Start an FBA prep center in your garage.
The complete, no-hype guide to launching a home-based Amazon prep business—from your LLC and insurance to pricing, landing your first client, and handling the day a shipment goes missing.
- Legal & financial setup — structure, licensing, zoning, insurance, taxes, and sales tax nexus
- Real numbers — startup costs, break-even math, and pricing that doesn’t race to the bottom
- Day-to-day operations — workflow, shipping, Q4 peak, and Amazon compliance
- 4 bonus templates — service agreement, liability waiver, pricing calculator, daily checklist
By Greg Purdy — founder of Seller Essentials, selling online since 1999, and creator of the internet’s first FBA prep directory. Meet the author
Amazon just made prep centers more essential.
In 2026, two Amazon policy changes removed the last reasons many resellers had to skip prep. Sellers now have two choices: prep it themselves before shipping, or send inventory through a prep center that will.
That demand isn’t evenly served. Large warehouse operations are built for volume, so brand-new and small sellers often aren’t worth their time. Those are exactly the clients a well-run garage operation is built to serve.
January 1, 2026
Amazon ended U.S. FBA prep and labeling
No more FNSKU labeling, poly-bagging, bubble wrap, or bundling by Amazon—including inventory routed through AWD, AGL, SEND, and Supply Chain Portal.
March 31, 2026
Commingling ended for resellers
Arbitrage and wholesale sellers who aren’t Brand Representatives now have to put an FNSKU label on every unit.
The opening
Small sellers need a partner too
Your size isn’t a handicap. It’s a market position: serving the sellers bigger operations have little incentive to chase.
Written for operators, not dreamers.
A garage prep center is a real service business with real clients, real liability, and real physical labor. Here’s who will get the most out of this book.
This book is for you if you…
- Have garage, basement, spare-room, or outbuilding space you can dedicate to inventory
- Want a sustainable service business—not just a few hundred extra dollars a month
- Are comfortable with spreadsheets, email, and simple bookkeeping, or willing to learn
- Know your way around Amazon selling: ASIN, SKU, FBA, and Seller Central
- Prep your own inventory and want to do it right (self-prepper notes run throughout)
It’s probably not for you if you want…
- A fully passive income stream
- A get-rich-quick pitch or overnight results
- A business that doesn’t involve lifting boxes and dealing with people
- Legal, tax, or insurance advice for your exact situation—this book shows you what to ask
29 chapters, in the order you’ll actually build the business.
Each chapter stands largely on its own, so you can skip what you’ve already handled and go straight to what you need.
Part One
Getting started
Find out if this business fits you—and where you fit in the industry.
- Is a garage prep business right for you?
- Understanding the Amazon prep industry
- Choosing your niche
Part Two
Legal & financial foundations
Set it up properly before you take a single unit.
- Business structure and formation
- Licensing, permits, zoning, and HOA rules
- Insurance, taxes, and sales tax nexus
- Bookkeeping, startup costs, and break-even
Part Three
Setting up your operation
Equipment, software, and a workflow built for speed.
- Software and technology
- Equipment, tools, and supplies
- Designing your workflow
Part Four
Running the business
Pricing, clients, and the daily rhythm.
- Pricing your services
- Finding and onboarding clients
- Daily procedures and shipping
- Peak season and Q4 operations
Part Five
Compliance & problem-solving
What to do when things go wrong—before they do.
- Amazon rules and compliance
- Damaged, lost, and disputed inventory
- Returns, removals, and firing a client
- Knowing your limitations
Part Six
Growing the business
When and how to move past the garage.
- Hiring employees
- Common mistakes and red flags
- Scaling beyond the garage
- Your first 30 days: a checklist
Templates you can put to work on day one.
Plus a full glossary and chapter-by-chapter resource lists.
Prep Service Agreement
An 18-section client agreement covering fees, storage, liability, liens, and termination.
Inventory Liability Waiver
Sets clear expectations on risk, client insurance, counterfeit goods, and storage fees.
Pricing Calculator
A spreadsheet to find your cost floor and test pricing before you send a quote.
Daily Procedures Checklist
Before-you-start to end-of-day habits that keep billing, supplies, and shipping on track.
Everything you need to launch.
All 29 chapters and all 4 bonus templates, ready to download right away.
eBook
Instant download · 30-day money-back guarantee
- The complete 29-chapter guide
- All 4 bonus templates
- Six weeks of step-by-step emails from Greg
- Full glossary and resource lists
- Searchable on any device
The eBook includes six weeks of step-by-step emails from Greg, then occasional Amazon updates. Reply with questions anytime, and unsubscribe whenever you like. Backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. See purchase and refund details.
Questions, answered.
Do I need a warehouse or a big loan to start?
No. The book is built around operating from a garage, basement, spare room, or small outbuilding. What you do need is dedicated space, a willingness to learn compliance details, and the discipline to run it like a real business.
Do I need Amazon selling experience?
The book assumes you know the basics—ASIN, SKU, FBA, and Seller Central. Every prep-specific and logistics term, like FNSKU, poly-bagging, LTL, and dimensional weight, is explained the first time it appears and collected in the glossary.
I only prep my own inventory. Is it still useful?
Yes. Self-prepper notes throughout point out what applies to you, such as sales tax nexus and per-unit cost tracking, and what you can safely skip.
Is this legal, tax, or insurance advice?
No. Licensing, zoning, sales tax, and insurance rules vary by state, county, and sometimes city. The book maps out the questions to ask so you can confirm the answers with a licensed professional in your area. Treat the templates as starting points to review with your own attorney.
Is this a get-rich-quick plan?
No. Per-unit margins are small. The business works through volume, repeat clients, and operational efficiency, and the book is straight with you about that from page one.
How do I stay current after I buy?
eBook buyers get six weeks of step-by-step emails from Greg, then occasional updates when Amazon’s prep rules, fees, or policies change.
Build a prep business that lasts past year one.
Get the guide that covers what to ask, what to watch for, and what to do next—in the order you’ll actually need it.