Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service that lets sellers send inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers, where Amazon stores it and handles order fulfillment. For enrolled products, Amazon picks, packs, and ships orders, and provides customer service and returns support. Sellers still select and prepare products, send inventory, and manage their costs and stock decisions.
How Fulfillment by Amazon works
The process starts with the seller, not Amazon: the seller chooses products, enrolls eligible inventory, and ships it to Amazon. Amazon describes the typical setup as follows:
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- Set up FBA: Create or configure a selling account to use the service.
- List and enroll products: Add products and assign eligible inventory to FBA. Some products may require approval, be ineligible, or have additional requirements.
- Prepare the inventory: Follow Amazon’s packaging and routing requirements for the products.
- Create and label a shipment: Make a shipping plan, print shipment ID labels, and send the shipment to the designated Amazon fulfillment center.
- Amazon fulfills orders: After Amazon receives the inventory, enrolled items can be offered to customers. When an order arrives, Amazon stores, picks, packs, and ships the item and handles customer service and returns.
Amazon’s FBA overview explains the workflow and requirements. A thermal label printer is an optional convenience for printing shipment labels, not a requirement stated by Amazon.
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What FBA includes—and what remains the seller’s responsibility
Amazon describes the service as covering storage, picking, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns. This shifts much of the physical order-handling work to Amazon, but it does not transfer the seller’s product or inventory decisions. The seller chooses what to sell, prepares and sends stock, and remains responsible for evaluating whether the service’s costs make sense for each product.
#1 Best Overall
- Digital shipping postal scale for weighing items; heavy duty yet lightweight, portable design
- Includes a postal scale and an AC adapter; black ABS with an aluminum anti-skid platform
- 660 pound (300kg) capacity reads to 0.11 pound/50g/2 ounce in 0.1 ounce increments; minimum load weight is 6 ounces (150g)
- Measuring units in kg, ounces, and pounds
- Additional separated large back-lit LCD display allows for reading the weighing data from a distance of up to 2m
What sellers pay for
There is no single universal FBA fee. Amazon says costs depend on the product and services used. Its cost guidance distinguishes fulfillment costs from storage charges, with possible additional charges for services or circumstances such as returns processing, aged inventory, removal or disposal, and inbound placement.
Use Amazon’s current fee preview or revenue calculator with the product’s details to compare estimated FBA costs against your own fulfillment method. Rates can change, and any estimate depends on the item and applicable services; a general per-item figure would not represent every seller or product.
Rank #2
- Accurate to 0.1oz: High precision for postage, packaging, or food preparation.
- Solid design with high weight limit: 50Lbs
- Smart Tare & Hold Functions: Effortlessly subtract container weight or lock readings for larger boxes.
- Clear LCD Display: Large, backlit screen makes weights easy to read, even in dim rooms.
- Multi-measuring units: Kg, lb/oz, oz
FBA versus fulfilling orders yourself
FBA is one fulfillment option, not an automatic fit for every product or seller. Compare the practical trade-offs for the specific item before enrolling:
| Consideration | FBA | Seller fulfillment |
|---|---|---|
| Picking, packing, and shipping | Amazon handles these operations for enrolled inventory. | The seller handles them or arranges another fulfillment provider. |
| Storage | Inventory is stored at Amazon fulfillment centers; storage charges may apply based on space used. | The seller arranges and pays for storage, if needed. |
| Customer service and returns | Included in Amazon’s stated FBA service scope. | The seller manages these responsibilities under its chosen process. |
| Cost comparison | Depends on product dimensions, weight, storage duration, and other applicable services or charges. | Depends on the seller’s own packing, shipping, storage, and service costs. |
| Control and workload | Less direct handling of each order, while the seller still manages product selection and inventory. | More direct control over the fulfillment process, with the associated work remaining with the seller. |
Amazon also states that, according to its own comparison, FBA shipping costs 70% less per unit than comparable premium options offered by other major US carriers. This is Amazon’s claim, not an independently verified general result; the cited page does not provide the underlying comparison methodology. It should not replace a product-specific cost comparison.
Rank #3
- Digital tabletop postal scale for quickly and precisely weighing items
- Includes a shipping postal scale and AC adapter; made of durable black ABS, aluminum, and iron
- 65 pound (30kg) capacity reads to 0.1 ounce (1g) in 0.1 ounce increments; minimum load weight is 0.2 ounces (5g)
- Extra large LCD display for easy viewing; measuring units in ounces, pounds, g, and kg
- Tare function for resetting the scale to zero after setting a container on the platform; great for net weights
Official definition
Amazon’s Sell on Amazon FAQ summarizes the service this way: “With Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you store your products in Amazon fulfillment centers, and we pick, pack, ship, and provide customer service.” The definition describes Amazon’s operational role; sellers still supply and prepare the inventory and decide whether the costs and workflow suit their business.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Durable Postal Scale - Max. Capacity: 440lb/200kg, Min. Readability: 40g, Display Resolution: 10g. Features a dual-layer Tempered Glass & Stainless Steel platform and a durable ABS housing. Sturdy, easy to clean, move, and store.
- Digital Shipping Scale - 3 weighing Modes: kg/lb/lb:oz. Separate large back-lit LCD display with adjustable/disable Auto-off. Easy to handhold or wall-mount with the included drywall anchors and screws.
- User Friendly Design - Dual powered by 2 x AAA batteries or AC adapter (both included). Ships pre-calibrated and can also be easily calibrated.
- Hold & Tare Function - Locks readings and removes container weight for multiple weighing needs. Ideal for post offices, warehouses, commercial and home use.
- Fuzion Support - We offer 2-Year Warranty and Lifetime Support for this package scale. Full day service by our support team. We are always glad to help with all your questions or concerns.
Rank #4
- Digital shipping postal scale for weighing items; heavy duty yet lightweight, portable design
- Includes a postal scale and an AC adapter; durable black ABS with an aluminum anti-skid platform
- 440 pound (200kg) capacity reads to 0.11 pound/50g/2 ounce in 0.1 ounce increments; minimum load weight is 6 ounces (150g)
- Measuring units in g, kg, ounces, and pounds
- Additional separated large back-lit LCD display allows for reading the weighing data from a distance of up to 2m
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
