Amazon Vendor Central Business Value
Amazon Frustration Free Packaging
Section 3: The Packaging Certification Testing Process
Cheat Sheet
Primary and Secondary ASINs
• Now, as you may realise, it does cost money to have these tests done in order to certify your product packaging for Amazon compliance.
• Therefore, Amazon has permitted that only the primary or parent ASIN can be sent in for its packaging to be tested for the entire family of ASINs.
• However, how can you be sure that the parent ASIN you consider suitable for an entire family is what Amazon considers suitable?
• I mean, say you sell colanders.
• Would you consider a large colander the parent ASIN for both the plastic and stainless-steel variations?
• Obviously not.
• Stainless steel products can get bent or dented in sub-par packaging whereas plastic ones could snap completely.
• The packaging would need to be slightly different for each.
• Stainless-steel products will also way more than the plastic ones.
• However, you could send the large white plastic colander as a parent ASIN and its packaging would be the same as the other large plastic colanders in pink, blue, red and purple.
• But you would then also need to send the medium white plastic colander and the small white plastic colander as another two parent ASINs given Amazon’s packaging to product ratio mentioned in the previous section.
• The large, small and medium stainless-steel colanders would all each be a parent ASIN.
• Let’s briefly look at what Amazon says about this.
• Amazon has what is called Form-Factor Certification Rules, which can be found in your Resources Center on Vendor Central.
• In this document, they explain: “If an ASIN or a group of ASINs is similar, based on the rules described below, to a Primary ASIN that has been tested for and has passed the ISTA-6 Amazon.com transit test requirements, then the ASIN or group of ASINs will be considered as Secondary ASINs that are Form-Factor Variations of the corresponding Primary ASIN and will receive the same FFP tier certification as the Primary ASIN subject to review and approval by Amazon. This process is known as FFP Form-Factor Certification.”
• They then go further to say, “The Form-Factor Certification process will be limited to ISTA-6 Amazon.com SIOC Type A and ISTA-6 Amazon.com Over-Boxing (Tier-3 Prep-Free Packaging / PFP) certifications only.”
• This is important because, when we get to the next video where we look at categorising your product into a Type, only Type A will allow for the Parent ASIN to be sent for testing for the entire family.
• Right, so what does Amazon specify the rules to be for accepting a Parent ASIN for Form-Factor Certification?
• Well, let’s go through Amazon’s own words on the Form-Factor Certification Rules:
• Amazon will consider physically similar products or ASIN Variations for Form-Factor Certification only if they meet the following criteria:
* Size Variation: The Secondary ASIN can be up to 25% smaller on one single dimension or up to 25% smaller in terms of total volume as compared to the Primary ASIN. Amazon will not accept ASINs that are more than 108” in length or 165” in girth for Form-Factor Certification.
* Weight Variation: The weight of the Secondary ASIN may be up to 25% less than the weight of the Primary ASIN. Items that are 8oz or less will not be held to the 25% criteria. ASINs that are 50lbs or more in weight will not be eligible for certification through the Form-Factor Certification method and will require a separate ISTA-6 Amazon.com packaging test to be completed as a weight of 50lbs is the threshold where the SIOC test type required changes from Type-A to Type-B.
* Material Composition: The Secondary ASIN must be identical to the Primary ASIN in terms of material composition in order to be eligible for this program. This is critical to ensure that the Primary ASIN and Secondary ASIN will exhibit identical performance in ISTA-6 Amazon.com transit testing.
* Packaging Type and Specifications: The Secondary ASIN must have identical packaging type, design, and specifications as the Primary ASIN. For example, if the Primary ASIN is packaged in double-walled, CFlute, board-grade corrugate, then the Secondary ASIN must also be packaged using the same type and grade of corrugate.
* Product-to-Packaging Ratio: The Product-to-Packaging Ratio, defined as the ratio of the volume of the product to the volume of the packaging, must be similar for the Primary and Secondary ASINs.
* Fragile Products: Amazon will not accept products that contain 50% or more of fragile material for Form-Factor Certification. Fragile materials include ceramics, glass, porcelain, clay, delicate electronics, or easily breakable parts. Some examples of non-fragile items are bedding sets, towels, clothing, paper towels, toilet paper, feminine care products, and dryer sheets.
* Liquid Content: Amazon will not accept products that contain liquids for Form-Factor Certification. Such products are highly susceptible to damage and leakage during the transit process and will require separate ISTA-6 Amazon.com tests.
* Motorized Parts: Amazon will not accept products that contain any motorized parts i.e. parts with a moving power component. Examples of such products include table fans, kitchen blenders, and toys with motorized wheels.
* Pack Quantity: The Primary and Secondary ASINs must have the same pack quantity in order to be considered for Form-Factor Certification. For example, if a Primary ASIN contains four units of an item, then the Secondary ASIN being submitted for Form-Factor Certification will be considered only if it also contains exactly four items. The only exception to this rule may be granted in the case of soft products such as diapers, textiles, toilet paper, and paper towels.
• Now, the document does on go to give more specifics regarding shoe size variations but we will leave those of you who sell shoes to read through the rest of this document as well as the FAQs at the end when you download it from your Vendor Central Resources Center.
• At this stage of the process, you should now have identified and selected which Parent or Primary ASINs you will be sending for packaging testing.
ISTA 6 Overview for SIOC (Tier 1 and 2)
• It is important to note from the get-go that this ITSA 6 SIOC (Tier 1 and Tier 2) testing protocols are primarily for Vendors selling their product to Amazon directly and having their products shipped in truckloads or small parcel to the Amazon Fulfilment Centers.
• Now that we have this in the forefront of our minds, it is time to delve into this overview document which can be located in the following place.
• Visit the ISTA website on www.ista.org and click on the “Test Procedures” link.
• Scroll down to where you find the ISTA 6 Series: Member Performance Tests header.
• Below the heading “Project 6-AMAZON.COM-SIOC, Ships in Own Container (SIOC) for Amazon.com Distribution System Shipment” will be a paragraph of text and beneath this, your link to the overview document: “OVERVIEW and EQUIPMENT REQUIRED.”
• Upon opening this document, you can scroll down to the second page where the following information needs to be pointed out:
ISTA 6 Series Member Performance tests are protocols created by ISTA members members to suit their own particular purposes and applications. This 6-AMAZON.COM test was developed by ISTA in coorperation with Amazon.com , and is designed as a General Simulation Protocol. General Simukation Tests:
* Challenge the capability of the package and product to withstand transport hazards, But
* Utilize general Simulatin of actual transport hazards, and
* Do not necessarily comply with carrier packaging regulations.
• It is obviously beneficial to read the entire document but we would like to point out in this course the most importan
t information to consider before shipping your products in their newly designed packaging off to the ISTA lab for testing so that you can be sure your packaging will pass the tests first time, avoiding additional costs and time.
• On Page 3, it is important to take note of the following as we have mentioned it before and this is where you will be able to identify which Type category your product falls into but also what tests will be done for each product type.
Project 6-AMAZON.COM is appropriate for eight (8) different types of packaged-products designated Types A through h below. The different types ares a combination of four (4) packaged-product criteria: Amazon.com Outbound Shipment Method. Amazon.com Fulfillment Center Handling Method, Packaged-Product Weight, and Product Category. See Definitions below for an explanation of packaged-product typs and other terms used in this document.
Packaged-Product Test Types
Type A:
* Shippment Method: Parcel Delivery of Individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: Less than 50 lb (23 kg) & Girth equal to or less than 165″ (4.19 m)
Type B:
* Shipment Method: Parcel Delivery of individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: 50 lb (23 kg) to less than 100 lb (45 kg) & girth equal to or less than 165″ (4.19 m)
Type C:
* Shipment Method: Parcel Delivery of individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: 100 lb (45 kg) or Greator & Girth equal to or less than 165″ (4.19 m)
Type D:
* Shipment Method: Less-Than-Truckload (LTL0 Delivery of individual Packages-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: Less than 100 lb (45 kg) or Girth greator than 165″ (4.19 m)
Type E:
* Shipment Method: Less-than-Truckload (LTL) Delivery of Individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: 100 lb (45 kg) or Generator or Girth greator than 165″ (4.19 m)
Type F:
* Shipment Method: Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Delivery of individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Pallet Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: N/A & N/A
Type G: TV/Monitor
* Product Category: TV/Monitor
* Shipment Method: Parcel Delivery of individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: Less than 150 ( 68 kg) & Girth equal to or less than 165″ (4..19 m)
Type H: TV/Monitor
* Product Category: TV/Monitor
* Shipment Method: Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Delivery of Individual Packaged-Products
* Handling Method: Standard Handling Method
* Weight & Dimensions: 150 lb (68 kg) or Greater or Girth greater than 165″ ( 4.19 m)
• Packaged Product Criteria are as follows:
• Amazon.com Outbound Shipment Method:
• Parcel Delivery of individual Packaged-Products
• Less-than-Truckload (LTL) Delivery of Individual Packaged-Products
* Packaged-Product Weight Greater than 150 lb or
* Any Packaged-Product Dimension Greater than 108 inches or
* Packaged-Product Girth Greater than 165 inches (4.19 m) (Girth=Length+2* (Width+Hieght) or
* Palletized Packaged-Product or
* Special Delivery Requirements by Amazon
• Amazon.com Fulfillment Center (FC) Handling Method:
* Standard Handling Method ( Floor Loaded)-Individual Packaged-Products that are received at Amazon.com Fulfillment Center with no pallet or with multiple Packaged-Products on a single pallet and are intended to ship to the end consumer without a pallet.
* Pallet Handling Method-Individual Packaged Products that are received at Amazon.com Fulfillment Center on it’s own individual pallet and is intended to ship to the end consumer on a pallet.
• Weight of Packaged-Product:
* Less than 50 lb (23 kg)
* 50 lb (23 kg) to less than 100 lb (45 kg)
* 100 lb (45 kg) or Greater
• Product Category:
* TV/Monitor- Any Package which contains as a primary product a TV or a Monitor. This Product category has been identified due to unique product attributes and ingerent areas of fragility in combination with distinct handling practices.
• You then have some definations on the rest of page four before taking note of the following general stipulations on page five:
* Testing can be used to evaluate the protective performance of a packaged-product related to vibrations, shocks and other stresses normally encountered during handling and transportation in the Amazon.com distribution system.
* The Package and product are considered together and not separately
* Some Conditions of transit, such as moisture, Pressure, or unusual handling may not be covered.
• Page five also talks about hazardous products before we see the following:
The Shipper, Manufaturer, Amazon.com and/or other stakeholders shall determine the following prior to testing , to permit the determination of pass or fail at the conclusion of the tests:
* What constitutes damage to the product and
* What damage tolerance level is allowable. if any. and
* The correct methodology to determine product condition at the conclusion of the test and
* The acceptable package condition at the conclusion of the test
The Shipper, Manufacturer, Amazon.com or other stakeholders shall also provide information regarding the initial shipment configuration, Approved container loading diagram, Details or shipment and configuraitons within the distribution system, Typical Atmospheric conditions, etc. as required to determine proper testing parameters.
Both Products and packages should be as close as possible to actual items.Pre-production prototypes such as hand-made samples.CAD-generator one-of-a-kind or short run samples,etc are usually not sufficiently representative of production items to yield meaningful test results. It may be appropriate to conduct preliminary tests of a product and package early in the development cycle, but final official testing should be performed with actual production items.
For fragile items, five samples are required for this test procedure. Franile items are defined as items that easily break or could leak during the distrubution process. This includes any item containing:
* Glass/ Cermic/ Porcelain/ clay
* Liquids/ Semi-liquids/ Solids that can become liquid at high temeratures (above 70 degrees Fahrenheit)
When multiple identical samples are tested , all samples must pass all tests.
For non-fragile items, one sample is required for this test procedure. If the sample is a palletized or a unitized load and this is the intended configuration for shipment to the end consumer, then this is constituted a single packaged-product.
TV/Monitors are considered Non-Fragile items. Establishment of a TV/Monitor test type, Reduces test variability and in turn allows for greater repeatability through fewer samples.
To permit an adequate determination of representative performance of the packages-product, ISTA
• Requires the test procedure, with the required number of samples, to be performed one time. but
• Recommends performing the entire test procedure five or more times using new samples for each test.
• Before we launch into the tests done for each type, page six giv
es is these additional notes:
NOTE: In order to ensure testing in perfect condition, Products and packages shipped to an ISTA Certified Laboratory for testing shall be:
* Adequately over-packaged for shipment or
* Repackaged in new packaging at the laboratory
NOTE: Any pallet or skid used in this procedure should be of a type and condition which is typical of what is in actial field use for the packaged-product being tested.
NOTE: It is important to throughly document the configuration, materials , and construction of the tested product and package. Significant variations in performace can sometimes be caused by seemingly insignificant differences. Photo documentation is strongly recommended to supplement detailed written descriptions.
• And then we launch into what tests are performed for each Product Packaging Type.
• You can now see why it is so vital to make sure you have correctly categorised your product packaging type so that you can ensure your product packaging will pass these tests… not only once, but five times as suggested before.
• From page fourteen on of the document, you can see what equipment ISTA will be using in order to complete these tests.
ISTA 6 Overview for OB (Tier 3)
• Before we open up this document on the testing protocols for the Over-Boxing certification for Tier 3, it is important again to point out that this type of ISTA 6 testing is for the individual retailed product being packed in a Master Carton from Amazon to the end-consumer so this would be for Sellers selling via Fulfillment by Amazon as well as for Vendors wanting to certify their individually packaged products even further.
• To download this overview document yourself, visit the ISTA website on www.ista.org and click on the “Test Procedures” link.
• Scroll down to where you find the ISTA 6 Series: Member Performance Tests header.
• Below the heading “Project 6-AMAZON.COM-Over Boxing, e-Commerce Fulfillment for Parcel Delivery Shipment” will be a paragraph of text and beneath this, your link to the overview document: “OVERVIEW and EQUIPMENT REQUIRED.”
• Upon opening this document, you can scroll down to the second page where the following information needs to be pointed out:
ISTA 6 Series tests are advanced tests and are designed to:
• Challenge the capability of the package and product to withstand transport hazards, but
• Utilize general simulation of actual transport hazards, and
• Do not necessarily comply with carrier packaging regulations.
• On page three, take note of the following:
Test Project 6-Amazon.com -Over Boxing is a general simulation test for a e-commerce fulfillment. In comparison to items ready to ship in its own packaging (Test Project 6-Amazon.com – SIOC). this kind of e-commerce fulfillment comprises and individual retail packaged-product being placed into a master shipping container (Over Box) either by itself with the addition of dunnage (air pilows or kraft paper) or with multiple individual retail packaged-products with dunnage for shipment from Amazon.com to an end consumer through a parcel delivery system which could include modes of air, rail, or truck. This test challenges the packaging and/or Products, weither primary package or transport package, ability to withstand the general damage-producing motions, forces, conditions, and sequences of this environment.
• We then get given explanations of the retail individual packaged product in the way of:
• e-Commerce Fulfillment shipment shall be defined as any packaged-product Configuration where: The retail individual packaged-product is not intended to ship in its own shipping container.
• Single or Multiple retail packaged-products are placed into a corrugated shipping container (“Over-box”) with dunnage for shipment to an end customer from an e-retiler or distribution center.
• And then examples of these containers are given below in the document. On Page four, we are given the following general considerations:
• Testing can be used evaluate the protective performance of a packages-product related to vibrations, Shocks and other stresses normally encountered during handling and transportation in a parcel delivery system.
• Test Levels are based on general data and may not represent any specific distribution system.
• The package and product are considered together and not separately
• Some Conditions of transite, such as moisture, Pressure or unusual handling may not be covered.
• And it is important to take note of the Following:
Test Project 6-Amazon.com – Over Boxing covers testing of individual packaged-products weighting 70 pounds (32 kilograms) or less when prepared for e-commerce fulfillment by being over-boxed and shipped via parcel delivery carrier.
THe shipper and Amazon.com shall determine the following prior to testing:
* What constitutes damage to the product (less specimen) and
* What damage tolerance level is allowable, if any, and
* The correct methodology to determine product condition at the conclusion of the test and
* The acceptable package condition at the conclusion of the test
Aceptance Criteria:
Not Meeting the criteria below will result in a failed test (Test Specimen only):
* Product is fully functional in its intended use
* No leaks
* Any Tamper Evident application is not compromised-seal integrity is intact
* Any secondary packaging that is considered part of the product is free from serious damage/indentations/scratching
• On the Following page, page five, we need to draw your attention to the following items of text:
Samples should be an untested actual package and product, but if one or both are not available, the substitutes shall be as identical as possible to actual items.
The table below provides the Total samples required for this test based upon Test Specimen Weight and Product Type (Non-Fragile or Fragile). Fragile items include such thing as glass, Cermics, Porecelains, clay, electronics, etc. as well as Liquid. See Glossary of Definitions at the end of this procedure.
In Order to ensure testing in perfect condition, products and packages shipped to an ISTA Certified Laboratory for testing shall be:
• Adequately over-packaged for shipment or
• Repackaged in new packaging at the laboratory
• It is importand to throughly document te configuration, materials, and constructions of the tested product and package. Significant Variations in performance can sometimes be caused by seemingly insignificant differences. Photo Documentation is required to supplement detailed written and should include pre-test, during testing and post test images.
When the outer package is a corrugated box, it is strongly recommended that the basis weight of the papers/paperboards used to make the box be determined and document. If the nominal basis weight change, even if the board is rated for the same performance, retest is appropiate.
• And then we are shown what tests are performed on the single item and multiple item individual retail packaged product so you can be absolutely certain that your packaging will hold up against these tests before you send them out to the ISTA lab for testing.
• Pages six to nine of the document then show what equipment will be used to perform these tests.
Contacting ISTA
• Okay, so let’s see where we are.
• We have identified which primary or parent ASINs we will be sending for the Tier 1 or Tier 2 Type A product tests or have at least selected the products we will be sending for any of the Tier 1, 2 or 3 tests we have just gone through.
• We have checked the tests that are relevant for our product and have ensured that our packaging will actually hold up and pass all the tests that will be done to it.
• We are now ready to contact ISTA for a quote and a testing date.
• Go back to the www.ista.org website and click on the “Find a Lab or Services” link.
• On the following page, take note of these things before you scroll down to the form below:
* “To view all members, click “Search” with no criteria”;
* “To find ISTA Certified Labs based on procedure capability, use the filters below. Please note the search criteria works as a filter and will restrict your results to labs that have all capabilities requested. As an example, if you select “Y” for 3A and “Y” for 3E, the search results will only show labs that are certified to perform BOTH 3A & 3E. A lab that is only certified for 3A, but not 3E, will not show in the search results.”
* “To find ISTA members that offer other packaging related services (packaging supplies, test equipment, design services, etc.) you can search by indicating a desired service in the “General Services” drop box below.”
• And this then brings us to the form below where we can type in our specifications to narrow down our search and we recommend at least selecting the country from the Drop-Down Menu provided to at least find laboratories in your own country.
• You can probably leave most of the form blank except when you want to test for ISTA 6 SIOC and the product type, for example, Type A; or if you want to test for ISTA 6 Over-Boxing and then click the “Search” button at the bottom of the page.
• You will then be presented with some companies who can carry out the tests you need and you can then choose to either call them directly, visit their website and locate their email address to email them directly or simply click on the “Contact Form” link and request information, a quote and anything else you would like to know in order for you to get your products off to them for testing.