Packaging

Amazon partners with brands around the world to reduce brand-supplied packaging and the need for Amazon to add additional protective packaging.

An Amazon package leans against the front door of a house.

The Frustration-Free Packaging Incentive Expansion

We're encouraging vendors through incentives to create and certify packaging that saves space and materials, and protects products while in the ecommerce supply chain.

A woman is very excited as she opens an Amazon package in her kitchen.

How it works

We expanded the Frustration-Free Packaging (FFP) Vendor Incentive Program in 2021 to include the largest-sized Sortable ASINs (dimensions of 6’’ x 4’’ x 0.375’’ to 18’’ x 14’’ x 8’’), and we expanded incentives for Non-Sortable ASINs.

Vendors can earn increasingly greater incentives by: 1) preparing their product to ship without additional packaging by passing ISTA 6A testing and receiving a Ship in Own Container (SIOC) certification, 2) reengineering their packaging to reduce the overall volume, and 3) achieving FFP certification by ensuring their packaging is fully recyclable and easy to open.

Vendors will receive financial incentives per certified unit shipped between October 1, 2021, and December 31, 2023 for one year following enrollment. The incentive per unit is the cumulative sum of three components of the program: 1) SIOC certification incentive, 2) cube (box volume) reduction incentive, and 3) the FFP incremental incentive, if applicable. This incentive program is currently only applicable for items packed in rigid packaging (e.g. 6-sided carton boxes). Items packed in flexible packaging (e.g. paper mailers, carton envelopes, bags) are not eligible for incentives at this time. Amazon reserves the right to modify the program at any time.

1. Get your current dimensions

First, you will need to determine the dimensions of your product in its current packaging. These measurements do not consider the actual volume of irregular shapes; they consider the smallest rectangular container that would hold the item. Measure the products total length, width, and height.

With existing packaging

If the product ships with its own packaging, leave the product inside and measure the packaging's outer dimensions.
No existing packaging

If you are currently shipping products to Amazon without primary packaging, measure the product's overall dimensions in a natural resting orientation without compressing.

2. Optimize your packaging

Next, it's time to make improvements to your packaging design (or create new packaging if the item currently has none) to make it ready to ship in its own container. The more you reduce the size of your packaging, the more you earn. To qualify for the program, Sortable ASINs cannot increase in overall size, and Non-Sortable ASINs can increase in size by 10%. See how much you can receive using the calculator below.

As you design your packaging, keep in mind it will have to meet the requirements of the certification you choose, either Tier 1 FFP or Tier 2 SIOC. Learn more about certification requirements. For help with designing for certification, find a packaging design agency in the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier (APASS) network.

Recyclable materials

Some vendors seeking FFP certification will need to find alternative means of padding to replace Styrofoam, bubble wrap, or other materials that aren’t curbside recyclable.
Product orientation and nesting of parts

Packaging designers will need to determine how to best save space while protecting products when developing FFP or SIOC packaging. There are creative solutions to reducing space—handles that are reengineered to come apart, liquids that are condensed, toys that are nested better to save space. Thinking about customer usability and storage, as well as reducing wasteful packaging, has inspired many to reinvent both product and packaging.

3. How to test and certify

To certify SIOC and FFP packaging with Amazon, the packaging must pass a physical performance test. If the product is not fragile or liquid and less than 50lbs, vendors can complete the self-testing drop sequence and submit passing test reports (review instructional videos in self-testing section below). If the product is considered fragile (glass, ceramic, porcelain, clay, liquid, semi-liquid) or is over 50lbs, the ISTA-6A test is required via the Amazon packaging lab or a third-party lab to accurately simulate the journey of a package through the Amazon Fulfillment Network in order to protect customer experience. Learn more.

Non-fragile product less than 50lbs? Utilize self-test

Learn the steps needed to be eligible to complete self-testing on your non-fragile and non-liquid products that are less than 50 pounds.

Learn more
Product over 50lbs OR fragile product under 50lbs? Send to Amazon Packaging Lab for testing

For fragile products that weigh up to 50 pounds, the Amazon Packaging Lab is now available to all vendors to complete the ISTA 6A testing method. Learn how to submit your products for testing at Amazon.

Learn more
Need help? Leverage a resource in the APASS network

Download our APASS supplier list to find a member that can provide support on testing and certification, no matter your packaging type or size.

Learn more

4. Get your new dimensions

Now you’ll need to determine the dimensions of your new certified packaging. This is done just like in Step 1, measuring the outer dimensions of the package. Once you have the measurements, you can calculate your incentive amount using the calculator below. Products that can be easily damaged will still need space for padding while providing adequate protection.

5. Enroll your certification

After receiving your certification from Step 3, you will need to upload your certification to Vendor Central. You must fill out the ‘Incentive Template’ tab in the Enrollment Form to qualify for the incentive program and receive payments. For step-by-step enrollment instructions, please refer to the Amazon vendor enrollment and contact Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) document below. Learn more

Amazon vendor enrollment and contact SOP

Learn about the SOP for vendors to self-test, certify, and enroll ASINs, request ASIN portfolio packaging certification status, and contact Amazon with questions related to FFP certification programs.

Download
Amazon vendor enrollment template (vendor self-test and ISTA-6 third-party lab test)

After reviewing the vendor enrollment SOP, download this template to enroll your ASINs as FFP or SIOC certified if you utilized self-test or the APASS network.

Download
Amazon vendor enrollment template (Amazon Packaging Lab)

If you are submitting a fragile ASIN to the Amazon Packaging Lab, please complete the vendor enrollment template (Amazon Packaging Lab) and refer to our instructional videos for a complete walk through.

Download

6. Calculate your estimated incentive

Finally, enter your certification status (FFP or SIOC) and dimensions into the calculator below. Further, if the item is currently incurring prep charges or a chargeback from the Non-Sortable program for not being SIOC or FFP certified, enter these charges as well. Then add the annual sales volume of the product (and any family of similar products that you would certify with it). The output will calculate an estimated incentive amount (assuming 12 months) you would be eligible to receive following certification within the incentive payment timeline. Please note, the window for vendor incentive payments is between October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023 and incentive payments are only for one year. The calculator below illustrates SIOC or FFP conversions for previously non-certified products. Values below are for reference only; actual values may vary.

Incentive examples

Without primary packaging, this plush toy previously had a volume of 374 cubic inches. With some minor compression in an appropriately sized box, the vendor was able to certify it as FFP and reduce over half of the original volume. These packaging changes resulted in the following vendor savings: FFP incentive ($0.162) + cube reduction incentive ($0.227) = $0.389 per unit received for one year. The ASIN ships 100,000 units in the next 12 months, so the vendor earns a $38,860 incentive.

Applying this certification across 10 similar ASINs in the vendor’s portfolio netted over $350,000 USD in year one.

An illustration showing the bunny before and after as well as the math for the volume and incentive

This broom required packaging that was at least 60 inches long (classified as Non-Sortable because at least one dimension exceeded 18’’ x 14’’ x 8’’). By making the handle collapsible, the vendor was able to fit the broom into a box one-third of the previous size and also made it easier for the customer to store. With an FFP certification, this packaging redesign resulted in the following vendor savings: FFP incentive ($1.090) + cube reduction incentive ($1.152) + chargebacks avoided ($1.99) = $4.232 per unit received for one year. The ASIN ships 100,000 units in the next 12 months, so the vendor earns $423,200 incentive.

Applying this certification across 10 similar ASINs in the vendor’s portfolio netted over $4,000,000 USD in year one.

An illustration showing the broom before and after as well as the math for the volume and incentive

The retail packaging for these screwdrivers spread them out to advertise their features for retail display. By simply condensing them together in an appropriately sized box, this vendor eliminated over half the volume. With an FFP certification, these packaging changes resulted in the following vendor savings: FFP incentive ($0.162) + cube reduction incentive ($0.179) = $0.341 per unit received for one year. The ASIN ships 100,000 units in the next 12 months, so the vendor earns a $34,075 incentive.

Applying this certification across 10 similar ASINs in the vendor’s portfolio netted over $300,000 USD in year one.