SKU Numbers Explained: How They Improve Accuracy in FBA Prep

Introduction

When growing an Amazon business, one of the first big decisions you will face is how to handle fulfilment. Should you manage everything yourself storing labelling and shipping your products or outsource the process to a professional FBA prep centre.

Choosing between FBA prep vs self fulfilment can significantly impact your time costs and scalability. In this post we will compare both options in depth to help you decide which approach suits your Amazon business best.

What Is FBA Prep?

FBA Fulfilled by Amazon allows sellers to send inventory directly to Amazon fulfilment centres where Amazon stores picks packs and ships products to customers.

However before your products can be sent to Amazon they must meet strict packaging labelling and quality control standards. That is where FBA prep services come in.

An FBA prep centre such as Best Prep UK handles:

• Product inspection

• Labelling and barcoding

• Bundling or kitting

• Polybagging and shrink wrapping

• Storage and inventory management

• Shipment to Amazon fulfilment centres

In simple terms a prep centre takes care of the hands on work allowing you to focus on sourcing and scaling.

What Is Self Fulfilment?

Self fulfilment sometimes called MFN Merchant Fulfilled Network means you handle everything in house. You store your stock prepare orders and ship them directly to Amazon or your customers yourself.

For small sellers or those just starting out this can seem cheaper but it comes with hidden costs and time pressures.

Tasks you will handle include:

• Storing and managing inventory

• Purchasing packing materials

• Printing FNSKU labels and applying them

• Preparing shipments according to Amazons strict requirements

• Managing returns and damaged items

  
  

FBA Prep vs Self Fulfilment Side by Side Comparison

Factor	FBA Prep Centre	Self Fulfilment
Cost	Pay per unit or service often scalable with no need to rent storage space	Lower upfront costs but higher long term overhead for storage materials and labour
Time	Saves hours of manual prep allowing you to focus on growth	Time intensive especially with high order volumes
Scalability	Easily scales with business growth	Hard to scale without hiring staff or expanding space
Compliance	Professionals ensure Amazon standards are met	Mistakes can lead to Amazon rejections or extra fees
Flexibility	Outsource only what you need	Full control but full responsibility
Speed	Faster dispatch to Amazon warehouses	Depends on your own time and logistics setup

FBA Prep Cost Comparison

Understanding the FBA prep cost comparison is key when deciding between the two options.

Typical Prep Centre Costs UK Average

• Label application £020 to £040 per unit

• Polybagging £030 to £050 per unit

• Bundling or kitting £050 to £100 per bundle

• Storage £5 to £15 per pallet per month

• Inbound shipment prep £10 to £30 per shipment

These are service fees but the real value comes from time saved fewer errors and faster processing especially during Q4 or peak seasons.

Hidden Costs of Self Fulfilment

• Warehouse or storage rental

• Staff wages or your own time cost

• Packaging supplies

• Printing and labelling equipment

• Amazon relabelling or repackaging penalties

When you factor these in outsourcing to an FBA prep centre often proves more cost effective for most sellers once they scale beyond a few hundred units per month.

When to Choose Self Fulfilment

Self fulfilment may suit you if:

• You are testing a product with low volume

• You have spare storage space and time

• You want full control over every stage

This option is ideal for early stage sellers or those who prefer a hands on approach.

When to Choose an FBA Prep Centre

Outsourcing to a prep centre is the better choice if:

• Your sales volume is growing

• You value your time more than manual labour

• You want to avoid compliance mistakes

• You are preparing for busy seasons like Black Friday or Q4

• You want predictable turnaround times and professional support

At Best Prep UK for example we handle every step of your Amazon prep with speed accuracy and compliance enabling sellers to scale without the stress.

Conclusion Which Is Right for You?

The decision between FBA prep vs self fulfilment depends on your goals scale and available resources.

• If you are small testing or learning self fulfilment might make sense.

• If you are scaling outsourcing is usually the smarter choice.

  
  

By partnering with a professional prep centre like Best Prep UK you can save time reduce errors and focus on growth not packing boxes.