Key Takeaway
- Pack Grid combines inventory tracking, shipment planning, packing and labeling so Amazon sellers and prep centers can reduce spreadsheet-driven manual work.
- Hemal Makani says Amazon’s end to U.S. FBA prep and item labeling services has raised the stakes for brands to manage warehouse prep accurately and at scale.
Amazon sellers and prep centers spend a large share of their time on tasks that don’t scale well. They track stock levels, plan shipments, pack boxes and print labels, often across spreadsheets that don’t talk to each other. Each handoff between deciding what to send and actually shipping it adds room for error and delay. As Amazon shifts more prep and labeling responsibility to sellers, that manual work carries more weight.
Prosper 2027 gathers the operators who manage this workflow every day. The two-day event at The Wynn in Las Vegas connects brand owners, heads of operations, prep center owners and the companies that serve them. Exhibitors come to meet decision-makers who choose the tools their teams use and who are looking to handle more volume without adding headcount.
One of those exhibitors is Pack Grid, founded by Hemal Makani, a former Walmart software engineer. Pack Grid brings inventory tracking, shipment planning, packing and labeling into one platform. Recent additions include support for multiple Amazon accounts, European marketplaces and easier updates to shipment quantities.
Prosper: Walk us through your core offerings and any new products or features. Where are e-commerce brands getting the most value from them?
Hemal Makani: Pack Grid helps Amazon sellers and prep centers manage inventory, plan shipments, and handle packing and labeling in one place. Brands can track sales, stock levels, and Buy Box performance, then use that information to decide what to replenish.
Recent additions include support for multiple Amazon accounts, European marketplaces, and easier updates to shipment quantities.
The biggest value is saving time and reducing manual work. Teams can move from deciding what to send to packing and shipping it, with fewer spreadsheets and better visibility across the process.
Prosper: What was your first job in e-commerce, and what lesson from it still shapes how you work today?
Makani: My first job in e-commerce was working at Walmart as a Software Engineer. I learned a lot about all the moving parts in a large e-commerce company and what it takes to have efficiency at scale.
Why Every Brand’s Workflow Is a Different Problem to Solve
Prosper: What do you enjoy most about your role and the e-commerce industry as a whole?
Makani: I enjoy working with new businesses and solving problems for them because each brand has a different workflow so creating something that can mold and fit all brands is a very interesting problem to solve. The main thing I enjoy about the e-commerce industry is how different everyone is and how it’s always changing.
Prosper: Which recent innovation or strategy will set your company apart from everyone else on the floor?
Makani: Our strategy is to connect inventory insights directly to warehouse work. With Pack Grid, teams can see what needs restocking, create an Amazon shipment, scan products into boxes, and print labels—all in one place.
That connection is our key differentiator: helping brands and prep centers act on their data, save time, and reduce mistakes as inventory moves from planning to shipping.
Prosper: What accomplishment in this industry are you proudest of, and why does it stand out?
Makani: We’re proudest of building a platform that makes the day-to-day work of selling on Amazon easier. Pack Grid brings inventory tracking, shipment planning, packing, and labeling into one place. It stands out because it addresses the small, repetitive tasks that take up a team’s time and makes the whole process easier to manage.
What Pack Grid Wants From Prosper 2027
Prosper: Why are you exhibiting at Prosper 2027, and what do you want to walk away with?
Makani: As a very new company, I am exhibiting at Prosper 2027 to find new customers and show my product to people. I want to walk away with making as many connections as possible and leaving a lasting impression on people.
Prosper: What kind of decision-maker do you most want to meet at Prosper?
Makani: We’d most like to meet e-commerce brand owners, heads of operations, and prep center owners who manage Amazon inventory and fulfillment. The ideal person oversees the team’s daily workflow and decides which tools they use, especially if they’re looking to replace spreadsheets, simplify shipping, and handle more volume without adding manual work.
Prosper: What’s one shift in marketplace behavior, whether on Amazon, Walmart or TikTok, that most companies are underestimating right now?
Makani: We think companies are underestimating how much responsibility is shifting to sellers before inventory reaches Amazon. Amazon ended its U.S. FBA prep and item labeling services in January 2026, putting that work on brands and their partners.
That makes reliable warehouse operations even more important. Brands that get inventory prepared, labeled, and shipped correctly will be better positioned to avoid delays and keep products available for customers.
How AI and Faster Delivery Raise the Stakes on Fulfillment
Prosper: Which trends do you expect to reshape e-commerce over the next few years, and how are you preparing for them?
Makani: We expect AI-assisted shopping and demand for faster, more convenient delivery to reshape e-commerce. In our view, that will make accurate inventory and reliable fulfillment even more important for brands.
We’re preparing by connecting sales and inventory data with shipment planning, packing, and labeling in Pack Grid. Our focus is helping teams respond to changing demand and handle more volume without adding more manual work.
Prosper: What advice would you give someone breaking into e-commerce today?
Makani: My advice would be to try to observe or work through the full stack of e-commerce. Try to see how people work at each level of the business to understand how everything works.