Requirements for packaging from Amazon
Once you’ve chosen your product, created a business plan, and determined its name, it’s time to take packaging seriously, as it can determine whether Amazon will accept your product and in what condition the buyer will receive it.
The packaging must comply with Amazon’s internal rules and the regulations of the state in which you are selling. Violation of these rules is one of the most common reasons for product returns.
To avoid errors, the entire process should be divided into three parts: branding, labeling, and transportation.
Labeling
Amazon is not just a trading platform, but also a wide network of warehouses. To ensure that nothing is lost and to guarantee timely delivery, the company takes labeling seriously when receiving products.
You can use shrink wrap, polyethylene bags, and cardboard boxes for packaging. The mandatory requirement is the FNSKU barcode, which is used to identify the product. Without it, Amazon simply will not accept the product. You can obtain the FNSKU after creating a shipment in Seller Central.
To ensure that your product passes through the distribution centers without any problems, be sure to follow Amazon’s packaging rules:
- Warning on polyethylene bags about the possibility of suffocation;
- The information must correspond to the product description;
- Individual packaging for each product;
- No more than 150 units of product in one box;
- The maximum weight of the box is 21 kilograms;
- Indication of the country of manufacture;
- Undamaged barcode.
You can familiarize yourself with all the packaging requirements on the Amazon website.
Make it a habit to inspect the product before shipping to ensure that all labeling requirements are met. You can also use Amazon’s standard packaging, which already meets the rules. Did you miss the question of code application? You can use the FBA Label Service.
Transportation
Amazon packages travel all over the world. Along the way, even the strongest product can get damaged. The reputation of the seller depends on how the product arrives at the customer. To avoid complaints and returns, take the durability and tightness of the packaging as seriously as possible.
If we talk about cardboard packaging, three-layered cardboard can withstand serious loads. Such a box will protect the product from deformation when it falls. Polyethylene bags should not tear at the slightest contact with sharp objects. Proper packaging can withstand temperature changes.
For fragile items, place special warning labels on the box, and also make sure to secure all movable parts. Plastic corners can be used for additional protection.
Equally important is protection against opening:
- Use packages and boxes that cannot be opened without visible damage;
- Pack the goods with tape with a trademark pattern. After opening, such packaging will be impossible to reseal unnoticed;
- Weigh the packages at each stage of transportation. If the weight has decreased, conduct an inspection.
Branding
In addition to its protective function, packaging also serves as advertising. And with the right design, it can:
- Influence the decision to buy;
- Attract new customers;
- Tell about the seller.
Gray boxes are deprived of this opportunity. Therefore, make sure to develop a good packaging design.
When working with Amazon, it is important to take into account the slightest nuances. And packaging is no exception. It is very important to approach its quality correctly.