Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) has always been the default choice for many sellers on Amazon looking for fast shipping, Prime eligibility, and hands-free logistics. However, many businesses, especially those dealing with slow-moving products, often struggle with the rising FBA fees.
As a result, Amazon FBM fulfillment is gaining traction as a cheaper yet convenient option. With FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant), sellers handle their own storage, packing, shipping, and customer service instead of relying on Amazon’s warehouse network.
Here, we explore why many sellers are reconsidering FBA, how Amazon FBM fulfillment works, and its biggest advantages.
The Amazon FBA program offers convenience, fast shipping, and access to Prime customers, which attracts many sellers. However, the rising costs of Amazon FBA have become a concern for many business owners trying to maintain healthy profit margins.
One major factor behind rising costs is warehousing and logistics expenses. Amazon runs a vast network of warehouses and last-mile delivery services, all of which cost more to operate. In most cases, these operational costs are often passed on to sellers through higher fulfillment and storage fees.
Amazon charges monthly inventory storage fees, and sellers who keep products in warehouses for extended periods often face long-term storage penalties. As a result, businesses dealing in slow-moving products have faced the biggest challenge due to high storage fees.
Amazon FBM is a fulfillment option where sellers handle everything from inventory storage to last-mile delivery without relying on Amazon’s warehouses and logistics network. Under this model, you are 100% responsible for managing the order fulfillment process from start to finish, including handling customer complaints.
When a customer places an order, the seller prepares the item, ships it directly to the buyer, uploads tracking information, and manages returns and delivery issues. Merchants can handle the logistics process through a third-party logistics (3PL) provider like Packageman or in-house.
Amazon FBM gives sellers full control over operations, inventory management, packaging, and shipping costs. This fulfillment model is especially popular among small businesses, niche brands, and merchants with existing warehouse infrastructure or 3PL partnerships.
Moreover, if you are a seller who wants to maintain tighter control over customer experience while avoiding the growing operational costs associated with FBA, Amazon FBM fulfillment is the best choice.
While Amazon FBA remains popular for its convenience and Prime eligibility, many businesses are turning to FBM. Below are some of the main advantages of using Amazon FBM fulfillment.
This is one of the biggest pros of using Amazon FBM fulfillment. As a seller, you can manage your stock instead of sending it directly to Amazon warehouses. This makes it easier to monitor inventory levels in real time, manage your stock across multiple sales channels, and restock more efficiently.
For owners running multiple online stores on eBay, Shopify, or on their own websites, Amazon FBM fulfillment allows centralized inventory management without relying on Amazon’s logistics network.
Using Amazon FBA can significantly cut profits, especially if your inventory is full of heavy, slow-moving products. Amazon FBM fulfillment helps sellers avoid paying high storage fees, peak season surcharges, and FBA handling charges.
Businesses with existing warehouse space or access to affordable 3PL providers can fulfill orders at a lower overall cost than FBA.
Reducing fulfillment expenses directly improves profit margins. If your business deals with large, bulky products or low-cost products with tight margins or you operate multiple stores across various channels, relying on Amazon FBM can be beneficial.
Instead of paying Amazon’s per-unit fulfillment fees, you can partner with a 3PL company to keep costs under control through Amazon FBM.
Using Amazon FBM fulfillment makes it easier for brands to build stronger identities and offer personalized customer experiences. For instance, sellers can use custom packaging, add promotional materials, and include personalized messaging for a better unboxing experience.
These branding opportunities are limited with FBA, where Amazon packaging and fulfillment standards dominate the customer experience.
For a long time, many sellers have preferred using Amazon FBA to qualify for Prime eligibility. However, ever-rising costs have led many sellers to seek cheaper alternatives. Amazon FBM offers sellers greater flexibility, operational control, and cost efficiency compared to FBA.
If you are a seller looking to gain more control over your inventory, reduce fulfillment costs, and build a more independent e-commerce operation, you should highly consider switching to Amazon FBM fulfillment.
I’m Maciej Fita, the founder of Brandignity—an AI-driven digital marketing agency based in sunny Naples, Florida. With nearly 20 years in the digital marketing game, I’ve helped hundreds of clients win with inbound marketing and branding strategies that actually move the needle (not just look good on a slide). I’ve worked with everyone from scrappy SMBs to large corporate teams, rolling up my sleeves on strategy, execution, and consulting. If it lives online and needs to perform better, chances are I’ve had my hands on it—and made it work smarter.
Maciej Fita
At Brandignity, we are committed to integrating the power of AI into our digital marketing services while emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human creativity and expertise. Our approach combines cutting-edge AI technology with the strategic insights and personal touch of our experienced team. This synergy allows us to craft powerful and efficient marketing strategies tailored to your unique needs. By leveraging AI for data analysis, trend prediction, and automation, we free up our experts to focus on creativity, storytelling, and building authentic connections with your audience. At Brandignity, it’s not about replacing humans with AI—it’s about empowering our team to deliver exceptional results.
Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) has always been the default choice for many sellers on...
In the competitive aviation industry, building loyalty among frequent travelers is both a priority and...
There is a pattern that shows up in almost every underperforming legal marketing program, and...