What Is Kitting? A Seller's Guide

Kitting is the warehouse job of putting several separate items together into one ready-to-ship package with its own SKU. A back-to-school pack with pens, highlighters and a notebook, a cleaning starter kit, or a gift set of markers are all kits. Sellers use kitting to raise order value, stand out from look-alike listings and save time at the packing table. This guide explains how kitting works, how it differs from bundling and assembly, and what Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS expect when you send sets to their warehouses.

Marketplace rules in this guide were checked on November 12, 2026, against Walmart Marketplace Learn and Amazon's seller guidance. Rules change, so always confirm in Seller Center or Seller Central before you ship.

What is kitting?

Kitting means picking individual products from inventory, grouping them, packing them into one unit and labeling that unit as a new item. Once a kit is built, it is stored and sold as one product with one barcode, not as loose parts.

A simple example: a store sells a "Teacher Desk Kit" with a box of gel pens, a pack of sticky notes, a stapler and a box of staples. Instead of picking four items every time an order comes in, the kits are built ahead of time, labeled and placed on the shelf ready to go.

How kitting works, step by step

1. Plan the kit. Choose the parts, the quantity of each and the packaging (box, poly bag, shrink wrap or mailer).
2. Create a kit SKU. The finished kit gets its own SKU and barcode, linked to the parts in your inventory system so stock counts stay correct.
3. Receive and check the parts. Each component is counted and checked for damage and expiration dates before building starts.
4. Assemble. Parts are grouped, packed and sealed so they stay together through shipping.
5. Label. The kit gets its sellable barcode, plus any set labels or warnings the marketplace requires. Barcodes on the inner items are covered so the wrong item isn't scanned.
6. Quality check and store. A sample is checked against the spec, then finished kits are shelved or sent on to a marketplace warehouse.

Kitting vs. bundling vs. assembly

People use these words loosely, but in fulfillment they mean slightly different things.

• Kitting: items are packed together before an order comes in. The kit sits on the shelf as one finished unit. Best for steady sellers with predictable demand.
• Bundling (virtual or pick-and-pack): items are sold together as one listing but are often picked and packed together only when the order arrives. More flexible, but every order takes more picking time.
• Assembly: parts are physically put together to make a working product, such as building a display or attaching components. Kitting groups products; assembly changes them.

Short answer: kitting is pre-packed, bundling can be pre-packed or packed on demand, and assembly builds something new.

Why sellers use kitting

• Higher order value: customers buy several items at once instead of one.
• A unique listing: a well-built set is harder to copy than a single product sold by dozens of sellers.
• Faster shipping: pre-built kits ship like a single item, which cuts packing time in busy seasons.
• Fewer packing mistakes: the kit is checked once when it's built, not on every order.
• Seasonal and promo offers: back-to-school, holiday gifts, office move-in packs and starter kits are easy to create from products you already stock.
• B2B convenience: offices, schools and facilities like ordering one standard kit for each new hire, classroom or site.

Common kitting mistakes

• Leaving the original barcodes on the inner products uncovered, so a warehouse scans the wrong item.
• Packaging that lets items fall apart in transit.
• Not tracking component stock, so you run out of one part and can't build kits.
• Mixing items with different rules, such as liquids, batteries or expiration-dated items, without the extra packaging they need.
• Skipping the "sold as set" label on marketplace shipments.

Kitting for Amazon FBA: what to know

Amazon's seller guidance says that if items are not an official set from the manufacturer but you sell them as one unit, you should package them together and label the outside with a set label such as "Sold as set" or "This is a set. Do not separate." Amazon also says original barcodes (UPCs, EANs, ISBNs) on the items inside should be covered so they can't be scanned by mistake. The sellable unit then carries its own scannable barcode.

Since January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer offers its own FBA prep and item labeling service in the U.S., so sellers or their prep partner must do this work before inventory arrives.

Amazon has also announced a bigger change: from January 11, 2027, most single-ASIN bundles on Amazon must be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand, with some exceptions. If you build your own kits from different brands, read our guide to the Amazon bundle policy change and check Seller Central before you plan new kits for Amazon.

Kitting for Walmart WFS: what to know

Walmart's WFS packing guide (Walmart Marketplace Learn) says sets must be identified on their packaging, labeled "Sold as set," packaged together, and received and sold as one unit. Units that can be separated are not allowed; a set is accepted when it is clearly labeled and sealed so it can't come apart.

If you use a poly bag, Walmart says the bag must be fully sealed, at least 1.5 mm thick, carry a suffocation warning when the opening is 5 inches or more, and have a GTIN or UPC barcode that scans through the bag or sits on the outside. Remember that Walmart wants GTIN or UPC barcodes, not Amazon FNSKU labels. Our step-by-step guide on how to send inventory to Walmart WFS covers the rest of the inbound process.

When should you outsource kitting to a 3PL?

Doing kits in a garage or back room works for a few dozen units. It gets harder when volume grows. A 3PL or prep center usually makes sense when:

• You sell on more than one channel (your own store, Amazon, Walmart) and each has different label rules.
• Seasonal kits need to be built fast before a deadline.
• You are losing time to packing instead of sourcing, marketing and customer service.
• Shipments are being delayed or charged for prep problems at marketplace warehouses.

When choosing a kitting partner, ask how they track component inventory, how they handle set labels and barcode covering, what quality checks they do, and whether they can source the parts for you.

Kitting ideas for office, school and facility supplies

• Back-to-school kits: pencils, erasers, gel pens, highlighters and a notebook.
• New-hire desk kits: pens, sticky notes, a stapler with staples, tape and a desk organizer.
• Teacher or classroom kits: dry-erase markers, erasers, labels and permanent markers.
• Shipping station kits: packing tape, shipping labels, markers and a utility knife.
• Facility kits: cleaning supplies and paper products for a break room or restroom restock.

Frequently asked questions

What is kitting in simple terms?

Kitting is packing several separate products together into one labeled unit with its own SKU, before orders come in, so it ships as a single item.

What is the difference between kitting and bundling?

Kitting is done ahead of time and the kit is stored as a finished unit. Bundling sells items together as one offer, but the items may be picked and packed together only when an order is placed.

Does a kit need its own barcode?

Yes. A kit is sold as a new product, so it needs its own SKU and sellable barcode. Barcodes on the products inside should be covered.

Does Amazon allow sellers to make their own bundles?

Today Amazon accepts seller-made sets that are packed together and labeled as a set. Amazon has announced that from January 11, 2027, most single-ASIN bundles must be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand, with some exceptions. Check Seller Central for the current rule.

What label does Walmart WFS want on a set?

Walmart's WFS guide says sets must be identified on the packaging with a label such as "Sold as set," packed together and sealed so the units can't be separated.

Is kitting worth it for a small seller?

It can be. Kits raise order value and make listings stand out. Start with one or two kits built from your best sellers, then grow once you see demand.

Related guides

• Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS Prep and Labeling Rules
• Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS Carton Rules
• Amazon Seller Insurance Rules: What Changed
• Avery Label Sizes: Which One Do You Need?
• The Hidden Costs of In-House E-Commerce Prep

Kitting, prep and supplies with SN International

SN International LLC (SNILLC) combines wholesale supplies and fulfillment help under one roof. We carry 100% genuine brand-name office, school and facility products, sourced from the brand, never counterfeit or closeout, with B2B wholesale pricing and B2C retail in one store. Our California team handles prep, kitting and labeling for Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS, and we ship nationwide. When you have a question, real people answer the phone Monday to Friday. If you want kits built from products you trust, at some of the most competitive rates around, SN International is ready to help.