For entrepreneurs looking to start their laptop-selling business, Amazon FBA is a wonderful platform. While FBA provides both convenience and security, it remains your responsibility to pack and ship your laptops to Amazon's fulfillment centers. For this reason, you must have a thorough understanding of requirements set by Amazon for FBA shipping boxes for laptops.
Unless you arrange for FBA preparation services in advance, you will be subject to an unexpected fee per item. You must understand all necessary shipping requirements in order to avoid incurring additional fees or handling the FBA packaging on your own.
This article will give you an overview of all of the latest rules in relation to Amazon FBA shipping boxes and packaging you need to know to ship and package your laptop, so let's get started.
Why use FBA for Your Laptop Business?
Let's start by understanding why laptop sellers should use FBA. If you are contemplating the fulfillment of your online arbitrage items, there are a number of reasons for this:
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Providing Convenience
Probably the most significant benefit of Amazon FBA is its convenience. There are instances in which you may not have to touch your product at all. Amazon has pioneered and grown to a large scale an inventory management model that allows you to transfer your inventory over to someone else for the purpose of storing, processing orders, packing, shipping, and even providing customer service.
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Speed
With Amazon handling the majority of the logistics on your behalf, you can source the products, create the listings, and start making sales relatively quickly.
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Savings for Carriers
With Amazon FBA, you can use Amazon's partnered carriers, both as incorporated into their handling and shipping fees per product and as a cost for sending your inventory to Amazon.
It can be expensive to ship boxes and pallets. Still, you can save significant amounts on both freight and small parcel shipping when you use Amazon's partnered carriers (or sometimes Amazon's carriers directly).
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Prime shipping is Used by Many Customers These Days
Due to Amazon's control over shipping time and speed, FBA items are preferred by shoppers. Amazon's Prime customers, meanwhile, are accustomed to the fast delivery times of Prime, thus often avoiding purchasing FBM items when an alternative FBA option is available.
FBA shipping is preferred both by buyers and by Amazon, meaning you are ranked higher than FBM-only items.
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Market Conditions Are Favorable
It is important to remember that Amazon operates as a marketplace. A person who visits this site is prepared to make a purchase, unlike someone who casually browses elsewhere and happens to see an advertisement or other advertisement regarding a product they want to purchase.
Since Amazon customers are already willing to spend money, Amazon FBA eliminates a lot of the marketing and advertising burden.
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Scalable and Easy to Expand
The FBA shipping formula is easy to replicate and can be scaled up easily. Once you have established a foothold and gained knowledge of the Amazon FBA model, expanding to new products or scaling up existing products becomes relatively simple.
Requirements for Amazon FBA Packaging for Laptops
Let's come to the main topic regarding packaging requirements for laptops as a FBA seller. Amazon FBA packaging requirements are quite detailed, and it is easy to become confused by them. Nevertheless, if you categorize them based on the product category and shipment, they seem logical.
Amazon's Seller Central also offers comprehensive customer support and advice on preparation and packaging.
Several video tutorials, along with relevant technical resources, are available to assist you in learning the ropes. Keep up-to-date and check frequently, as requirements may change at any time.
As for laptops, they are packaged in sets, boxes, or special packaging materials. Amazon's specifications cover general packaging requirements and additional requirements for specific categories. Let's take a closer look at them.
Requirements for packaging:
- There must be a unique FNSKU for each unique laptop or type of product (for example, the size or color).
- The exterior of every unit must be marked with a barcode that is readable and scannable, along with readable numbers.
- The barcode can be either a manufacturer barcode (such as GCID, UPC, EAN, or ISBN) or an Amazon barcode (such as ASIN or FNSKU).
- It is mandatory for shipping boxes to be made unscannable by obscuring the barcodes on the outside. To block out redundant codes, cover them in tape or use a black felt tip. This prevents the wrong barcode from being scanned accidentally.
- A single unit may not include more than one piece that requires Amazon to assemble.
- Bags or tape must be applied to all units that are not packaged securely.
- Use eco-friendly or recyclable boxes if possible to reduce environmental impact.
- It is important to weigh and measure the boxes accurately before shipping.
Which Category Does Laptop Come in Amazon FBA?
There are different levels of Amazon Packaging Requirements based on the type of product. For laptops, boxed packaging comes under the category of 'boxed packaging,' and here is what you need to know:
Almost all of the items sold through Amazon FBA are packaged in a box. When products are packaged, they are easier to transport and store, thereby minimizing the chances that they may be lost or misplaced as a result of the lengthy fulfillment process.
Your goods may still be delivered through the fulfillment center if they are packaged in poly bags. However, this box packaging has a twist! According to Amazon FBA, only four different types of box packaging can be used by laptop sellers;
https://www.amazon.com/ITNEER-Laptop-Shipping-Box-laptops/dp/B0C3NS3JRH
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RSC (Regular Slotted Carton)
Typical cartons are made from corrugated sheet material that has already undergone pre-crease and pre-cutting.
A carton of this kind consists of two openings separated by four flaps of similar width. The use of RSC is possible in virtually all aspects of packaging as well as shipping of products.
https://customboxesnow.com/box-styles/regular-slotted-container/ -
200BH (burst strength box)
Corrugated boxes that meet Mullen burst strength specifications when imposed with a 200 lb/sq.in. Pressure is called 200BH boxes. Each box is capable of supporting a maximum load of 65 pounds.
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ECT-32 Box
ECT-32 Boxes are corrugated cardboard boxes that have achieved the ECT 32 rating, making them ideal for shipping. These boxes are usually small in size and more suitable for packaging laptop accessories like chargers, adapters, speakers or backpacks.
https://www.amazon.in/Packaging-Wholesalers-Bundle-Mailing-BS242430/dp/B011SPUOR4 -
B-flute
These B Flutes are constructed of two layers of corrugated cardboard sandwiched between two wave-shaped constructions. Boxes/cartons are reinforced with these flutes, which provide padding, protection, and support for the cardboard boxes that are used to build the box.
There are six categories of corrugated cardboard boxes based on the lengths and density of flutes used throughout. These are Aflute/Bflute/Cflute/Dflute/Eflute/Fflute.
Flute boxes with B flutes have shorter flutes and are 1/8 inch thick on the side and wall. This type of support is useful when supporting heavier items, like laptops, obviously. Having a smooth and sturdy surface is also beneficial when printing with B flutes.
https://boltboxes.com/blog/corrugated-material-flute-types/ -
Amazon FBA Box Dimensions:
- The shipping of everyday items through FBA requires a box with a maximum length of 25 inches.
- Approximately 14 inches separate the two sides.
- Approximately 8 inches is the shortest side.
For products with large sides that exceed the dimensions, select an extra-large box. This box has now become too large and will be considered oversized.
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Bubble Wrapping Bag
There is also a soft bubble wrapping bag used to package Amazon FBA laptop shipments, which does not consist of any self-contained material such as a box/cartoon or polybag. Bubble-wrapped goods must always be enclosed in a polybag or box.
Bubble wrapping bags aren't always available on Amazon for shipment. According to Amazon, bubble wrap packing should be used only for certain goods, items, products, materials, and things. E.g.
- Products that are fragile and susceptible to damage during transportation. If you worry that the laptop screen or backside might get damaged during transportation or any of your previous customers got damaged laptops, then next time, you can use a bubble wrap bag for packaging.
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Heavy items that may cause damage to other items during transportation. Sometimes gaming laptops are a bit heavy, and for these, you can use a bubble wrapping bag.
When using bubble wrap as a laptop box packaging material, the following should be considered:
- Secure the package with tape and wrap it securely in bubble wrap.
- Provide a machine-readable barcode along the exterior of the packaging bag.
- Test the bubble-wrapped product with a drop test from a height of 3 feet.
Weight of Amazon FBA Box:
The following are the Amazon weight requirements to remember when packaging an FBA shipping box with your laptop.
- For FBA boxes or cartons, the standard weight restriction is 50 pounds.
- For boxes containing products weighing more than 50 pounds, you must include a "Team Lift Sticker" on each side.
- For items weighing more than 100 pounds, "Mechanical Lift Marking" should be applied on every side of the box.
Laptops are hardly 5-8 pounds, so you don’t have to worry much about putting labels on the box.
Amazon Approved Packaging materials
If you meet Amazon's requirements, they can provide you with packing materials. It is possible to purchase Amazon-preferred packing materials, such as poly bags, boxes, stretch wraps, bubble packs, and other packaging materials, directly from Amazon.
UPS, FedEx, and USPS offer free supplies to US-based sellers who use their services to deliver products to Amazon fulfillment centers.
Labeling Requirements for Amazon FBA Laptop Business
Amazon FBA labeling is a necessity for everyone who wants to start an Amazon FBA ecommerce business. Before you deliver for shipment, you should check that your Amazon FBA labeling meets the following requirements:
- Labels for all products must contain the same title.
- A maximum of 50 characters should be used.
- Capitalization should be used only in the first letter of each word.
- Special characters and symbols are not permitted.
- Using promotional titles is not allowed.
Additional Tips to Remember for Laptop Packaging
- Consider customizing your ecommerce packaging for shipping boxes with your logo or branding if you have a brand image. However, make sure that the customization doesn't affect the durability of the boxes or go against any packaging guidelines set by FBA.
- To maintain cost efficiency, strike a balance between quality and affordability. Buying boxes in bulk or from suppliers can often lower the cost, per unit. Always prioritize quality to safeguard your merchandise.
- Keep yourself updated with Amazon's latest packaging requirements and comply with those requirements to avoid getting any fines and penalties.
Conclusion
We hope that by reviewing the above information, you are now better familiar with Amazon's FBA Shipping Requirements for your laptop business.
Amazon will recognize you as a deserving seller if you adhere to these standards and are visible in every way on their online store. You may be restricted from marketing or selling privileges on Amazon Marketplace if you breach these terms, and you may be removed completely from the platform if you do.