Amazon FBM: Where You Get to Be the Boss (But Also the Delivery Guy)
So, Amazon FBM, or Fulfillment by Merchant, is the “I’ll do it myself” approach to selling on Amazon. Unlike FBA, where you get to sit back, relax, and let Amazon do the heavy lifting (and, let’s face it, all the actual work), FBM puts you in the driver’s seat. You list your products on Amazon, and then—surprise—you handle the storage, packaging, and shipping. It’s like Amazon said, “Here’s a marketplace, but if you want to keep the profits, you’ve got to work for it. A lot.”
It’s basically like signing up for the ‘no help’ version of Amazon’s dream team. Instead of handing your stuff over to Amazon and praying they don’t lose it in a warehouse shuffle, you’re the one putting in the elbow grease. You store the goods, you pack the boxes, and you ship everything out. It’s like being the chef, the waiter, and the dishwasher all at once, only with fewer dirty dishes and more chance to misplace a package.
But hey, don’t get me wrong—FBM isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ll need a bit of hustle, a dash of patience, and possibly an extra room full of cardboard. But if you’re the kind of person who enjoys the idea of running a full operation from the comfort of your own home (and without Amazon’s intervention), then FBM might just be the perfect side gig for you. Just don’t blame me when you realize you’re now your own customer service department, too.
Here’s how it works:
- 1. You Store Your Products: Unlike FBA, where Amazon’s warehouses are your product’s new home, with FBM, you’re responsible for keeping your products in your garage, spare bedroom, or wherever you think you can fit all those boxes. It’s on you to keep them safe, organized, and ready to ship.
- 2. You Ship Orders: When a customer buys from you, it’s your job to pick, pack, and ship the product. It’s like running your own little shipping empire, but without the fancy Amazon network to handle it for you. It’s all you, buddy. Get those labels printed and hit the road!
- 3. You Handle Customer Service: Need to return something? You deal with it. Customer question? That’s your problem now. While Amazon FBA leaves all this to the platform, FBM means you’re basically the customer service department too. You’ve got to keep your customers happy because you don’t have the Amazon shield protecting you.
Why Would You Choose FBM?
- More Control: You decide how your products are stored, packaged, and shipped. You’re the boss
- Lower Fees: You avoid the storage and fulfillment fees that come with Amazon FBA, which means you can keep more of your profits.
- No Amazon Inventory Limits: Amazon doesn’t have any restrictions on the quantity of products you can store with FBM, unlike FBA, where space comes at a price.
Why Wouldn’t You Choose FBM?
- It’s All on You: If you’ve ever packed a box of breakables with one hand and a coffee cup in the other, you know the struggle. It’s a lot of work and stress, and it’s all your responsibility.
- Slower Shipping: You’re not getting the Amazon Prime treatment. Your customers won’t enjoy the speedy shipping benefits, and that could hurt your sales.
- So, to wrap it up, Amazon FBM is the “do-it-yourself” version of selling on Amazon. You take the wheel, handle all the logistics, packaging, and shipping—basically, you’re the one who’s doing all the running around. But hey, you get to keep more control and avoid those pesky FBA fees, so it’s kind of like a “you do the work, you keep the rewards” situation. Who doesn’t love the sound of that, right?
- But let’s be honest, not everyone is cut out for it. Some people enjoy the chaos of running their own shipping empire, while others—like me—prefer to have someone else do the hard bits. So if you’re into sweating the small stuff and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, FBM’s your jam. But if you’d rather sip your coffee and pretend you know what you’re doing while Amazon handles everything, well, FBA’s got you covered like a nice, warm blanket.
- In the end, FBM gives you more control, more work, and more potential for profit. It’s the freedom to build your own Amazon business, but with the added bonus of realizing halfway through that maybe you should’ve stuck with FBA after all. Either way, you’ve got options. Just don’t expect to relax with FBM—it’s not a “kick back and watch the world go by” kind of gig.
