So what is an FBA inspection? If you’re a third-party seller on Amazon, you must know how hard the competition is. As listed in research by Marketplace Pulse, there are already over six million third-party sellers on the Amazon marketplace in 2021 and the number is still rising. To stand out from this massive number of players, many sellers are trying hard to diversify their product range. This will enable them to cater to more needs and increase their Amazon seller ranking. Thus, getting their shops listed higher.
A common way 3P sellers use to assist their sales is by using the Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) service. With FBA, sellers can rely on Amazon for fulfilment and shipping, and their products will be listed as Prime shipping. In this way, their products can earn the trust of Prime members with Amazon’s free packing, shipping, and delivery. But, if you are already using the FBA service, you must know that it’s not easy to comply with FBA requirements and they are very detailed and change constantly. Not to mention there are special requirements for certain products.
So, more 3P sellers on Amazon are now using another service to secure their compliance with FBA regulations and strengthen their product quality: FBA Inspection.
What is an FBA inspection?
You can think of an FBA inspection as an extension of an ordinary inspection. During an ordinary inspection, let’s take a pre-shipment inspection for example, in this case, the inspector will check the finished products’ quantity, workmanship, appearance, functionality, and other quality checkpoints following general inspection guidelines.
During an FBA inspection, aside from the checkpoints mentioned above, the inspector will also check specific parts following the Amazon FBA standards. For example, the inspector will check carefully to see if:
- The packing and packaging fall in FBA requirements
- The labelling is attached on the right side of the cartons and if they are in the right positions
- The labelling and markings contain needed information, including FNSKU labels, suffocation labels, and carton labels.
- The size and measurement meet FBA standards
How can Amazon sellers benefit from an FBA inspection?
Failing to comply with FBA regulations can sometimes be fatal to an Amazon seller. For instance, Amazon will reject your shipment to their FBA warehouses if the barcode on your products is unreadable. This will leave you with unsellable products and cause shipment fees to double. It can also cause delayed sales time, and an extra charge to re-do your goods. Worse, Amazon may fine you or shut down your store permanently.
But FBA Inspection is here to avoid these problems. It will help your finished batches reach the right Amazon warehouse without being rejected. It also helps you to deliver quality products to your customers without being returned.
Here are 6 advantages you can benefit from an FBA Inspection:
- Avoid rejections by Amazon warehouses: With the right barcode and right shipping label, your goods will reach Amazon warehouses safe and sound.
- Ensure compliance with the FBA requirements: Your products have been checked against the Amazon FBA requirements to make sure they are Amazon-ready.
- Stick to the quality you guarantee to your customers: After quality checks and some on-site tests, defective products will be sorted out and only products of good quality will reach your customers.
- Reduce return rate and return cost: With inspected packaging and improved quality, you will see fewer returns due to damaged products or poor quality.
- Gain good product reviews and higher seller ranking: Your customers are more likely to leave good product reviews in your store when they are satisfied with their orders. And more good reviews will benefit your seller ranking too.
- Build up a brand reputation in the long run: Words spread fast in this eCommerce world. High-quality products are like free advertisements and can help you build up your brand reputation.
In summary
Selling on Amazon marketplaces is still an effective way to reach customers worldwide and make a fortune. But obeying the Amazon rules is never an easy task. Furthermore, you will need to pay attention to your product quality. Any negative comment on your products can result in affecting countless potential customers.
If you are selling on Amazon with FBA, you shall keep a close eye on the FBA regulation updates. This will help greatly to ensure your compliance. You shall also work on improving your product quality to avoid bad comments related to quality issues. After all, almost all online shoppers read comments before making an order and more than 73 percent of the customers trust a store with positive feedback.
