If you sell on Amazon UK using Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), sooner or later you will ask the same question as thousands of other sellers: how much does an FBA prep centre actually cost? The honest answer is that it depends on your products and volumes, but once you understand how prep centres price their services, it becomes much easier to compare quotes and work out what you will really pay.
In this guide, we break down the common fees UK prep centres charge, the factors that push your costs up or down, and how to tell whether outsourcing your prep makes financial sense.
How UK FBA Prep Centres Usually Price Their Services
Most prep centres price on a per-unit basis for prep work, with separate charges for storage, shipping and any extra services. When you request a quote, you will usually see some or all of these items:
1. Receiving and Inspection
This covers unloading your delivery, counting units against your purchase order and checking for damage. Some prep centres include basic receiving in their per-unit price, while others charge per carton or per pallet received.
2. FNSKU Labelling
Applying an Amazon FNSKU label to each unit is one of the most common prep tasks. It is normally charged per unit, and the price can depend on whether old barcodes need covering.
3. Polybagging, Bubble Wrap and Bundling
Products that are loose, fragile or sold as multi-packs need extra prep to meet Amazon’s packaging rules. These tasks take more time and materials, so they usually cost more per unit than labelling alone.
4. Carton Packing and Shipment Labels
Packing units into cartons, applying Amazon carton labels and preparing the shipment may be priced per carton or included in the overall per-unit fee.
5. Shipping to Amazon
Delivery to Amazon’s fulfilment centres is usually charged separately, based on the number of cartons or pallets, their weight and the destination. Read more about our pack and ship to Amazon service.
6. Storage
If you keep stock at the prep centre between shipments, expect a storage fee, typically charged per pallet, per shelf or per cubic volume, by the week or month. See our storage options in London.
7. Optional Extras
Other services such as returns processing, photography, inserts, kitting or removal order handling are normally quoted separately.
What Affects the Cost of FBA Prep?
- Type of product: small, sturdy items are quicker and cheaper to prep than fragile, oversized or multi-part products.
- Amount of prep per unit: labelling only costs less than labelling plus polybagging plus bundling.
- Monthly volume: higher, regular volumes often qualify for lower per-unit rates.
- How your supplier ships: well-packed, clearly labelled deliveries are faster to receive and check.
- Storage time: stock that moves quickly costs less to store than stock that sits for months.
- Shipping method: small parcel and pallet shipments to Amazon are priced differently.
Hidden Costs to Watch Out For
When comparing quotes, look beyond the headline per-unit price. Ask each prep centre about:
- Minimum monthly fees or minimum order volumes
- Charges for receiving, counting or inspecting deliveries
- Fees for packaging materials such as bags, bubble wrap and boxes
- Storage charges and how they are calculated
- Costs for handling problems, such as damaged or incorrect stock from suppliers
A good prep centre will explain its pricing clearly up front, so there are no surprises on your invoice.
Is an FBA Prep Centre Worth the Cost?
To decide, compare the prep centre’s price with the real cost of doing it yourself. That includes your time, packaging materials, space to store and pack stock, and the risk of Amazon refusing or relabelling shipments that are not prepared correctly.
For many UK sellers, especially those importing from overseas suppliers or selling wholesale, a prep centre ends up saving money. Stock can go straight from the supplier to the prep centre, mistakes are caught before they reach Amazon, and you get your time back to focus on sourcing and growing sales.
How to Get an Accurate Quote
To get the most accurate price from any prep centre, have this information ready:
- What you sell, and product sizes and weights
- How many units you expect to send each month
- What prep each product needs (labelling, bagging, bundling)
- Whether you need storage, and for how long
- Where your stock is coming from
Get a Personalised FBA Prep Quote
Prep Centers is a London-based Amazon FBA prep centre offering quality checks, FNSKU labelling, polybagging, bundling, storage and shipping to Amazon UK. Tell us about your products and volumes, and we will send you a clear, personalised quote.
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