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    The Complete Guide to Amazon FBA Labels

    The Complete Guide to Amazon FBA Labels

    Accurate labeling is key to Amazon FBA. Thanks to proper labeling, Amazon can keep track of your inventories. Any inaccuracy on your label will result in delays in sales and logistics. To help prevent this issue and help you follow Amazon’s shipping label guidelines, we’ve gathered some helpful tips. Let’s dive right in.

    What Are Amazon FBA Labels?

     

    An Amazon FBA label is designed and used to collect, distribute, and dispatch your products from fulfillment centers. Due to the large size of FBA, Amazon is heavily dependent on these labels. These FBA labels make sure that the proper product is delivered to the right customer by the right seller.

    Additionally, the laborious process of sorting, maintaining, and shipping is made simple by these labels, resulting in quicker shipping and quicker deliveries. Proper labeling guidelines must be followed to avoid excessive fees, delays, and occasionally even the return of your products to fulfillment centers.

    A person adding labels onto a box for shipping
    Credit: Envato Elements/ zGel
    A person using a scanner to scan packages
    Credit: Envato Elements/ amenic181

    What Should Amazon Labels Contain?

     

    Before sending products to an FBA warehouse, make sure that your Amazon FBA labels include the following three elements:

     

    1) Product Name

    2) Barcode

    3) Product Condition (“New,” “Used,” etc.)

    What Are the Types of Barcodes That Are Permitted by Amazon?

     

    Barcodes can be of two types:

     

    1) Manufacturer Barcodes

    UPC or Universal Product Code is the most popular type of manufacturer barcode used in the USA. These codes contain a barcode symbol that encodes a 12-digit number called a GTIN-12.

    Manufacturer barcodes provide crucial information about the maker and the product. These codes are applied by the manufacturer for tracking. In addition to UPC, the other type of manufacturer barcodes that Amazon accepts are ISBN and EAN barcodes.

     

    2) Amazon Barcodes

    Products that don’t already have a UPC barcode on them need to have an Amazon barcode commonly referred to as an FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Units) barcode. An FNSKU barcode is a unique alphanumeric barcode that is used when your product isn’t qualified for a manufacturer’s barcode. You can rapidly access these codes in the inventory section of Seller Central.

    A man holding a roll of barcodes over his eyes
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Mint_Images
    A person scanning a package
    Credit: Envato Elements/ amenic181

    Warning and Instruction Labels

    Additional labeling might be necessary depending on the products you’re delivering to Amazon. These labels assist in providing additional guidance to both customers and Amazon staff during the fulfillment process. These labels include:

     

    1) Fragile Warning Labels

    Any breakable or delicate objects, such as glass or ceramic, should be marked with this type of label to let customers and warehouse staff know what is within.

     

     

    2) Suffocation Warning

    The purpose of this warning label is to safeguard customers. A suffocation warning notice must be attached to a plastic or poly bag with openings of 5 inches (12.5 cm) or bigger.

     

    3) Sold as Set Labels

    These labels must be correctly applied when delivering products that must be sold together as a single unit. This will alert the staff to dispatch the products to the customer in their current state rather than separating them.

    Options for Labeling

     

    When labeling your product, there are two choices that you can choose from:

     

    1) Apply the FBA Labels Yourself

    If you decide to print FBA product labels yourself, make sure to follow the steps below:

     

    1) Register with Seller Central.

    2) On the menu bar, select Inventory > Manage FBA Inventory.

    3) Locate the product you wish to print labels for by scanning your 

         list of products.

    4) On the right side of the chosen product, click Edit.

    5) Click Print item labels from the drop-down menu.

    6) On the right, decide how many labels you wish to print.

    7) Select the type of paper or sticker type.

    8) Click Print Item Labels when you’re done.

    A person adding a barcode label to a cardboard box
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Freedomtumz

    2) Use Amazon FBA Label Service

     

    Amazon offers a label service if you don’t want to print the label yourself. To use the service, you must change your “Who prints” setting to “Amazon”. Utilizing the Amazon FBA Label Service has a number of key benefits. The entire procedure is made to save the FBA sellers time. Qualified Amazon FBA sellers can deliver their products directly to Amazon using the FBA Label Service as long as they have a legible UPC, EAN, or ISBN. After that, Amazon will charge you a fee for using its labeling service.

    A man wearing a hardhat and using a scanner in his hand
    Credit: Envato Elements/ pondsaksit

    What Are the FBA Labelling Requirements?

     

    If you choose to apply the FBA label yourself, make sure that you follow these labeling requirements:

     

    1) Label Paper Requirements

    Before printing labels, make sure that you follow these tips:

    • •  The paper must be entirely non-reflective and white.
    • •  The barcodes must only be printed in black ink. Do not use colored 
    •     ink.
    • •  The label must have a removable adhesive to help customers 
    •     quickly rip the labels off after delivery.

    .

    2) Correct Printer Usage

     

    The proper kinds of printers must be used for printing Amazon labels. The most popular and appropriate printer for small- to medium-sized businesses is a laser printer. You can also use thermal printers like Zebra printers. Make sure that you do not use inkjet printers as they may make the text more difficult to read.

     

    3) Labeling Placement

    To ensure that you have a scannable barcode, label positioning is crucial. Make sure that you do not apply the label to the curves or corners of the product. Additionally, be sure to erase any old, visible barcodes with a permanent marker or cover them with a blank label.

     

    Summary

    Amazon FBA sellers have to follow a series of rules in order to maintain their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Proper labeling is one of the key rules. Improper labeling compliance could hurt your revenue. Therefore, be sure to pay close attention to this minor but significant aspect of your logistics.

    The FBA Fee Guide: Understanding Fulfillment Costs

    Understanding Amazon Fees

    The FBA Fee Guide: Understanding Fulfillment Costs  

     

    FBA is the method of choice for many sellers to fulfill Amazon purchases. This is because sellers can use Amazon’s warehouses to stock products, and the retail giant will be responsible to pick, pack, and ship the products to customers. Despite the fact that FBA can help Amazon sellers streamline their e-commerce shipping processes, the cost of this service can be confusing. In this article, we’ll examine the costs associated with Amazon FBA.

     

    Types of Amazon FBA Fees

    Each step of the fulfillment process is managed by FBA on a fee-based system. The following are the common fees associated with FBA:

    1) Amazon FBA Fulfillment Fee

    FBA fulfillment fees are also known as the pick-and-pack or order fulfillment costs. These fees are per-unit fees for locating, labeling, and shipping items to customers. The charge is influenced by the size, weight, and category of the product. 

    The FBA fulfillment cost is calculated using the following subcategories:

     

    Standard Size Products

     

    In order to qualify as a standard-size product, an item must weigh less than 20 pounds when fully packed. Additionally, its measurements cannot exceed 18″ x 14″ x 8″.

    Two boxes that can be opened from the side as a drawer with one with contents in it
    Credit: fulfillment services
    A man packing items into a box to be sealed for shipping
    Credit: Envato Elements/ poundsaed_eco

    Oversized Products

     

    Any object that exceeds the dimensions and weight mentioned above falls under the oversized category. This means that a product will be regarded as oversized if it weighs more than 20 pounds and measures more than 18 inches on its longest side.

     

    FBA fees are constantly changing so make sure to check out the Amazon Seller Central app to obtain an accurate figure. You can also use the FBA calculator that Amazon provides to calculate fulfillment costs. In order to use the calculator, you must first conduct a search on Amazon for a product that is similar to the one you are attempting to sell. Your Amazon fulfillment cost will then be calculated by Amazon using the weight and dimensions of this item.

     

    2) Storage Fees

    Amazon charges inventory storage fees for the use of the storage space in its fulfillment center.

    There are two types of FBA inventory storage costs: monthly and long-term.

     

    Monthly Storage Fees

    If your products are still at an Amazon warehouse at the end of the month, Amazon will charge you a monthly storage fee. These costs are either deducted from your Amazon account or charged to your credit card.

    A man wearing a hard hat and stacking boxes in a warehouse
    Credit: Envato Elements/ LightFieldStudios
    A birds eye view of a warehouse that is packed with boxees
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Mint_Images

     

     

     

    Long-Term Storage Fees

    On the 15th of every month, Amazon cleans out its stock. During the clean-up, Amazon maintains note of any items that have been sitting in its fulfillment centers for 365 days or more. The seller will be charged a long-term storage fee by Amazon for these products.

    Similar to monthly storage fees, long-term storage fees are automatically deducted from your Amazon seller account or charged to your credit card.

     

     

    3) Additional Amazon Fulfillment Costs

     

    When using Amazon fulfillment services, there might be additional fees on top of those listed above. These include:

     

    Penalty Fees

    Like many other businesses, Amazon has regulations that sellers must adhere to. If these requirements are not met, there can be a fine imposed. For instance, if products are not prepared in compliance with Amazon’s rules and standards, you will be charged a penalty fee. If you fail to adhere to Amazon’s barcode label regulations, you will also be penalized. When preparing products to send to the fulfillment facilities, make sure to thoroughly study Amazon’s guidelines in order to avoid these penalties.

    An image of a person and then a hand holding a paper with fine on it
    Credit: iStock
    Some boxes on the table ready to be sealed and labelled
    Credit: Envato Elements/ FabrikaPhoto

     

     

    Package Prep Fees

     

     

    A seller can opt to have Amazon prepare and package their products for an additional fee in order to forgo incurring many of the penalty expenses. Outsourcing the effort of preparing and packaging shipments enhances the overall cost of using Amazon’s FBA services, but depending on how much inventory a seller has, it can be worthwhile.

     

    Packaging Fees

     

     

    Since FBA fees cover packing costs, Amazon ships items in boxes bearing its brand. As a result, the buyer becomes more familiar with the Amazon name. However, if you want to distinguish your company from the competition, you might consider using branded shipping.

     

    With this choice, you can more effectively sell your brand while using the Amazon platform to connect with customers. However, it has a price you must consider in your budgeting strategies.

    Cardboard boxes with the Amazon Sticker sealing them
    Credit: Amazon Fulfillment Service
    Shopping cart on building blocks with a person holding the first one
    Credit: Seller Engine

    High-Volume Listing Fees

     

    If a seller has more than 100,000 qualified ASINs, they may be requested to pay a fixed monthly cost of $0.005 per ASIN. These fees are paid at the same time as the monthly FBA storage fees. They are deducted from your Amazon account balance. If there are no funds in your account balance, the payment will be deducted from your credit card.

    Return Fees

     

    Amazon is known for its convenient return and exchange policy for customers. When Prime customers return products, there are not charged any fees. Since they are not charged anything, this burden falls on the seller.

    A man holding three boxes in his hands
    Credit: Envato Elements/ myjuly
    A man sitting at a laptop wearing a hardhat in his office
    Credit: Envato Elements/ wosunan

    Removal and Disposal Fees

     

    In order to avoid incurring long-term storage fees, sellers need to submit a removal order for products that are stored in Amazon’s fulfillment centers for more than 365 days. Amazon will impose a removal fee in order to get rid of these products. Costs for removal and disposal are calculated based on product levels (standard and oversized). Although there is a price to remove unsold stock, it is considerably less than what the seller would otherwise have to pay for long-term storage.

    When removing these items, you have the option of having Amazon ship them back to you or destroy them. If you choose to have the product shipped back to you, you will have to pay an additional fee to cover the shipping costs.

    Summary

     

    As you can see, there are a lot of associated costs with outsourcing fulfillment to Amazon. Despite these expenses, FBA provides numerous advantages. Depending on your products, these benefits could include quicker delivery, lesser delays, and occasionally lower prices. Because every company is unique, it’s critical to understand what expenses to expect from this service before signing up for it.

    Everything You Need To Know About Amazon’s FBA Small and Light Program

    Everything You Need To Know About Amazon’s FBA Small and Light Program

    Since its inception, Amazon has launched several services for its sellers, such as Amazon FBA. Although there are many benefits to selling on FBA, sellers of smaller products may find it to be a bit pricey. This issue is solved by using Amazon’s Small and Light program. But what is this program and how can you enroll in it? Continue reading to find out.

    What Is the Amazon Small and Light Program?

     

    The FBA Small and Light program is a low-cost fulfillment program that is offered by Amazon to its sellers who sell less expensive small-sized products. Merchants who meet the requirements can use this option to cut the price of shipping and packaging.

    Small and light Amazon logo
    Credit: Seller Essentials
    A man adding a box ontop of another two
    Credit: Envato Elements/ nd3000

    What Products Fall Under the Small and Light Category?



    For your products to be eligible for FBA Small and Light, they must satisfy three requirements: They must be less than 18 x 14 x 8 inches, weigh no more than 3 lb, and cost no more than $10.

    In addition to these essential requirements, the product should not be on Amazon’s list of prohibited items. These include products that require specific temperatures, such as chocolates, and those that move slowly—i.e., those that have sold fewer than 25 units over the previous four weeks.

    Furthermore, everything you bring into this program must be brand new and cannot be used. If a product is in any other condition, it is not eligible for FBA Small and Light.

    What Advantages Come With Joining Amazon’s FBA Small and Light Program?


    The following are a few benefits of selling on Amazon’s FBA Small and Light program:

    1) Lower Fulfillment Costs

     

    The biggest benefit of using Amazon’s FBA Small and Light is reduced fulfillment fees. Reduced fulfillment costs help sellers grow their businesses, boost market sales and enhance cost savings. When compared to standard FBA fees, the Small and Light fulfillment fee is significantly lower.

    Some boxes with a red arrow pointing down to the floor
    Credit: Envato Elements/ iLixe48
    A man carrying two boxes
    Credit: Envato Elements/ denismuse777

    2) Free Prime Delivery

     

    The Small and Light program has the added benefit of allowing you to offer Prime customers free shipping (delivery takes 4-5 business days). Additionally, while non-prime members receive standard shipping, the delivery time takes place within a week. This makes it possible for Amazon sellers to grow their customer base and income.

    3) Allows You To Concentrate on Your Business

     

    When you sign up for the Small & Light program, Amazon takes care of every step, from order fulfillment to returns of your small and light products. As a result, you’ll be able to focus on enhancing your listings and expanding your business.

    A lady writing information from a box that is in front of her
    Credit: Envato Elements/ KaikaTaaK
    An image of the globe with filaments going to different boxes
    Credit: Envato Elements/ iLixe48

    4) You Have The Opportunity To Sell Internationally

     

    When you enroll in Amazon’s Small and Light program, you can sell to countries like the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. As a result, both your customer base and profit margins will increase.

    5) Free Discounts

     

    If a buyer orders two or more units of certain small items that are classified as consumables and have a price of $5 or less (such as groceries and beauty products), they will receive a 5% discount. Amazon will pay the costs for this reduction. Therefore, there won’t be any expenses related to providing discounts.

    A chalkboard being held with the word discount on it
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Raul_Mellado
    A very spacious warehouse with boxes stacked neatly on shelving
    Credit: Envato Elements/ vanitjan

    How To Register for Amazon’s Small and Light Program

     

    To get started with Amazon’s Small and Light program, follow the steps below:

     

    1) If you already sell on Amazon, pick FBA as your shipping option. 

        Ensure that all of your inventory has been removed from Amazon 

        FBA.

    2) Make sure the products you want to register for FBA Small and 

         Light are compliant with the standards and acquire the Merchant 

         Stock Keeping Units (MSKUs).

    3) Fill in the fields with the MSKUs after downloading the enrollment 

         form from the Amazon enrollment page.

    4) On your Seller Central account, upload the enrollment file to the 

         enrollment page. The Actions portion of the website allows users 

         to evaluate the status and results; load times may vary 

         depending on the size of the file.

    5) Get your Small and Light inventory ready and send it to the 

         designated Amazon fulfillment center.

    Requirements for Preparing for FBA Small and Light

     

    When delivering Small and Light products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers, you must follow the Small and Light packaging criteria in addition to the usual FBA standards. The most significant ones are listed below:

     

    1) Each unit must have its own packaging and an Amazon barcode.

    2) Make sure each unit has a single scannable barcode, such as an 

         EAN, UPC, or another type. Do not place the barcodes on the 

         corner, curve, or seam of the packaging.

    3) To prevent damage or injury, fragile and sharp products must be 

         appropriately wrapped.

    4) The fulfillment center will only accept shipments with a minimum 

         of 24 units per packed SKU.

    A lady scanning a box that a man is holding
    Credit: Envato Elements/ imagesourcecurated
    A white piggy bank with coins next to it
    Credit: Envato Elements/ FabrikaPhoto

    FBA Small and Light Fees

     

    For a product that is 15 x 12 x 0.75 inches or less, Amazon FBA Small and Light fees in the US do not exceed $3.00 per unit. For products that are larger than 15 x 12 x 0.75 inches but less than 18 x 14 x 8 inches, the FBA Small and Light fees do not exceed $4.94 per unit. Remember that each of these products must weigh more than 6 ounces but less than 3 pounds to be considered a Small and Light product.

    Is the FBA Small and Light Program Worth It?

     

    The FBA Small and Light program is a worthwhile investment when properly planned and researched. For sellers that are unable to use standard Amazon FBA due to hefty fee costs, it offers a wealth of services. With the help of this program, more customers will become aware of your products, and the fee reduction will help you outperform the competition and maintain your lead.

    A person standing looking out towards a pile of coins
    Credit: Envato Elements/ wutzkoh

    Summary

     

    Selling inexpensive, compact, and lightweight products on Amazon via Amazon FBA Small and Light is a terrific method to earn money. The cheaper fulfillment price may appear insignificant at first, but it adds up if your product is a runaway success.

     

    Have a rapidly expanding business that you’re unsure how to run? Speak with an eCommerce aggregator like Enso Brands. At Enso Brands, we bring together the top minds in the field to expand your already prosperous business like never before.

    Packaging Requirements for Amazon: Everything You Need To Know

    Packaging Requirements for Amazon: Everything You Need To Know  

    A lot of businesses use Amazon FBA. When a seller uses FBA, Amazon handles every step of the selling process. However, before being sent to the fulfillment centers, your products must be packaged properly in order to be accepted. 

    In this blog, we will learn everything you need to know about the packaging requirements for Amazon FBA.

    Why Is Proper Packaging Important for Amazon FBA?

     

    The following are a few reasons why you need to carefully package your products before sending them to the fulfillment centers:

     

    1) Amazon May Reject the Delivery

     

    If Amazon notices that the external packaging of your product is damaged, they may refuse or reject the shipment. It is crucial to ensure that products are correctly packaged before shipping in order to prevent this.

    A lady closing a white box with red stripes on it
    Credit: Envato Elements/ willmilne
    A person folding a bag to put in a box
    Credit: Envato Elements/ seventyfourimages

    2) Repacking May Be Done by Amazon for a Fee

     

    If items are not packaged properly, Amazon may repackage them. This can imply paying for repacking services. If you want to avoid paying an additional fee, it is crucial to package your items properly.

     

    3) Proper Packaging Ensures Product Protection

     

    To help prevent product damage during shipping, it is crucial to adhere to Amazon’s packaging guidelines. Proper packaging ensures that your products are protected and are shielded from harm during transit. 

     

    4) Proper Packaging Saves Money and Resources

     

    Remember that if you overpack items, you’ll wind up using more resources and money. Because of this, it’s critical to pack your products properly. Any extra leftover money can be set aside for future related expenses.

    Packaging Requirements for Amazon FBA

      Amazon has strong warnings in place for individuals that do not follow the guidelines for product packaging. Failure to adhere to these guidelines might cause Amazon to get rid of your inventory and even stop future shipments to its fulfillment facilities. To prevent this from happening, it is crucial that you adhere to the following guidelines:

     

    General Packaging Requirements

    A person taping closed a box
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Olkakonecka - page packaging shipments

    Remember that Amazon warehouses are largely automated, therefore it’s crucial to send items correctly. It is important to make sure that:

    • •  Each product type or unit should have a unique FNSKU, which is Amazon’s barcode. In addition, you can also use manufacturer’s codes  
    •     such as GCID, UPC, EAN, or ISBN.
    •  
    • •  Each item should have an exterior barcode that can be scanned and has legible numbers associated with them.
    •  
    • •  If you are reusing boxes, cover existing barcodes and shipping labels by using opaque tape or by painting over them with a marker.
    •  
    • •  Every item, including book sets with many volumes, should be packaged in discrete, safe packaging.
    •  
    • •  Do not bundle multiple boxes together. It’s crucial to choose the proper-sized box for your shipment. If the package is too big, you’ll need 
    •    to pack it tightly enough to prevent collapse when larger boxes are stacked on top of it during shipping.
    •  
    • •  Units that are not protected by secure packaging must be bagged or taped shut in a poly bag. In this situation, the bag must be at least  
    •    1.5 mm thick, transparent, and equipped with a barcode. Additionally, the poly bag must not extend past the product’s dimensions by  
    •    more than 3 inches.
    •  
    • •  If the product has an expiry date, both the package and the individual item must display the date.
    •  
    • •  If loose products are sold together, they must be packaged in the same package. Each loose product should be packed with sturdy 
    •    shipping tape and adequate packaging material and then placed in a corrugated shipping container.
    •  
    • •  For sets that come in multiple pieces, make sure that you mark it as “Sold as set” or “Do not separate”.
    •  
    • •  For boxed units, it is crucial that the shipping box has six sides, openings, and a lid that is challenging to open by itself and cannot  
    •    collapse under moderate pressure.

    Packaging Materials and Boxes That Are Permitted 

     

    In addition to the above general guidelines for product packaging, you must also follow the particular specifications for approved boxes and packing material.

    When it comes to approved standard boxes, you are allowed to use the following:

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

    When it comes to approved packing materials, you are allowed to use the following:

    • •  Full sheets of paper (such as heavy-weight kraft paper)
    • •  Bubble wrap
    • •  Foam sheets or cushioning
    • •  Air pillows 
    A box with foam chips on the top of it
    Credit: Envato Elements/ AZ-BLT

    Restricted Packaging Materials

     

    While using the above packaging supplies is permitted by Amazon FBA, the following are not:

    • •  Shredded paper
    • •  Crinkle wrap
    • •  Foam strips
    • •  Thermocol chips
    • •  Styrofoam
    • •  Any type of packing peanuts
    •  

    Box Dimensions

     

    When packing your products for Amazon FBA, be sure to follow the box measurements:

    • •  Regular boxes packaged for FBA shipping with common items  
    •     should not have sides longer than 18 inches.
    • •  The median side should not be less than 14 inches.
    • •  The shortest side should not be less than 8 inches long.

    Weight of the Box

     

    In addition to box dimensions, the weight of the box is equally as important. The following points apply to all boxes shipped to Amazon’s fulfillment centers:

    • •  The weight of the box should not exceed 50 pounds.
    •  
    • •  Boxes containing jewelry and watches should not be heavier than 
    •    40 pounds.
    •  
    • •  If the weight of the product is more than 50 pounds, the 
    •     “Team Lift” label must be attached to both sides of the box.
    •  
    • •  For products weighing more than 100 pounds, the “Mechanical  
    •    Lift” sticker must be attached to either side of the box.
    A person putting some items into a box
    Credit: Envato Elements/ JulieAlexK
    Some rolls of cling film and boxes packed neatly
    Credit: Envato Elements/ duallogic

    Where Can You Find Packaging Materials for Amazon?

     

    Because Amazon’s packaging requirements are so demanding, sellers should make sure they are buying packing materials that meet the FBA requirements.

     

    Sellers can buy packaging materials directly from Amazon, including poly bags, boxes, stretch wrap, bubble wrap, and other items. Sellers can also acquire free supplies from UPS, FedEx, and USPS to send products to FBA, but they must use the businesses’ prescribed rates to ship the products.

    Labeling Requirements for Amazon FBA

     

    Along with the criteria for packing, Amazon sellers must follow labeling guidelines. If Amazon finds that your labels are inaccurate, they may alter them, costing you money and delaying your fulfillment.

     

     

    The following points should be considered:

    • •  The product title must be the same as the product label.
    •  
    • •  The label should have no more than 50 characters.
    •  
    • •  The first letter of each word should be capitalized. Refrain from  
    •     using all caps.
    A box with a label on the rolling trolly
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Mint_Images
    • •  Measurements should be written down in numbers.
    •  
    • •  Special characters and symbols are not permitted.
    •  
    • •  Promotional and attention-grabbing titles are not permitted.
    •  
    • •  Unless your products are private labels, your seller name for brand or manufacturer information should not be included.
    •  
    • •  When shipping multiple case packs, apply the shipping label to the primary carton and cover old shipping labels.

    Summary

     

    It’s imperative to complete each and every Amazon FBA packaging requirement, even if it costs money. Careless packaging increases the likelihood of fulfillment centers sending your products back. Furthermore, it raises the risk of product damage while being delivered to customers. This can harm your relationship with Amazon and lower your customer rating.

    6 Ways to Reduce Long-Term Amazon Storage Fees

    6 ways to reduce your amazon storage fees

    6 Ways to Reduce Long-Term Amazon Storage Fees

    Thanks to FBA, sellers can easily outsource order fulfillment on Amazon. However, these benefits do not come without a cost. Some of these costs are avoidable, but the majority of them are unavoidable. One such cost in particular is the long-term Amazon FBA storage fees.

     

    In this blog, we will explain what long-term Amazon storage fees are as well as how to prevent them.

    What Are Long-Term Storage Fees?


    Every Amazon seller is aware of the monthly inventory storage fees, but what about the long-term storage fees? What are these fees and why are they introduced?  

    While your product sits unsold and overstocked at Amazon’s fulfillment centers for long periods of time, Amazon loses valuable space that it could allocate to other sellers with quickly moving consumer products. This is why Amazon developed the long-term storage cost. By levying this fee, Amazon is able to keep offering its sellers and customers first-rate services and products. These fees are only levied if products have been held for longer than 365 consecutive days or a full calendar year.
    A very spacious warehouse with boxes stacked neatly on shelving
    Credit: Envato Elements/ vanitjan
    blonde womane sitting at computer
    Credit: Envato Elements/ insidecreativehouse

    How to Check Inventory for Long-term Storage Fees

    Amazon notifies sellers through email in January and July of the products that might incur a charge for long-term storage. If you want to check if you are subject to this fee, you can view the Inventory Dashboard in your Seller Account by going to the Inventory tab and clicking Manage Inventory. Then, under the Dashboard, scroll down to the FBA Inventory Age box and click View Details. Under this tab, you will be able to view the expected long-term storage costs for each product as well as the number of units that have been in storage for six and twelve months. As an alternative, you can monitor the status of your inventory using the Inventory Health Report.

     

    Keep in mind that in addition to a long-term storage fee, Amazon also charges an unavoidable monthly inventory storage fee. These fees depend on the weight and size of your product. The only method to lower these monthly storage fees is by using clever packaging techniques.

    How Much Is Each Item Charged?

    For products in long-term storage, sellers will be charged $6.90 per cubic foot, or $0.15 per unit – whichever is larger.

     

    This indicates that the minimum charge per unit is $0.15. These fees are not multiplicative; instead, you are only charged for the square footage they take up or a set rate per unit.

    A person with a hard hat and looking at a tablet in a warehouse
    Credit: Envato Elements/ GabiStock
    A lady sitting on boxes looking at her laptop
    Credit: Envato Elements/ StudioVK

    How to Reduce Long-Term FBA Storage Fees

    Here are a few tactics you can use to avert and lower long-term storage fees:

     
     

    1) Manage In-Stock Levels From the Start

    The best method for sellers to avoid incurring long-term storage fees is to adopt a preventative approach. Sellers will be less likely to incur long-term storage fees if they properly manage the quantities they send to FBA warehouses from the start. If you are unsure of how many products to send to the fulfillment center, you can start with a small test number and increase it as sales increase.

    2) Offer Products at a Discount During Flash Sales

    One of the best advantages of selling on the largest retail marketplace in the world is the ability to sell during flash sales. During an Amazon Flash Sale, offer items at a discount that are going to reach the 365-day mark to avoid the long-term storage fee.

     

    Before doing this, consider the size of the product. Given that the long-term storage charge is computed using both duration, the number of units, and the cubic feet occupied by the product, you might want to offer bigger discounts for larger items. The larger the product, the greater will be the fee. By offering larger products for a greater discount, you can considerably lower the amount you will be charged.

    An image of paper bags and sale on a phone
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Garakta-Studio
    Some boxes on shelving in a warehouse
    Credit: Envato Elements/ ckstockphoto

    3) Create a Removal Order

    If you have any lagging inventory that you don’t think you’ll be able to sell by the next inventory cleanup date, you can request that Amazon remove it and return it back to you. You are free to determine what to do with your merchandise once it has been returned to you without having to worry about paying Amazon fees (you can either keep it and fill orders yourself, sell it on another marketplace, or try to return them to your source).

    4) Bundle Your Products for Sale

     

    Another easy yet efficient strategy to avoid long-term storage costs is to create Amazon bundles. For instance, if you sell 5 items, you will need to cover the fulfillment costs associated with those 5 items.

     

    However, if you bundle those 5 items into a single package, it will be regarded as a single product, therefore you will only be responsible for paying a storage cost for that one item. This lowers the monthly storage fee in addition to the long-term storage fee.

    A person wrapping a bottle before putting into a box to ship
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Media_photos
    A lady on her phone at her desk with boxes in the background
    Credit: Envato Elements/ DragonImages

    5) Evaluate Why Products are Not Selling

     

    Although there are several strategies to reduce storage fees for long-term items, merchants should consider why a particular product is charged for long-term storage. Is there an issue with the listing? Is the price an issue? Is seasonality a key consideration?

     

    With these crucial insights at their disposal, sellers will be better able to choose the type and number of products they sell in the future, lowering their exposure to long-term storage fees.

    6) Set Up an Automated Removal System

     

    Keeping frequent track of your products on Amazon FBA can be highly taxing. Although, you can manually submit a removal order for long-term storage products as mentioned before, using an automated removal system is more convenient and greatly reduces the likelihood of making any mistakes. To do this, follow the steps below:

    1. 1. Click Fulfillment by Amazon in Seller Central’s Settings menu.
    2. 2. Select edit after locating Automated Long-Term Storage 
    3.     Removals Settings.
    4. 3. Type in both your email and home address.
    5. 4.  To complete the setup, click update.
    A person putting a box onto other boxes on a pallet jack
    Credit: Envato Elements/ halfpoint

    Summary

    If you don’t plan ahead, hidden expenses like long-term storage fees could reduce your revenues. We hope that this guide has given you a better understanding of long-term storage fees and how to avoid them. 

    The Ultimate Guide to Amazon Storage Fees

    The ultimate guide to amazon storage fees

    The Ultimate Guide to Amazon Storage Fees

    Amazon storage fees are something that every Amazon seller should be educated about. If you’re careless, these fees could drastically reduce your profit margins or even make you lose money on your product.

    This guide will cover everything there is to know about Amazon’s storage fees, including how they are calculated and how to avoid them.

    What Are Amazon FBA Storage Fees?

     

    Amazon sellers must pay storage fees to keep their products in Amazon’s warehouses. Monthly inventory storage fees and long-term storage fees are the two different types of Amazon FBA storage fees levied by Amazon.

     

    Monthly Inventory Storage Fees


    You must pay a monthly storage fee to Amazon in exchange for the space your products occupy in their fulfillment facilities. This fee is calculated by estimating the daily average volume of cubic feet that your items occupy.

    A man on a forklift being guided to add boxes on the top shelf
    Credit: Envato Elements/ halfpoint

    The fees are based on the product size tier and the season that sellers store their products. This means that Amazon charges a greater storage fee during busy seasons in comparison to the off-season.

     

    The monthly inventory storage fees are as follows:

    Standard-size Items:

    January – September – $0.83 per cubic foot

    October – December – $2.40 per cubic foot

    Oversized Items:

    January – September – $0.53 per cubic foot

    October – December – $1.20 per cubic foot

    Monthly Inventory Storage Fees for Dangerous Products


    If you use FBA for items that Amazon deems to be “dangerous products,” you’ll have to pay a little bit more each month for storage. The general definition of a dangerous product is something that must be handled with caution and stored with other hazardous products. To sell such products, sellers must be signed up for the FBA Dangerous Goods program. The monthly inventory storage fees for dangerous products are as follows:

    Standard-size Items:
    January – September – $0.99 per cubic foot October – December – $3.63 per cubic foot

    Oversized Items:
    January – September – $0.78 per cubic foot October – December – $2.43 per cubic foot

    Long-Term Storage Fee

    In addition to monthly storage fees, Amazon FBA sellers may also be required to pay long-term inventory storage costs for items maintained at the company’s fulfillment centers for more than 365 days.

    Amazon does an inventory cleanout on the 15th of February and the 15th of August. At this time, inventory that has been kept in fulfillment centers for more than 365 days is subject to a long-term storage tax of $6.90 per cubic foot or $0.15 per unit, whichever is higher.

    To learn how long your inventory has been stored at the fulfillment center, go to Seller Central, select the Inventory tab, and click Manage Inventory. Take a look at the Inventory Dashboard. When you reach the FBA Inventory Age Report, scroll down and click View Details. The age of each product’s inventory is shown here.

    Some boxes in shelving in rows in a warehouse
    Credit: Envato Elements/ vanitjan

    Tips To Avoid High Storage Fees

    High storage costs are one of the greatest issues that FBA sellers deal with. You can use the advice below to prevent facing this issue:

    1) Plan Ahead

    By planning ahead, you can avoid paying expensive storage fees. When you first start out as a seller, start with a limited number until you get a feel for how quickly your products are selling. You can also set up an “automatic removal” for products that do not sell. If you don’t remove your inventory, it will still be there and it will have an impact on your Amazon seller fees.

    2) Watch Your Inventory Storage Restrictions

    Sending excess inventory to Amazon’s warehouses may result in high fees. Depending on the type of seller account you have, you can be subject to floorspace limitations that, if violated, will result in overage charges. Keep track of this in Seller Central’s inventory performance dashboard since this overage fee is determined by how much space you actually used up after reaching your limit.

    3) Utilize Promotions for Free Removal

    Periodically, Amazon offers promotions that entitle FBA sellers to free product removal from its fulfillment warehouses. During this time, removal order fees are not charged. Although these promotions are not offered often, if it is, we suggest utilizing them.

    4) Discounting Techniques

    The least expensive and stressful way to reduce your storage fees is to sell FBA products at a discount. This is a smart move, particularly if inventory demand is weak and the products are occupying space at the fulfillment centers. In order to save money on storage costs, it can occasionally make sense to sell your products even at a loss. After all, high storage fees can lead to lost revenues. So wouldn’t it be better to recover some of the money and reinvest it in something that will be in more demand?

    5) Remove or Liquidate the Inventory

    If all else fails and the date for inventory cleanup is quickly approaching, think about liquidating some or all of the at-risk inventory. Consider making a removal order to have the products destroyed or returned to you. The only way to determine whether or not this technique makes sense is to calculate it. The estimated expenses for long-term storage can be seen in the Inventory Health report. If these costs are high enough that holding the items in Amazon’s warehouses would cost you money, consider liquidating them.

    Summary

    There you have it. We hope that this guide has provided you with all the knowledge necessary to understand Amazon’s storage fees. You can keep your business lucrative and avoid paying expensive storage fees by following the tips we provided above.



    eCommerce Branding: 8 Strategies To Build a Successful eCommerce Brand

    ecommerce branding: 8 strategies

    eCommerce Branding: 8 Strategies To Build a Successful eCommerce Brand

    Do you know what characteristics the top eCommerce companies share? They are experts at creating brands that consumers love. A successful branding strategy can help you stand out from your competitors. Below, we have listed 8 strategies for you to build an eCommerce brand that your target market will love. Let’s get started.

     

     

    What Is an eCommerce Brand?

     

    Your eCommerce brand is more than simply your name, logo, and catchy tagline; it’s also how people see and discuss your company and its character. It’s a company’s undeniable, distinctive personality and the first thing that people think of when they hear your company’s name.

    A laptop, notebook and black bag with a mug of black coffee
    Credit: Envato Elements/ rubenchase

    Why Is It Important to Build an eCommerce Brand?


    Your company’s entire identity is represented by your brand. It includes everything, including your brand persona, visual aesthetic, and even how your customer care representatives interact. Below are some reasons why eCommerce Branding is important:
    A lady with crossed arm and the other on the side of her face and she is looking up as if thinking
    Credit: Envato Elements/ mimagephotography

     

     

     

    1) Helps to Control Public Perception of Your Business

     

    Branding is crucial if you want to fully control how the public views your business. Without it, your brand identity will be determined by customers and other outside parties.

    Branding provides a great opportunity for an eCommerce business to tell its customers who they are and what they stand for. It’s the perfect chance to be open, truthful, and honest about the values that your business upholds.

     

     

     

    2) Generates Greater Sales

     

    Effective branding can boost sales and profitability. The profits you generate will depend on how well your branded marketing strategies are developed and communicated to your customers. eCommerce branding is a priceless business asset if done correctly.

    A person creating a graph with string on a cork board
    A man holding a red paper bag with smart pants and shoes on
    Credit: Envato Elements/ lakobchuk

     

     

     

    3) Builds Loyalty

     

    Successful branding will bring in strong, loyal customers. These customers will continue to support you and your brand for many months and years to come.

     

     

     

    4) Ensures Long Term Success

     

    eCommerce branding is essential for both the long-term success of your business and for creating positive first impressions with customers. Your branding will help you achieve long-term positioning in the competitive eCommerce market.

    A piggy bank with coins on the side and a graph going up and down

    How To Create a Successful eCommerce Branding Strategy


    With over 7 million retailers, the eCommerce market is extremely congested, and great branding can help a business prosper. You can build your online business with the help of these eight eCommerce branding strategies:
    A candid image of a board with post it notes on it
    Credit: ProductPlan

    1) Outline the Main Features of Your Brand

    To differentiate your products from those of your competitors in a crowded market, emphasize the features that set your brand and product apart from other eCommerce brands. You can make yourself stand out by doing the following:

    Choose a Small Audience to Target: Consider marketing products to a small target audience rather than the entire general public.

    Build a Slogan That Highlights Benefits: Use a memorable tagline to concisely express the benefits of working with you.

    Include a Variation in Design: Want to be noticed? Showcase a minor but unique product feature that you offer.

     

     

    2) Tell Your Story

     

    Storytelling allows people to emotionally connect with others. No other type of communication can do this.

    You must communicate your brand’s story in a way that inspires confidence in potential customers and gives them a glimpse of the hidden world of your company. Cover aspects like your motivation for starting the business, who you are, your values, why you support those values, what you care about, and anything else that is relevant. The responses should all be incorporated into your branding strategy.

    A desk with About Us on an exam pad of paper
    Credit: Envato Elements/ MichaelIJayBerlin
    A gentleman shaking a ladies hand
    Credit: Envato Elements/ ProstockStudio

    3) Never Compromise on Customer Service

     

    The majority of online businesses and eCommerce stores only care about making a profit rather than serving the customer. You need to set yourself apart from these companies. You won’t last very long if your customers aren’t happy. If you want to win over your customers and ensure that they come back, you need to provide them with great customer service.

    You can provide excellent customer service by doing the following:

    • Actively and carefully listen.
    • Engage with customers on their preferred platforms.
    • When tagged on social media, respond.
    • Improve your tone of communication and gently solicit feedback.

     

     

    4) Focus on Selling a Single Product

     

    Most successful eCommerce firms begin by producing and selling a single product instead of a variety of products. Quality control can become difficult if you produce a wide variety of products. If you focus more narrowly, you can pay more attention to the general quality and reputation of your product. Once you’ve mastered, grown, and developed a strong customer base for one product, you can start making other products that target the same market and fill the same niche with confidence.

    A lady marking off items from a box
    Credit: Envato Elements/ MichaelIJayBerlin
    An image of a laptop with SEO in red
    Credit: Envato Elements/ rfaizal707

     

    5) Use SEO

     

    How does SEO help in building an online store’s brand? 

    SEO is a crucial component of inbound marketing that aims to increase brand recognition among your target market by drawing them to your website via search engines. This is accomplished by incorporating relevant keywords into your website’s content.

    If you use the proper keywords, your website will be able to attract the targeted audiences, and they will find you on the first page of search results or social media. If you want to scale your SEO efforts and build strong brand recognition, you should focus your efforts on content marketing, user-generated content, and social networks.

    6) Perfect Your Online Storefront

     

    Your online storefront is frequently your first opportunity to make a strong impression on potential customers. In addition to looking great, it must encourage them to eventually buy your products.

    When it comes to the design of your website, less is more. Avoid having too many pop-ups, banners, or contrasting design elements on your website since these components can confuse potential customers and keep them from making a purchase. Keep your design simple, easy to understand, and mobile-friendly. 

    Make sure that you have high-quality, skillfully captured product images and a variety of information. This clears any doubts from the minds of the customer and boosts their level of purchase confidence.

    An image of a packet and shop in the background
    Credit: Envato Elements/ MichaelIJayBerlin
    A young child with a question mark on paper stuck on his forehead
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Pressmaster

     

     

    7) Be Clear About What You Offer

     

    Do not set irrational expectations; doing so will simply lead to customer disappointment when you are unable to meet them. People hate being disappointed in any way. You do not want the branding of your internet store to be associated with false promises. Be open and transparent about how things operate in and around your store. Maintain a professional tone and be very clear about your offerings.

     

    8) Cause Marketing

     

    Cause marketing can boost the perception of your company, increases visibility, and encourages loyalty. The values and principles that your brand represents and communicates to the world have a big impact on how loyal your customers are. If you show your support for social concerns, customers will recognize that your business upholds moral principles and supports the community.

    An image of people holding a heart, sign and a loudspeaker
    Credit: Latana

    Summary


    To ensure the success of your eCommerce store, you must build your brand online in an effective way. Without strong branding, your business will just become another name that no one remembers. Successful branding changes that.

    Beginner’s Guide: How To List Products on Amazon

    How to list a product on amazon

    Begginers Guide: How to List Products on Amazon

    As a new Amazon seller, it can be intimidating to navigate through Seller Central. It doesn’t matter if you are beginning from scratch on a brand-new product detail page or adding products to an already-existing Amazon ASIN, you need to know how to list products. In this tutorial, we’ll go over how to list brand-new products on Amazon.

    How to List Products on Amazon


    For instructions on how to list a product on Amazon, continue reading:

    Step 1: Preparation Before Listing a Product

    There are a few things you need to complete before you list products on Amazon:

    1. 1. Obtain UPC codes Every item sold on the Amazon marketplace is given a different UPC or Amazon Unique Product Code. A UPC code helps to distinguish one product from another.

      Before you can list a product on Amazon, you must obtain a UPC code. Amazon sellers cannot create their own codes. They need to purchase it from GS1, a nonprofit company in charge of developing business communication standards and universal retail product identification. There are around 100 GS1 organizations operating in different geographical areas. For the United States, you need to look at GS1 US.

      If your product is sold in a range of colors, sizes, and other variations, each will need its own code since each variation is regarded as an individual item.

    A barcode on white cardboard
    Credit: Envato Elements/ twenty20photos
    A person holding a wooden measure in their hand
    Credit: Envato Elements/ Vladdeep

    2. Measure and Weigh the Products

    When you sell a physical product on Amazon, you have to specify its dimensions and weight. If the item in question is already listed, you can copy the measurements from that listing. If not, you must physically weigh it and take precise measurements of its length, width, and height.

    3. Take Clear Product Images

    You will require some high-resolution product images to go along with your listing if you want to sell your products on Amazon. Your primary image should be obvious enough to know what the product is before you zoom in. Additional pictures should represent various angles of the product. To give customers a more in-depth look at your products, you can also include a video.

    Images should have a resolution of 1,600 pixels or higher on their longest side. Their longest side shouldn’t be more than 10,000 pixels. A minimum of five product images must be included in an Amazon product listing.

    A person taking photography of a product
    Credit: Envato Elements/ seventyfourimages
    Credit: OneSpace

    4. Create a Product Description

     

    Now that you have the foundation for your product listing in place, it’s time to think about how you want to describe your product.

    Look at other people’s listings to get a sense of how you should word yours, and take cues from the ones that stand out to you. Don’t forget to add keywords to your product description. Keywords or search terms are the target terms in your listing that a potential customer could search for while attempting to make a purchase. Use as many keywords as you can in your listing without repeating any of them to maximize your SEO.

    In addition to a description, you must also create bullet points for your product. While a product description goes into depth to describe the product, a bullet point list highlights its major features.

    5. Identify Your Product Category


    The last step before listing a product on Amazon is identifying which product category your product belongs to. To get the best results, look at the best-selling items of other sellers that sell the same product as you. Click through those pages to see which categories and subcategories they are listed under and make note of it.
    Credit: SellBrite

    Step 2:  Listing the Product


    This stage contains just four steps. If you followed the directions above, this stage will move quickly.

    1. After logging into your Amazon Seller Central account, click on “Add A Product” from the Inventory drop-down menu.
    If you are accustomed to using spreadsheets, you can also reach this stage by selecting “Add Products Via Upload.”

    Amazon Seller Central Add a product image
    Credit: JungleScout
    Credit: SellBrite

    2.  The “Add a Product” page offers three options for you to select from:
    – The first option is where you can add a product to an existing listing on Amazon. You can do this by looking up the product using its name or product ID.
    – The second option is “Create a New Product Listing,” which is available just beneath the search bar. Use this if you’re selling a private label product or uploading a brand-new item that doesn’t already sell on Amazon.
    – Third, you can use the “Bulk Upload” tool to upload several products at once.
    Since this is a new product, we will be looking at the second option.

    3.  After clicking “Create a New Product Listing” you will be prompted to give your new product a category. Using the information you acquired earlier, add the primary category and any other categories or subcategories that apply to your products.

    product-type_add-products-seller-central
    Credit: JungleScout
    4.  After doing the above step, you will move on to the next page where the listing information is divided into 7 different tabs:
    • Vital Info
    • Variations
    • Offer
    • Images
    • Description
    • Keywords
    • More Details
    Let’s talk about them one by one.
     
    Vital Info

    The Vital Info tab focuses on the specifics of your overall product. It includes the data that your customers can view immediately. Under this page, you must enter your UPC as well as the product name/product title, brand name, and manufacturer name. Try to limit the length of your product title to 160 characters or less to boost conversion.
    Credit: Amazon Seller
    Credit: Salesbacker
    Variations

    This page is only relevant if your product is available in a range of colors, sizes, shapes, or patterns. If any, use the drop-down menu and choose the variation that best fits your product.
    Offer

    Depending on your product and preferences, the Offer tab presents a number of options that can be optional. In addition, it also has details like country of publication, release date, start selling date, etc. In this part, you have a choice between using Fulfillment by Amazon and fulfilling your own product orders.
    Offer tab from Amazon site
    Credit: Amazon Seller
    Credit: Salesbacker
    Images

    Your product photos must be uploaded to the Images tab.
    Description

    The Description tab is composed of the “Product Description” and “Key Product Features” sections. Using the data you acquired earlier, enter product details here.
    Credit: Amazon Seller
    Keyword tab on Amazon
    Credit: SellerAp
    Keywords

    When you add a product on Amazon, keywords are crucial. Add the earlier-identified keywords to this tab.
    More Details

    The majority of this section is self-explanatory. Try to fill in all the fields. This is the tab where you add the selling price of your product and the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. The selling price is essentially the amount a consumer will actually have to pay to buy the item shown on your listing whereas the manufacturer’s suggested retail price is the price you enter if you wish to sell your products for more money. Don’t forget to save all the changes to your Amazon listing by scrolling down and clicking the “Save and Finish” button.
    An image on Amazon showing product choices
    Credit: Nalgene Tritan

    Summary


    Congrats! You now know how to list a product on Amazon. Although there are a number of steps involved in listing products on Amazon, the process becomes simpler as you get used to it. Are you an Amazon company looking for approaches to enhance sales and profits? That’s something Enso Brands can handle. Using our experience and the top professionals in the sector, we can assist you in turning around and expanding your company to its maximum potential. Contact us today!