Historically, Amazon has allowed sellers to provide a more consistent brand and improved customer experience with the Ships in Own Container program. Today, sellers can take advantage of this service, now known as Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP). Amazon believes this branding decision will better reflect the purpose of the program.

Overview

Sellers already using Ships in Own Container will have the same greater experience with SIPP. In fact, those brands will automatically be enrolled into SIPP. This includes brands selling to Canada, the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Businesses new to Ships in Product Packaging can access new avenues to provide improved customer experiences while staying truer to their brand. Additionally, it can help save money through valuable discounts and a reduced environmental impact.

There will be no major changes when sending products to Amazon for inventory refills and product launches. Amazon has designed this update to keep the convenience sellers have experienced up to this point with more benefits.

Customer Experience

Ships in Product Packaging will help with customer retention, providing a better experience for new and repeat shoppers. Customers will get the best of both worlds with this offering. They will see a message indicating that the products can ship in their container during checkout if they are SIPP-certified. At checkout, they’re presented with a concealment option for most products, and they can choose to add Amazon packaging (“Ships in Amazon Packaging”) at no additional cost.

Amazon recognized the potential discrepancy between seller offering and customer use regarding the SIPP program. Sellers receive incentives for the products enrolled and SIPP-certified by the seller, regardless of whether the customers choose to add Amazon packaging.

Ship in Product Packaging returns are still as easy for customers and sellers. Amazon usesa standard evaluation process to manage returns for both Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) and non-SIPP products as per FBA customer returns policy. For further information on returns, go to FBA customer returns policy page. 

Potentially sensitive items must be marked and labeled discreetly to avoid a negative customer experience. For the full list of items considered sensitive for the purposes of Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) certification, got to Ships in Product Packaging guidelines.

Enrollment Eligibility

To facilitate enrollment, Amazon designed their eligibility requirements accordingly. For a full list of enrollment requirements and the steps outlined, view Amazon’s Ships in Product Packaging program page.

To join SIPP, your products must be shipped to one or multiple countries: the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The outer packaging must pass testing guidelines and meet the material requirements outlined in the Ships in Product Packaging guidelines. Generally, Amazon recommends using curbside recyclable materials (such as cardboard or paper-based mailers and bags) and materials containing recycled content.

Products new to FBA can also be enrolled in the SIPP program. Sellers will need to list the new product on Seller Central and create a Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) offer on it. Once the new product is listed with an FBA offer on Seller Central, the product will be eligible to enroll via the SIPP enrollment page. 

Product Ineligibility

The eligible product list does not include products that are classified as hazmat, dangerous goods, or those that our historical data shows as being too small to qualify for Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) certification. Extra Large products in NA and Special Oversize products in the EU are also excluded from the eligible products tab as they’re required to ship in product packaging by default and, therefore, not eligible for SIPP discounts.

The specific reason for ineligibility will be noted at time of product search within the “Eligible” tab. The products included on the Eligible Products tab must be evaluated and possibly adjusted by the seller to ensure they meet SIPP certification standards and pass testing requirements.

To dispute any product ineligibility, you can contact Amazon for next steps through Seller Central. To open a support case, go to Get Help.

Size Requirements

Product packaging must meet minimum dimensions of 6” x 4” x 0.375” or 15.2 cm x 10.2 cm x 0.95 cm with no exceptions to certify your products as Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP). Products with outermost packaging that is less than the size requirements are currently ineligible for certification as they can’t accommodate the standard 6” x 4” shipping label. In addition, products with flexible (bag) packaging must meet the maximum dimensions of 18” (45.7 cm) x 14” (35.6 cm) x 6” (15.2 cm) in US and Canada stores, and 17.91” (45.5 cm) x 13.38” (34 cm) x 9.25” (23.5 cm) in DE, FR, IT, ES, and UK stores.

It is important to note that extra-large products don’t qualify for the lower Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) fulfillment fees since the requirement to ship in product packaging is required of all Extra-large products, anyway.

SIPP Program Enrollment Discounts

All products enrolled and approved for certification in the Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) program are eligible to receive a discount. Only SIPP-certified units that ship to customers will receive the discount on FBA fulfillment fees. You can search products you’re interested in enrolling through the Seller Central SIPP portal to determine their eligibility for enrollment. 

The discount rate regarding any FBA fulfillment fees is dependent on the size and weight of the product as used to charge FBA fulfillment fees. To find the specific discount, go to 2024 FBA fulfillment fees changes.

When you enroll products that aren’t already Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP)-certified, you’ll be asked to provide the certification date in the Seller Central SIPP portal before Amazon reviews the request. The certification date should be chosen based upon the first arrival date of your SIPP-compliant product to Amazon fulfillment centers. Once your enrollment request has been approved, discounts will apply on units that are received at Amazon fulfillment centers after the product certification date you provided. No discounts will apply on units received before this date. Products that are SIPP-certified before February 5, 2024 will automatically receive the discounted FBA fulfillment fees in Canada, US, Italy, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom stores starting on February 5, 2024.

This program can be a great benefit for sellers looking to save money. This is because even if you receive Low-Price FBA rates, you are also eligible to receive lowered FBA fulfillment fees on each SIPP-certified unit shipped.

Opting Out and Decertification

Amazon does not require sellers to opt-in to the Ships in Own Packaging program. In fact, if you would prefer not to enroll, you do not need to take any further actions. No products will be enrolled until the seller completes the enrollment process.

If you choose to unenroll a product from SIPP, you can request to decertify it from the “Enrolled Products” tab on Seller Central’s SIPP page. Within the “Enrolled Products” tab, there is a button to “Unenroll” within the “Action” column. Amazon will review your decertification request within three business days and email confirmation that your request is approved. Once the decertification is approved, you will stop receiving discounts for that unenrolled product. 

It is important to realize that products can be decertified from the SIPP program. Once the products are certified Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP), they have to meet damage rate limits or will be automatically decertified. Additionally, any violation of Amazon policies or guidelines may result in decertification of the products. To learn more about triggers for decertification and how to rectify decertifications, go to Ships in Product Packaging Decertification.