Orders Arriving Without Outer Packaging - Customers Complaining
We are experiencing an issue in which customer orders arrive damaged due to inadequate packaging when sent via FBA.
Our garments are stored in clear polythene bags with ventilation holes. These holes are a legal requirement to prevent suffocation. Because of this, the polythene bags are not suitable as outer shipping packaging — they offer no protection against dirt, moisture, or damage in transit.
We are currently enrolled in the Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) programme for some SKUs. It appears Amazon is applying shipping labels directly to these polythene garment bags and dispatching orders with no additional outer packaging. We never actually applied to be within the SIPP, so we only realised this was happening when customers started complaining.
We noticed the packaging says it needs to be in a "Flexible Bag". We need to understand whether this means:
- The bag that we, as the seller, provide when sending stock into Amazon in bulk, or
- A bag that Amazon applies at the fulfilment centre before dispatching to the customer, such as a recyclable brown mailing bag
Our understanding was that Amazon would be responsible for placing the item into an appropriate outer bag prior to dispatch. If the SIPP programme means Amazon is simply applying a shipping label directly to our polythene garment bag with no additional packaging, we need to know how to prevent this and what steps we need to take to ensure adequate outer packaging is applied before orders are shipped to customers.
Could someone please advise on the best course of action to prevent orders from continuing to ship without adequate outer packaging?
Orders Arriving Without Outer Packaging - Customers Complaining
We are experiencing an issue in which customer orders arrive damaged due to inadequate packaging when sent via FBA.
Our garments are stored in clear polythene bags with ventilation holes. These holes are a legal requirement to prevent suffocation. Because of this, the polythene bags are not suitable as outer shipping packaging — they offer no protection against dirt, moisture, or damage in transit.
We are currently enrolled in the Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) programme for some SKUs. It appears Amazon is applying shipping labels directly to these polythene garment bags and dispatching orders with no additional outer packaging. We never actually applied to be within the SIPP, so we only realised this was happening when customers started complaining.
We noticed the packaging says it needs to be in a "Flexible Bag". We need to understand whether this means:
- The bag that we, as the seller, provide when sending stock into Amazon in bulk, or
- A bag that Amazon applies at the fulfilment centre before dispatching to the customer, such as a recyclable brown mailing bag
Our understanding was that Amazon would be responsible for placing the item into an appropriate outer bag prior to dispatch. If the SIPP programme means Amazon is simply applying a shipping label directly to our polythene garment bag with no additional packaging, we need to know how to prevent this and what steps we need to take to ensure adequate outer packaging is applied before orders are shipped to customers.
Could someone please advise on the best course of action to prevent orders from continuing to ship without adequate outer packaging?
8 replies
Seller_zKEt2RiaID5EU
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/sipp-enrollment
The SIPP program will send your parcel out in the same format you sent it to the FBA fulfilment centre
The above link gives you access to the SIPP enrollment page. Under the enrolled products tab, you can "unenroll" any items you wish, so this does not happen to you.
Kind Regards
Elliot
Seller_WjQIT17Ak4gSb
I'm having the same problem with some products where I have specifically opted out of SIPP and yet Amazon are still doing it/offering it. I've got an ongoing support case but no resolution so far. They also aren't providing me the discount on the products that they are shipping out without packaging, because I'm not enrolled.
Susi_Amazon
Hello @Seller_xOAkhYY1tcSiw,
Thank you for raising this. The SIPP program ships products in the same format they arrive at our fulfillment centers.
You can manage your SIPP enrollment through your Seller Central account, visit the SIPP enrollment page to review which products are enrolled and unenroll any items you'd prefer to ship with additional packaging.
@Seller_WjQIT17Ak4gSb I'd recommend reaching out to Seller Support with your case details so they can investigate further. They can review your account settings and ensure your preferences are being applied correctly.
-Susi 🌿
Seller_xOAkhYY1tcSiw
Hi @Susi_Amazon ,
I do have some feedback for Amazon, as we were added to SIPP without consent (it has applied to 100s of SKUs). Could the IT team at Amazon be tasked with creating a bulk withdrawal button or an option to just completely withdraw from the program? The current process is very time-consuming, and it is highly frustrating when we never agreed to doing this program.
I imagine many sellers will be affected by this, as it is the law to have ventilation holes in garment bags so babies do not suffocate. Thus, it is impossible to do a suitable SIPP.
We request that, if the SIPP becomes the standard way of packing items when customers buy FBA in future, there is a major announcement so clothing sellers are informed and have plenty of time to change their product packaging.
Angie_Amazon
Hello @Seller_xOAkhYY1tcSiw,
Thank you for raising this. I understand the concern — garment bags with ventilation holes are not designed to serve as shipping packaging, and we appreciate you flagging this.
The Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) programme ships products in the format they are received at the fulfilment centre. If your products are stored in polythene bags that are not suitable for direct shipping (e.g., due to ventilation holes required by law), you can unenroll those ASINs from the programme.
To manage your SIPP enrollment:
- Visit the SIPP enrollment page in Seller Central: https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/sipp-enrollment
- From there, you can review which of your products are currently enrolled and request to opt out
Regarding packaging requirements for SIPP-eligible flexible packaging:
- All open edges must be secured with heat sealing, tape, or adhesive
- The packaging must be tamper-proof with no visible openings or perforations
- Material thickness must be ≥ 2 mils LDPE
If your garment bags do not meet these requirements (e.g., they have ventilation holes), they would not qualify as suitable SIPP packaging, and unenrolling is the right step.
For products where you continue to experience shipping without outer packaging after unenrolling, please contact Seller Support so they can investigate your specific account settings.
For more information, you can visit the Ships in Product Packaging page on the Amazon Packaging website.
Angie
Seller_Nprc5XWvdLYk9
we are not enrolled in SIPP - but it does seem at times amazon do just stick a delivery label direct to a product box (these are board games - the box is retained by the customer to keep the game in )
Seller_Nprc5XWvdLYk9
just checked it again - and it seems amazon had enrolled a number of products in SIPP -
we have never ever elected for this scheme.
(and just to note - the products that previously amazon sent with just a label on the item - were not on this list!)
