Packaging Instructions

To expedite your merchandise through our distribution centers, please follow these guidelines. Merchandise not shipped according to these specifications may result in processing delays in processing and chargebacks.

  • Cartons must contain merchandise for only one purchase order.
  • All merchandise shipped to Fanatics must be shipped in corrugated cartons. Use of jiffy bags, burlap bags, or mailing envelopes is not permitted

Single UPC (standard case pack) Packing Instructions

  • Shipments must contain only one color/style/size per carton (one UPC).
  • Orders shall be shipped in the case pack with no residual or inconsistent case packs.
  • When shipping inner packs as a subset of the master pack, it is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure that its Fanatics buyer understands the master and inner casepack relationship. If the buyer does not agree, the vendor is responsible for removing the inner pack or altering it to the buyer’s needs.

Mixed UPC (pack by PO) Packing Instructions

  • Cartons must contain merchandise for only one purchase order.
  • Cartons must contain merchandise for only one final fulfillment center location.
  • Cartons must be packed with multiple UPCs and/or units in order to minimize the number of cartons created while not exceeding the conveyable carton dimensions found in Section 8.10.

Prepack Packing Instructions

A prepack is a pre-determined assortment packed in a case. The assortment is defined by color, size, dimension, and quantity ratios at the SKU level.

A prepack example: A white golf shirt packed with 1 small, 2 mediums, 2 larges, and 1 x-large in a polybag that is placed in the shipping carton

Prepack SKU’s can appear on standard and bulk orders. Prepacks cannot be written on drop ship orders.

Inform the buyers of your prepack case pack before orders are written. If the 850 Purchase Order case pack (PO4 field) does not match the number of physical prepacks packed in a case, contact your buyer immediately for a correction. Sending the 856 ASN with a PO4 field that does not match the 850 Purchase Order will create an ASN error.

EDI Changes for Prepacks

Changes within the vendor’s EDI coding will depend on whether their systems must utilize a master SKU and UPC for the prepack or whether they can accept the 850 PO at the component (selling UPC) level. Fanatics sends both the master UPC and the component UPC on the 850 PO but can accept either method on the 856 ASN. The vendor will need to choose which UPC to return that works best with their internal systems. Because slight mapping changes exist, it is strongly suggested that your EDI team review the EDI specifications. Vendors must be in EDI production for the purchase order (850), ASN (856), and Invoice (810) in order to be tested for prepack capability.

Packing Prepacks

Prepack orders should contain one prepack per case, the prepack must all be of the same run and each prepack must be in its own poly bag and properly sealed.

Case Level UPC and Prepacks

If our merchants are directed to buy a product by using a case UPC or master UPC that is different than the individual selling unit UPC, the only way that Fanatics can create that order is by utilizing prepacks. If this scenario applies to your product, contact your buyer immediately to test for prepack capabilities.

Excessive Space in Cartons

It is the vendor’s responsibility to use the proper carton size that will provide the maximum protection for their product while reducing unnecessary shipping costs from excessive space. Use an appropriately sized carton to avoid over-packing or under-packing. The below guidelines should be followed whenever determining carton size:

  • Carton should not bulge due to over-packing
  • Carton should not have more than .25 cube space of air per each cube of total carton space.

Unnecessary Material Guidelines (excessive packaging)

While Fanatics recognizes that some packing material on some products may be necessary it is required that all unnecessary packing material must be removed prior to shipping. Unnecessary packaging results in additional expense to remove and dispose of at the fulfillment Center. Specifically, vendors must not use:

  • Safety pins, straight pins, or pins of any type for any reason
  • Tiebacks, rubber bands or clips of any type, in any category of merchandise
  • Tissue, paper or other material placed INSIDE garments or between layers of hardlines (e.g., in pockets, sleeves, in between folds, or between selling cartons)
  • Poly bags that cannot be easily removed in one motion
  • Multiple items in one poly bag unless it is entire carton contents in one bladder bag or allocation quantity is poly-bagged quantity such as a prepack. Examples below:
    • Casepack 12 should not be bagged in quantity of 6 unless the 6 is a prepack or will be allocated in 6
    • Casepack 12 can have 12 units in 1 bladder bag
    • Individual poly bag items should not be placed in another bladder bag
  • Cardboard dividers
  • Extra packing material (filler) such as:
    • Empty boxes
    • Bubble wrap, cardboard, confetti paper, newspaper, air pillows, Styrofoam peanuts, shredded paper, heavy paper
  • Inner cartons when buyer has not agreed to allocate in full inner carton quantity (see single UPC section 8.1)

Please contact your buyer to approve any packing they may be necessary to protect your product from damage during transit.

Other Instructions