Sending FBA goods to Amazon: How to ensure your inbound shipment arrives safely at the warehouse
Well over 80 percent of third-party sellers on the Amazon marketplaces use FBA (“Fulfillment by Amazon”). Despite all the complaints, this number says a lot about the service: the quality is evidently so good that most sellers prefer to rely on FBA rather than build their own logistics. When an order comes in, storage, pick & pack, shipping, customer service, and returns management are handled by the online giant, while the actual seller has no work to do with it.
The only thing marketplace sellers still need to handle in this system is the timely delivery of fresh goods before the product goes out of stock. Amazon takes care of the distribution of goods in Central Europe, the UK, Eastern Europe, and so on. Sure, it sounds pretty simple: send FBA goods to the Amazon warehouse entrance – sell items – receive money. Nevertheless, sellers need to keep several things in mind to ensure a smooth inbound shipment of Amazon goods.
Shipping to Amazon: How does it work?
The first steps, namely creating SKUs in Seller Central and activating shipping for these products with Amazon, should already be completed. To actually send FBA goods to Amazon, a delivery plan is required, along with proper packaging of the products and shipping with a professional transport service. Amazon states that the check-in and availability after delivery typically occurs within three business days. However, during high sales periods such as before Christmas, Black Friday week, etc., it may take longer. Sellers should keep this in mind when managing their inbound shipments to Amazon. Both the box dimensions and the weight specifications should be taken seriously by marketplace sellers. Ignoring these can lead to further inbound shipments being rejected by Amazon.
To announce a shipment, there are several options:
In general, sellers should adhere to the guidelines of their delivery plan and not send FBA goods to another Amazon logistics center. Detailed information can be found here: Send Products to Amazon.
| With the right partner, sellers can manage their Amazon FBA products much more easily than in Seller Central. At Plentymarkets, for example, all relevant steps can be clearly represented in one system. This way, you can also keep track of a multichannel business. |
Sending FBA goods to Amazon: These rules of the inbound process must be known by sellers.
The requirements of the Amazon FBA Inventory Inbound range from permissible packaging choices to weight and correct packaging materials. Depending on the type of delivery – whether with a transport partner like DHL, by truck, etc. – sellers must also be aware of additional guidelines. We would like to present the most important ones to you.
How should shipments be packaged?
Amazon has very specific guidelines on how shipments should be packaged for delivery to a logistics center. These guidelines are primarily designed to make the acceptance of the shipment as easy as possible and to avoid potential sources of error.
In general, sellers should use a six-sided box with intact flaps made of at least two inches thick material. This thickness also applies to the packaging material around individual items, as well as between the items and the walls of the box. However, if the products are shipped in the manufacturer’s packaging, this is not necessary. Permissible standard boxes for inbound shipments to Amazon include folding boxes, B-flutes, ECT-32 boxes (Edge Crush Test), and 200-pound boxes (burst strength).
Box dimensions and weight
Boxes containing multiple standard-sized items must not exceed a length of 25 inches on any side. This is only allowed if the units are also oversized (i.e., longer than 25 inches). However, sellers should also choose the box size appropriately for the contents, which generally means using a box that is only two inches larger to send FBA goods to Amazon.
In general, boxes must not weigh more than 50 pounds. An exception applies only if the weight of a single item exceeds 50 pounds. In that case, labels must be affixed on the top and sides indicating that the box should be lifted by a team. If the item weighs over 100 pounds, labels stating “Lift with a pallet jack” are mandatory.
Both the box dimensions and the weight specifications should be taken seriously by marketplace sellers. Ignoring these can result in Amazon no longer accepting further inbound shipments.
Correct labeling of shipments
To ensure that shipments can smoothly pass through the Amazon inbound process, they must be labeled accordingly. The following guidelines must be followed:
Additionally, for a smooth process of the Amazon Warehouse Inbound, all items must be labeled with a scannable barcode. This can be the manufacturer’s barcode (permissible barcodes: UPC, EAN, JAN, and ISBN), an FNSKU barcode, and a Transparency Code to prevent product counterfeiting.
Sellers and manufacturers can find more information about the requirements here: Barcode requirements for products fulfilled by Amazon and Labeling requirements for shipments.
Additional packaging guidelines
Additionally, Amazon provides further tips on which packaging materials are permissible when marketplace sellers want to send FBA goods to Amazon. For example, the tape used should be intended for shipping and be sufficiently strong. Only if the contents do not move when the box is gently shaken back and forth is it considered properly packaged.
Suitable packaging materials are
Not suitable are
Avoiding Mistakes: How You Should Not Pack
There are several beginner mistakes that should be avoided and are typically not accepted in the inbound process by Amazon. These include, for example, POS boxes that are considered part of the sold item. Open boxes or pallet boxes (so-called “gaylords”) are also not allowed. Additionally, the boxes must not be wrapped in plastic film or paper or tied with bands or similar. Bundling multiple boxes is also not advisable.
Additionally, sellers should always keep in mind that boxes may be stacked during shipping and in the logistics centers. To prevent damage, oversized boxes must be filled with sufficient packing material before sellers send this FBA goods to Amazon.
In general, products should be packaged in a way that allows them to pass through the inbound process at Amazon intact. Extensive information on the packaging guidelines can be found here: Packaging and Preparation Guidelines.
What’s inside? Information about the box contents
Logically, Amazon Inbound and Outbound Logistics wants to know exactly what is included in a seller’s shipments. If this information is not provided by the seller, Amazon will manually collect it when the shipment arrives at the warehouse – but of course, not for free. From January to October, the fee for this is $0.15, and in November and December, it is $0.30. Additionally, missing information can lead to the seller being unable to send FBA goods to Amazon.
In principle, information about the box contents can be submitted during shipment creation in Seller Central or via the Amazon Marketplace Web Service (MWS). The method used depends on the workflows involved in the shipment creation.
For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit: Provide information about box contents.
Sending FBA goods to Amazon: Package, truck, or container?
The method of delivery also plays a role in the regulations that sellers must adhere to in the inbound process.
Information about truck and container shipments can be found here:
Amazon FBA and Inbound Shipment: Potential Errors
Not everything goes smoothly when marketplace sellers send their FBA goods to Amazon – especially when shipments do not meet the requirements. Those who are just starting with Amazon FBA need to familiarize themselves with the guidelines of the online giant. Additionally, there are also irregularities that are not the seller’s responsibility, but rather arise from a check-in error by the Amazon employee handling the shipment.
A lot can go wrong just at the goods check-in, as the overview page for this type of issue shows. For example, it lists:
All these errors can be actively avoided by sellers by familiarizing themselves with the requirements of the inbound process at Amazon and executing them diligently. The situation is different with the previously mentioned sources of error that the marketplace seller has no control over.
After the goods check-in: Inspecting and reconciling shipments
Once the shipment has arrived at and been checked in at a logistics center, sellers can select the relevant shipment in Seller Central under “Inventory > Manage Shipments to Amazon” and then access the “Content” tab in the “Track Shipment” workflow. The “Shipment Overview” page will now display the status of all units. Any discrepancies between the delivery plan and the actual products checked in can also be viewed in the corresponding column. If items are missing or damaged after the inbound process at Amazon, there is the option to request an investigation. If Amazon takes responsibility and the item cannot be found, the seller will be reimbursed for the value of the product.
Sellers can view the status of each product in the corresponding column. If the status reads “Action Required,” there has been a discrepancy that warrants an investigation. In order for the investigation request to be submitted, one of the available options under “Action Required” must be selected:
Additionally, other documents are often required, which the seller can upload under “Select File” to investigate possible errors on Amazon’s part during the inbound process. Such documents primarily include proof of ownership (e.g., the supplier’s invoice) and, for truck loads, a delivery receipt (e.g., the bill of lading). Other information can also help clarify the discrepancy as quickly as possible. Amazon states:
| Example | Description |
| All known discrepancies | Did you or your supplier ship more or fewer units than originally intended? Did you or your supplier ship the wrong product? |
| Description of the shipping boxes | Our team is searching the logistics center for your units. Therefore, information about color, size, or other special features can help us locate your shipping boxes more quickly. |
| Product codes | Check the UPC, EAN, or JAN on the products. Do they match the product code in Seller Central? |
| Missing preparation measures | If an item has not been properly prepared for shipping, this can cause delays in acceptance, as we need to prepare the item for you. |
Only now can sellers preview the application, verify the information, and finally submit the form.
Error: Failed to send FBA goods to Amazon? Analyze errors automatically.
Instead of sifting through countless shipments and units in Seller Central, marketplace sellers can also have their shipments to Amazon monitored automatically. This is especially important for professional sellers with a certain order volume and a significant number of SKUs, as they need to keep their inventory continuously up to date and quickly reach their time and personnel limits. At the same time, it is not an option to simply accept that your products are damaged or lost at Amazon without receiving compensation for it. After all, no one has money to spare.
SELLERLOGIC Lost & Found Full-Service monitors all FBA transactions in the background and automatically enforces the seller’s refund claims against Amazon. With Lost & Found, refund management becomes a breeze: no hours spent sifting through FBA reports, no tedious gathering of all information for a case, no copy-and-paste into Seller Central, and above all, no nerve-wracking communication with Amazon.
Transparent fees: You only pay a commission of 25% of the refund amount if you actually receive money back from Amazon. No refund, no commission.
In addition to the irregularities in inbound shipments, Amazon FBA errors of all kinds are identified by the SELLERLOGIC Lost & Found Full-Service, such as
Effortless and stress-free FBA refunds – that is the SELLERLOGIC mission. You, on the other hand, can focus on what truly matters to you – the growth of your business.
Conclusion: Sending FBA goods to Amazon
As simple as Fulfillment by Amazon sounds, it is not that straightforward. While sellers can send their FBA goods directly to an Amazon logistics center, the regulations regarding shipment size, packaging materials, labeling, etc., are indeed a challenge. It is important to prepare well or work with professionals.
The same applies to tracking any errors. If these are caused by Amazon, sellers have the right to a refund, provided the item is no longer sellable. To effectively enforce refund claims, sellers should definitely utilize a professional service like SELLERLOGIC Lost & Found Full-Service.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Amazon FBA fees and costs vary depending on the product category and the services booked. Typically, a minimum referral fee of 15% applies. More information can be found here: Overview of all FBA costs for 2024.
Amazon’s own fulfillment is a service that the e-commerce giant offers to all third-party sellers on the marketplace. The seller sends their goods to an Amazon Fulfillment Center. All steps that occur after an order is placed are then handled by the platform. This benefits, for example, online retailers who want to become Amazon sellers but do not have their own logistics. FBA can be easily activated in Amazon Seller Central.
Typically, the FBA seller ships their goods directly to an Amazon warehouse. There, the products are checked into the system and stored until they are sold. In the event of an order, they are packaged and shipped by robots and/or employees. If a return occurs, Amazon also handles the processing.
Typically, the FBA seller ships their goods directly to an Amazon warehouse. There, the products are checked into the system and stored until they are sold. For Europe-wide sales and shipping through Amazon, the logistics professional even handles the distribution of goods to various logistics centers, such as in Poland. In the event of an order, they are packaged and shipped by robots and/or employees. If a return occurs, Amazon also manages the processing.
No, there are no signs of that. Economically, Fulfillment by Amazon has been a success for the platform, as the marketplace business now generates more revenue for Amazon than its own sales.
Image credits in the order of the images: © Mike Mareen – stock.adobe.com, © Tobias Arhelger – stock.adobe.com, © Hor – stock.adobe.com, © Stock Rocket – stock.adobe.com, © ekkaluck – stock.adobe.com
