Packing Pallets Properly - Amazon

Proper pallet packing is crucial when it comes to Amazon FBA, yet so many get it wrong. 

Luckily, we're here to help make sure your pallets reach the right fulfilment centre, on time. 

Let's dive straight into the facts of why you should follow Amazon's packing guidelines!

There's a Chance Amazon Could Refuse Your Goods

First and foremost, Amazon has every right to refuse pallets if they aren't properly packed and wrapped.

They have their own specific guidelines that all Amazon sellers should follow when selling on Amazon and sending pallets to their fulfilment centres.

As you can imagine, not sticking to these guidelines means that when Amazon receives your pallet, they are more likely to refuse it.

After all, if a shipment is not considered safe enough to handle, they simply won’t take the risk.

Now, if you weren’t aware that Amazon has its own rules and regulations, you can find them in your Amazon seller account.

That way, you won’t have to worry about Amazon refusing your shipment or any other problems encountered by ignoring their restrictions.

We always advise looking up the rules and regulations of sending a pallet to Amazon, especially if you are new to the pallet shipping or selling on Amazon.

Doing your research first will help you avoid having your shipment refused by Amazon.

You May Incur Additional Charges

Not packing your pallet properly means you may incur additional Amazon FBA fees.

The last thing you want is to go through the stresses of making sure you have met Amazon's requirements, to then discover that you need to start over.

To avoid additional Amazon charges and shipping costs, you should always read up on the Amazon FBA guidelines before loading goods onto your pallet.

So, remember that Amazon FBA shipping rates don’t include the cost of packing and wrapping your pallet unless you have requested and paid for that service in advance.

Some pallet couriers do offer a wrapping or packing service, but you would have to ask them before assuming that this may be included in your delivery to Amazon with them.

Goods May Become Lost Or Damaged

As well as incurring additional fulfilment fees, you run the risk of losing or damaging your goods if you fail to package your pallet the right way.

Since you already covered the cost to ship to Amazon FBA, you won’t want to pay out to replace what was lost or damaged.

Even in the worst-case scenario, you may have to pay for another delivery once you replace what was lost.

The Amazon FBA guidelines are in place to make sure everything goes smoothly with your shipment.

So, by not following them you are likely to cause some rifts and bumps along the way.

To make sure you stay in the clear, try to follow the guidelines as much as you can; you can find these in your Amazon seller account.

You May Risk Damaging Other Pallets

Regardless of shipping weight or even if you have a standard pallet size, if your pallet isn’t packed to Amazon’s requirements then you may risk damaging other pallets.

Fortunately, Amazon is brilliant at detecting whether pallets are packed incorrectly and thus, they tend not to go any further than the fulfilment centres.

This is simply to minimise the risk of damaging your goods, or worse, discovering that items are missing from your consignment and suffering lower stock levels.

Even though Amazon rejects pallets that aren’t to their requirements, you should still do your best to pack your pallet correctly before shipping it through a courier to Amazon.

If you fail to do this, the fault will be entirely your own if Amazon refuses your consignment at the fulfilment centre.

Essentially, not only will adhering to Amazon's strict packing requirements make life easier for Amazon workers but also helps to avoid damaging your own and other customers' pallets altogether.

Makes The Job Easier for Amazon Workers

Lastly, it is safe to say that adhering to the guidelines set out by Amazon certainly makes your job that much easier.

If you get it right the first time, there will be no need to restart the packing and shipping process and you will know that you won't have wasted your time.

As long as your pallets are properly packed, Amazon will handle the next stage of offloading and storing your goods until an Amazon buyer makes a purchase.

Like the carriers who handle FBA, Amazon is fast-moving and always aim to finish the process as quickly as possible.

For that reason, pallets that aren’t packed to their requirements slow the process down slightly - or in some cases, massively.

If they encounter any problems with your pallet, they may even send your goods back rather than taking them in and causing more issues down the line.

You Risk Having To Start All Over Again

Whether it's repeating a sentence you spoke aloud just moments ago or repacking something you thought was already well-packed, repeating yourself is frustrating at the best of times, right?

Well, you can avoid having to do the hard work twice by ensuring you follow the packing requirements the first time around.

If something doesn't seem quite right, don't be afraid to question yourself and clarify with Amazon how it really should be.

There is no shame in not knowing and asking for help, after all, it could save you a lot of time, stress and money in the short run.

For more information regarding Amazon FBA shipping, please contact us directly by calling or sending a message via our Live Chat service.

Our friendly customer support team will always be happy to assist you.