FBA Prep Center in New Jersey —
Edison, NJ
ARDI's FBA prep center in Edison, New Jersey handles FNSKU labeling, poly-bagging, bundling, and carton forwarding to Amazon FBA warehouses on the East Coast. Located 25 miles from Port Newark and within 65 miles of five Amazon fulfillment centers.
Amazon FBA Prep Is
Now Mandatory
Amazon discontinued its in-house FBA Prep Service in January 2026. Sellers who previously relied on Amazon to label, bag, and prep their inventory must now use a third-party prep center or handle preparation themselves before shipping to FBA.
This change affects every Amazon seller who ships to FBA without pre-applied FNSKU labels. Without proper prep, Amazon rejects inbound shipments or charges penalty fees. A dedicated FBA prep center eliminates this risk and keeps your inventory moving to the shelf.
Why an Integrated Prep Center Beats the Alternatives
Amazon sellers looking for FBA prep in 2026 face three model types. Each has a structural gap that ARDI fills:
China-Based Prep
FBABEE model
How it works: Prep happens in China before shipping: labeling, bagging, inspection at supplier factory.
What's Missing: Prep is locked before ocean transit. If goods arrive damaged, mold-contaminated, or Amazon changes requirements mid-transit — you can't re-prep. No US-side inspection. No placement fee split.
US-Only Prep Center
AMZ Prep model
How it works: Receives goods already in USA. Handles labeling, bagging, forwarding to Amazon FCs. 50+ locations.
What's Missing: Zero international freight. Seller must arrange own China → US shipping, customs clearance, and drayage to the prep center. Two or three vendors to coordinate. Two invoices. Finger-pointing when something goes wrong.
ARDI Integrated Model
Factory → Amazon
How it works: FMC-licensed freight forwarding + own NJ warehouse + FBA prep + drayage from Port Newark. One company from factory to Amazon shelf.
Nothing missing. Full pipeline under one company. Cargo protection up to $100,000. Prep after US arrival = inspect post-voyage + re-prep if needed + bi-coastal split to eliminate placement fees.
FBA Prep Services at Our Edison, NJ Facility
Amazon sellers looking for FBA prep in 2026 face three model types. Each has a structural gap that ARDI fills:
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01
FNSKU Labeling
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02
Poly-Bagging
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03
Bubble Wrap / Overboxing
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04
Bundling & Kitting
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05
Suffocation Labels
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06
Shrink Wrapping
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07
Inspection & QC
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08
Carton Building
FNSKU Labeling Service — What Sellers Need to Know
What is FNSKU?
FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit) is Amazon's unique barcode that ties a product to your specific seller account. Unlike a UPC or EAN, an FNSKU ensures that your inventory is never commingled with another seller's stock of the same product.
Why every unit needs it
If you ship to FBA without FNSKU labels, Amazon either rejects the shipment or defaults to commingled inventory. Commingling means a customer could receive another seller's counterfeit or damaged stock under your listing — resulting in negative reviews and potential account suspension.
Our labeling process
We print FNSKU labels in-house using thermal printers for maximum scan reliability. Labels are applied over existing manufacturer barcodes. Each unit is scanned after labeling to verify accuracy before packing into cartons. Error rate: under 0.1%.
< 0.1%
Error Rate
Thermal
Label Printing
100%
Post-Scan Verify
Cargo Protection at Our NJ Prep Center
Your inventory is protected while in ARDI's Riverside warehouse. ARDI guarantees compensation at full invoice value (up to $100,000) for goods lost or damaged under ARDI's direct control — from container unloading through prep completion to Amazon dispatch. Warehouse-stage claims are resolved within 3 months.
Why this matters for prep
When you use a separate prep center that isn't your freight forwarder, liability gaps form at every handoff. The forwarder says "we delivered full container." The prep center says "we only received this count." With ARDI, one company unloads your container, counts units, preps, and dispatches. Documented chain of custody eliminates finger-pointing.
Cargo guarantee does not cover goods confiscated by regulatory agencies. ARDI's goal is to prevent this from happening. Through our pre-shipment inspection service, ARDI verifies HS codes, required certifications (FDA, CPSIA, FCC), and labeling compliance before your goods leave the factory. This reduces the risk of US Customs seizure to near zero.
What's covered at the prep stage:
- Loss or damage during warehouse receiving and unloading
- Loss or damage during FBA prep (labeling, bagging, bundling, carton building)
- Loss or damage during warehouse storage before dispatch
- Compensation at commercial invoice value, up to $100,000
Resolution: Warehouse-stage claims resolved within 3 months.
What's not covered:
- Goods transferred to third-party carriers (UPS, FedEx, Amazon SPD/LTL) with documented proof of handoff — carrier liability applies
- Goods confiscated by US Customs, FDA, or other regulatory agencies due to non-compliance with import requirements
How FBA Prep Works: Port to Amazon Shelf
Inventory arrives at our Edison dock either via container drayage from Port Newark (25 miles) or from your own shipping arrangements. Here is the NJ-specific prep workflow:
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01
Receiving & Count Verification
We unload your shipment, count every unit against the packing list, and flag discrepancies. Container unloading takes 2–4 working hours. Individual pallets and parcels are processed same-day.
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02
Prep Plan Assignment
Each SKU gets a prep plan based on Amazon’s 2026 category requirements. Our team checks the current FBA prep requirements for your ASINs and applies the correct combination of labeling, bagging, wrapping, or bundling.
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03
FNSKU Labeling & Packaging
Labels printed and applied. Poly-bags sealed. Bundles assembled. Each unit inspected before packing. Our SPN certification means Amazon has verified our prep quality and processes.
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04
Carton Building & FBA Forwarding
Prepped units packed into Amazon-compliant cartons. Carton labels applied. SPD shipments dispatched to EWR4 (30 mi), TEB6 (35 mi), ABE8 (65 mi), or any assigned FC. Same-day dispatch for orders completed before 2 PM EST.
Total prep turnaround: 1–2 days from receiving to dispatch for standard orders.
Same-day prep available for urgent shipments under 500 units. Full container loads: 2–3 days including unloading.
Fulfillment Coverage: NY/NJ Metro & East Coast
The exact path your container takes from factory to Amazon shelf through our Edison facility
| Destination | Distance |
|---|---|
| EWR4 (Robbinsville, NJ) SPD cartons arrive same day | 30 miles |
| TEB6 (Teterboro, NJ) Same-day delivery | 35 miles |
| LGA9 (Queens, NY) Next-day delivery | 40 miles |
| JFK8 (Staten Island, NY) next-day delivery | 45 miles |
| ABE8 (Breinigsville, PA) next-day delivery | 65 miles |
| Port Newark: same-day container drayage | 25 miles |
35,000 sq ft
Operated by ARDI Express LLC
20M+
Population within 2-hour radius for DTC
Online Arbitrage & Book Prep
Online Arbitrage Prep
Remove retail packaging, apply FNSKU labels, poly-bag per Amazon's category requirements, and pack into mixed-SKU cartons. We handle both individual units and bulk OA shipments.
Book prep
Condition verification (New, Used-Like New, etc.), FNSKU labeling, poly-bagging for books with dust jackets, and carton building optimized for book weight limits. We know Amazon's book-specific prep requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get a Quote for FBA Prep in New Jersey
Amazon stopped doing prep in January 2026. If your goods arrive at an FBA warehouse without proper FNSKU labels, poly-bags, or packaging — Amazon rejects them. Don't lose sales waiting for a prep solution. Tell us your SKU count, prep requirements, and monthly volume. Receive per-unit pricing and turnaround time within 24 hours.
