Amazon FBA Shipping

Amazon receives inventory only when it matches the shipment plan created in Seller Central and meets the packaging rules. Anything else is refused at the dock, received with a problem flag, or charged an unplanned prep fee per unit.

• Every unit labelled with a scannable FNSKU unless the ASIN is commingled
• Cartons under 25 inches on any side and under 50 pounds, with the FBA box ID label from the plan
• Pallets on 40 by 48 inch GMA pallets, under 72 inches high, four pallet labels each, stretch wrapped
• Pallets heat-treated to ISPM 15 for anything entering the USA, UK or EU from India
• Carton contents entered in the plan, either per carton or by 2D barcode
• Delivery only on an appointment booked through Carrier Central by a registered carrier

Amazon will not act as importer of record and will not pay duty, so the shipment has to arrive with duty paid and a named importer. That importer is you, either through a US, UK or EU entity or as a non-resident importer with a customs bond, or a fiscal representative in the EU. DDP means QShip's broker files the entry, we pay the duty on your behalf, and the invoice to you shows freight and duty separately.

Sea freight costs a fraction of air per unit but takes six to eight weeks door to fulfilment centre from Delhi to the USA. Air takes about a week. Most established listings move the bulk of stock by sea on a schedule and use air only to cover a stock-out or a launch. A first order of a new ASIN, where you do not yet know the sell-through, is often better sent small and by air.

• Sea, LCL: under 15 CBM, Delhi to a US West Coast FBA warehouse in about seven weeks
• Sea, FCL: a 40 ft high cube of garments or home goods, about six to seven weeks, lowest cost per unit
• Air: under 500 kg, Delhi to a US FBA warehouse in five to seven days
• Air to the UK or Germany: three to five days, often the best choice for European FBA replenishment

1. 1Create the shipment plan in Seller Central and share the FBA shipment ID and labels with QShip
2. 2We prep and label in Delhi, or at the US warehouse if the stock is already there
3. 3Cargo clears customs under DDP and is delivered by an Amazon-registered carrier
4. 4The carrier books the appointment in Carrier Central for the fulfilment centre Amazon assigned
5. 5Delivery is made on the appointment with the bill of lading quoting the Amazon reference ID
6. 6We follow the shipment in Seller Central until it shows as received and closed

Amazon.com in the USA is the largest by volume for our customers, followed by Amazon.co.uk and the European marketplaces served from Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Fulfilment centre assignments change with every shipment plan, so we deliver wherever Amazon routes the plan, including West Coast, Texas and Northeast warehouses in the USA and the inbound centres in the UK and Germany.