Amazon FBA prep services get your products inspected, labeled, bagged and packed to Amazon's requirements before they reach a fulfillment center. HiSourcing does this work in our 6,000 m² warehouse in Yiwu, China, as soon as your goods leave the factory, then ships the cartons straight to Amazon. Think of us as your FBA prep center in China, with one difference: we can also find the supplier, manage production and inspect the goods, and on orders we source for you, basic prep is included.
Get a Free FBA Prep QuoteOn January 1, 2026, Amazon stopped prepping and labeling FBA inventory for its US store. That applies whether you send stock to FBA yourself or route it through AWD, Amazon Global Logistics, Amazon SEND or Supply Chain Portal (Amazon Seller Central: FBA Prep Service).
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) still provides storage and order fulfillment services: Amazon picks, packs and ships orders to customers. What changed is the step before that. Sellers used to be able to pay Amazon to label, bag or bubble-wrap units after they arrived. For a standard-size item, that cost $0.55 for a label, $0.70 for a bag and $1.04 for bubble wrap. That option is gone: every unit now has to arrive prepped and labeled.
Any shipment created after January 1, 2026 that arrives without proper prep or item labels is not eligible for reimbursement if units are damaged or can't be traced. Amazon may also refuse, return or repackage units with inadequate packaging, prep or barcodes at your expense. A second change followed on March 31, 2026: resellers must now use Amazon barcodes (FNSKU) even when a product has a manufacturer barcode, while brand owners can keep using manufacturer barcodes for eligible products.
We prep and label your inventory at the source, so it is ready to ship to Amazon's fulfillment centers before it leaves China. Our FNSKU labeling costs $0.10 per unit, compared with the $0.55 Amazon used to charge.
Every service below follows Amazon's current Seller Central prep rules and has a fixed price per unit, set or carton, so you know the cost before your goods arrive.
We count every delivery against your purchase order, check carton condition and send you photos within 24 hours of arrival. Receiving is free.
On orders we source for you, standard inspection is included in the unit price: an inline check when 20–50% of production is finished, AQL 2.5 sampling with a written photo report, and a re-check when goods reach our Yiwu warehouse. If you bring goods from your own supplier, we run a 100% visual check with photos for $0.10 per unit. Full third-party inspections are quoted separately.
For product labeling, we print the FNSKU labels from your Seller Central account (they start with "X") and apply one to each unit that needs it, for $0.10 per unit. Any other scannable barcode on the outside is covered, so Amazon scans only the label you want. Labels go on a flat surface, never a corner or curve, and every size or color variant gets its own FNSKU.
Suffocation warnings, "Sold as set, do not separate" labels and "Made in China" origin labels cost $0.10 per unit. If a unit has old or wrong labels, we remove or cover them and relabel it for $0.15 per unit.
Amazon requires bagging for items that dust or leaks can damage, items with loose parts or sold as a set, small items and scented products. We use sealed poly bags at least 1.5 mil thick, sized so no more than 3 inches of extra bag hangs past the item. Adult products get opaque bags with the barcode on the outside. Bags with an opening of five inches or more carry a suffocation warning. The price is $0.20 per unit, bag included.
Glass, ceramics and other fragile items are fully wrapped so no part is exposed, with the barcode still scannable from outside, so the unit can survive Amazon's 3-foot drop test. The price is $0.25 per unit, materials included.
We combine units into sets and multipacks, seal them so they can't come apart and mark them as sets. The price is $0.20 per set of up to three items, plus $0.05 for each extra item.
We add your thank-you cards, manuals or coupons for $0.10 per piece. We can also repackage bulk goods into retail-ready units and sort them by SKU. Custom-printed boxes are quoted through our product customization service.
We pack every carton to Amazon's limits: no more than 36 × 25 × 25 inches and 50 lb, with 2 inches of cushioning around loose items. Each carton gets its own FBA Box ID label, and old labels on reused boxes are removed. Packing and box labels are free. New cartons are charged at cost.
Your Amazon inventory can stay in our Yiwu warehouse free for the first 30 days, then for $6 per CBM per month. Keep the bulk with us and send Amazon smaller batches that fit your restock limits.
We also prep battery-powered products (with an MSDS), liquids, fragile items and oversize items to Amazon's category rules. For listing images, we shoot white-background and lifestyle photos in the warehouse, quoted per project.
Most prep centers start when your boxes arrive. We can start at the supplier search and carry the order all the way to Amazon's dock:
Find and vet suppliers. We shortlist factories that fit your product, price and quantity.
Negotiate. We negotiate unit price, MOQ and lead time.
Samples. Samples from several suppliers are consolidated into one parcel.
Private label. We put your logo and custom packaging on the product.
Production follow-up. We track the order and inspect during and after production.
Consolidation. Goods from different factories are combined in our Yiwu warehouse.
FBA prep. Units are labeled, bagged and bundled, then boxed to Amazon's prep rules.
Shipping. Cartons ship direct to Amazon by sea, air, rail or express. Our DDP shipping includes customs clearance, import duties and delivery to the fulfillment center.
You can join at step 1 or bring your own goods at step 6. Here is what each option includes:
| Prep only (your supplier) | Full-service sourcing + prep (we source) | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding and managing the supplier | You | Us, with no service fee: our margin is in the unit price |
| Quality inspection | Optional 100% visual check, $0.10/unit | Standard inspection included |
| Basic prep (FNSKU label, poly bag, box labels) | Price list | Included |
| Other prep (bundles, bubble wrap, inserts) | Price list | Price list |
| Storage in Yiwu | 30 days free | 30 days free |
| Shipping to Amazon | Quoted per shipment | Quoted per shipment |
| Defects found during prep | We send photos and wait for your decision | We take them up with the factory before export |
Fewer handoffs mean fewer places for things to go wrong. When the same team that inspected your goods also preps them, a defect found at the labeling table can still be fixed in China instead of becoming an Amazon return. If you are still comparing sourcing partners, our guide to Amazon FBA sourcing agents explains what to look for.
Send your SKU list, quantities, prep needs and target marketplace
Reply with a line-item quote
Within 24 hours
Create the FBA shipment in Send to Amazon and send us the FNSKU and box labels, or give us limited user access so we can create it
Check labels against your SKUs
Before goods arrive
Ask your supplier to deliver to our warehouse, or let us arrange pickup
Count, check and photograph every delivery
Photos within 24 hours
Approve any special prep
Label, bag, wrap, bundle and inspect
1–3 working days for up to 2,000 units
Approve the shipping option
Pack cartons, apply box labels, book freight and send tracking
On the booked departure
Larger orders and kitting jobs are scheduled with you before goods arrive.
Typical transit times from China to US Amazon fulfillment centers. These vary with route, season and FC appointments.
We quote Europe, Japan, Australia and other marketplaces per shipment. See our shipping solutions for sea, air, rail and express options. For US shipments, see our guide to Amazon FBA warehouse locations.
| Shipping method | Typical transit |
|---|---|
Express courier |
2–5 days |
Air freight |
4–10 days |
Sea freight to the US West Coast |
12–18 days at sea, plus customs clearance and delivery |
Sea freight to the US East Coast |
22–30 days at sea, plus customs clearance and delivery |
FBA prep at HiSourcing starts at $0.10 per unit for FNSKU labeling. Receiving, carton packing, FBA box labels and the first 30 days of storage are free, and there is no minimum order, setup fee or long-term contract. If we sourced your products, basic prep (FNSKU label, poly bag and box labels) is included.
Example: 1,000 units, each with an FNSKU label and a poly bag, packed in 20 cartons and shipped within 30 days.
For comparison, Amazon charged $1.25 per unit for the same label and bag before it ended the service ($0.55 + $0.70). Published base rates at US prep centers run about $0.40–0.75 per unit (November 2026), and that is before freight from China to the prep center.
| Service | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving and count check | Free | Photos within 24 hours |
| FNSKU labeling | $0.10 / unit | Label printing included |
| Warning, set or origin label | $0.10 / unit | Suffocation, "Sold as set", "Made in China" |
| Remove and relabel | $0.15 / unit | Covers old or wrong barcodes |
| Polybagging | $0.20 / unit | 1.5 mil bag with suffocation warning included |
| Bubble wrap | $0.25 / unit | Materials included |
| Bundling or kitting | $0.20 / set | Up to 3 items; $0.05 per extra item |
| Inserts | $0.10 / piece | Cards, manuals or coupons you supply |
| Carton packing and FBA box labels | Free | New cartons at cost |
| 100% visual check with photos | $0.10 / unit | For goods from your own supplier; sourced orders already include standard inspection |
| Storage | Free for 30 days | Then $6 / CBM / month |
| Product photos, custom packaging, freight | Quoted | Line-item quote within 24 hours |
Prepping in China usually costs less and removes a stop, because goods go from the factory to our warehouse and then straight to Amazon. A US prep center makes more sense when your inventory is already in the United States.
| Prep in China (HiSourcing) | US prep center | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Factory → Yiwu warehouse → Amazon FC | Factory → port → US prep center → Amazon FC |
| Prep price | From $0.10 / unit | About $0.40–0.75 / unit base rate |
| When defects are found | Before export, while the factory can still fix them | After import, when sending goods back is costly |
| Shipping costs and routing | One booking from China to the FC | Freight to the prep center, then a second delivery to Amazon |
| Several suppliers in one shipment | Consolidated in Yiwu | Each supplier ships to the US separately |
| Best for | New inventory from Chinese factories, private label orders, multi-supplier orders | Stock already in the US, frequent small restocks from US storage, Amazon returns and removals |
Doing prep yourself works when volumes are small and the goods are already in your garage. It stops working once you are importing by the carton: every unit has to be opened, labeled and repacked, and from 2026 every mistake is yours to absorb.
Under Amazon's rules, choosing the right prep is the seller's responsibility, and units that fail FBA compliance on packaging, prep or barcodes may be refused, returned or repackaged at your expense. Before work starts, we confirm the prep category with you. Before cartons leave, we check them against Amazon's current prep requirements and shipping requirements.
| Requirement | What Amazon asks | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Item barcode | One scannable barcode per unit, with readable numbers, not on a corner or curve | Other barcodes covered; label placement checked |
| Barcode type | Since March 31, 2026, resellers use Amazon barcodes; brand owners may use manufacturer barcodes for eligible products | We follow the barcode setting in your account |
| Unique FNSKU | Each size, color or condition has its own FNSKU | Labels matched to SKUs before printing |
| Poly bags | At least 1.5 mil, sealed, no more than 3 inches past the product, barcode scannable through the bag or printed on it | Compliant bags stocked; seal and fit checked |
| Suffocation warning | Required on bags with an opening of 5 inches or more | Printed bags or warning labels |
| Bubble wrap | Fragile items fully covered and able to pass the 3-foot drop test | Wrap coverage and barcode visibility checked |
| Sets | Marked as a set and sealed so units can't be separated | Set labels and sealing checked |
| Boxed items | Six-sided box; products over 10 lb in a double-wall box | Box type matched to weight |
| Carton size and weight | Up to 36 × 25 × 25 inches and 50 lb, unless a single oversize item; jewelry and watches up to 40 lb | Every carton weighed and measured |
| Box labels | A unique FBA Box ID label on every box; old labels removed from reused boxes | One label per carton, none reused |
Private label brands. Source, customize, inspect and prep in one place, so your first shipment arrives at Amazon ready to sell.
Sellers buying on Alibaba or 1688. Have your suppliers deliver to our Yiwu warehouse and we prep and ship from there. Need help with the buying itself? See our Alibaba sourcing agent and 1688 sourcing agent services.
Wholesalers and multi-supplier orders. Goods from several factories are consolidated into one prepped shipment.
Multi-marketplace and multi-channel sellers. We ship prepped cartons to Amazon in North America (US, Canada, Mexico), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and other EU stores), Japan, Australia, the Middle East and Singapore. Our dropshipping service covers your other sales channels, such as a Shopify store.
There is no minimum order, so a first test shipment of a few hundred units is as welcome as a full container. We handle most consumer products, including fragile, liquid, battery-powered (with an MSDS) and oversize items.
Ask these ten questions before you choose an FBA prep partner. Our answers are in the last column.
| Question to ask | Why it matters | HiSourcing's answer |
|---|---|---|
| How far is the prep center from your factories? | Every extra shipping leg adds cost and days | Yiwu, China; goods come straight from Chinese suppliers |
| Are prices published per item? | Bundled or hidden fees make the cost hard to compare | Yes, see the price list above |
| What is the prep turnaround time after goods arrive? | Slow prep turns into stockouts | 1–3 working days for up to 2,000 units |
| Do they keep up with the latest FBA requirements? | Prep and barcode rules changed twice in 2026 | We check against current Seller Central requirements |
| How do they inspect? | Defects found at Amazon cost far more than defects found in China | Standard inspection included on sourced orders; 100% check $0.10/unit on goods from your own supplier |
| Do they send photos? | Photos are your proof of what arrived | Within 24 hours of arrival |
| How long is free storage? | Storage fees quietly raise your per-unit cost | 30 days, then $6/CBM/month |
| Can they ship straight to Amazon? | Each handoff adds risk | Sea, air, rail or express, DDP available |
| Do they cover your marketplaces and special products? | You will want to expand without switching providers | North America, Europe, Japan, Australia and more; battery, liquid, fragile and oversize items |
| How fast do they reply? | Problems found during prep need quick decisions | Within 24 hours |
| Location | Yiwu, Zhejiang, in the heart of the world's largest wholesale market |
|---|---|
| Size | 6,000 m² |
| Inventory management | Stock organized by SKU, storage condition and priority and tracked in our warehouse management system; shelves and pallets labeled and barcode-scanned |
| Free storage | First 30 days |
| On-site services | Receiving, inspection, FBA prep, consolidation, product photography |
It's the work that gets products ready for an Amazon fulfillment center: inspecting units, applying FNSKU barcodes and warning labels, bagging or wrapping them, bundling sets and packing cartons with FBA box labels. Done right, Amazon receives the inventory without refusing or repackaging it.
Not in the US store. Since January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer preps or labels FBA inventory, and shipments created after that date that arrive without proper prep aren't eligible for reimbursement if units are damaged or lost. Sellers now prep inventory themselves or use a prep service, including a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that offers FBA prep.
At HiSourcing, FNSKU labeling is $0.10 per unit and a label plus poly bag comes to $0.30 per unit. Receiving, packing, box labels and 30 days of storage are free. Published base rates at US prep centers are about $0.40–0.75 per unit, before freight from China.
Yes. Have your supplier deliver to our Yiwu warehouse and we prep at the prices on our price list. If you'd like us to source future orders too, basic prep on those orders is included.
No. There is no minimum quantity, setup fee or long-term contract. You can start with a single test shipment.
Prep takes 1–3 working days after your goods arrive, for up to 2,000 units. Add transit: typically 2–5 days by express, 4–10 days by air, or 12–30 days at sea to the US, depending on the coast, plus customs clearance and delivery.
Prepped cartons go to Amazon warehouses in North America (US, Canada, Mexico), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and other EU stores), Japan, Australia, the Middle East and Singapore.
Yes. Battery-powered products ship with an MSDS. Liquids and fragile items are bagged or bubble-wrapped to Amazon's rules for those categories. Oversize items are packed to Amazon's oversize carton rules.
It depends on your barcode setting. Since March 31, 2026, brand owners can keep using the manufacturer barcode printed on the product package for eligible products, but resellers must use Amazon FNSKU labels even if the product already has a UPC. Bagging, set labels and carton rules still apply either way.
Yes. We can add "Made in China" to the FNSKU label or apply a separate origin label. US import rules (19 CFR Part 134) require most imported goods to show their country of origin, and an FNSKU barcode on its own does not do that.
Either way works. You can create the shipment in Send to Amazon and send us the FNSKU and box labels, or give us limited user access in Seller Central and we create it for you.
We photograph them and set them aside. On orders we sourced, we take the defects up with the factory before your goods leave China. On goods from your own supplier, we send you the photos and wait for your decision.
Send us your SKU list, quantities and target marketplace. We will reply within 24 hours with a line-item quote covering prep, storage and shipping to Amazon.
Get a Free FBA Prep Quote
All good things start with “Hi”. Hisourcing is here to help you solve the pain points in procurement. Let’s do some real business and let’s source.
