Despite the name, Chicago Prep Center is physically located at 923 Balsam Road in Normal, Illinois, roughly 130 miles south of Chicago, and its About page lists the operating name as Wintergreen Prep. The site notes the location sits about 30 miles from the nearest Amazon Fulfillment Center, useful for inbound shipping speed, and describes its 10,000 sq ft facility as the largest and most reliable 3PL warehouse in the region. Pricing is fully a-la-carte: FNSKU labeling $0.35, polybagging $0.30 and bubble wrap $0.50 with materials included, and bundling $0.50 per unit. Box handling is $1.00 per box with a $5.00 flat minimum on orders under 100 items, and return processing runs $2.00 per box plus $0.20 per item. One unusual detail is the business hours, Tuesday through Sunday 11am to 9pm and closed Mondays. It supports FBA, FBM, wholesale and private label with storage and returns.
What sets them apart
- Operating name on the About page is 'Wintergreen Prep' - the domain 'Chicago Prep Center' appears to be a marketing/SEO brand name; physical address is 923 Balsam Road, Normal, IL 61761 (~130 miles south of Chicago).
- Warehouse is 10,000 sq ft and is described on-site as 'the largest and most reliable 3PL warehouse in the region.'
- Located approximately 30 miles from the nearest Amazon Fulfillment Center, per the site's own claim.
- Published à la carte pricing: FNSKU labeling $0.35/unit, polybagging $0.30/unit (materials included), bubble wrap $0.50/unit (materials included), bundling $0.50/unit.
- Box handling has a flat $5.00 minimum for orders under 100 items; return box processing is $2.00/box + $0.20/item.
- Business hours are Tuesday - Sunday 11 AM - 9 PM; closed Mondays - atypical hours for a prep center.
Services & channels
- Marketplaces
- Amazon FBA, Amazon FBM / SFP
- Business models
- Online Arbitrage, Wholesale, Private Label
- Value-add
- Storage & Warehousing, Returns Processing
- Locations
- Normal, IL
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