Did you know you can increase your sales by up to 50% when you become a self-fulfilled prime (SFP) merchant? According to ChannelAdvisor, on average, 100 million Amazon Prime members around the world spend $1,400 annually, compared to an average of only $600 per year spent by non-Prime members.
Amazon Prime has high shipping standards; members get free two-day shipping, which is pretty fast. If your store is not already fulfilled by prime, then Amazon most likely fulfills your orders (Fulfilled by Amazon, or FBA). But when you become a self-fulfilled merchant, you are responsible for shipping out your products.
Do you want the famous Prime logo displayed next to your product listings on Amazon.com? You must go through a long, rigorous process to get it. But it will be worth it in the end.
GAINING PREMIUM SHIPPING STATUS
To qualify for Seller Fulfilled Prime, you must have a Professional Seller Account and be eligible for Amazon Premium Shipping. If you don't already have Premium Shipping Status, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- An on-time delivery rate of at least 92% for Premium Shipping orders
- A valid tracking ID for at least 94% of Premium Shipping orders
- A maximum cancellation rate of 1.5% for Premium Shipping orders
PASSING THE SFP TRIAL PERIOD
After you've gained Premium Shipping Status, you are now eligible to enroll in Seller Fulfilled Prime, but you must first pass the trial period. To begin your trial, visit the Seller Fulfilled Prime main page. Then, start fulfilling Prime trial orders.
To pass the SFP trial period, you must meet the following requirements:
- Ship over 99% of your orders on time
- Have an order cancellation rate of less than 0.5%
- Use Amazon Buy Shipping Services for at least 98.5% of orders
PROS AND CONS OF SWITCHING TO SFP
There are benefits and then, there are also some drawbacks of becoming a self-fulfilled prime merchant.
Pros
- Boost sales
- Earn higher profits on bulky items
- Sell products ineligible for FBA
- Avoid FBA long-term storage fees
Cons
- Responsible for shipping costs
- Must process orders at high efficiency
- Must adhere to Prime's strict shipping standards
- Requires your own warehouse to control inventory
At eShipper, we work with sellers who use SFP. We will warehouse, fulfill, and ship your products within the 1-2 day shipping requirement. We also have programs for Amazon FBA and FBM.
If you are interested in SFP or any Amazon services, feel free to email sales@eshipper.com, visit our Contact page, or call us at 1 877 373 9222 to get a free consultation and tailored solution.
