As an online seller utilizing Amazon’s Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) service, understanding FBA labels is crucial to ensure your products are processed smoothly through Amazon’s fulfillment centers. FBA labels play a pivotal role in identifying and tracking your inventory, enabling efficient storage, and ensuring accurate and timely shipments to customers.
An FBA label, short for the “Fulfillment by Amazon” label, is a unique barcode sticker that contains essential information about your product. Amazon requires you to affix these labels to your products before sending them to their fulfillment centers. The primary purpose of FBA labels is to enable automated scanning and tracking of products throughout the fulfillment process. They are essential for Amazon to manage inventory, pick, pack, and ship products accurately and efficiently.
These are the most common type of FBA labels and are used for most standard-sized products. They contain the product’s Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN), the fulfillment center’s barcode, and the item’s condition (new or used).
These labels are used for small, fast-selling products that are identical to others in the Amazon catalog. Amazon commingles these products, allowing them to be mixed with similar products from other sellers. They do not require individual labeling, as Amazon’s system tracks and identifies them collectively.
Required for products stored in poly bags to ensure safety compliance and prevent suffocation hazards. Amazon enforces strict guidelines for products packaged in poly bags, mandating sellers to affix suffocation warning labels when applicable.
To create and print FBA labels, you must first generate them through your Seller Central account. Amazon provides a step-by-step labeling process within the platform. You can either print the labels directly onto the product or use Amazon’s FBA Label Service, which provides label printing at an Amazon fulfillment center for a per-item fee.
Ensure that the FBA labels are printed accurately and legibly. Use a high-quality printer to prevent smudging or blurring that may hinder the scanning process.
Affix the labels on a flat, smooth, and easily scannable surface. Avoid placing them over seams, folds, or irregular surfaces that might obstruct the barcode’s readability.
If the product already has a manufacturer barcode (e.g., UPC, EAN), do not cover it with the FBA label. The FBA label should be placed adjacent to the manufacturer’s barcode.
If your products are packaged in poly bags, follow Amazon’s guidelines for suffocation warning labels, bag size limits, and packaging materials.
Additionally, if you opt to use a third-party logistics (3PL) service to prepare and label your FBA inventory, you may come across the term “FBA Prep Label 3PL.” In this scenario, the 3PL provider takes on the responsibility of labeling your products according to Amazon’s FBA requirements before sending them to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. This convenient solution can save you time and effort, as the 3PL ensures that your products are correctly labeled, packed, and compliant with Amazon’s guidelines, streamlining the process and reducing the risk of labeling errors or delays.
Main photo: Nana Smirnova/unsplash.com
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