Amazon is one of the largest ecommerce network, where thousands of entrepreneurs sell the products and earn the profit.
Therefore, a remarkable rise in the popularity of this platform has been observed over the last years.
Before you start selling your products, it is necessary to buy and store the products in the Amazon warehouses.
Shipping to Amazon FBA is an efficient and cheaper way to get the products directly from China.
The direct shipping to Amazon FBA can save your time. And as soon as the products reach in the Amazon warehouses, you will start selling them.
If you want to learn about shipping to Amazon FBA, you can get through this article. It will let you know everything about shipping to Amazon FBA.
What is Amazon FBA Fulfillment?
Through Amazon FBA fulfillment, you can buy the products from the suppliers and then store them in the Amazon warehouses.
Whenever you receive an order from the customers, you can pick the products from the warehouse and can send them to the customers.
The Amazon FBA fulfillment is considered the best, efficient, and cheap way of getting the products. It can increase your profit margin and can let you get the best quality products at reasonable prices.
How to Ship to Amazon FBA Warehouse?
Once the supplier has delivered all of your products, you will find its description and product description and listing set. After this, you will be able to ship the products to the Amazon FBA.
The following are the steps you will have to take to ship the products to the Amazon FBA.
1. Creating an Amazon Product Listing
Above all, you have to decide whether you will sell the products through the FBA or sell the products on both platforms, i.e., FBA and FBM.
If you are intent in selling the products both at the FBA and FBM, you need to go to the seller central to get the product listings.
Then, click the dropdown listings by right click and select the copy listing.
After making the copy, you need to make sure that all of your Amazon will ship and provide the customer services.
Before you start selling at the platform of Amazon, and to rank higher at this great market place; you will have to get the product listings.
You can prepare the same product listings for both the FBA and FBM. In this way, both of your product listings will come under the ASIN and will let your products rank high at the Amazon.
In this way, the customer will get only one product’s list instead of getting two separate lists. But the customers will get two options here, one to get the products from the FBA and others to buy the products from the FBM.
You do not need to get reviews or feedback from the customers separately for both FBA and FBM.
You can use the same considerations and comments for FBA and FBM. Therefore, when the FBA and FBM are attached to the same ASIN, the feedback covers both lists.
But there is an important which you need to keep in mind is the price. You can charge higher in FBA, as you will have to pay for the FBA fees.
If you are interested in just FBA, you will not copy the list of products. Instead of it, you will have to create a new list of products.
2. Creating Your Shipping Plan
The nect level is to choose the shipping plan. You can create a new strategy and make the changes in the previous one; it’s all up to you which shipping method you want to get.
There are two options available for the packaging type, i.e., individual products or case products.
The case products are needed in case when you are sending the large quantity of a product.
After completing this step, you need to move to the next step, where you will have to show the number of products which you are going to send. Furthermore, you can also change the name of the shipment.
The next important factor which you need to consider here is labeling. Each product which you are selling at Amazon needs to be labeled.
The next step is the shipments. Amazon does not want that you pack all of your products in one pack.
Instead of it should split all of your products into different boxes. Therefore, you will have to break the inventory in different warehouses.
The next step is to get approval for all of your shipments. After the confirmation of the load, you will have to choose the services of the carrier. At the platform of the Amazon, you can have two options, i.e., FedEx and UPS.
One thing more, if the weight of your products is meager, then you do not need to pack all of your products in different boxes.
Instead of it, you can fill them all in just one box and ship them to the customer. And never forget to mention the dimensions of your package.
- Set the Quantity
You should decide the number of your products and then get cargo services according to the number of goods. You should pack all of your interests in small boxes.
In this way, you will have to keep all of your products in different warehouses. But, if you have only a few products, they do not pack them in separate parcels. It’s better to adjust all of your products in just one box.
Once you have selected the amount of the products, the next step is to choose the shipping method.
You should select the shipping method according to the volume of your products. For instance, if you have many heavy products. Therefore, you should choose the sea freight.
If you have only a few lightweight and delicate products, you can go for the air freight. The air freight can decrease the risks of breakage.
- Prepare the Products
Before the shipment of goods, you will get plenty of time to prepare them for the shipment. You need to pack all of your interests correctly. If you have not filled the goods properly, they will be at risk of damage.
You should use strict and highly firm materials for the packing of goods. The packaging of the product s can ensure their safety and cover long distances without getting damaged.
- Label the Products
The labeling of the products is a very crucial factor. You can print the label and can paste t over the products.
But Amazon can also do this job for you. For this purpose, you will have to pay about $0.20 per item to the Amazon. For about 25 items, you can pay $5.
Keep remembering that Amazon can take some days to label your products. Therefore, it is better to label all of your products by yourself. It will save you time and will save time. You can start the sale of products very soon.
- Review Your Shipment
It is better to review your shipment and then pack all of your products accordingly.
For instance, in air freight, you will have to fill your products in just one parcel. But in case of shipment, you can pack your goods in more than one box.
- Prepare Your Shipment
With the expansion of your business, it is highly recommended to get the shipment services. It is better to paste the labels of your products on the boxes, as the tags play a key role in the process of shipment.
Before the shipment, you have to make sure that all of your products have been packed properly.
They look neat and clean. So, you can deliver the products safely over long distances.
Shipping Methods to Amazon FBA
The shipping method and shipping cost; both are the most critical factors which can decide your profit margin and the success of your business.
For instance, in sea freight, you may have to pay a small amount, but the customers will have to wait or a long time to get their products.
You need to remember that the customers will never wait for their parcels for such a long time and may search for another supplier.
Therefore, it is essential to know all the actors before choosing the shipment method for shipping to Amazon FBA.
Sea Transportation
Sea transportation is a good option, especially when you have to ship many products.
But, at the same time, sea freight will take a long time to deliver the products. Therefore, you should select this mode of transportation only when your customers wait long to get the products.
Air Transportation
Air transportation is the best option when you have delicate products, as there is a risk of getting damaged in the air freight.
So if you are importing the fragile products from China and want their delivery on time, you should go for the air freight.
Suggested reading:Best Air Freight Forward In China: Ultimate Guide
Express shipping：FedEx, DHL, UPS, EMS
Remember that Amazon works only with a few cargo services such as FedEx, DHL, EMS, and UPS. Therefore, it would be better to choose these cargo services.
Rail Transportation
Rail transportation is the best way to deliver many products at each corner of this world on time. The rail can provide the products very efficiently.
There is no chance of delay. But, in the fence, the products are at high risk of the damage. Beside it, there is always a chance of the damage or natural disaster such as the earthquake.
How Much Does Amazon FBA cost?
At the Amazon, the sellers have to pay abou15% of the total price of a product. Besides this cost, Amazon will also ask you to pay the Amazon FBA charges and storage fees.
The fulfillment charges include the packing fees, picking charges, and shipping process.
Besides, you will also have to pay to Amazon for all of your products stored in the inventory.
Standard costs
The standard cost is a combination of the fulfillment cost and storage fee. When you pay both of these charges to the Amazon, they will let you store the products and provide you the required products also.
Fulfillment Fee
The fulfillment fee is the price that you pay to get the products. The fulfillment fee covers the cost of the labor, which includes the picking, packaging, shipping, packaging supplies, shipping to the customers, and other customer services.
Storage fee
For the calculation of the storage fee, you will need two factors, i.e., the weight of the item and dimension. The charges which you pay at the Amazon consist of the fulfillment fee and the monthly storage.
The monthly storage charges are calculated based on the volume of space in which each product in cubic feet.
Beside it, there are many other charges, which the seller has to pay only in some specific circumstances, and you do not need to pay them generally.
For instance, long term storage fees, return fees, and items removal order fees are included in this category.
Long Term Storage Fee
If you want to store the products for a long time, you will have to pay the long term storage fee instead of the monthly storage fees.
The products which are present in the warehouses for more than 2365 days will charge you a long term storage fee automatically. The long term storage fee is estimated at the 15th of each month.
Well, it is possible to avoid long term storage fees. For this purpose, you need to sell all of your products as early as possible.
How do FBA freight forwarders charge for their services?
Various factors can affect the price of an Amazon freight forwarder. For instance, shipping and calculating the actual; cost of the freight is not as easy as it seems to be.
There are specific freight forwarders that can as for the charges as part of the upfront quotations.
At the same time, others used to include all of these charges as the optional add ons.
There are also a few freight forwarders who do not provide and extra services. Therefore they will never ask for any type of charges.
Therefore, it is essential to examine all of these activities of freight forwarders carefully. It will let you know about all the offers which you are getting through the freight forwarder.
You can ask for a detailed breakup. The general break up for the shipping elements is just given below.
1. Carrier charges
You can choose the sea freight, sea freight, or road freight for the transportation of the product. You will have to compensate for the transportation of the products in any type of cargo.
But, remember that the sea freights are usually cheap and inexpensive as compared to sea freight. Similarly, the sea freight will take more days for the delivery of the products as compared to the air freight.
The cost of transportation may vary and depends on the distance covered. For instance, if a product is transported over a long distance, it will cost you high.
On the other hand, if you have transported any product within the country, you may have to pay very little money.
Well, the freight forwards always search for low or economical prices. Therefore, in this way, you can get a higher profit margin.
2. Container cost
If you have chosen the sea freight, you can pay the charges through the following two ways, i.e., FCL (full container load) and LCL (less than the container load).
The less than the container load (LCL) will suit you when you have only a few products to deliver the products.
In this, you have to pay only a small amount of money. Therefore, it is one of the best ways to save money.
You may need to pay an extra amount when you separate the products at the point of the destination. The ULD or unit load device can be in the form of a container or a pallet.
3. Cargo volume and weight
The cargo type may charge you higher than the others, depending on the amount of the freight. In cargo types, you need to have one specific container, which can carry only one variety of products.
The cargo types are the best option when you are importing the dangerous or delicate items such as glass products or other food items.
Always keep in mind all those products which cannot be fitted into the standard container will require the cargo types. And it can increase the price and will decrease your profit margin.
Beside it, the weight and volume of the products will also determine the total price of the transportation.
Therefore, the overall cost of the shipment is calculated by converting the weight of the cargo into the volume.
So in this way, the chargeable weight will be higher. In a few cases, the cargo types will charge you a computed volumetric weight, while in other cases, you will pay for the actual value.
There are specific situations the weight of the products is the same, but they differ concerning volume. Therefore, in this situation, the one which occupies more space or work, you will pay an extra amount.
4. Packaging and pillarization
One must have to palletize the products during their import or export over the long distances and the proper packaging.
You can also use the wood for the packaging of the products but within the limits of international legislation.
You will find only a few freight forwarders, who will charge you an extra amount for the packaging; otherwise, it is included in the freight charges.
The extra payment is the additional care, which you have to take care of the delivery of delicate products.
Well, it will also make sure that transportation has been done within the rules set by the government. It will be the best option for the seller if they do not want your products to get fractured.
There are specific freight forwarders, due to the high cost of the unique packaging material for delivering delicate objects.
5. Insurance
The cargo insurance is essential for the safety of your products. The cargo insurance assures you of the security of your products from the risk of breakage or damage.
Therefore, it is essential to protect your products through cargo insurance.
The uninsured products are at a higher risk level, and you do not get a single penny in case of any damage.
Therefore, most of the freight forwarders will let you get this opportunity. As a result, you may have to pay an extra amount.
Before you get the insurance policy and pay for it, it is better to ask the Amazon freight forwarder for a quotation.
If the freight forwarder does not offer you the cargo insurance policy, you can contact the broker and get the insurance policy during the import or export of the products.
Suggested reading:Best Cargo Insurance Service In China: Ultimate Guide
6. Documentation cost
Well, in most cases, the freight forwarder has to complete all the required documents such as import and export paperwork, invoice, and or bill of landing.
Well, the administration cost which you need to pay will come with the upfront estimate.
There are certain products which can you an extra amount of money, such as restricted or dangerous items, which need extra care.
7. Destination cost
The destination cost involved many factors such as terminal handling charges ad charges for the clearance of the products from the loading and discharge ports.
Therefore, whenever you calculate the expenses of the freight forwarder, do not forget to include these two factors. The Amazon freight FBA forwarder will always let you know about all of these charges.
Beside it, there are many other extra charges which a port can apply and all of those include:
- The fee or charges of the warehouses
- The cost to split the LCL shipments
- In a few cases, inland haulage cost
8. Administration cost
The Amazon freight forwarder can save your time. You can always keep yourself from various types of coordination, organization, and management of different elements involved in the shipping process.
Well, the Amazon freight forwarder will not do this job free of cost. You will pay a considerable amount of money for this.
For instance, you will have to pay the administration charges, and these charges are the part of the quote. It is a significant factor, and you need to pay attention to this factor.
9. Additional surcharges
The carriers always charge you the fuel surcharge, just to protect themselves from the changing values of the fuels.
It is known as the bunker adjustment factor. If carriers do not charge this amount of money, they may face a massive loss, which could be a problem.
In addition to the bunker adjustment factor, you may have to pay another currency adjustment factor.
The currency fluctuation factor can keep the carrier protected from the following:
- The currency fluctuations
- Security surcharges
- War risk surcharges
- Peak session surcharges
- Demurrage penalty (which is paid in case of the late loading or unloading)
10. Additional services
The Amazon freight forwarder always tries to offer you some extra services. The primary purpose of all of these additional efforts is to facilitate you at each level.
The freight forwarder controls or monitors all the shipping processes from the manufacturing step to delivering the goods.
The freight forwarder will control the sourcing of products, packaging and unpackaging of the goods, organization of the products, and store the products in the warehouses, distribution, and delivery of the work up to the required and right customers.
Suggested reading:Best Freight Forward Service In China: Ultimate Guide
4 Mistakes To Avoid When Shipping to FBA
When you are FBA shipping from china, you need to avoid the following mistakes. It will help you to get to avoid the problems and will let you save time, which you use for other purposes.
1. No label
At the platform of Amazon, you will have paste the labels on the products. It will help the shippers to know about your products.
The title shows all the details about the product and then handles it carefully. Beside it, the labels are also essential for the customs clearance.
2. Mislabelling
It is crucial to paste the labels, and it is essential to paste the correct labels. Try to check all the necessary information before you get the print.
3. Unreadable barcode
The barcode can depict all the required information about your product. Therefore, your barcode must be clear and easily readable.
If the barcode is not clear, it is a real problem, especially at customs clearance.
4. All FBA products should Label “Made In China.”
Not all of your products need to show that all of the products are made in China. It is the fundamental mistake that most of the sellers made. Therefore, it is will be better to avoid them.
How Leeline Help You Shipping Goods To Amazon FBA Warehouse From China
Leeline is the best sourcing company in China. The company aims to provide you the best quality products directly from Chinese markets at reasonable prices. Beside it, the company will also facilitate you in Amazon FBA shipping.
The following are how the company tries to help you out when you are shipping to Amazon FBA.
1. Provide fba prep services for all your needs
The company will provide you complete services when you are shipping Amazon FBA. The company tries you to help in the preparations for the shipment of the goods.
The Leeline will help you to get the best quality goods from Chinese markets at the economical prices.
Beside it, the company also arranges the factory audits; so you can get the best quality goods at the economic costs.
2. 24/7 online service to support your business
You will get highly experienced professionals at Leeline. They are available to help you out at any time. Whenever you find any issue or problem, you can contact them and ask for help.
3. Provide competitive Shipping rate shipping from China
The Leeline also helps you in getting the best shipping services at the economical prices.
The company will provide you a list of all the best legitimate and reliable shippers. You can get the one according to your requirements.
The company will also help you in the price negotiation. You can get the best FBA Amazon shipping through Leeline.
Final Thoughts on Shipping to Amazon FBA
The shipping to Amazon FBA directly from China can be very beneficial for your business in several ways.
It will surely help you to get all the products on time at a cheaper cost. Therefore, you can spend your energy and money on the growth of your business.
FAQ For Shipping to Amazon FBA
The following are the questions which most of the shippers ask while shipping to Amazon FBA.
1. Is selling on Amazon FBA worth it?
Amazon is the most successful marketplace, where you can sell the products and earn a considerable profit margin. At the platform of the Amazon, sellers can contact with a large number of audiences at a time.
2. How long does FBA shipment take?
You can get all of your products within 2 to 6 days business days. The products which you send to the Amazon warehouses are scanned and become available for the sale within a few days.
3. Does Amazon FBA include shipping?
The FBA fulfillment includes the complete picking, packing, and shipping of the products. Therefore, it is the best way to get the products for sale.
4. What are the disadvantages of the FBA system?
The FBA works for only those businesses that are selling the products through Amazon. But if you are selling at different other platforms, FBA will not work for you.
5. What kind of documents do I need for Amazon FBA?
The following are the documents which you need to sell the products on Amazon:
- Business information
- Email address
- Credit card
- Phone number
- Tax ID
- State tax ID
