How do you use a freight forwarder for Amazon FBA shipments?

What does a freight forwarder do for Amazon FBA?

A freight forwarder is the B2B logistics company that moves your goods internationally on your behalf. For an Amazon brand importing from Asia, a forwarder typically books space on a vessel or flight, arranges pickup at the factory, files export paperwork, coordinates customs clearance with a licensed broker at the destination, and delivers to the warehouses Amazon assigns.

Many also offer prep at origin: FNSKU labels, FBA box ID labels and palletizing to Amazon's standards before the cargo leaves the factory. That matters, because Amazon charges for unplanned prep and can delay receiving by up to 48 hours when units arrive without barcode labels.

What does Amazon require from imported FBA inventory?

Amazon's Delivering imports to Amazon page sets the rules your forwarder must work within:

• Amazon, including its fulfillment centers, will not act as importer of record (IOR) for any FBA shipment, of any size or value. Leaving the IOR blank can get the shipment refused and returned.
• The IOR makes sure the shipment complies with the law, files the entry, and pays duties, taxes and fees. You may also need a customs bond.
• Amazon will not act as the partner government agency (PGA) importer or consignee. Using Amazon's name or DUNS number can lead to detention, seizure and refused inventory.
• Items such as supplements, food, medical devices, plants, pesticides and hazardous goods often need extra permits. FDA-regulated food needs a US-based Foreign Supplier Verification Program agent; Amazon will not act as one.
• You must set the correct country of origin on each listing, in each store.

A non-resident (foreign) company can act as IOR through its customs broker. Amazon points sellers to its Service Provider Network for customs brokerage, FSVP and other import services.

What inbound programs does Amazon offer itself?

Amazon runs three programs that overlap with what a forwarder does. Compare them before you book:

Amazon says inventory delivered to a fulfillment center is usually scanned and available for sale within three business days.

What packing and shipping rules must your forwarder follow?

Share Amazon's Shipping and routing requirements with your forwarder before the first booking. The rules that cause the most refusals:

• Boxes with multiple items: maximum 36 x 25 x 25 inches and 50 lb. Only a single oversize item may exceed those dimensions, and boxes over 50 lb need Team Lift labels (Mechanical Lift over 100 lb).
• Every box needs its own FBA Box ID label; every pallet needs four FBA Pallet ID labels, one on each side.
• Partnered LTL, FTL and intermodal shipments use 40 x 48 inch four-way wooden pallets, GMA Standard B Grade or better. Only FTL and intermodal may be floor-loaded, and FTL is capped at 44,000 lb.
• Use rigid six-sided boxes, 2 inches of cushioning, and no straps, over-wrap or pallet-sized gaylord boxes.
• Ship exactly what your plan says, to the locations it assigns. Misrouted, incomplete or partly cancelled shipments can lead to blocked shipment creation and inbound defect fees.

How do you choose a freight forwarder for Amazon FBA?

The best freight forwarder for Amazon FBA is the one that gets inventory received on time at a known landed cost. Ask every candidate:

• How many FBA deliveries do you book a month, and do you handle Amazon delivery appointments for LTL and FTL?
• Will you ship to AWD as well as to fulfillment centers?
• Who is your customs broker at the destination port, and can you act for a non-resident importer of record?
• Do you label and palletize at origin to Amazon's standards?
• Is your quote all in: freight, origin charges, customs, duties estimate, drayage and delivery? What is excluded?
• Do you offer cargo insurance, and what does it cover?

Get an AGL quote too. Even if you do not use it, it is a benchmark from Amazon itself. Then compare on landed cost per unit and days from factory to available, not freight rate alone.

What is the step-by-step process from factory to FBA?

A typical flow for a brand importing by sea:

1. Create the shipment in Send to Amazon. This gives you destinations, box labels and FNSKUs. Since 17 October 2022, new FBA shipments must be created in Send to Amazon or through Amazon's APIs.
2. Label and pack at the factory. Apply FNSKU and FBA box labels and pack to Amazon's box limits before pickup.
3. Book the forwarder and confirm the IOR. Confirm who is importer of record, whether you need a customs bond, and any PGA requirements for your category.
4. Clear customs and deliver. The broker files the entry and pays duties; the forwarder delivers to the assigned fulfillment centers or to AWD.
5. Track receiving. Watch the Shipment Performance dashboard and reconcile units received against units shipped.