Shipping inventory to Amazon FBA involves creating a shipment plan in Seller Central, preparing your products with the correct labels and packaging, and then sending boxes to the fulfillment centers Amazon assigns. The process is straightforward once you understand the workflow, but skipping steps or ignoring Amazon’s prep requirements can result in rejected shipments, extra fees, or delayed inventory.
How the Send to Amazon Workflow Works
All inbound shipments start inside Seller Central using the “Send to Amazon” workflow. This is a step-by-step process that walks you through everything from selecting which products you’re sending to printing your shipping labels. Here’s what each step looks like:
- Step 1: Choose inventory to send. You select the products and quantities you want to ship. Amazon uses this information to determine which fulfillment centers should receive your goods.
- Step 1b: Pack individual units. You tell Amazon how your items are packed, including how many units per box and how many boxes total. This is where you define your box contents so Amazon knows what to expect when your shipment arrives.
- Step 2: Confirm shipping. Amazon assigns your inventory to one or more fulfillment centers. You may be asked to split your shipment across multiple warehouses. You’ll also choose your shipping method here.
- Step 3: Print box labels. Each box in your shipment gets a unique label that Amazon’s warehouse staff scans on arrival. Print these on standard shipping labels and apply one to each carton.
- Step 4: Confirm carrier and pallet information. This step only applies if you’re shipping palletized freight. You’ll enter pallet dimensions and weight.
- Final step: Tracking details. Enter your tracking numbers or carrier pickup confirmation so Amazon can monitor your inbound shipment.
Amazon may split your inventory across two, three, or even more fulfillment centers. You can pay an inventory placement fee to consolidate shipments to fewer locations, but for most sellers, shipping to multiple centers is the default and the cheaper option overall.
Labeling Your Products
Every unit you send to FBA needs a scannable barcode. For most sellers, this means printing and applying an FNSKU label (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit) to each individual product. The FNSKU is a barcode unique to your seller account and listing, and it’s what Amazon uses to identify your inventory inside the warehouse. You can generate these labels directly from Seller Central.
If your product already has a manufacturer barcode (UPC or EAN), some items are eligible for “stickerless, commingled inventory,” which lets Amazon use the existing barcode instead of an FNSKU. The tradeoff is that your units get mixed with identical products from other sellers, which means a customer complaint about another seller’s defective unit could end up tied to your account. Most experienced sellers apply their own FNSKU labels to avoid this.
Labels should be printed clearly, without wrinkles or smudges, and placed so they don’t cover any existing barcodes on the product packaging. If Amazon’s scanners can’t read your label, your shipment gets flagged and you may be charged a relabeling fee.
Packaging and Box Requirements
Amazon has specific rules for how products should be prepped and how boxes should be packed. Individual product prep depends on the item type. Liquids need to be sealed in poly bags to prevent leaks. Glass or fragile items require bubble wrap. Products with multiple loose pieces should be bagged or bundled together so nothing separates during transit or storage.
For the shipping boxes themselves, keep these guidelines in mind:
- Weight limit: No single box should exceed 50 pounds. If an individual item weighs more than 50 pounds, it must ship in its own box with a “Team Lift” label.
- Box size: No box side should exceed 25 inches unless the product itself is oversized. Use sturdy, six-sided corrugated boxes. Amazon does not accept damaged, crushed, or non-standard containers.
- Packing material: Use enough cushioning to prevent items from shifting, but don’t use packing peanuts, shredded paper, or Styrofoam loose fill. Bubble wrap, air pillows, and full sheets of packing paper are all acceptable.
- Box contents: Each box should contain only the items you declared in the Send to Amazon workflow. Mismatches between declared and actual contents slow down the receiving process and can trigger warnings on your account.
Don’t reuse boxes with old shipping labels or barcodes still visible. Cover or remove any previous labels so Amazon’s scanners don’t read the wrong code.
Choosing a Shipping Method
You have two main options for getting your boxes to Amazon: use Amazon’s partnered carriers or arrange your own shipping.
Amazon’s Partnered Carrier Program gives you discounted rates that are typically 30 to 50 percent below standard retail carrier pricing. For small parcel shipments (individual boxes), UPS is the most common partnered carrier in the U.S. For larger shipments, you can use Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipping, where your pallets share truck space with other freight to keep costs down. You set up partnered carrier shipments directly inside the Send to Amazon workflow, and the shipping charges are deducted from your seller account balance.
If you prefer to use your own carrier, you can ship with FedEx, a regional carrier, or any freight service. You’ll just need to enter the tracking information manually in the final step of the workflow. This makes sense when you’ve negotiated your own volume discounts or when you’re shipping from a location where the partnered carrier rates aren’t competitive.
For shipments under a few hundred pounds, small parcel delivery is the simplest approach. Once your shipments regularly fill multiple pallets, LTL or full truckload shipping becomes more cost-effective per unit.
Shipping Hazmat and Restricted Products
Products classified as dangerous goods (hazmat) require extra documentation before Amazon will accept them into FBA. This category includes items containing lithium batteries, flammable liquids, aerosols, and certain chemicals. Even everyday products like perfume, nail polish, or Bluetooth devices with lithium-ion batteries can fall under hazmat rules.
When you list a new product on FBA, Amazon may ask you to upload a safety data sheet (SDS). To be accepted, the SDS must have been created or updated within the past five years, include all 16 standard sections, and match your product listing exactly. The product name and manufacturer on the SDS need to match what appears on your detail page.
For battery-powered products or items without harmful chemicals, you can submit an exemption sheet instead of a full SDS. Amazon provides a downloadable template, and it must be uploaded as an Excel file. Uploading it in any other format can cause rejection.
Lithium battery products require additional details during the listing process: the battery’s chemical composition, whether the battery is packed with, contained in, or sold separately from the device, the number of cells, and the total energy content. You’ll also need to confirm whether the battery ships at less than 30 percent state of charge, which determines whether your product can be shipped by air. If you skip this question, Amazon restricts the product to ground shipping only.
Products flagged as hazmat go through an additional review before they’re available for sale, which can add several days to your listing timeline. Having your SDS or exemption sheet ready before you create your shipment avoids delays.
What Happens After Your Shipment Arrives
Once your boxes reach the fulfillment center, Amazon’s staff checks them in, scans the box labels, and begins receiving your inventory. This process can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks depending on the time of year and how busy the warehouse is. During peak seasons like Q4, receiving times often stretch longer.
You can track the status of your inbound shipments in Seller Central under the “Shipping Queue.” Each shipment will show as “Shipped,” “Delivered,” “Checked in,” or “Receiving” as it moves through the process. Your inventory becomes available for sale as individual units are scanned and shelved, so you may see units trickle into your active stock over several days rather than all at once.
If Amazon finds discrepancies between what you declared and what actually arrived (missing units, extra units, wrong products, or damaged items), they’ll note it in your shipment reconciliation report. Consistent discrepancies can lead to investigations or restrictions on your account, so accuracy in the packing step pays off.