Tuesday 2nd August 2022 | View all Blogs

We understand that selling on Amazon may seem daunting to some, which is why we're here to help you in your journey to becoming a top Amazon FBA seller.

What is Amazon FBA?

Amazon FBA is a service offered by, you guessed it, Amazon that provides fulfilment, storage, customer service and shipping to sellers who wish to list products on their site.

Using Amazon to pick, pack and handle your goods is a very common method of shipping, as it provides the seller with an almost effortless solution. It also comes with a lot of benefits, such as Prime features on your products.

All that’s required from the seller is that they keep on top of their listings and ensure Amazon are stocked with your product. How do you do that you ask? Well, that leads us on to the first question...

How do I ship to Amazon?

Depending on who you use, shipping to Amazon can be quite straightforward.

It’s best to find a reliable pallet delivery service (like us!) to ship your goods to Amazon’s fulfilment centres.

amazon-warehouse

PalletOnline are Amazon’s preferred courier for pallet deliveries, and if you use us to ship your goods, we’ll make it as easy as pie!

Simply visit our Amazon page, and our stress-free quote form will guide you through each and every step! We even offer same-day and flexible collection times. 

New to Amazon selling and not sure where to start? We have a wide range of Amazon-focussed blog posts free for you to read. Alternatively, our friendly customer care team are on hand to help. 

Why do my goods keep getting rejected?

Amazon are infamous for their strict guidelines, therefore, it’s extremely important that you take the time to prepare your pallet before we collect it. 

rules-and-regulations

Here are a few of our top tips for sending your goods to Amazon fulfilment centres:

1. Make sure the contents of your pallet are clearly visible - Amazon does not allow goods to be packaged inside gaylords, or wrapped in black stretch wrap, as it prevents workers from being able to see what’s in or on your pallet. 
2. Protect your goods with packing materials - there’s no such thing as too much protection, so we highly recommend that you use as much packing peanuts, bubble wrap or paper as possible.
3. Check, check and check again - before we collect your pallet, it’s worth double, even triple checking the weight, dimensions and condition of your pallet. Amazon will instantly refuse any goods that are too big or too dangerous to handle.

You can find our full Amazon pallet preparation guide over on Pinterest.

What is the difference between FBA and FBM?

You may have noticed the similar acronym “FBM” floating around, but what is the difference? 

FBA stands for “Fulfilled By Amazon” and, as mentioned before, is a service sold by Amazon that provides bespoke fulfilment, customer service and postage to their sellers. Due to its many benefits, it’s extremely popular, with over 6.9 million Amazon sellers currently taking advantage of FBA!

FBM is short for “Fulfilled By Merchant”. As the name suggests, this is a method of fulfilment where the merchant, or seller, will pack, ship and store their orders themselves, while listing their products on Amazon. Unlike FBA, FBM lacks most of the desired benefits, such as Prime-eligible products.

packing-box

These differences may seem simple at first, but deciding between the two can be tricky! We’ve compiled a list of pros for each method:

Fulfilment By Amazon:
  • Prime-eligible items - if you use FBA as a means of fulfilment, your goods will automatically be eligible for Prime shipping. Prime is very well known around the world, and customers will likely purchase a product with free, next-day Prime shipping over a product that may take a few days or weeks to arrive. 
  • Bespoke customer service - there’s no escaping it… nobody likes customer service! That’s why Amazon will take control of customer service for you, freeing up your precious time (and energy!).
  • Higher page rankings - although Amazon is an eCommerce company, it also acts as a search engine. This means they will tailor their search result pages to best suit what you’re looking for. For example, if you’re a Prime customer, you’ll likely see Prime products first. 
Fulfilment By Merchant:
  • Full stock control – as you’re not utilising Amazon’s warehouse space to store your goods, you won’t need to worry about misplaced or lost items. You are in charge of where your stock goes and when. 
  • More control over packaging and branding - one of the main benefits of FBM shipping is the ability to have full control over the packaging of your product. As you are packing the product yourself, you aren’t limited to Amazon’s branded packaging.

Those are some pros that we thought were good to know, but which fulfilment method will you choose? 

What is a bill of lading?

If you’re new to Amazon selling, it’s likely you won’t know all the lingo straight away. A phrase you may hear often is a “bill of lading”, but what is it?

bill-of-lading

A “bill of lading”, commonly shortened to BOL, is a document which acts as an acknowledgement of delivery. 

“Isn’t that what a proof of delivery is?”, you may ask. Well, a BOL and proof of delivery are terms used interchangeably, but a BOL is more common in Amazon shipping. 

Still confused? Watch our useful video all about bills of lading:

Can I track my delivery?

If you’re using PalletOnline to ship your goods to Amazon, you’ll be pleased to know our advanced, 8-step tracking system will keep you updated every step of the way!  

You can find our tracking page at the top of our website, then, all you need to do is enter your order ID and you’re away! Alternatively, you can track your order via your order confirmation email. 

We hope this blog has given you a better insight into the wonderful world of Amazon selling!

Want to take advantage of PalletOnline’s prime Amazon delivery service? Simply head over to our Amazon page to get your free and instant pallet delivery quote. The rest is a breeze.