Note: This is another installment in my ongoing Amazon Fundamentals series. -JD
We’ve written about the dangers of shipping meltable items before. As you may know, Amazon won’t accept certain types of meltable items for FBA fulfillment during the summer months due to the difficulty of keeping the products cool and intact before delivery.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t fulfill these items yourself. Here’s what you’ll need:
I recommend shipping only by overnight or 2nd day services. Any longer and you run the risk of items arriving in less than ideal condition.
But, how do you know when a product is too meltable? How can you tell if it will survive shipment?
Here’s a few ideas:
- Send a test! Do you have a friend who lives across the country from you? Send him or her a meltable item that you think they’ll enjoy (chocolate is always a good idea) and see how it fares with your current packing set-up. Ask them to take a few pictures so you know how the item held up.
- Put it in your car! Wait for a hot day and box up an item for shipment and see how it fares inside your car for a few hours.
- Contact the manufacturer! I know people who have had success contacting a manufacturer (especially for potentially meltable non-food items like make-up) and asking whether they think a product can be shipped safely.
Chocolates, cosmetics, wax products and other potentially meltable products can be hot sellers on Amazon, even though they can’t be sold through FBA for part of the year. Take a few precautions and you’ll be able to fulfill them yourself with minimal risk.