As an Amazon seller, you’re responsible for ensuring that the products you send to Amazon meet their high standards. This means that you need to inspect your products before they leave your supplier’s premises. Unfortunately, many suppliers do not have the necessary inspection procedures in place. This can lead to products arriving at Amazon with defects that could have been easily caught if proper inspection had been carried out.
At ZonPrep, our team has been in the trenches of FBA and prepping/inspecting products for several years now – catching defects that suppliers miss and preventing faulty products from reaching Amazon and customers. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about properly inspecting products after your supplier ships them off – so that your customers don’t have poor experiences with your products and leave negative reviews (leading to Amazon account penalties on your end).
Use this outline to skip to any section of this page:
- What is Amazon FBA inspection?
- Why is FBA product inspection so important?
- What happens if I don’t inspect my FBA products?
- Tips for Amazon FBA inspection for products
What is Amazon FBA inspection?
Product inspection is the process of thoroughly examining a product to ensure that it meets all quality standards. This can be done at various stages of production, from raw materials to final products.
Inspectors (whether that’s yourself or another service) look for defects and problems that could affect the quality of the product, such as incorrect dimensions, damaged components, or missing parts. In some cases, an inspector should also test products to ensure they meet safety and performance standards.
Product inspection is a critical part of quality control, and it helps to ensure that only defect-free products are delivered to customers. You and Amazon both share equal incentive to deliver customers great products that provide positive experiences – since you both share the success and failures of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
Why is FBA product inspection so important?
Prevents penalty fees
Almost all Amazon sellers know the risks of being charged penalty fees. These fees can be costly and cause frustration for both the seller and the buyer… but there are a few ways you can lower Amazon FBA fees – which includes inspecting your products before shipping them to Amazon.
This way, you can ensure that they meet Amazon’s standards and will not be rejected. In addition, it is important to be familiar with Amazon’s policies and procedures regarding inspection, packaging and labeling (also known as FBA prep). By taking the time to learn about these steps, you can help prevent yourself from being charged hefty fees. If you are careful and take the time to learn about Amazon’s policies, you can avoid additional costs from eating into your profit margins – and sometimes resulting in negative returns.
Decreases defective products
As a general rule, it is always better to be proactive than reactive. This is especially true when it comes to quality control. By regularly inspecting your products, you can catch defects early and prevent them from entering the marketplace. This not only helps to improve customer satisfaction, but it also reduces the amount of waste within your supply chain.
Keep in mind – your supplier is tasked with sourcing inventory from manufacturers, and they often don’t specialize in properly inspecting and prepping stock. This means you can’t rely on them to handle this process – even if they claim they can (unless you have convincing reason to believe they can).
In addition, inspecting your products can also help you to identify any potential weaknesses in the sourcing/manufacturing process – along with discovering other sourcing opportunities like finding higher quality products. As a result, taking the time to inspect your products can save you time and money in the long run.
Reduces returns
Returns are often inevitable when selling physical products online. However, by inspecting your Amazon FBA products before they are shipped out, you can help to decrease the amount of returns that you receive. Checking for quality control issues, such as damaged packaging or defective products, can help to ensure that customers are receiving items that meet their expectations.
In addition, thorough inspections can help to identify any potential hazards that could lead to injury or property damage – especially when you’re dealing with products that contain liquids or chemicals, products that are meant for children, and other common reasons.
By taking the time to inspect your products before they are shipped, you can help to decrease the number of returns and complaints that you receive – which keeps your account healthy and prevents losing money on those returns.
Avoids account suspensions
No one wants their Amazon FBA account to get suspended. Not only is it a huge disappointment, but it can also lead to permanently-revoked selling privileges and irreversible damage to your reputation.
One of the best ways to avoid a suspension is to regularly inspect your products. This way, you can identify any problems early on and take corrective action. While it may seem like an extra step, regular product inspections can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
So next time you’re getting ready to ship out a batch of products, take a few minutes to inspect them first (or outsource the inspection and prepping to a trustworthy company). It could make all the difference in avoiding a suspension and keeping your account/business intact.
Prevents FBA removals
As an Amazon FBA seller, it is your responsibility to ensure that the products you send to Amazon meet their high standards. Unfortunately, many sellers fail to do this, and their products are removed from the site. This can be a costly mistake, as it not only results in lost sales, but also in storage fees and other penalties.
And oftentimes, many sellers keep a few units from a large batch of inventory – only to discover a quality issue AFTER the bulk was sent to Amazon. This leads to the need for an FBA removal.
The best way to avoid these removals is to ensure you have a bulletproof inspection process set in place, before sending your products to Amazon. This may seem like a lot of work, but it is essential for maintaining a successful FBA business. By taking the time to inspect your products, you can be sure that they meet Amazon’s standards and avoid costly removals.
Keeps customer reviews high
One of the most important things you can do to maintain high customer reviews is to regularly inspect your products. By ensuring that each and every item you send out meets high standards for quality, you can avoid the negative reviews that can come from damaged or defective goods.
Furthermore, by inspecting your products on a regular basis, you can catch any issues early and take steps to correct them before they become a bigger problem. In this way, inspecting your Amazon FBA products is not only good for maintaining high customer reviews, but it is also an important part of running a successful business.
What happens if I don’t inspect my FBA products?
Failing to inspect your products before listing them for sale can be catastrophic in the long run. This is because if there are any defects, your business can quickly become unprofitable. Not only will you have to offer refunds or replacements, but you may also lose your Amazon seller account if you have too many customer complaints.
To avoid this, follow our tips and advice below to develop an inspection process for each and every item that you plan on selling. This way, you can be sure that you’re only selling top-quality products that will satisfy your customers. Remember, happy customers are the key to a successful Amazon FBA business.
Tips for Amazon FBA inspection for products
Use an FBA prep center
Amazon is a notoriously strict online marketplace, and even the slightest mistake can result in your products being rejected. That’s why it’s essential to use a prep center that specializes in preparing products for Amazon’s requirements.
A top-notch FBA prep center will inspect your products to make sure they meet all of Amazon’s standards, and they’ll also package them properly to help avoid any damage during shipping. In addition, a prep center can provide valuable guidance on how to list your products on Amazon, ensuring that you maximize your chances of success.
By taking the time to prepare your products properly, you can increase your chances of success on Amazon, and save yourself a lot of hassle in the long run – especially with a trustworthy prep company at your side, guiding you along the way to streamline your supply chain, save money and deliver high-quality products to customers.
Communicate with supplier
When you are looking to have products manufactured for your Amazon FBA business, it is critical that you communicate closely with your supplier regarding quality control and inspection. You will want to be clear about your expectations for quality, as well as specifying how and when the products should be inspected.
In many cases, it can be helpful to have someone on your team who speaks the language of the country where the products are being manufactured. This will ensure that there is no miscommunication about the requirements for inspection.
Once your products have been received, it’s crucial to inspect them thoroughly to ensure that they meet your standards. If there are any issues, be sure to communicate these to your supplier so that they can be addressed in a timely manner.
Sometimes, you’ll notice repeated issues with multiple orders. This is an indication your supplier may have a step in their process causing the product issue – so maintaining communication with them is incredibly crucial. By keeping a close relationship with your supplier and being vigilant about inspecting your products, you can help to ensure that your Amazon FBA business runs smoothly.
Drip feed inventory to Amazon
We cannot stress the importance of ensuring high-quality products before sending them off to Amazon for fulfillment. This is especially true if you’re new to Amazon FBA, as you want to avoid any potential issues that could cause problems down the line. One way to do this is to “drip feed” your products to Amazon.
This means sending in a small batch of products first, rather than sending all of them at once. This gives you a chance to check the products and make sure they meet Amazon’s standards. It also allows you to identify any potential issues early on, so you can fix them before they cause problems for your business.
As an FBA prep service ourselves, we at ZonPrep can handle this to perfection – ensuring your products are inspected, stored and drip-fed to Amazon while fully optimizing your supply chain to minimize expenses. Drip feeding your products to Amazon is an important part of the inspection process. By taking this approach, you can help ensure that your products are ready for sale, and that they’ll meet Amazon’s high standards.
Use climate-controlled storage if needed
As an Amazon seller, you know that proper storage is crucial to the success of your business. Not only does it keep your products in good condition, but it also helps to ensure that they arrive at their destination in a timely and efficient manner.
Unfortunately, the standard home or office environment is often not ideal for storage, particularly when it comes to climate control. Hot or cold temperatures can damage sensitive items, and fluctuations in humidity can cause mold or mildew to form. By using climate-controlled storage, you can help to protect your products from these risks.
These types of storage facilities can also help to extend the shelf life of your products, ensuring that they remain in good condition for longer. As a result, climate-controlled storage can be a huge lifesaver for many Amazon sellers.
Work directly with dedicated account manager
When you are looking for someone to help you prep & inspect your FBA products, you want to find someone who is dedicated to helping you succeed. A dedicated account manager will work with you one-on-one to ensure that all of your questions are answered and that you have a complete understanding of the process.
Account managers are available to help you troubleshoot any problems that may arise – along with being familiar with the latest Amazon policies and procedures, while being able to offer advice on how to stay compliant. By working with a dedicated account manager, you can rest assured that you are getting the best possible service and that your account is in good hands.
