ista and its members jointly establish specific package and transportation testing standards applicable to e-commerce logistics—ista 6 series are testing standards for membership companies, such as: Amazon (AMAZON.com-Over Boxing, AMAZON.com-SIOC), FedEx (6-FEDEX- A, 6-FEDEX-B) and Sam's Club (6-SAMSCLUB).
For the present, Amazon Packaging Test is hot topic in the market and the standard, which is established by Amazon and ista according to logistics package consideration, includes 2 specifications: ista 6-Amazon.com-OB (Over Boxing) and ista 6-Amazon.com-SIOC ( Ships in Own Container). (See Figure 1):
<Figure 1: ista 6-Amazon.com-OB & ista 6-Amazon.com-SIOC>
In package type, Amazon defined 3 kinds of package types(Tier 1~Tier 3): (See Figure 2),
- Tier 1:Frustration-Free Packaging (FFP)
- Tier 2:Ships in Own Container (SIOC)
- Tier 3:Prep-Free Packaging (PFP)
<Figure 2: Amazon package type>
According to package type, transit tests includes Over Boxing and SIOC (Type A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H) in totally 9 types (See Figures 3)
<Figures 3: ista 6-Amazon.com testing type>
Amazon requires all products, which sell on its platform except exempted products, must complete this Package Program, and compliance test reports have to be issued and provided by a third-party laboratory which accredited by ista in accordance with the Amazon report template.
Since package transportation testing could help e-commerce companies and suppliers to ensure product quality, reduce the probability of product damage, optimize packaging material design and costs, and reduce after-sales processing costs, this is one of the key issue of related industries as well.
DEKRA iST is a professional third-party laboratory officially recognized by ista, and can offer Amazon Package Program Certification services to clients, who would like to sell products to worldwide via Amazon platform.
<ISTA 6 Amazon Application Form>