Mastering Amazon FBM: A Seller’s Guide to Success in 2024

Getting around Amazon’s huge marketplace can be tough for any seller. While Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) often gets the spotlight for its convenience, Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) offers unique advantages that can be pivotal for sellers who crave control and flexibility. In this guide, we dive deep into the world of FBM, exploring why it might be the right choice for you and how 3PL Center can enhance your selling strategy.

Understanding Amazon FBM

Amazon FBM gives sellers complete authority over their inventory, shipping, and customer service. This means when a customer buys your product on Amazon, you, the seller, are responsible for packing and shipping the product directly to the customer. This method is ideal for those who wish to maintain direct contact with their customers and have more control over the shipping and handling process.

Why Opt for Amazon FBM?

Choosing FBM allows you to sidestep some of the constraints associated with Amazon’s FBA program, such as high FBA fees and the need to send your inventory to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Here’s why FBM could be your strategy of choice:

Independence: Avoid unexpected changes like the removal of Prime status or listings during peak periods.

Control: Handle customer interactions directly, fostering better customer relationships and potentially improving your brand’s reputation.

Cost Efficiency: Save on fees associated with Amazon’s handling and warehousing, including the new FBA inbound placement service fee.

Challenges and Benefits of FBM

While FBM offers several appealing benefits, it comes with its own set of challenges:

Learning Curve: New sellers will need to understand the logistics of fulfilling orders efficiently.

Visibility: Without the Prime badge, FBM listings might see less traffic unless you qualify for Seller-Fulfilled Prime.

Resource Intensive: Managing logistics independently requires time and effort, possibly leading to higher operational costs if not managed effectively.

However, the benefits often outweigh the challenges:

Reduced Fees: Lower operational costs as you are not paying for Amazon’s fulfillment services.

Greater Flexibility: More control over inventory and delivery options.

Enhanced Customer Experience: Direct communication allows for personalized customer service.

Universal Amazon Seller Fees

All sellers on Amazon, whether they opt for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), are required to pay certain fees to sell on the platform. These fees are integral to understanding the cost structure of selling on Amazon and include:

Referral Fees

Amazon charges referral fees on each item sold, which are essentially commission fees. These fees are usually a percentage of the sale price, typically up to 15%, and are not required to be paid upfront. Instead, they are deducted from your Amazon account after a sale is made. In 2024, Amazon will be reducing referral fees for certain apparel items, making it more cost-effective to sell lower-priced products. Here are the changes for 2024:

Items under $15: Fee reduced from 17% to 5%

Items between $15 and $20: Fee reduced from 17% to 10%

You can view the current list of Amazon referral fees here.

Individual Seller Fees or Subscription Fees

Amazon offers two main types of seller accounts: individual and professional, each with its own fee structure:

Individual Seller Per-Item Fee: Sellers with individual accounts pay a $0.99 fee per item sold. This fee is deducted from the sale proceeds.

Professional Seller Subscription Fee: Professional sellers pay a monthly subscription fee of $39.99 instead of a per-item fee. This fee is also deducted from the seller’s Amazon account balance, or charged to a registered credit card if the account lacks sufficient funds.

Refund Administration Fees

When a refund is processed after payment has been made to the seller, Amazon charges a refund administration fee. This fee is the lesser of $5.00 or 20% of the refunded amount and is deducted from your Amazon account balance. Understanding these fees is crucial for managing your finances effectively when selling on Amazon, whether through FBA or FBM. By incorporating efficient strategies with services like those offered by 3PL Center, sellers can optimize their operations and potentially mitigate some of these costs. For more information about Amazon fees and the changes in 2024, check out Amazon FBA Fees: Understanding the Costs of Selling on Amazon in 2024

How 3PL Center Elevates Your FBM Strategy

At 3PL Center, we provide comprehensive support to Amazon FBM sellers, helping you streamline your operations and maintain a competitive edge. Our advanced warehouse management system (WMS) and strategic partnerships allow us to offer exclusive discounted carrier rates, enhancing your fulfillment process. Here’s how we can help:

Strategic Warehouse Locations: With facilities strategically positioned across the country, we help reduce your delivery times and shipping costs, making your offers more attractive to buyers.

Exceptional Customer Support: Our dedicated support team ensures that your logistical queries and your customers’ issues are resolved quickly and effectively.

Advanced Technology Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Amazon, keeping track of inventory levels and order statuses in real-time, ensuring that your business operates smoothly without any hiccups.

WMS Capabilities: Our WMS offers rate shopping, inventory management, detailed reporting, and real-time tracking, giving you the tools to optimize your fulfillment processes and improve decision-making.

Multi-Channel Fulfillment: Beyond Amazon, we support fulfillment for other sales platforms, helping you expand your reach and tap into new markets.

Is Amazon FBM Right for You?

Deciding whether FBM is suitable for your business involves evaluating your ability to manage logistics, your preference for customer interaction, and your desire to control the order fulfillment process. If you value direct control and have the capacity to handle fulfillment logistics, FBM offers a viable and potentially more profitable alternative to FBA.

FBM With 3PL Center

Amazon FBM presents an excellent opportunity for sellers to capitalize on their strengths in logistics and customer service. With the support of 3PL Center, you can overcome the typical hurdles associated with self-fulfillment and focus on scaling your business. Choose FBM, and take control of your Amazon selling journey. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your Amazon FBM and FBA prep.

FBM FAQs

How does FBM impact shipping times compared to FBA?

With FBM, shipping times can vary more than with FBA because you control the shipping process directly. While FBA offers consistent and often faster shipping due to Amazon’s extensive logistics network, FBM shipping times depend on your chosen shipping methods and the efficiency of your operations. Implementing efficient logistics practices or partnering with a reliable third-party logistics provider like 3PL Center can help minimize shipping delays and maintain customer satisfaction.

Can I use Amazon’s marketing services, like Amazon Advertising, if I choose FBM?

Yes, FBM sellers have access to Amazon Advertising and other marketing tools offered by Amazon. Using these services can help increase the visibility of your products and drive more traffic to your listings, regardless of your fulfillment method. Effective use of Amazon’s marketing tools can be particularly beneficial for FBM sellers to compensate for the lack of a Prime badge and to stay competitive against FBA listings.

What are the best practices for inventory management in FBM to avoid stockouts or overstocking?

Effective inventory management is crucial for FBM sellers to avoid both stockouts, which can lead to lost sales and decreased customer satisfaction, and overstocking, which ties up capital and increases storage costs. Best practices include:

Regularly reviewing sales data to predict demand accurately.

Setting up an automated inventory management system to track stock levels in real time.

Utilizing forecasting tools to adjust inventory based on seasonal changes and trends.

Partnering with logistics providers like 3PL Center, which can offer advanced warehousing solutions and inventory optimization to ensure you have the right amount of stock at all times.