How to sell more inventory with case packs and pallets

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Case packs and pallets can be a way to provide great value for customers while also growing your business and driving sales. With the right strategy, bulk sales can help you save on costs and increase your profit margins.

Bulk products are in demand. According to our data, case pack sales grew 16% faster than single unit sales in 2023.¹

This post covers:

• What are case packs and pallets?
• What are the benefits of case packs and pallets?
• What is Amazon Bulk Services?
• What is the Amazon Bulk Services referral fee discount?
• How to list case packs and pallets for sale
• How to decide what to sell in bulk

What are case packs and pallets?

Case packs and pallets are two configuration options for selling a product in different amounts. The Amazon store supports three configurations:

• Single unit: The smallest sellable package of a product. For example, a single computer keyboard, or a box of 15 pens.
• Case pack: A package that contains multiple units of the same product. For example, a case pack of 10 keyboards, or a case pack of 25 boxes of pens.
• Pallets: A stack of the same single unit or case pack on a wooden or plastic frame. For example, a pallet of 50 case packs, each containing 10 individual keyboards.

Both case packs and pallets are common in higher-volume and business-to-business (B2B) sales.

Offering case packs and pallets can be an opportunity to encourage sales from customers who want to buy in large quantities. Examples of customers who often purchase in bulk include companies, retailers, and government entities. Selling B2B can be a way to connect with these kinds of customers and expand your reach.

If you want to sell B2B, you can make use of business pricing, quantity discounts, and more benefits through the Amazon Business program. Choose a Professional selling plan to get access to Amazon Business benefits, including the chance to get referral fee discounts when you create package hierarchies for eligible products.

Learn more about Amazon Business

What are the benefits of case packs and pallets?

In addition to driving value for customers and growing your business, a strategy to sell bulk inventory has the potential to improve both the buying and selling experience in several ways:

• Higher sales: Selling in bulk can lead to larger order volumes on average, increasing sales and revenue for your business.
• Reduced costs: By selling larger quantities, you can simplify operations and save on procurement, inventory management, fulfillment, and other steps in the ecommerce process.
• Increased profit margins: More revenue balanced by fewer costs can translate to healthier profit margins.
• Improved scalability: Once you have systems in place to sell in bulk, this business model can give you the potential to scale up and sell increasing volumes.
• Greater efficiency: Selling in bulk can bring a greater return on value for your efforts by simplifying product listings, advertising, and other aspects of running an ecommerce business.

Add it all up, and bulk selling can be a high-demand and high-growth business opportunity, offering cost-effective convenience for customers and sellers alike.

What is Amazon Bulk Services?

Amazon Bulk Services is a free program available through the Amazon Business program to Professional sellers in Amazon’s US store. It supports bulk B2B sales with enhanced tools and benefits, including:

• Enhanced visibility and discoverability of products on consolidated listings
• Improved customer experience with streamlined purchasing and delivery
• Higher chance of becoming the Featured Offer

When you create a package hierarchy for an eligible product in Amazon’s US store, the product is automatically enrolled in Amazon Bulk Services.

Learn more about Amazon Bulk Services

What is the Amazon Bulk Services referral fee discount?

Eligible products can save 15 to 25% on referral fees when you list them through Amazon Bulk Services by creating a package hierarchy.

For example, if you sell a product that has a referral fee per unit of 8%, then your discount could increase with the number of units as follows:

• Case pack or pallet 2-9 units: 6.8% (8% reduced to 6.8% reflects a 15% discount)
• Case pack or pallet 10-23 units: 6.4% (8% reduced to 6.4% reflects a 20% discount
• Case pack or pallet 24+ units: 6% (8% reduced to 6% reflects a 25% discount)

With the referral fee discount, the more you sell, the greater your potential for savings.

Learn more about referral fee discounts

How to list case packs and pallets for sale

You have a few options for listing case packs and pallets in the Amazon store, depending on how you want to sell them. You can:

• Match an offer to a case pack or pallet that’s already listed in the Amazon store
• List a standalone case pack or pallet
• Create a package hierarchy through Amazon Bulk Services

Here are the steps for each method, as well as eligibility details.

Match an offer or create a standalone case pack or pallet

All Amazon sellers can match offers to case pack and pallet listings that are already in the Amazon store. Note that with this method, sellers aren’t eligible for the referral fee discount through Amazon Bulk Services. Sellers might also need to secure product, category, or brand approval.

The same requirements apply if you want to create a standalone listing for a case pack or pallet that isn’t already listed in the Amazon store. With this method, you’ll create a new product detail page for a case pack or pallet separate from other configurations.

If you want to take either of these two routes, then you can use Amazon’s standard listing processes.

Learn more about our standard listing process

Create a package hierarchy

If you want to benefit from the Amazon Bulk Services referral fee discount, check to make sure you meet eligibility criteria for creating a package hierarchy:

Seller eligibility

• You have a Professional selling plan.
• You’re a registered seller in Amazon’s US store.
• You’re either internal to or an authorized reseller for a brand enrolled in Brand Registry.

Brand Registry is a free program that can help you build and protect your brand.

Product eligibility

• The product is a hardline or consumable product, like electronics, toys, groceries, or pet supplies.
• Every configuration (unit, case pack, pallet) for the product must have its own product ID, like a GTIN or UPC, scannable on the package exterior.
• The price of the case pack or pallet is greater than $20, and the product meets at least one of these conditions:
  
  • The number of units in the case pack or pallet is greater than or equal to 10.
  • The volume of the case pack or pallet is greater than or equal to 1,400 cubic inches.
  • The weight of the case pack or pallet is greater than or equal to 35 pounds.

If you, the product, and the case pack or pallet meet all requirements, then you can create a package hierarchy.

Here’s how to create a package hierarchy:

1. Log in to Seller Central, hover over Catalog in the main menu, then select Add Products.
2. Select Spreadsheet, then select Download Blank Template. Fill out the template with relevant information based on what you want to sell.
3. Select Upload file to upload the completed inventory file and create the hierarchy.

Learn more and create a package hierarchy

How to decide what to sell in bulk

Clothing, office supplies, and home goods are examples of product types that can be profitable when you sell them in bulk. So can pet supplies, games, and collectibles like trading cards. Looking for more ideas for bulk products to sell? Check out our guide to product ideas as a starting point.

To supercharge your research, you can also try the Case Pack Recommendations tool in Seller Central. Professional sellers who are either a Brand Representative or Reseller authorized by the brand can use Case Pack Recommendations as a way to increase larger-volume sales. From the main menu, hover over B2B, then select Case Pack Recommendations. Here you can explore the possibilities for products that could perform well if you offer them as case packs.

Try the Case Pack Recommendations tool

Get recommendations for case packs

Watch

Get recommendations for case packs

Find out how the Case pack product opportunities tool can help you identify single-unit products you already sell that customers might want to buy as case packs in the Amazon store. You’ll also learn how to use this tool to review existing case packs you can add offers to.

Sell B2B and drive value with case packs and pallets

Procuring products in large quantities could be a lucrative strategy for your business. Explore our guide to selling wholesale for best practices related to working with wholesalers, like deciding how much to sell.

Along with wholesale selling, you might want to consider other business models that can allow you to sell in bulk online and establish relationships with customers who want to place large purchases. Check out our B2B ecommerce guide for tips and inspiration.

Log in to your Amazon selling account to get started with listing case packs and pallets, or create an account if you haven’t already. Here’s our seller registration guide for more details and an overview of the process. We’re here to help you go big with your ecommerce business.

*A Professional selling plan is $39.99 a month + selling fees. Learn more
¹Amazon internal data, 2024