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I recently noticed that some sellers have inadvertently been requesting Prep Investigations when attempting to remediate FBA shipment issues, rather than reconciling their shipment. As a result, I wanted to into the key differences between these two scenarios:

Shipment Reconciliation: The shipment reconciliation process helps you resolve discrepancies between the units you expected to send to Amazon's fulfillment centers and what was actually received. This could include units that were not shipped, extra units shipped, or units that went missing during the fulfillment process.

To access the shipment reconciliation tool, go to Inventory > Shipments, find the relevant shipment, and click the Contents tab.

The Contents tab shows the status of units as they are received. If there are differences between what was sent and what was received, the tool provides ways for sellers to:

• Get detailed information about the discrepancies

• Provide more information about the shipment contents

• Request an investigation into missing or unexpected items

The key purpose of the shipment reconciliation tool is to help sellers identify and resolve any differences between their expected shipment and what Amazon actually received.

Prep Investigation: In contrast, a prep investigation is focused on the packaging and preparation requirements for your FBA products. If you believe the prep guidance provided by Amazon is incorrect for one or more of your products, you can request an investigation.

To request a prep investigation, you'll need to:

• Click "Investigate" in the Prepare Products tab

• Explain why you think the prep requirements are wrong

• Optionally, upload an image showing the product packaging

Amazon will review your request and provide a response within 4 business days. This can help ensure your products are properly prepared for FBA, avoiding delays or issues during the receiving process.

In summary, reconciliation deals with shipment discrepancies, while prep investigations address concerns over the required packaging and prep for your FBA inventory. Requesting the correct investigation will reduce inefficiency as it will help ensure that the appropriate internal team conducts the investigation. Let me know if you have any other questions!

- Bryce