How to Package Bundles for Amazon FBA

Presenting products well on Amazon can make a significant difference in your sales and customer satisfaction. Though we often focus just on the products themselves, there are also numerous options for bundling products or creating multipacks.

In this article, we'll focus on how to package bundles for Amazon, and discuss some of our tips to ensure that the bundles get to their destination undamaged for maximum profitability!

Why bundle products?

It should be no secret that we're big fans of Amazon kits and bundles. We'll cover the the topic of why bundling multiple items into a single listing is so effective in another article, but for now we'll just mention some of the benefits we saw in our business over the years:

1. Increased Value: Offering a bundle can provide more value to the customer, making the purchase more attractive. In this type of bundle, we're adding smaller items to a larger one to create a value-add that separates you from the other listings on the marketplace.
2. Higher Sales: Bundles often have a higher perceived value to end consumers, leading to higher sales velocity and increased profitability overall. Customers will often choose a bundle when faced with two listings that include a single item they're looking to purchase.
3. Differentiation: Bundles can set your products apart from the competition. Even the thumbnails in search results tend to be more eye catching. Every little edge counts in the world of Amazon sales.
4. Reduced Costs: Marketing a bundle can be more cost-effective than promoting individual items. Additionally, you can often save on shipping materials by having fewer packages overall.

How to bundle items on Amazon FBA

1. Get familiar with Amazon's guidelines

Amazon has specific requirements for packaging bundles to ensure they are handled properly in their fulfillment centers. This is important: failure to do can result in rejection at fulfillment centers, items being separated or lost, or damage during transit. So, unless your chosen Amazon FBA supplier is bundling the products for you, you'll have to do it yourself.

Key guidelines include:

• Single ASIN: Each bundle listing should have its own unique ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number). This will be assigned when you create a new listing.
• Clear Labeling: Bundles must be clearly labeled as sets. Use labels such as "Sold as Set" or "Do Not Separate" to avoid individual items being separated in the fulfillment center.
• Only One Barcode Showing: Bundles should have a barcode pasted directly on them, and no other barcodes should be showing through clear packaging.
• Secure Packaging: Ensure the bundle is packaged securely to prevent items from moving or getting damaged during transit.

2. Choose the right packaging materials

Protect your products by selecting the proper packaging materials for each item.

As your business grows, you'll want to have different sizes and different options available on-hand at all times to avoid having to source these items on the fly.

For smaller, lighter-weight items in the bundle, some of our favorites are gusseted poly bags from Uline that often come in packs of 250-500, or shrink wrap used in combination with a heat gun (don't overdo it!) to create custom sized packages.

When sending to amazon, use sturdy boxes that can withstand handling and shipping. Make sure the box fits the items snugly to minimize movement, especially if the items are breakable in any way.

3. Assemble the products in the bundle

There are some best practices associated with assembling the bundle as well.

• Product Arrangement: Arrange items in a logical, appealing way. Place heavier items at the bottom and lighter ones on top to prevent crushing.
• Fill Gaps: Use packing peanuts, air pillows, or crumpled paper to fill any gaps and prevent movement during transit.
• Test the Package: Shake the package gently to ensure nothing moves inside. If items shift, add more filler material.
• Ensure That No Inner Barcodes are Showing: As mentioned earlier, it's important to either conceal inner barcodes or cover them with stickers (on the outside of the packaging) in order to avoid confusion at the Amazon fulfillment center.

4. Label the bundle

For labelling, we recommend using a labelmaker such as the Dymo LabelWriter so you can easily print stickered labels to include on your packages.

Ensure that the packages are clearly marked with labels such as "Sold as Set," "This is a Set," or "Do Not Separate" in order to avoid confusion at the fulfillment center.

Lastly, place the scannable barcode on the outside of the package including the unique FNSKU that Amazon generated when you created the product listing in your Seller Central account. These can be found on the Inventory page in the Amazon Seller Central account.

5. Check compliance

Before sending your bundles to Amazon, double-check compliance with FBA packaging requirements:

• Label Placement: Ensure all labels are visible and properly placed, and that individual products are packaged tightly enough that they won't incur damage in transit.
• Packaging Integrity: Make sure the package is securely sealed and can withstand shipping and handling.
• Documentation: Have all necessary documentation ready, including product details, ASINs, and shipment plans.

6. Create Your Shipment Plan

Once your bundles are ready, create a shipment plan in your Amazon Seller Central account. This is how you'll get your shipping labels and know which warehouses to send your products to.

Here’s how:

On the Inventory page of the Seller Central account, go to "Manage FBA Shipments," and then follow the prompts to determine which marketplaces you'll be using to sell your products, which products you'll be selling, and how many units you'll be sending.

Fill out the dimensions and weight for the product, select the date you'll be shipping, and print your box labels.

7. Ship Your Bundles

Finally, ship your bundles to the designated Amazon fulfillment center. At this point, you're ready to sell them on Amazon! Now all you've got to do is start marketing your Amazon products using Amazon Advertising and watch the sales come in!

Give FBA bundles a try!

For sellers who have only sold single products, packaging bundles for Amazon FBA can be an adjustment and a bit more time-consuming on the front end. However, in our experience, it's worth it to learn how to package bundles for FBA for the increase in sales velocity and differentiation alone. If you're struggling to keep up with the day-to-day of your bundling tasks, consider partnering with an Amazon FBA prep service to take on those tasks for you.

We often tell the clients we work with in our prep center that bundles are worth it over the long haul. Additionally, if you're using a prep center or fulfillment solution, you can simply pass your wishes along to the prep center and have them do it for you.

Properly packaged bundles not only enhance the customer experience but also help you maximize sales and stand out in the marketplace. Happy selling!