An FBA prep center receives your inventory, prepares it to Amazon’s requirements and ships it to Amazon fulfillment centres for you. For sellers importing into Canada, a prep center in the Greater Toronto Area sits close to Toronto Pearson, the ports’ rail links and Amazon’s Ontario fulfillment centres, so stock can be prepped and sent in quickly. This guide explains what an FBA prep center does, when you need one and how to choose a good one in the GTA.
What an FBA prep center does
| Service | What it means |
|---|---|
| Receiving | Unloading pallets, cartons or containers and counting units against your shipment |
| FNSKU labelling | Applying Amazon barcode labels to every unit that needs one |
| Poly bagging and bubble wrap | Protecting loose, fragile or soft items as Amazon requires |
| Bundling and kitting | Combining units into sets or multi-packs with their own FNSKU |
| Box prep | Packing cartons to Amazon’s size and weight limits and applying carton labels |
| Shipment creation | Building shipment plans in Seller Central and booking delivery to the fulfillment centre |
| Storage | Holding extra stock and sending replenishment shipments when Amazon limits inventory |
For the detailed rules, see our guide to Amazon FBA prep requirements in Canada.
When to use an FBA prep center
- Your stock arrives from overseas and needs labels or packaging before Amazon will accept it
- You sell many SKUs and don’t have the space or staff to prep them
- Amazon inventory limits mean you need somewhere to hold extra stock
- You also sell through your own store or other marketplaces and want one partner for all channels
- You want fewer Amazon receiving problems caused by labelling or packaging mistakes
Why choose a prep center in the GTA
- Close to Amazon: short trips to Amazon’s Ontario fulfillment centres mean faster check-in
- Close to imports: near Toronto Pearson and the major rail and highway links for containers from overseas
- One stock pool: the same warehouse can ship FBM orders, Walmart WFS shipments and Shopify orders
- Easy visits: GTA sellers can drop off stock or inspect it in person
How to choose an FBA prep center
- Do they know current Amazon prep and labelling rules, and keep up with changes?
- Can they create shipment plans in Seller Central, or do you need to?
- How fast do they turn around received stock into Amazon shipments?
- Do they send photos and counts so you can catch problems early?
- Can they store overflow stock and replenish Amazon when you need it?
- Is pricing clear for labels, bags, bundles, boxes and shipment creation?
FBA prep in Mississauga with Newsom 3PL
Newsom 3PL provides Amazon FBA prep from our warehouse in Mississauga, near Toronto Pearson. We receive your stock, apply FNSKU labels, poly bag, bubble wrap and bundle units, prepare cartons, create shipment plans and send replenishment to Amazon. We can also fulfill FBM and other channel orders from the same inventory. Request a quote and we will send you an estimate based on your volume.
Frequently asked questions
What is an FBA prep center?
It is a warehouse that prepares inventory to Amazon’s requirements, with labelling, bagging, bundling and box prep, and ships it to Amazon fulfillment centres for the seller.
Is there an FBA prep center near Toronto?
Yes. Newsom 3PL is in Mississauga, near Toronto Pearson, and preps and ships inventory to Amazon for sellers across the GTA and Canada.
Can a prep center create my Amazon shipment plans?
Many can. We can create shipment plans in Seller Central on your behalf, or work from plans you create.
Can I use the same 3PL for FBA and FBM?
Yes. A 3PL that does FBA prep can usually fulfill your merchant-fulfilled orders and other channels from the same stock.