping labels for each product. Carefully print and stick these labels to the corresponding boxes. It is necessary to follow Amazon’s packaging guidelines to ensure the safe transportation of your products. 

Once your products are packed and labeled, you can schedule a pickup with a carrier and ship the boxes to start shipping to Amazon fulfillment center. 

Benefits of Using Send to Amazon

Using Amazon FBA offers multiple advantages such as that it handles fulfillment, packaging, and shipping, customer service for FBA orders, Amazon also stores products in its fulfillment centers, and Amazon Prime eligibility for FBA products.  

There is also the potential of increased sales due to Amazon’s customer base. 

Amazon Direct Shipping vs. Amazon FBA Shipping

Amazon offers two primary fulfillment options for sellers: Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

With FBA, Amazon handles the entire fulfillment process, including storing your products, picking, packing, and shipping orders to customers. 

This option offers numerous benefits, such as increased sales potential due to Amazon Prime eligibility, improved customer satisfaction through faster shipping times, and reduced operational burdens for sellers. 

However, FBA also comes with associated fees, including storage, fulfillment, and shipping costs.  

Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)

With FBM, sellers are responsible for storing, packing, and shipping to Amazon their own orders. This option provides greater control over the fulfillment process but requires additional resources and time. 

FBM can be suitable for sellers with smaller product catalogs or those who prefer to manage their own shipping operations. 

The choice to either ship to Amazon FBA and FBM depends on various factors, including product type, sales volume, desired level of control, and budget. Many sellers opt for a hybrid approach, using FBA for some products and FBM for others. 

How Much Does Amazon FBA Shipping Cost?

Amazon FBA fees include storage, fulfillment and shipping costs. 

Fees vary based on product size, weight, and sales volume, which is why it’s necessary to calculate FBA fees to determine profitability. 

How Long Does Amazon FBA Shipping Take?

Amazon offers various shipping options with different delivery times. Standard shipping typically takes 2-8 business days, while expedited shipping options available such as two-day and one-day shopping, at premium rates. 

Additionally, Amazon Prime members enjoy free two-day shipping on eligible items, further enhancing the customer experience and driving sales.