It is crucial to adhere to Amazon’s preparation, packaging, labelling, and delivery guidelines to ensure a smooth shipping experience. These guidelines are designed to maintain the quality and consistency of products within the Amazon ecosystem. If you want to know more about how to ship to Amazon FBA, then continue reading this blog.

Steps to Follow

Once you have decided to utilise Amazon FBA for your shipping needs, there are several vital steps to follow.

• The first step is to create a shipping plan within your merchant account on Amazon. It involves providing details about the products you will be shipping, including the quantity, condition, and fulfilment centre to which you want them sent. Amazon provides a step-by-step guide to help you through the process.
• After creating the shipping plan, the next crucial step is selecting a reliable and experienced forwarder. Choosing a forwarder familiar with Amazon’s specific shipping requirements is essential. They should thoroughly understand packaging guidelines, labelling requirements, and the documentation for shipping to Amazon FBA centres. Compliance is key when shipping to Amazon fullfillment centres.
• Once you have chosen a forwarder, you can proceed with arranging the delivery of your products to the designated FBA warehouse in the USA. Your forwarder will handle the logistics, including organizing transportation, ensuring proper packaging, and coordinating delivery. Unicargo owns and operates strategic warehouses in the US. UK, India, China and Germany to facilitate the transition from the port to the warehouses and then to Amazon’s warehouses.  We also own and operate our trucking company (in the U.S.) which enebales us to act quick and transport the goods more efficiently.

Make a Shipping Plan

When creating a shipping plan, specify the products you intend to send to Amazon warehouses. You can choose between selling “individual products” or “jointly packaged products.” If you opt for “individual items,” you will send packages containing one or more products with varying quantities and conditions.

On the other hand, selecting “case-packed products” implies that you are shipping products with the same SKU (unique product identifier). In this scenario, each shipment will have the same number of products.

After choosing the appropriate option, you should proceed with the following steps:

• Determine the quantity for each product you plan to ship.
• Prepare the products according to the guidelines provided, considering the specific requirements based on the product type.
• Print the necessary labels, including barcodes or other product identifiers required by Amazon. The physical size of label is crucial as well.
• Double-check and confirm the details of your package shipping to Amazon FBA in the USA to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Choose a suitable shipping method that aligns with your needs and budget. You may consider factors such as cost, speed, and reliability.
• Summarise the entire shipping process, and keep in mind that you can monitor the shipment’s progress as it is sent to Amazon FBA in the USA.

Role of Forwarder

Utilizing the services of a forwarder plays a significant role in the process of shipping to Amazon FBA. Transporting goods to Amazon can be a time-consuming and complex task, especially for those needing prior experience in freight forwarding. Therefore, finding a suitable forwarding company specializing in this type of shipment is highly recommended.

By partnering with a competent forwarder, such as the ShipHub platform mentioned, you can save valuable time and streamline the shipping process. These forwarders have the necessary expertise and knowledge to navigate the intricacies of shipping to Amazon FBA.

A reliable forwarder will coordinate each shipment stage, including organizing transportation, handling documentation and customs requirements, and ensuring compliance with Amazon’s shipping guidelines. They have experience working with Amazon FBA and understand the specific requirements for delivering goods to FBA centres.

Choosing a forwarder that is well-versed in FBA shipping can bring numerous benefits. They are familiar with Amazon’s procedures, packaging guidelines, labelling requirements, and other necessary details to deliver your products to the designated fulfilment centres successfully.

Ultimately, partnering with a reputable forwarder that understands the nuances of shipping to FBA can alleviate the stress and complexities associated with the process. It allows you to focus on your core business while entrusting the logistics and shipping aspects to professionals specializing in freight forwarding to Amazon FBA.  Unicargo was one of the First freight & logistics companies that serviced clients shipping to Amazon and has the most experienced and knowledgeable teams working with Amazon FBA clients.

Tasks of a Freight Forwarder

The primary tasks of a freight forwarder when shipping to Amazon FBA warehouses  include the following:

1. Checking the Goods for Damage: The products will be inspected by the forwarder to make sure they are in good shape and ready for shipping. It helps prevent any potential issues or damages during transportation.

2. Ensuring Packaging Compliance: The forwarder will verify that the goods are packaged according to Amazon’s requirements. It includes using appropriate packaging materials, labelling, and securing the products to prevent damage during transit.

3. Adhering to Labeling Rules: The forwarder will ensure the goods are properly labelled following Amazon’s labelling guidelines. It includes applying scannable barcodes or labels that comply with Amazon’s inventory tracking system.

4. Proper Palletizing: If necessary, the forwarder will correctly pack the goods on pallets, ensuring they are securely stacked and stable for transportation. It helps protect the goods during handling and prevents any potential damage.

5. Arranging Delivery Date: The forwarder will coordinate with the appropriate transportation service providers to schedule a delivery date that aligns with Amazon’s requirements and the seller’s preferences.6. Transporting Goods to the FBA Center or a 3pl: The forwarder will handle the logistics of transporting the goods from the origin point to the designated Amazon FBA order processing centre. It includes selecting the appropriate shipping method and ensuring timely delivery.

Receiving Shipment

Once Amazon receives the shipment, they will assign the products to the appropriate FBA Center. Within three business days, the products should be available for sale on the Amazon platform.

As a seller, you can easily monitor and track the progress of your shipment through your Amazon merchant account. It allows you to stay updated on the status of your inventory and ensure that everything is progressing as expected. Amazon provides tools and features to help sellers understand how to ship to Amazon FBA and keep a close eye on their shipments, providing transparency and peace of mind throughout the process.

A trusted freight forwarder will also monitor the goods until they arrive to its final destination and will communicate properly, owning the entire customer journey!

The post Shipping to Amazon FBA appeared first on Unicargo.

• If the products within a box are intended to be sold individually but have identical SKU numbers, choose the option for case-packed products. Please note that case-packed products and multipacks are not the same; case-packed products are sold individually, whilst multipacks are sold as a set.
• If the products in the box are different from each other or have different SKU numbers, choose the option for individual products.

You can find further guidance on case-packed versus individual products in Amazon’s help center; and if you need a little more support, just let us know and we’ll be happy to help.

The post Understanding the Difference Between Case-Packed and Individually Packed Products in Amazon Seller Central appeared first on Unicargo.

This means that all you have to do is send your shipment to that named fulfilment center, rather than splitting it up to send to several different ones. However, you can’t pick which fulfilment center your products are assigned to as part of the inventory placement service – this is decided by Amazon.

Additionally, the inventory placement service doesn’t guarantee that your shipment won’t then be split up and sent on to multiple other fulfilment centers.

When your shipment arrives at the named fulfilment center, Amazon may then divide it up and send it on to other fulfilment centers on your behalf. The same is true if you are supplying a single product that comes in different variants, such as different size or color options.

The Fulfilled by Amazon service’s default shipment setting is distributed inventory placement, which means that Amazon might assign various quantities of any single product or ASIN to multiple different fulfilment centers when you draw up your shipment plan.

If you need more information on Amazon’s inventory placement service, let us know and we’ll provide additional guidance.

The post How to Send a Shipment to One Amazon Fulfilment Center and Avoid Split Shipments appeared first on Unicargo.

1. Begin by creating a shipment plan in your Amazon Seller Central account, then click through to the “prepare shipment” page.
2. In section two: delivery service, choose “SPD” (small parcel delivery) as your shipping method, and “UPS” as your shipping courier.
3. In section three: shipment packing, enter the box weight (and dimensions if you wish) and click on “confirm.”
4. You will find your estimated shipping cost in section four: shipping charges. However, don’t accept the charges if you are just looking to get an estimate.

One point to note is that for some German fulfilment centers, you might only be offered DHL as your SPD option, because DHL only permits the Amazon seller themselves to arrange a pick-up. We can coordinate a UPS SPD pick-up on your behalf if you wish.

Remember also that when you choose an Amazon partner carrier such as UPS, it is Amazon that will send you the bill for the final delivery charge rather than Unicargo.

If you need help with coordinating a UPS delivery or for anything else, contact us now and we’ll assist you.

The post How to Calculate the UPS Charges to Send a Delivery to an Amazon FBA Warehouse or Hub appeared first on Unicargo.

1. First you need to create a shipment plan in your Amazon Seller Central account.
2. Next, click through to the “prepare shipment” page.
3. Using the available options in section two (shipping service), choose “SPD” (small parcel delivery) for your shipping method, and FedEx as your shipping courier.
4. Fill in the “shipment packing” details in section three, making sure to enter the box weight, and click “confirm.”
5. Your estimated shipping costs will be shown in section four: shipping charges. However, if you just want to get an estimate, do not click to accept the charges.

Remember that when you use an Amazon-partnered shipping service like FedEx, it is Amazon that will bill you for the service rather than Unicargo.
If you need any help with calculating shipping charges, let us know and we’ll be happy to advise.

The post How to Calculate the FedEx Fees When Shipping to an Amazon FBA Warehouse appeared first on Unicargo.

1. First, create a shipment plan in your Amazon Seller Central account, then click through to the “prepare shipment” page.
2. In section two: shipping service, choose the options for “LTL” (less than truck load) under the shipping method, and “Amazon-partnered carrier” under shipping carrier.
3. In section three: shipment packing, complete the form and click “confirm.”

To estimate the pallet information, follow this guidance for the different sections:

• For the dimensions, input 72”, which is Amazon’s maximum allowable height.
• For the weight, divide the total weight of your cargo by the number of pallets you will use.
• For the approximate pallet count, divide the volume of the shipment in cubic meters (CBM) by 1.5 as an average estimate.

Unless you’re sending stackable pallets, make sure you don’t select the “stackable pallets” box. If you do, the truck that Amazon sends may only be able to carry stackable pallets, and if your pallets can’t be stacked, they won’t fit into the available space.

You might want to use one of a number of automated pallet-calculating tools that you can find online, but this is not always a good idea as they are often inaccurate and tend to underestimate the pallet details.

4. Work out the charges for your delivery in section four: shipping charges by using the following guidance:

• Under “freight ready date,” enter any date in the future for estimation purposes.
• Under “contact person” you can select any contact or person.
• Under “freight class,” just select 100.
• Under “declared value,” enter the commercial value of your shipment’s goods.

5. Finally, click the “calculate” button to return your estimate – but do not accept the charges if you are just working out an idea of costs at this stage.

Don’t forget that when you use an Amazon-partnered carrier like Amazon’s LTL service, you will receive a bill for the final delivery charges from Amazon rather than Unicargo.

If anything isn’t clear or you need more help, contact us and we’ll be happy to advise you.

The post How to Calculate the Cost of Sending an LTL Delivery to an Amazon FBA Warehouse appeared first on Unicargo.

If you want to know more about delivery timelines and expectations, let us know and we’ll advise you further.

The post How Long Will It Take an Amazon LTL Delivery to Reach Its Amazon FBA Warehouse? appeared first on Unicargo.

If you want to add more than 5% or six units, or add additional Amazon SKUs, you’ll have to create a new shipment or duplicate the existing shipment.

If you have any more questions about changing the quantities included on an Amazon shipment plan you’ve already generated, you may be able to find the answers in Amazon’s help center information on preparing shipments. If you can’t find the answers you are looking for, let us know and we’ll do our best to help.

The post Can You Change the Quantities on a Previously Generated Amazon Shipment Plan? appeared first on Unicargo.