Selling on Amazon and shipping via ground parcel requires business owners to be aware of packaging and shipping guidelines. Shipping guidelines can vary from product to product and even for the same product in different sizes. Over the years we have helped several customers large and small find packaging solutions for shipping products on Amazon.
Amazon Packaging Guidelines
Amazon has an entire page dedicated to packaging products containing liquids. It covers a variety of specifics including testing and restrictions. Amazon is requiring two seals to ensure the container stays closed without leakage during transport. They require drop testing to make sure no leakage will occur. The video below describes how Amazon wants products with liquids prepped prior to order fulfillment.
Below is a screenshot from Amazon of a detailed checklist of do’s and don’ts for liquid packaging.
Amazon Liquid Packaging Solutions
In our blog post titled The Ultimate Seller’s Guide to Ebay, Amazon, and Etsy Packaging we briefly mentioned packaging liquids for Amazon sales. With the guidelines mentioned above, we are going to offer detailed solutions including machines and materials to package liquids for Amazon sales.
To determine the right packaging solution it is important to understand the 3 primary guidelines Amazon is asking for.
1. Tightened Cap and Secured Pump Nozzle if Applicable
2. Double Safety Seal
3. Pass a 3 Ft. Drop Test
Though the guidelines from Amazon are clear, the types of materials and machine needed are not. The list of solutions below should help to shed light on possible options that are Amazon compliant and will not break the bank.
Tightening the cap and securing the pump nozzle
A very simple and cost-effective solution for this guideline is centerfold shrink wrap or shrink wrap bags. Fully enclosing a pump bottle in shrink wrap locks the pump in place. Locking the pump in place will help to prevent leakage during transit and reduce damaged bottles arriving at customers.
The full enclosure will serve two purposes while complying to Amazon Guidelines. It will tighten caps and secure pump nozzles as required by Amazon. It will also fully enclose the container as a double seal. With the proper seals and shrink film thickness, it will pass a drop test as well. See the video below for fully sealed pump bottles ready for Amazon shipping.
A variety of shrink wrap machines can be used when wrapping containers with liquids. For shrink wrap bags or centerfold shrink wrap, a sealer and heating source is required. Low production levels often use a heat gun for the heating source. A much more efficient option is a heat tunnel.
We have listed three machines below in order of efficiency and cost to show some different options available for shrink wrapping equipment.
I Bar Shrink Wrap Systems: Up to 200 Products Daily
Shrink Chambers: Up to 800 Products Daily
Shrink Combo Systems: Up to 3,000 Products Daily
Double Safety Seal
The full shrink wrap enclosure mentioned above can meet two guidelines required by Amazon. For pump bottles, it secures the pump nozzle and creates a double safety seal. It is a perfect option for smaller to medium-sized liquid bottles. Most plastic bottles up to approximately 24 ounces will pass a drop test with a 100 gauge polyolefin or PVC shrink wrap.
Another excellent and affordable option for meeting double safety seal guidelines is shrink banding. Shrink banding is pre-cut sleeves that fit onto the cap of the bottle to create a double safety seal. They can work for bottles with a pump but are recommended for more uniform lids. Shrink banding is excellent for lighter bottles during drop testing. Shrink banding alone often struggles during drop testing on larger containers.
To pass a drop test on larger containers we recommend a shrink banding coupled with a polyethylene bag or tubing. Amazon recommends self-sealing bags made from polyethylene. They are a great option but can be time-consuming depending on the quantities of products that need to be packaged.
For long cylindrical products glass or plastic, a 3-6 mil poly tubing with a shrink banding around the cap is a great option. It allows users to quickly slide the products within the tubing and seal the open end. The thicker poly tubing will pass a drop test for even large cylindrical objects.
For other non-cylindrical glass or plastic products, a 3-6 mil poly bag used with a shrink banding will ensure the product will pass a drop test. Poly bags are available in many different sizes to accommodate even larger products. With a strong seal and the proper thickness of poly bag, liquids will be contained if leakage occurs.
There is a large selection of sealers on the market capable of increasing production speeds and efficiency. For faster production speeds we recommend the continuous CBS 880 band sealer. It is fast, efficient, and affordable. It is also available in a vertical model to send bottles through standing up. It makes a thick durable seal that will pass a drop test when used with the proper film thickness.
If you have any questions or would like assistance finding the right solution for your needs contact us at 1-800-441-5090.
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