Amazon not only offers storage in its own warehouses (FBA), but also allows sellers to store goods in their own or third-party fulfillment centers and ship from there (FBM).
Until some time ago, however, the highly popular Prime option was only available for products stored directly with Amazon.
To give sellers who do not use FBA (for various reasons) the opportunity to offer products with the Prime badge and its benefits, the Seller Fulfilled Prime (Prime by Seller) program was introduced. Amazon initially invited selected sellers and guided them through a testing phase.
It is now possible to proactively apply for the trial phase.
Seller Central account holders can do so via the following link:
https://sellercentral.amazon.de/seller-fulfilled-p…
IMPORTANT: To enroll in Seller Fulfilled Prime, you must be a professional seller and have configured your account for shipping settings.
Amazon will then guide you through the process of meeting the required criteria.
Seller Performance Requirements
During the trial phase, you must meet the following performance requirements for at least 50 Prime trial orders:
- The on-time shipment rate for Prime trial orders must be at least 99%. Regardless of the shipping option selected by the customer, Prime trial orders must be dispatched on the same day they are received, provided the order is placed before the seller’s cut-off time.
- You must use the “Buy Shipping” feature for at least 95% of Prime trial orders.
- The cancellation rate for Prime trial orders must be below 1%.
While it may seem obvious, Amazon explicitly states: you do not need to be eligible for premium shipping to participate in the Prime trial phase—but you must not lose your eligibility for the premium shipping program and must obtain it if you don’t already have it.
- The on-time delivery rate for premium shipping must be at least 92%
- Valid tracking numbers must be provided for at least 94% of premium shipping orders
- The cancellation rate for premium shipping orders must be below 1.5%
After Successfully Completing the Trial Phase
Within 24 hours of being approved for Seller Fulfilled Prime, the Prime badge will automatically be displayed to customers for SKUs assigned to your Prime templates.
To maintain eligibility, you must continue to qualify for premium shipping and meet the same performance requirements based on the last 30 days.
Servantful is happy to support you throughout this phase. Simply contact us, and we will get in touch with you!
Required Services
Amazon requires the following services:
- Free 1-day premium shipping to all addresses on the German mainland
- Free 2-day premium shipping to all addresses on German islands and in Austria
- Free 2–3 day standard shipping to all addresses in Germany and Austria
More information can be found in Seller Central:
https://sellercentral.amazon.de/gp/help/201812300/…
Current Limitations
At present, Amazon requires that shipping labels for Seller Fulfilled Prime in Germany must be purchased via Seller Central. This means you are bound to the shipping provider specified by Amazon—currently DPD.
As a result, you cannot use your own contracts or preferred carriers such as DHL. However, Amazon has indicated for some time that this restriction may be relaxed in the future.
The shipping rates offered can make the option unattractive in some cases due to high costs (especially for shipments to Austria).
Here is the link to DPD Prime rates with daily pickup:
https://sellercentral.amazon.de/gp/help/help.html/…
Expensive, but Useful?
Many products that would never qualify for a Prime badge—because they cannot be stored via FBA for various reasons—now have a real opportunity to increase sales. Careful cost calculation is essential.
It is clear that Seller Fulfilled Prime can be expensive. However, it makes sense for products that are rare, bulky, or heavy, and therefore not suitable for FBA.
By storing goods in your own warehouse or with a fulfillment provider like us, you can significantly reduce storage costs. In addition, multi-channel shipping to other sales platforms becomes much easier to manage. We would be happy to discuss this in more detail in a personal consultation.
Servantful Ships with “Prime by Seller”
We have integrated the Seller Fulfilled Prime program into our systems and processes and can get started with you as soon as your goods arrive at our warehouse and we are connected to your system.
As a fulfillment provider, we meet the required shipping performance standards and are already shipping products under this program.
If you are interested in Seller Fulfilled Prime, feel free to contact us.
We will guide you through the trial phase and help you obtain the Prime badge—even if your products are not stored with Amazon.
Join the Discussion!
Join the conversation! On Facebook, we run a group focused on “Storage and Shipping for Channels and Shops.”
You are welcome to ask questions and exchange ideas there.