Are you considering entering the Amazon FBA business world but need help determining where to ship your products? You’re not alone! Many aspiring FBA sellers find themselves in the same boat when delving into this lucrative platform.
This article will simplify the process and help you determine the best shipping strategy for your Amazon business.
We’ll cover the pros and cons of shipping to Amazon fulfillment centers and shipping solutions. In addition, we will explore the quick steps and factors to follow while shipping your FBA products to Amazon’s warehouse.
Whether you’re a new seller or an experienced Amazon FBA supplier, this article offers valuable insights into optimizing your shipping choices domestically and internationally. So, let’s dive in and untangle the complexities of Amazon FBA logistics!
What is Amazon FBA Shipping?
Overview of Amazon FBA Shipping
Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) is a service that allows sellers to store their products in Amazon warehouses. Amazon handles storing, packaging, and shipping to customers on the seller’s behalf.
Amazon’s FBA shipping service involves determining the best locations for storing and shipping your FBA products.
Depending on the shipping location, target market, and preferences, an amazon seller you can choose between domestic and international Amazon fulfillment centers.
Increased visibility: When you use Fulfillment by Amazon, your products are eligible for Amazon’s Buy Box, which can significantly increase your visibility and sales. The Buy Box is a box on a product detail page where customers can start the buying process by adding items to their cart. Amazon’s algorithm determines the Buy Box, and using FBA can help you increase your chances of winning it.
Multichannel fulfillment: You can use FBA to fulfill orders from other sales channels, such as your website or other online marketplaces, using Amazon’s Multichannel Fulfillment (MCF) service. This means you can centralize your inventory and fulfillment operations, making your business management accessible.
International shipping: Fulfillment by Amazon offers international shipping, allowing you to grow your online business globally. You can quickly ship products to customers in other countries using FBA by leveraging Amazon’s global logistics network and expertise.
Hassle-free returns: Fulfillment by Amazon also handles the returns, making the returns process simple and painless for both you and your customers. Amazon endures the entire return process, from processing to refunding, and updates your FBA inventory accordingly.
Improved cash flow: You can get paid faster with Fulfillment by Amazon because Amazon releases your funds as soon as your product ships. This means you won’t have to wait for your customer to receive and confirm product delivery before being paid. Faster payment processing can improve your cash flow and give you better-working capital to help your business grow.
Understanding The Amazon FBA Shipping Process
There are several FBA shipping options available, such as:
Small Parcel Delivery (SPD): Suitable for small, lightweight items
Less Than Truckload (LTL): Ideal for larger shipments and cost efficiency
Full Truckload (FTL): Recommended for shipping large quantities or heavy items
Label your products: After creating the FBA shipment plan, sellers must label their products with Amazon’s FBA barcode labels. These labels include information such as the product’s SKU, ASIN, and FNSKU, which aids Amazon in inventory tracking and management.
Create an FBA shipment: To start with FBA, sellers must create an FBA shipment plan in their seller central account. This entails selecting the products to be shipped to the Amazon fulfillment center and providing details such as quantity and condition.
Prepare the shipment: Once the products have been labeled, sellers must prepare the shipment for transport to Amazon’s fulfillment center. This includes securely packing the products, ensuring their protection during transit, and attaching the shipping label to the package.
Ship the products to Amazon: Sellers must ship them to the Amazon fulfillment center once the shipment is complete. For FBA shipments, Amazon offers several options, including standard, expedited, and prime shipping. The product’s weight, size, and shipping method that the seller chooses are considered by Amazon when calculating the shipping fee.
Amazon receives and stores the products: When a shipment arrives at Amazon’s fulfillment center, it is inspected for quality and accuracy. Amazon stores and manage inventory until customers order them.
Shipping and customer service: When a customer orders a product, Amazon is responsible for packaging, shipping, and other needed customer service for that particular order.
By learning the Amazon FBA shipping process, you can effectively streamline your ecommerce business operation and maximize profitability.
What Is Amazon Fulfillment Center?
An Amazon Fulfillment Center (FC) is a large warehouse where Amazon stores, picks, packs, and ships goods for independent sellers. The FCs are a crucial part of Amazon’s logistics and supply chain network, enabling the business to provide quick and effective delivery to clients worldwide.
To reduce the wait time for clients, FCs are carefully placed in various areas. With more than 175 fulfillment centers worldwide, Amazon offers various sizes for its FCs. From small items like books and gadgets to bigger stuff like furniture and appliances, the FCs are made to store a variety of goods.
How To Ship Your FBA Inventory To Amazon FBA Warehouse
Enter the number of units you’re shipping for each product in your plan. Be accurate, as this determines how much storage space Amazon will allocate for your products.
This includes using sufficient cushioning materials, sealing liquids in watertight containers, and adhering to specific requirements for items like jewelry or textiles.
Confirm the correct fulfillment center, products, and quantities.
Make any necessary changes before proceeding.
Step 6: Prepare The Shipment
After reviewing the complete shipment, follow the instructions to prepare your shipment for transport. This includes selecting your carrier, entering shipment box dimensions, and printing shipping labels.
Apply the labels to the outside of your shipping boxes, and ensure the contents are securely packed.
These factors include shipping fees, timeframes and lead time, and product size and weight restrictions.
Shipping Charges
Shipping rates are essential as they directly affect your profit margins. To help you estimate your fees, Amazon provides an FBA Revenue Calculator.
Take note of the following costs:
Fulfillment fees: Charged per unit for handling, packing, and shipping orders.
Storage fees: Charged for storing your products in the Amazon FBA warehouse.
Other fees: Long-term storage fees and removal fees, if applicable.
Shipping Timeframe and Lead Time
An optimal shipping timeframe ensures your inventory is received at the Amazon FBA warehouse in time, reducing lead times and preventing stockouts.
Consider the following:
Seasonality: Be prepared for longer lead times during peak seasons.
Carrier reliability: Choose reliable carriers to minimize delays.
Track shipments: Use tracking numbers to monitor the progress of your shipments and anticipate any potential issues.
Product Size And Weight Restrictions
Understanding Amazon FBA’s size and weight restrictions are crucial to avoid potential added costs or shipment refusals.
These restrictions depend on your products’ classification (standard or oversized) and the following considerations:
Product size tier
Unit weight*
Longest side
Median side
Shortest side
Length + girth
Small standard-size
16 oz
15 inches
12 inches
0.75-inch
n/a
Large standard-size
20 lb
18 inches
14 inches
8 inches
n/a
Small oversize
70 lb
60 inches
30 inches
n/a
130 inches
Medium oversize
150 lb
108 inches
n/a
n/a
130 inches
Large oversize
150 lb
108 inches
n/a
n/a
165 inches
Special oversize
Over 150 lb
Over 108 inches
n/a
n/a
Over 165 inches
Note: The Unit weight indicates the weight of a single product unit, while the Length + girth refers to the total length and girth of the package.
The size tiers determine the fees and shipping options for Amazon FBA shipments; for this reason, sellers must accurately determine the size tier of their products before creating a shipment.
Please adhere to these restrictions by measuring and weighing your products before shipping them to Amazon FBA to avoid any unexpected issues, fees, or delays.
Noncompliance can lead to product rejection, additional fees, and legal consequences.
It is critical to research the guidelines for your specific product category and ensure that your products meet these requirements to ensure compliance.
Packaging
Packaging is critical to ensuring your products arrive in good condition at Amazon’s fulfillment centers.
The packaging should be strong enough to protect the product during transit.
This is because Amazon favors FBA sellers when determining product search rankings, increasing the chances of potential customers finding your product. As a result, this often leads to higher sales amounts.
Hands-Off Shipping and Logistics
Amazon FBA handles all aspects of shipping and logistics, from warehousing to picking, packing, and shipping products to customers.
This lets sellers to focus better on other vital areas, like product development and marketing.
When selecting a shipping method, it’s essential to balance speed with cost, consider unique product requirements, and comply with Amazon’s guidelines.
Making informed shipping decisions will help you stay competitive, increase customer satisfaction, and drive sales.
Q. What Should I Consider when Shipping to Amazon FBA?
A. When shipping to Amazon FBA, consider product preparation, labeling, packaging requirements, and the shipping carrier.
Properly preparing your products helps ensure they arrive at the fulfillment center in good condition and avoid delays or additional fees.
Q. What Are the Disadvantages of Shipping to Amazon FBA?
A. Some potential disadvantages of Amazon’s FBA program include storage fees for unsold FBA inventory, strict product preparation requirements, and limited control over order fulfillment.
A. You must create a shipment plan in your Amazon seller central account before shipping via FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon).
Planning includes deciding which products to send to Amazon’s fulfillment centers, providing product details and quantities, and deciding on a shipping method.
After you’ve created your shipment plan, you’ll need to label your products with Amazon’s FBA barcode labels, pack them securely, and ship them to the designated Amazon fulfillment center. When your products arrive at the fulfillment center, Amazon handles everything else, including storing, picking, packing, and shipping them to customers.
A. You cannot ship Amazon FBA items in any other shipping box.
Amazon has specific packaging requirements for sellers to protect products during shipping and storage and optimize the picking, packing, and shipping process. For example, boxes must be robust, easy to open and close, and capable of supporting the product’s weight without crushing.
Amazon also requires sellers to use specific FBA barcode labels on the packaging to ensure that the products are accurately tracked and managed. Hence, to avoid added fees, delays, and customer complaints.
A. It is not free to ship your products to Amazon FBA, and you are responsible for all other shipping costs to and from Amazon’s fulfillment centers as an Amazon seller.
Amazon determines the shipping cost by considering several factors, including the product’s weight & size, the fulfillment center location, the shipping method, etc.
8-figure Amazon seller and serial online entrepreneur since 2015. Research and practice various online business models, and apply his in-depth learnings to further expand and grow his businesses as well as help others to achieve greater successes. Ex-VP of a high tech VC in Vancouver and a Management Consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. Master's Degree from HEC Paris.
