Amazon FBA: Why You Need a Prep Service for Chinese Imports

The Amazon FBA service has taken a lot of online retailers in the West by storm.

FBA, by the way, stands for “fulfillment by Amazon.” It refers to a business model whereby you warehouse the products for your online store with Amazon, and they fulfill your orders and even take care of customer service for you.

What’s more, your Amazon FBA store qualifies for Amazon Prime shipping. This makes your store all that more attractive to customers. You can sell local goods as well as imported products by using the Amazon FBA service. However, if you’re importing goods from China, it’s always a good idea to work with a qualified prepping service.

 

Imported Goods

One popular trend that has emerged among Amazon sellers in the recent past is to import goods from China to sell on Amazon to customers in the West. Chinese products are often priced far below goods produced in the West, making them a big hit with customers—and therefore Amazon FBA sellers as well.

However, importing goods from China can lead to complex logistics. Fortunately, though, Amazon’s international fulfillment centers can handle these difficulties with ease.

All the same, when you’re importing goods from China, it’s a good idea to seek assistance from a prep service such as Leelinesourcing Amazon FBA Prep Service. While this will mean an additional cost for your business, such a service will save you frustration, time, and effort.

 

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Strict Amazon FBA Policies

This is because Amazon FBA facilities have very strict policies regarding prepping standards. For example, when your products reach the Amazon fulfillment centers, they must be packed according to Amazon guidelines. In other words, each package must comply with weight, dimensions and other packaging and handling regulations. If you violate these rules, Amazon won’t ship your products to your customers. What’s more, you could be risking suspension from the Amazon FBA service.

If you leave it up to your supplier to send your product to the fulfillment center, they may or may not follow instructions. Meanwhile, you will likely find it unfeasible to be physically present at every moment just to make sure they do the packing and handling properly.

Unfortunately, most Chinese suppliers are not well versed in the English language. Further, many of them are not aware of Amazon FBA policies. That’s why it’s best to hire a prep service. The prep service will handle your prepping needs according to FBA rules. Of course, they will charge you a small premium, but you’ll avoid the risk of any serious violations.

 

Keeps Your Selling Strategy Hidden

Imagine that after weeks of research you find an amazing Chinese product that you just know will be a hit with your target audience on Amazon. You place an order to your supplier in China and ask him to prep and send the goods directly to Amazon FBA.

Weeks later, you learn that the supplier has canceled your orders and has now registered as a seller on Amazon. Your supplier has now become your competitor on Amazon.

You can avoid this nightmare scenario by hiding from your supplier where you plan to sell their products. Do this by working with a prepping company. This protects your selling strategy.

 

Less Expensive Storage Facility

A prepping service is most likely to offer you a storage facility. This facility will likely cost you less than would storing all your goods at the Amazon FBA fulfillment center.

Moreover, Amazon has a strict suspension policy. If for some reason Amazon should suspend your account while your products are stored at the FBA facility, your business could suffer. Amazon would hold your products at the Amazon FBA facility until you pay Amazon to release them. Therefore, many sellers prefer storing their inventory with a prepping service. They keep only a limited number of units at the Amazon fulfillment center, just enough to fulfill the orders they are expecting.

 

 

Saves Time and Money

The Amazon FBA facility receives goods from hundreds of sellers every day. Their strict prepping standards mean that every seller’s goods can be processed faster.

So don’t rely on your Chinese supplier to do all the prepping for you and send the goods to the fulfillment center on your behalf. This will mean delays and additional costs for both you and your supplier.

For example, your supplier will likely require additional time to take care of your prepping needs. Moreover, your goods will occupy their inventory space. Therefore, they are likely to charge you a premium for that storage. Alternatively, they might rush the prepping process in order to eliminate their backlog. This could cause them to neglect to follow the Amazon FBA rules precisely.

On the other hand, if you hire a prepping service, they will take care of all those hassles at a nominal cost. They will prepare your goods properly. Therefore, your goods will pass any and all inspections and be safely on their way to your Amazon FBA store in a timely fashion.