Our Guide to FBA Prep Service - Why Choose to Outsource - My FBA Prep

If you’re pursuing e-commerce business in Amazon, it makes sense to take advantage of the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. In fact, Amazon has one of the most advanced fulfillment networks in the world.

As far as storage and shipping are concerned, Amazon helps business owners to sell their products. These e-commerce businesses deliver their products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers specifically designed for FBA services. 

One facet of the fulfillment process in Amazon is FBA prep. This process involves getting your inventory ready to send to Amazon. There are three options when it comes to FBA prep—do it yourself, pay Amazon to do it, or outsource it to a third party. 

In the following section, we’ll discuss what FBA prep entails and why sellers should outsource the FBA prep service.


FBA prep in a nutshell

In a nutshell, FBA prep entails sending your inventory into Amazon. It basically focuses on the packaging and labeling of products, and in some cases, sellers require an inspection of their inventory. 

FBA prep, however, isn’t merely a matter of throwing everything into a box and handing it over to a courier. A number of stringent rules need to be strictly followed for your order to be accepted at the Fulfillment Center. That’s why complying with these requirements is hugely important. Otherwise, Amazon won’t take your stock, you’ll have it all returned, and unfortunately, you’ll still have to pay.


Outsourcing FBA prep

FBA prep can be a little tricky. As mentioned above, you have the option to do it yourself, pay Amazon to do it, or outsource it to a third party. Outsourcing to a third party is a viable solution for many sellers. 

By outsourcing, you are technically handing it over to the experts. This third-party company is surely specialized, knowing the entire process, ensuring compliance with Amazon’s rules, and lowering the risk of your stock being rejected. The company will do all the work—from inspecting stock to making up boxes and printing labels down to sending the items. Through outsourcing, you will not only save time and effort, but you will also save money as a whole.

Factors to consider when outsourcing

There are a few factors to consider when outsourcing your FBA prep. Below are a few to take into account:

  • Price: When it comes to pricing, it is natural that you want to get the best deal. Make sure to ask whether the prep service is being charged monthly or per item. In the end, you want to get a service that’s worth the price to pay.


  • Location: You need to think strategically when considering the location of your prep center. This means using a prep center that’s close to your home and near the shipping port. This will help you save time and money.


  • Storage: More and more sellers prefer to use prep centers to store their inventory. First off, doing so is a lot cheaper than storing in the fulfillment centers. Second, you’ll have to deal with Amazon’s suspension culture when your stock gets suspended, and you’ll have to pay to get it returned.


  • Processing time: It’s a lot more practical to deal with a third-party vendor when it comes to processing time. This is because they can quickly prepare your inventory.


  • Inspection: It is worth inquiring if your FBA prep service does include inspection, apart from labeling and packaging.


Final words

Overall, outsourcing your FBA service can be such a practical solution. By doing so, your FBA service will run as smoothly as possible—from packaging to labeling, even inspection. You might as well take advantage of outsourcing your FBA prep service.