FBA fulfilment means Fulfilment by Amazon: you list and supply the product, while Amazon stores your stock and picks, packs and delivers customer orders. Amazon also handles delivery-related customer service and returns. You remain responsible for choosing the product, preparing and sending stock, managing the listing and checking whether the sale is profitable.
What Fulfilment by Amazon Actually Means
With FBA, you send eligible inventory into Amazon’s fulfilment network rather than packing each amazon.ie order yourself. Once Amazon has received the stock and made it available for sale, it handles the physical order fulfilment. You still own the inventory and make the commercial decisions about what to sell, how much stock to send and how to price it.
Where stock is sent depends on the shipment instructions in Seller Central Europe. For a separate look at the warehouse question, read Does Amazon Have a Warehouse in Ireland?.
How FBA Works Step by Step
Seller Central Europe shows the requirements for your product and inbound shipment; check those instructions before preparing stock. The practical sequence is:
- Set up the listing. Create or select your product listing in Seller Central Europe and choose Fulfilment by Amazon as its fulfilment method. Check that the product is eligible and that its listing details are accurate.
- Create an inbound shipment. Enter the stock you intend to send and create a shipment in Seller Central Europe. Use the destination, packing details and shipment labels provided for that shipment.
- Prep and label the units. Pack stock so it meets the applicable preparation requirements. Each unit needs a scannable barcode, either the manufacturer barcode or an Amazon barcode label, as shown for the product in Seller Central Europe.
- Send the stock in. Arrange transport and keep the shipment details so you can track its progress. Stock sent from a supplier still needs to meet the same preparation and labelling requirements.
- Wait for receipt and storage. Amazon receives the shipment and makes sellable units available through its fulfilment network. Check the received quantities and investigate discrepancies in Seller Central Europe.
- Amazon fulfils orders. When a customer orders available FBA stock, Amazon picks, packs and delivers it. Amazon handles delivery-related customer service and returns for those orders.
Sending a shipment does not itself mean every unit is ready to sell. Monitor the listing and inventory status after receipt, particularly if the available quantity differs from what you expected.
Costs Irish Sellers Need to Know
FBA does not replace Amazon’s selling charges. Referral charges relate to selling the product, while fulfilment charges relate to Amazon handling an order. Storage can also affect the cost of keeping inventory in the fulfilment network. The applicable charges depend on the product and how it is sold and stored, so do not rely on a generic estimate.
Use the fee calculator to examine Amazon charges for the product you are considering. The charge shown for fulfilling an order is only part of the decision: your purchase cost, shipping into Amazon, preparation and other business costs also matter. If you want to compare calculators before choosing one, browse the Ireland seller tools.
VAT and Customs for Irish FBA Sellers
FBA is a fulfilment service, not a substitute for your tax and customs obligations. Review the VAT treatment of your sales and purchases, and keep records of where your goods are stored and sold. Storage or sales across borders may change what you need to report; do not assume that using Amazon takes care of your own filings.
If you import goods from outside the EU, you need an EORI number to clear customs. You can obtain one through Revenue. Importing may also involve customs declarations, duty and import VAT, depending on the goods and the transaction. Check current guidance with Revenue or a qualified adviser before arranging a shipment, especially if stock will move across borders.
Cost Lines to Check Before Buying Stock
To test a prospective product, enter its expected selling price and the costs you can establish into the profit calculator. Include the purchase cost, inbound shipping, preparation and labelling, Amazon selling and fulfilment charges, storage, advertising and any applicable import costs. Treat uncertain inputs as assumptions to verify, rather than as guaranteed margins.
This check is most useful before you buy stock. It brings the full cost of getting a product to the customer into view, rather than judging the opportunity by the supplier’s price alone.
What You Still Handle as the Seller
Amazon fulfils FBA orders, but you still choose and source products, maintain accurate listings, set prices, arrange compliant inbound stock and monitor inventory. You also need to account for your business costs, respond to issues that remain your responsibility as the seller, and manage your tax and customs position. A returned order may be handled by Amazon operationally, but you should still review its effect on your inventory and accounts.
Keeping an eye on stock matters as much as getting the initial shipment right. If sellable inventory runs out, Amazon cannot fulfil new orders from that stock; if you send more than you can sell, storage becomes part of your ongoing cost.
Is FBA Right for Every Irish Seller?
FBA can suit products whose margins can support Amazon’s charges and whose stock is practical to prepare, ship and store. Heavy, bulky or slow-moving goods deserve particular scrutiny because fulfilment and storage costs can affect the result.
Fulfilment by Merchant (FBM) is an alternative if you prefer to store stock and dispatch orders yourself. Compare the work you would take on with the costs and convenience of FBA. Neither method makes a product profitable on its own.
Before You Commit to a Product
Confirm that you can list the product, follow its preparation and barcode requirements, and send it to the destination specified for your shipment. Then make the choice between FBA and fulfilling orders yourself based on your product, your capacity to dispatch orders and the costs you have checked—not on the assumption that Amazon handles every part of running the business.