Amazon Shipments – What You Need To Know

Thanks for coming back! In our previous blog, we went over how a freight forwarder can help with Amazon shipments. This blog is going to cover the specific requirements that Amazon has for their shipments & explain the Amazon prep process. We are experienced handling these procedures and are here to help!

With Universal Cargo as your partner, you can trust that each shipment we prepare will meet Amazon’s standards. All we need from you is confirmation of the following:

• How will this be delivered?
  • Which FBA Warehouse(s) are we going to
    • Amazon will assign you the FBA warehouse(s)
  • How many cartons to each location?
• Where is the Amazon Prep happening?
  • Origin
    • Your shipper must apply the product labels to each individual piece
    • The shipper should also use a box size approved by Amazon (see below)
    • Some importers ask their supplier to label the boxes
      • We can double check the labels to make sure they were applied properly
  • Destination
    • Universal Cargo!
  • Your Garage
    • Some people want to handle the palletizing and labeling all on their own. This is acceptable, but please beware, it takes a lot of work and must be done perfectly or Amazon will turn away your shipment.
• Would you like help with the delivery?
  • No – Use Amazon’s Domestic Trucking Portal
    • Amazon Discounts
    • You set up the trucking via the portal
    • Choose from list of carriers with prices
    • Input pickup location info
    • We will give you the pallet measurements
    • You send measurements to the truckers
    • You send the Bill of Lading to the warehouse
    • You follow up with the trucker for pickup or delivery status
    • You will be the truckers point of contact for any problems or surprises
  • Yes – Universal Cargo will handle (recommended)
    • Competitive pricing
    • Much less work on your end
    • Universal Cargo can intervene if any problems or surprises pop up!
    • Less chance for error
• The carton and pallet labels
  • Can be accessed from within your Amazon account
  • We provide you with the pallet dimensions and weight that you input into Amazon’s site to generate the labels

Four things – that’s it! We handle everything else when you have us help from start to finish.

Once the shipment has arrived and been cleared, we will move the cargo to the warehouse, break down the pallet, apply (or double check) the box labels, segregate the boxes into different loads, palletize, shrink wrap, label the pallets, and deliver the cargo!

Here are the requirements all Amazon shipments must meet:

• Cartons & Carton Labels
  • Most cartons cannot exceed 25” on any side; less than 50lbs
    • There is a premium charge if overweight/oversize
  • Carton labels must contain required Amazon info & specs
  • One label per carton
  • Labels cannot be placed on a seam or box opening
  • Only place labels on flat surfaces
• Pallets & Pallet Labels
  • Pallets must be standard size 48”x40”x <72”; up to 1500lbs
  • Pallets must be in good condition
  • No cargo overhanging the edges
  • Pallets must be shrink wrapped and securely stacked.
  • Pallets cannot be made out of weak material (i.e. cardboard or particle board)
  • Pallets cannot be broken
  • 5 labels per pallet (one on each side & one on top)
  • Most Amazon shipments delivered by an LTL trucker (i.e., not UPS, USPS, or FedEx) must be palletized
  • Special Pallet Labels (as needed)

• Delivery
  • Appointment Delivery
    • Set up in advance
  • No General Public Deliveries
    • i.e., you can’t deliver the cargo yourself
  • Carrier must be registered with Amazon

As you can see, a lot of work is required to prepare a shipment for Amazon. A forgotten label, appointment mishap, or pallet violation has the potential to cause a loss of hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars and unnecessary delays.

Let us know how we can help!