You can think about things all day long, but until you take action, nothing will happen.
My workflow has changed over time. I didn't even realize it until someone ran into a problem in their own workflow and posted about it on The FBA Flip Side Facebook group. I ship out about once a week or week and a half (depending on my life's schedule and the amount of sourcing money I have on hand). I label all of my own products, and allow Amazon to tell me where to ship. For this reason, I try to get at least 100 items into a shipment in order to fill up boxes.
Here is my workflow from beginning to end:
1. I keep my items safely tucked away in plastic boxes. When I come home from sourcing, I list everything that already has a listing page on Amazon. I set things aside that require a new listing, or belong to a bundle. I store all of the products I've listed together.
2. Once I've bought everything I'm going to buy during a cycle, I gather up all of the items that require a new listing -in other words -photos! I'm not the best photographer, so I have to really work at it. It's easier for me to photograph everything in one session. Once I have decent pictures, I use PhotoShop to give my photos a pure white background. I have a folder for bundles, and a folder with pictures for new listings. I store my photos on my computer until I'm ready to tackle new listings.
3. It's easier for me to tackle all of my new listings at once. I gather all of the items that require a new listing (including my bundles), and go to work. You might consider typing out your Key Features (the bullet points) and description in a Word document first, then copy / paste it in. Be careful not to linger while creating a listing. They can time out, and cause you to have to start all over again!
4. Next, I prep all of my items. I tackle all multiples together: shrinkwrap, polybag, sticker removal, cover barcodes, etc. This is a good time to print off your labels (I use 30 ups and only dream of the day someone buys me Dymo for Christmas -hint, hint to hubby). It's easier if you label all of your multiples together, so that you don't have to go on a search through your labels one item at a time. If I place a label onto the outside of shrinkwrap or a polybag, I cover it with clear packing tape to ensure that it doesn't fall off.
5. I'm ready to pack! I have an assortment of boxes on the ready. I begin by opening up the "Review Shipment" tab, and clicking on "View Shipping Contents" for each warehouse. Trust me when I say that you should PRINT the page opened to all of the contents for each warehouse. It will be multiple pages, but this is the way that I ensure that I don't mix up my widgets. I use a highlighter to highlight the fulfillment center, and put each FC's shipping content's pages together. I tackle one FC shipment at a time.
6. At this moment, I have 32 units going to RIC2. I gather up these items and put them into boxes. I write
RIC2 on the outside of the boxes (You can use more than one box if needed). As I place items into a box, I mark it off on my sheet, then once everything is accounted for, I double check one more time that everything that is supposed to go to this warehouse is packed. Then I stuff the box with dunnage and close it with packing tape.
7. Next, I weigh the box and write the weight on the outside of the box. This really helps if you have more than one box going to the same FC. I put in the weight and box measurements, add another box if I have more than one, calculate the shipping, then print off my labels. If you've written the weight on the outside of the box, then you can correspond the label to the box which ensures that you don't mix up your box labels! I label the box and cover the label with clear packing tape. Done!
8. I work on the next shipment (another FC) in the same way, and continue packing and labeling until I'm done. Once all of my boxes are packed, I harass my son or husband into loading the boxes into the car. If the boys can't go with me to UPS (work and school), I've discovered that the folks at the UPS center will kindly bring out their dolly and load my boxes out of my car, and take them in for me. It never hurts to ask! I've also been known to load them into a shopping cart (there is a Kroger next to my local UPS). A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
This is my workflow process which is always a work in progress. What is your workflow process? Go ahead. Post your thoughts in the comments section.
My workflow has changed over time. I didn't even realize it until someone ran into a problem in their own workflow and posted about it on The FBA Flip Side Facebook group. I ship out about once a week or week and a half (depending on my life's schedule and the amount of sourcing money I have on hand). I label all of my own products, and allow Amazon to tell me where to ship. For this reason, I try to get at least 100 items into a shipment in order to fill up boxes.
Here is my workflow from beginning to end:
1. I keep my items safely tucked away in plastic boxes. When I come home from sourcing, I list everything that already has a listing page on Amazon. I set things aside that require a new listing, or belong to a bundle. I store all of the products I've listed together.
2. Once I've bought everything I'm going to buy during a cycle, I gather up all of the items that require a new listing -in other words -photos! I'm not the best photographer, so I have to really work at it. It's easier for me to photograph everything in one session. Once I have decent pictures, I use PhotoShop to give my photos a pure white background. I have a folder for bundles, and a folder with pictures for new listings. I store my photos on my computer until I'm ready to tackle new listings.
3. It's easier for me to tackle all of my new listings at once. I gather all of the items that require a new listing (including my bundles), and go to work. You might consider typing out your Key Features (the bullet points) and description in a Word document first, then copy / paste it in. Be careful not to linger while creating a listing. They can time out, and cause you to have to start all over again!
4. Next, I prep all of my items. I tackle all multiples together: shrinkwrap, polybag, sticker removal, cover barcodes, etc. This is a good time to print off your labels (I use 30 ups and only dream of the day someone buys me Dymo for Christmas -hint, hint to hubby). It's easier if you label all of your multiples together, so that you don't have to go on a search through your labels one item at a time. If I place a label onto the outside of shrinkwrap or a polybag, I cover it with clear packing tape to ensure that it doesn't fall off.
5. I'm ready to pack! I have an assortment of boxes on the ready. I begin by opening up the "Review Shipment" tab, and clicking on "View Shipping Contents" for each warehouse. Trust me when I say that you should PRINT the page opened to all of the contents for each warehouse. It will be multiple pages, but this is the way that I ensure that I don't mix up my widgets. I use a highlighter to highlight the fulfillment center, and put each FC's shipping content's pages together. I tackle one FC shipment at a time.
6. At this moment, I have 32 units going to RIC2. I gather up these items and put them into boxes. I write
7. Next, I weigh the box and write the weight on the outside of the box. This really helps if you have more than one box going to the same FC. I put in the weight and box measurements, add another box if I have more than one, calculate the shipping, then print off my labels. If you've written the weight on the outside of the box, then you can correspond the label to the box which ensures that you don't mix up your box labels! I label the box and cover the label with clear packing tape. Done!
8. I work on the next shipment (another FC) in the same way, and continue packing and labeling until I'm done. Once all of my boxes are packed, I harass my son or husband into loading the boxes into the car. If the boys can't go with me to UPS (work and school), I've discovered that the folks at the UPS center will kindly bring out their dolly and load my boxes out of my car, and take them in for me. It never hurts to ask! I've also been known to load them into a shopping cart (there is a Kroger next to my local UPS). A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!
This is my workflow process which is always a work in progress. What is your workflow process? Go ahead. Post your thoughts in the comments section.
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