FBM, Fulfillment by Merchant, on the other hand, is when you ship the product directly to the customer. You also accept 100% responsibility for customer service.

2. Prime check. Since your items are at Amazon’s warehouse, they are able to ship them within 2 days to the customer. This means you will have the Amazon Prime check next to your offer.

3. More BuyBox wins. When you ship FBA, you will win the buy box over the merchant sellers. This results in your items selling faster.

4. The “Prime Bump.” Prime offers often sell for significantly more than FBM offers. This is called the Prime Bump.

5. No customer service. Amazon assumes all customer service for FBA.

2. Lower fees. With FBM, you avoid the storage and fulfillment fees associated with FBA. This can lead to higher profit margins, especially for larger or slower-moving items.

3. More control. You have complete control over your inventory, shipping methods, and customer interactions. This can be especially beneficial if you have specialized packaging or branding needs.

4. Flexible pricing. You can adjust your prices more quickly to respond to market changes, sales trends, or competitor pricing.

5. Better for unique items. If you sell custom or handmade products, FBM allows you to offer more personalized service and unique packaging that might not be possible with FBA.

  - Your products are small, lightweight, and have high turnover rates.

  - You prefer a hands-off approach to logistics and customer service.

  - You want your products to be Prime-eligible

  - You sell large or heavy products.

  - You want full control over customer interactions and logistics.

  - You have an existing logistics infrastructure.

  - You plan on selling high ranked, slow moving inventory to avoid storage fees.

  - You have a diverse product range with varying characteristics.

  - You want to balance the benefits of both methods for different products.

  - You seek to mitigate risks associated with relying solely on one fulfillment method.

During Q4, load up your FBA inventory early (think October). Send as much inventory as you can during this time. Then, as it gets deeper into Q4 like mid November through December consider listing most of your inventory FBM to avoid your inventory just sitting idle waiting to be checked in.

Choosing between FBA and FBM is not a one-size-fits-all decision. It requires careful consideration of your product types, business model, and long-term goals. By understanding the nuances of each fulfillment method, you can make an informed decision that optimizes your operations and enhances your success on Amazon.

Whether you opt for FBA, FBM, or a combination of both, the key is to stay flexible and responsive to your business’s evolving needs. Using a 3rd party software can speed up the process and help you stay organized. Go2lister - the fastest listing software on the planet - is able to make FBA and FBM listings! Go2lister alleviates headaches associated with creating FBA shipments by allowing you to easily combat split shipments, create custom skus, and list fast. Give it a free trial here!