Has it ever happened to you that a customer complained or sent you a request to replace/return the product due to a bad smell that came from it?

Many FBA sellers who manufacture their Amazon Private Label products in China, with Alibaba suppliers, are surprised to find out from their customers that their product smells unpleasant.

Why is it happening? Is it possible to avoid this? If so, then how? And why is it so important?

Let’s start with the first question. 

What can make my product arrive at the customer with a strange or unpleasant odor?

Here are some reasons that can cause unpleasant odors in your product:

• Odors arising from the materials themselves of which the product is composed
• The usage of glue for assembling all the different parts of your product
• Unclean factory and production line
• Incorrect packaging of the product
• Improper adjustment of the storage of the product before and during shipping
• Incorrect storage of the product in the 3pl warehouse/fulfilment centre
• Products that tend to accumulate moisture or change their condition at different temperatures

Is it possible to prevent bad odors and moisture in products and how?

With proper and smart planning in advance, from the beginning of the product R&D, production, shipping, and storage; Unpleasant smells that may harm the customer’s experience and moisture that may harm the quality of the product can be prevented.

1. It is important to work with a reliable, high-quality factory that makes sure its production line and the employees’ working environment are always organized and clean.
2. Before you start to work with the factory, it is important to verify how the product will be packed, where the inventory will be stored and under what conditions (until your forwarder arrives and pick it up).
   For example, if your product needs to be stored at a precise temperature, it is crucial that it will be stored in a place that would maintain this exact temperature, otherwise the quality of the product or its functionality will be impaired. Make sure the product is packaged in custom cartons (both the packaging of the product itself and the cartons for shipping).
   A well-known method of preventing odors and moisture in products is this little bag that everyone throws away and most do not know what it does at all. Are you familiar with the little bag with the gel balls inside it ??

Ask your supplier to put it inside the product packaging and / or in the main carton. The bag will absorb moisture and thus prevent bad odors.

This method can be adapted to a wide range of products such as textiles, electronics, product with batteries, etc.

By the way, this is a basic standard in our service that we do for our customers, in any production that requires it.
Another amazing method that I am sure you have not heard of before, but it works 100% and requires the cooperation of your supplier is “baking soda”.

By the way, I learned it from Alibaba’s warehouse manager in Hangzhou and it works like a charm.
Before packing, ask your supplier/factory to simply sprinkle baking soda in the area around your products. If it is possible to put 1 gram of baking soda in a spray bottle like the bottle of window cleaning with water and spray, just one quick spray on your product, it is best.
You won’t believe how much it will help you and how much money it will save you in return.

We always make sure that we will have a bag of baking soda in our warehouses in China in case we have a product with odor problem from the factory, so I highly recommend it.

3. Perform a quality inspection with a professional and reliable company that will also perform the SMELL TEST for you (many sellers do not know or remember to ask for this test). This way, if an odor problem is discovered, you can solve it and fix it before the product reaches the customer.

In our inspections, we always perform an odor test for each product that we test. If we find a problem, we also know to offer suitable solutions.

4. Shipping – Make sure you work with a professional forwarder who knows the job. Someone that can provide you with the right route and storage during the shipment of your product to its destination.
   Let’s take our example from before, if the product requires a certain temperature control, it is important that the shipper takes care of it (regardless of whether it is sea / air / land or express shipping). It is important that your freight forwarder is experienced in different products and knows how to adjust the nature of the shipment and handle your cargo; accordingly, otherwise, you are likely to incur large financial losses, both in terms of goods and in terms of reputation (customers).
5. Confirm with your destination warehouse that they are prepared and able to store your products under the required conditions. Make sure that they are also capable to send your product in such a way that it will reach your customers properly and in good condition.

Why is it so important to focus on preventing moisture and unpleasant odors in your product?

I believe the answer is clear, but if not, let’s highlight the most important reasons.

First and foremost, it is the customer experience that will determine your success or failure. It is well known that our 5 senses influence our consuming behaviour dramatically.
Smell is one of the dominant ones, that is why many times we use different scents to create a more interesting and surprising shopping experience for our customers (this can be a great idea to differentiate your next product from your competitors).

We relate scents with memories, emotions, and even solid assumptions. For example, when food smells bad, we immediately conclude that it is probably not tasty or spoiled.

Whoever of you who travelled in Singapore has probably heard of the country’s national fruit, the “Durian”, which due to its bad smell, there is a law in Singapore that prohibits from carrying it on public transportation; But despite its unpleasant and strong smell, it is still the residents’ most favourite fruit.

The inference that an unpleasant odor foretells a bad thing is not only in the food industry, it is in every product you can think of. If there is an unpleasant odor it is probably not clean, dirty, etc.

Alternatively, a good smell foretells a positive promise that the product is good. For example, a new smell of a car, the smell of an air purifier – a refreshing smell of clean.

Even shopping malls around the world scatter scent diffusers throughout the hallways to upgrade and positively impact the consumers’ shopping experience.

Think about yourself! How would you like to receive a new product that you bought? If there was a bad smell, what would you think of the product, the company? Would you recommend it to others?

As you already understand, the smell is a factor that greatly influences the customer’s satisfaction with the purchase. When a customer is unsatisfied, he returns the product, tells everyone around him/her about their disappointment, writing a bad review on your product list, which affects your ranking, your Amazon account, potential customers and ending your product even before you started its launch.

Another important reason is a financial loss! In some cases, a really bad odor indicates a malfunction. Failure to store the goods in proper conditions may impair the performance of the product. Moisture that can damage the product will increase the smell of course, but most of all you will not be able to repair and sell your products.

To sum up…

It is important to address the moisture and odor issue in advance.  

Work with professionals who understand the field, who have extensive and proven experience.
Plan your logistics chain correctly and in a way that is tailored to your product needs.

Remember to pay attention to the smell issue on all stages: production, inspection, packaging, and shipping.

If you need more information, or you wish to consult further, my team and I will be happy to be at your service and help you at any stage in your product life – sourcing and manufacturing in China, strict inspection, packing, shipping and even storage in China and USA if necessary.

Feel free to read more about our services and schedule a free consultation with us here.