Selling through Amazon FBA

[Kenxxx]

Getting ready for my second shipment to Amazon FBA.  My first shipment went with Amazon provided labeling, co-mingling inventory, shipped to various fulfillment centers.  That last part is my only issue.  I had about 28 sets to send, and they were broken up into 5 different cartons, shipping to 3 different fulfillment centers.  In one case there was a single item in one carton... thus shipping cost was a little high on that item.  So this time I'm thinking about the option where you ship to only one location, and have them do the distribution (for extra fee).  First tho, if I stayed with the multiple shipments to multiple locations... is there any way to tell how they're going to break it up beforehand?  It seemed like last time, once I selected my inventory, Amazon created the ship lists, I was kind of "committed" at that point (couldn't back out and go to single destination shipment).  If they're going to break my shipment into 2 or 3 boxes, OK... that shouldn't be so bad... but 5 or 6... no thanks.  Is there any way to tell before I'm "locked in"?

Also, does shipping to one fulfillment center significantly delay your goods being "fillable" on Amazon?  This first one I sent in... seems like it was about a week before all my inventory was received and accounted for.

And finally, I'm also thinking about self-labeling.  Again, I won't have hundreds of items to send in... maybe 2 or 3 dozen?  Worth it... or just leave it to them?  Does this help getting your inventory received?

[grackleflint]

Getting ready for my second shipment to Amazon FBA.  My first shipment went with Amazon provided labeling, co-mingling inventory, shipped to various fulfillment centers.  That last part is my only issue.  I had about 28 sets to send, and they were broken up into 5 different cartons, shipping to 3 different fulfillment centers.  In one case there was a single item in one carton... thus shipping cost was a little high on that item.  So this time I'm thinking about the option where you ship to only one location, and have them do the distribution (for extra fee).  First tho, if I stayed with the multiple shipments to multiple locations... is there any way to tell how they're going to break it up beforehand?  It seemed like last time, once I selected my inventory, Amazon created the ship lists, I was kind of "committed" at that point (couldn't back out and go to single destination shipment).  If they're going to break my shipment into 2 or 3 boxes, OK... that shouldn't be so bad... but 5 or 6... no thanks.  Is there any way to tell before I'm "locked in"?

Also, does shipping to one fulfillment center significantly delay your goods being "fillable" on Amazon?  This first one I sent in... seems like it was about a week before all my inventory was received and accounted for.

And finally, I'm also thinking about self-labeling.  Again, I won't have hundreds of items to send in... maybe 2 or 3 dozen?  Worth it... or just leave it to them?  Does this help getting your inventory received?

You are not committing to anything until you "approve" the shipments. View the shipments and if you don't like it, just don't approve it and "go back" through the previous steps, change your inbound options, and then go back to have Amazon calculate the destinations.

In my experience, shipping everything to one fulfillment center does not delay the availability on Amazon. The distance and longer shipping times to a far away center are going to be the biggest factors.

IMO, Amazon doing (and charging for) labeling and co-mingling inventory are not worth the perceived convenience. I have no idea how other sellers treat their inventory so I'm not going to chance it by co-mingling mine with some random person for some minor sales advantage that Amazon claims. Co-mingling is to Amazon's (and the buyer's) benefit and convenience. If Amazon gave me a discount and some quality/feedback guarantee for co-mingling (because it saves their shipping costs and time) I might consider it.

I have found that only small/standard sized items get sent to multiple fulfillment centers. If you are shipping larger sets, they tend to only go to 1 or 2 specific fulfillment centers. So, I will "separate" out smaller/standard size and larger items for different shipments and inbound options. Inbound charges are per item and by size so for smaller items, it may or may not be worth it depending on how many items you have to send in. You'll have to just test and see what works best for you.

Edited August 31, 2015 by grackleflint

[asharerin]

Oversize items go to different warehouses than standard size. Wait until you have a good amount in each size and try out a shipping plan. Play around with the numbers prior to approving the shipments. In time you will get a feel for the algorithm Amazon uses, but they do tweak it from time to time. Also be aware there are plenty of shady sellers who play around with the size and weights to game the system so some sets you know are oversize may still be classified as standard and vice versa. Some sellers even use the flat file loophole to change the UPC and convert the main listing everyone is one to a child listing that is hidden by Amazon search. Lots of shenanigans to keep you on your toes with Amazon.

[exciter1]

So, I take the statement below to mean that if you use FBA after 11/17, you're good to go, regardless of how much you sold in September/October?

______________________________________________________

Holiday Selling Guidelines in Toys & Games

To maintain buyer confidence in Amazon this holiday season, we are implementing Holiday Selling Guidelines for the Toys & Games store. Effective November 17, 2015, only sellers who meet the following performance criteria will be eligible to sell in the Toys & Games category from November 17, 2015 through the first week in January 2016.

Your first sale on Amazon.com must be prior to September 18, 2015. The sale does not need to be specific to the Toys store.

 

• You must have processed and shipped at least 25 orders from September 1 through October 31, 2015. The orders do not need to be specific to the Toys store.
• Your pre-fulfillment cancel rate must be no greater than 1.75% from October 1 through October 31, 2015.
• Your late shipment rate must be no greater than 4% from October 1 through October 31, 2015.
• Your order defect rate must be no greater than 1% short term as of November 1, 2015.

Your orders that use Fulfillment by Amazon will not be subject to the holiday season restrictions provided your account is in good standing.

Amazon Services reserves the right to cancel listings, remove selling privileges, and prohibit the sale of specific products to maintain a marketplace that is safe for buyers.

Here are some steps you can take to remain eligible to sell in Toys & Games throughout the holiday season:

• Monitor your customer metrics and take corrective action when necessary.
• Utilize Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to ship products to customers.
• Check your orders frequently in the Manage Orders section of your account.
• Minimize order cancellations; only show inventory for sale that you have available to ship.
• Ship orders and confirm shipment in a timely manner.
• Ensure your seller policies are up to date.
• If you work with outside drop-shippers, solidify their SLA commitments for providing prompt shipping confirmation.

[Bold-Arrow]

Fba sellers are exempt from those requirements . 

[Kenxxx]

Still learning about the fun of Amazon FBA... so I sold some Raptor Rampages at $80 each with FBA a couple weeks ago.  Last week, I see one of them got a "refund" of $10.  No further explanation.  I open a case inquiring what happened.  After a few days, I got a message from Amazon saying that the buyer was overcharged, so she got a $10 refund.  But I  didn't receive the extra $10... my statement says $80 on the sale.  Amazon said the $10 will be reimbursed to me within the next 45 days.  What?  So... through some glitch... she got incorrectly billed $90... and to refund her, you take the money out of my pocket?  Whats-a-matter Amazon... you a little low on cash this week?  Luckily, I only have a few dozen sales a month... if I sold hundred of items, I probably wouldn't have even noticed it.

[Bold-Arrow]

Still learning about the fun of Amazon FBA... so I sold some Raptor Rampages at $80 each with FBA a couple weeks ago.  Last week, I see one of them got a "refund" of $10.  No further explanation.  I open a case inquiring what happened.  After a few days, I got a message from Amazon saying that the buyer was overcharged, so she got a $10 refund.  But I  didn't receive the extra $10... my statement says $80 on the sale.  Amazon said the $10 will be reimbursed to me within the next 45 days.  What?  So... through some glitch... she got incorrectly billed $90... and to refund her, you take the money out of my pocket?  Whats-a-matter Amazon... you a little low on cash this week?  Luckily, I only have a few dozen sales a month... if I sold hundred of items, I probably wouldn't have even noticed it.

this is normal practice. You need to start a sheet or a report of your returns/refunds and follow up on them on a regular basis. Things will get hectic over the holidays and while Amazon generally had a good track record for reimbursement , there are many orders that slip thru the cracks . 

You might also want to familiarize yourself with the replacement program as well. 

[exciter1]

this is normal practice. You need to start a sheet or a report of your returns/refunds and follow up on them on a regular basis. Things will get hectic over the holidays and while Amazon generally had a good track record for reimbursement , there are many orders that slip thru the cracks . 

You might also want to familiarize yourself with the replacement program as well. 

[redcell]

Still learning about the fun of Amazon FBA... so I sold some Raptor Rampages at $80 each with FBA a couple weeks ago.  Last week, I see one of them got a "refund" of $10.  No further explanation.  I open a case inquiring what happened.  After a few days, I got a message from Amazon saying that the buyer was overcharged, so she got a $10 refund.  But I  didn't receive the extra $10... my statement says $80 on the sale.  Amazon said the $10 will be reimbursed to me within the next 45 days.  What?  So... through some glitch... she got incorrectly billed $90... and to refund her, you take the money out of my pocket?  Whats-a-matter Amazon... you a little low on cash this week?  Luckily, I only have a few dozen sales a month... if I sold hundred of items, I probably wouldn't have even noticed it.

Amazon generally does a good job in general, but always has issues at the margins in terms of accuracy and efficiency.  If you're selling FBA, you have to watch everything like a hawk or you will get pinched by their inefficiencies. 

[El Guapo]

So I am thinking of taking the FBA plunge. Been selling on Ebay for...yikes..about 18 years. I use the Dymo 450 label printer for postage. What should I use for Amazon? Also, I will probably sell some FBM on Amazon...will shipping work the same? Are there discounts? Thanks again for all of the help you guys provide!

[redcell]

So I am thinking of taking the FBA plunge. Been selling on Ebay for...yikes..about 18 years. I use the Dymo 450 label printer for postage. What should I use for Amazon? Also, I will probably sell some FBM on Amazon...will shipping work the same? Are there discounts? Thanks again for all of the help you guys provide!

For FBM, you generally take it on the chin when it comes to shipping.  Amazon generally has fixed shipping prices that rarely cover the cost of actual shipping.  You may be able to alter the shipping cost depending on the type of account that you have, but it doesn't really matter because you basically need to focus on the total price that you will sell the item for.

[Sauromosis]

 

So I am thinking of taking the FBA plunge. Been selling on Ebay for...yikes..about 18 years. I use the Dymo 450 label printer for postage. What should I use for Amazon? Also, I will probably sell some FBM on Amazon...will shipping work the same? Are there discounts? Thanks again for all of the help you guys provide!

This is just me, but I have never printed a label for FBA.  If an item is classified as "needs label" I just pay Amazon to label it for me.  I'm lazy like that.

For FBM, yes there are similar discounts and it's even easier to ship than on Ebay.

 

[El Guapo]

 

This is just me, but I have never printed a label for FBA.  If an item is classified as "needs label" I just pay Amazon to label it for me.  I'm lazy like that.

For FBM, yes there are similar discounts and it's even easier to ship than on Ebay.

 

Cool...will my little Dymo Printer work for those? I LOVE my printer, but it doesn't do well (read I don't do well) changing the formating.

[El Guapo]

For FBM, you generally take it on the chin when it comes to shipping.  Amazon generally has fixed shipping prices that rarely cover the cost of actual shipping.  You may be able to alter the shipping cost depending on the type of account that you have, but it doesn't really matter because you basically need to focus on the total price that you will sell the item for.

So FBM and Ebay are actually quite similar?  My only noticable advantage would be that I am on two selling platforms (which is significant) but as far as my day to day operations, not much changes?

[Kenxxx]

... I use the Dymo 450 label printer for postage. What should I use for Amazon?... Also, I will probably sell some FBM on Amazon...will shipping work the same? Are there discounts? Thanks again for all of the help you guys provide!

Are you talking printing postage, or printing barcodes for your product?  I'm not much of an expert on either... I've been using my home Canon Pixma printer for labels for Amazon and Ebay for the past year... no problems at all.  I'll recently tried self-labeling my FBA products, and found it was quite easy too ... just bought the appropriate Avery label sheets and ran them in the same printer.  Worked on the first try.  I kind of like the idea of doing my own labels and not co-mingling inventory.  I just know that what I'm shipping in is good product, and I feel better about them not "losing" it, or them crushing one of the 200 FBA Batcaves they have in stock and saying, "Oh... that one was yours... you shipped it in that way."

Shipping costs FBM for basic (free) users like me are pretty much the same as basic ebay shipping discount, (or USPS.com discount)... they add a $.07 fee onto those prices for "processing" or something. But, as redcell mentioned - when FBM - you get a basic shipping "allowance", i.e. $5.99 for a Wall-E - even though it costs over $11 to ship a Wall-E coast-to-coast... the difference comes out of your pocket.

Most notable differences between ebay and FBM.... with Amazon, no pictures to take, no listing to "write", no Paypal... money goes straight from Amazon to your checking account a couple times a month.  Downside... with no listing or personal photos, it's hard to make your offer stand out... you pretty much gotta be the low price guy to get the sale.

[asharerin]

So FBM and Ebay are actually quite similar?  My only noticable advantage would be that I am on two selling platforms (which is significant) but as far as my day to day operations, not much changes?

Very similar between those two choices. I would recommend FBA and broadening your resale inventory beyond Lego and toys. Each year Amazon is restricting more and more categories so the sooner you get yourself set up and grandfathered in the better.  They aren't going to be accepting new sellers forever.

[Sauromosis]

Ebay auctions require more time to set up because you must enter photos and a text description.  With FBM, you are adding your products to a created listing.  

[Ctbrx]

Hi All,

I read this topic and i dont find the answer i need, then i ask :

I'm wondering how to sell my stock on AZ. So, if FBA seems to be a good solution, is it a good for my case :

What is the right quantity of boxes to make FBA interesting (20, 30, 100+ sets ?) ? How do you send your stock to AZ stockroom (big packages, by truck, by normal shipping way?)?- ? For a little quantity (around 30/40 boxes) is FBA a good strategy or not ?

Thanks to help me to understand how does it really works.

Bye bye !

[Kenxxx]

Hi All,

I read this topic and i dont find the answer i need, then i ask :

I'm wondering how to sell my stock on AZ. So, if FBA seems to be a good solution, is it a good for my case :

What is the right quantity of boxes to make FBA interesting (20, 30, 100+ sets ?) ? How do you send your stock to AZ stockroom (big packages, by truck, by normal shipping way?)?- ? For a little quantity (around 30/40 boxes) is FBA a good strategy or not ?

Thanks to help me to understand how does it really works.

Bye bye !

You do not need to send a skid-load to make it economical.  As written above, I've sent in five to ten items at a time and it is VERY cheap.  I would recommend - at least for your first shipments - to opt for "Inventory Placement Service" in your seller Inbound Settings.  This way, they will create your packing lists to ship to just one (or two) AZ distribution centers.  You can pack everything in one big box if it fits - the rules are that no side of the box shall be more than 27" long (though I've cheated on that a little bit).  If it takes 2 or 5 boxes, that's fine too.  You box it up, print out the shipping labels (probably for UPS) and drop them off at your UPS store.  I've done a couple shipments of mostly "medium sized sets" and, for me, whether the box had 5 items or 15 items in it, it usually cost between $6 and $9 per box to ship.

Is FBA a good strategy for you? You'll have to look at the current buy box price, take a buck or two off that (to be safe) and use the FBA fee calculator at Amazon to see what you should be able to get for your stuff.  Don't be surprised if - on a couple items anyway - you see an attractive price, send in your stuff, and then discover 3 or 4 other new sellers also saw that price and decided to send in their product as well.  The price moves down, and now it's not so attractive any more.  I saw Santa's Workshop going for $130, so I decided to send mine in.  By the time they were received, the price had moved to $120... then they showed up at RRP on Amazon, Walmart... and now... I'll just have to wait.

... oh great.. just now I see you are located in EU... so I have no idea how it works over there... disregard everything I just said

Edited September 19, 2015 by Kenxxx

[Ctbrx]

Hi, and thanks Kenxxx for your answer.

I juste phoned to my local AZ customers service, and you're true it works like this.

The only "difficulty" is to print right the sending page to stick on package and bring it to Chronopost near home.

The shipping is free to the AZ stockroom.

I'll bring the first one this afternoon, I'll see

Thanks again to have taken time to answer,

Bye bye !

[biking_tiger]

So here's another question for the FBA vets: do you need to create labels for Lego sets? They already have barcodes, so...?

[exciter1]

So here's another question for the FBA vets: do you need to create labels for Lego sets? They already have barcodes, so...?

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.  You don't have to label them if you don't mind getting your stuff thrown in with mixed inventory.  If you want your sets stored and shipped, they require a label, so they can tie the item back to you.

[Bold-Arrow]

Amazon claims that they keep track of your item regardless of whether or not you sticker your items . I prefer to sticker mine alt bought commingled makes packing a darn quick process. 

Edited September 22, 2015 by Bold-Arrow

[Brickson]

I'll usually do commingled, but every few boxes they'll force me to sticker something (listing broken in Canada?), citing if I don't it'll be sent back or something. 

[Bold-Arrow]

Cant remember where this question was posted, but I just received this from Amazon and I only do FBA:

Hello from Amazon Services,

We are writing to let you know that your seller account currently meets the following Holiday Selling Guidelines for the Toys & Games store this holiday season: 

- Your first sale on Amazon.com must be prior to September 18, 2015 (sale does not need to be specific to the Toys & Games store): Yes
- You must have processed and shipped at least 25 orders between September 1 and October 31, 2015 (orders do not need to be specific to the Toys & Games store): Yes
- Your short term order defect rate must be no greater than 1% as of November 1, 2015. Your current order defect rate: 0% 
- Your pre-fulfillment cancel rate must be no greater than 1.75% between October 1 and October 31, 2015. Your current pre-fulfillment cancel rate: 0%
- Your late shipment rate must be no greater than 4% between October 1 and October 31, 2015. Your current late shipment rate: 0%

To remain eligible to sell in the Toys & Games store this holiday season, please continue to meet our Holiday Selling Guidelines.