Amazon FBA Prep

Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) lets you store products in Amazon’s warehouses and have them pick, pack, and ship to customers. It is the dominant fulfillment method for hardware brands selling on Amazon — and it comes with a detailed set of requirements that govern how products must be labeled, packaged, palletized, and shipped. Violating these requirements results in refused deliveries, inventory stranded at the dock, or ongoing penalty fees.

For hardware founders importing from China, FBA prep is the bridge between your factory and your customers. Your factory makes the product. Your freight forwarder gets it across the ocean. But before it reaches the Amazon FC (fulfillment center), it must be prepped to Amazon’s exact specifications. Getting this right is not complicated — but it is detailed, and missing one detail cascades into delays and costs.

Step one: product labeling. Every unit must have a scannable FNSKU barcode — Amazon’s internal product identifier — printed directly on the product or on a label affixed to it. This barcode is what Amazon’s systems use to track your inventory. The label must be white with black print, covered (not paper that smudges), and scannable by laser. Many factories can print FNSKU labels as part of packaging, which is cleaner and cheaper than stickering after the fact.

Step two: packaging requirements. Amazon has strict rules about packaging: poly bags over 5 inches must have a suffocation warning. Products with expiration dates must show the date in MM-DD-YYYY format. Fragile items must pass a drop test — typically a 3-foot drop onto concrete without damage — and be packaged accordingly. Glass containers require additional protection. Liquids require double-sealing. If your product category triggers any of these, your packaging design must accommodate them from the start.

Step three: carton requirements. Each shipping carton must be within Amazon’s size and weight limits — typically under 50 lbs (22.7 kg) unless it is a single oversized item. Cartons must be six-sided and rigid enough to survive transit. Each carton needs an Amazon shipping label (generated in Seller Central) and, for less-than-truckload (LTL) or full-truckload (FTL) shipments, a pallet label. Cartons must not be strapped, taped together, or have any other carrier’s labels still visible.

Step four: shipment creation in Seller Central. You create a shipping plan specifying which FCs your inventory goes to, how many cartons, and the carrier. Amazon may split your shipment across multiple FCs — you cannot control this. You can pay a placement fee to send everything to one FC, which simplifies logistics but adds cost. Once the plan is approved, you have a limited window (typically 90 days) to deliver the goods before the shipment is automatically closed.