If you want to sell goods on Amazon, you’ll have to send freight to their one of their FBA warehouses. Their requirements are quite strict, and the slightest mistake could result in rejection of your shipment. We’ve outlined the rules you’ll need to follow to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Key Takeaways:
Now that you know the basics, let’s get into Amazon’s detailed requirements.
Sending shipments to an Amazon FBA warehouse can be an overwhelming experience. To make things easier for you, we’ve given you seven simple steps that will make the process much easier to understand.
Seller central is for third-party partners that sell their products to Amazon consumers, while vendor central is for first-party partners that sell products wholesale to Amazon. Regardless of which one you use, there will be plenty of prompts that will help you with creating your account.
Once your profile is set up, you just need to create a shipment plan where you will provide information about the products you’ll be sending. You’ll then confirm the carrier you want to use and information about your cargo.
For bulk shipments, you’ll need to palletize your freight. There are many strict requirements that Amazon has in place for these types of shipments.
Here’s a sample list of their rules for shippers:
We have an entire article on Amazon pallet requirements that provide more details on these requirements. After your freight is secured to the platform, print your labels and put them in the correct spots on your load.
You can now make your load available for pickup by your carrier and ship it off. You’ll also have the ability to track the status of your shipment in your seller or vendor account. This allows you to see how it progresses through the supply chain.
Amazon gives their sellers multiple carrier options they can use to transport their cargo. Each has its own pros and cons that we’ll discuss in the following sections.
Amazon works alongside a variety of pre-approved carriers that can transport domestic shipments on your behalf. There are numerous benefits you can enjoy when using one of their carriers.
When you choose an Amazon partnered carrier, you’ll gain access to discounted rates that have been pre-negotiated. In some cases, you might be able to save up to 25% on shipping costs. Amazon’s partner carrier program streamlines the shipment creation process.
It does this by offering:
Amazon partner carriers have plenty of experience shipping inventory to FBA warehouses. As a result, you can count on reliable and fast transit times.
Despite the benefits that Amazon’s partner carrier program can provide, you might find that using a transportation company outside their network will be more helpful.
Benefits of using a non-partner carrier include:
If you’ve already established a contract with a non-partnered carrier, chances are you already have access to preferential rates. Therefore, you won’t need the discounted rates provided by one of Amazon’s in-network transportation provider. An existing contract with your carrier can also provide you with other benefits not offered by a partner carrier.
Non-partnered carriers can also provide an assortment of specialized services:
As a retailer, you probably operate during times when many other businesses are closed. Non-partnered carriers can offer a wider variety of pickup and delivery that will suit your business schedule.
If you’re looking for a non-partnered carrier to transport your freight to an Amazon FBA warehouse, USA Truckload has an extensive network of transportation providers.
The exact amount it will cost to transport freight to an FBA warehouse will vary based on the type of freight you’re shipping, the volume of cargo, and the carrier. Rates can also be impacted by fuel costs, peak season, and other economic factors outside the carrier’s control.
That said, we’ve provided a graphic showing some estimates on what you can expect to spend on an LTL or FTL shipment.
The variation in cost is largely due to the varying price structures for LTL and FTL shipments.
For example, the following factors can influence the cost of LTL services:
FTL shipments are typically priced at a per mile rate. Therefore, your shipment will get increasingly expense the more miles it has to travel.
Related: LTL Freight Class vs NMFC
FTL and LTL shipments can take up to 10 days to arrive at an Amazon FBA warehouses. However, transit times can take even longer during peak season.
When demand rises, it can be more difficult to secure a carrier because they’ll be helping other customers. FBA warehouse staff will also have more freight to process during this time. Therefore, it might take longer for them to unload and break down your pallet after it arrives.
To avoid these challenges, you should take seasonal demand into consideration and plan your shipments ahead of time.
USA Truckload can help you ship goods to an Amazon fulfillment center. We have a network of carriers that can pick up your palletized goods, transport them safely, and deliver them on time. Our network spans the entirety of the U.S., which means we can provide coverage for all our customers.
USA Truckload can also provide a variety of shipping services, such as:
Start with one of our services today by filling out your Request for Proposal (RFP). You can also call our team at (866) 353-7178 if you have any questions about our services.
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