Shipping to an Amazon fulfilment centre is not the same as shipping to your own warehouse. Amazon enforces packaging, labelling and documentation standards, and non-compliant shipments are refused, charged, or returned at your expense. This guide walks through the process in the order it actually happens.
Amazon's receiving requirements change frequently and vary by marketplace and fulfilment centre. Always check Seller Central and confirm the current specification with your forwarder before dispatch.
Step 1: Decide what you are actually shipping
Before you talk to a forwarder, you need four numbers:
- Carton count and dimensions of each carton type
- Total volume in cubic metres — cartons multiplied out, not guessed
- Total weight, gross
- Product type, including whether it contains batteries, liquids or magnets
With those four, you can get a real quote instead of a placeholder. Without them, every quote you receive is provisional.
Step 2: Confirm your FBA shipment plan in Seller Central
Create the shipment plan and let Amazon allocate the destination fulfilment centres. Two things to note:
- Amazon may split your shipment across multiple FCs. That changes your cost structure, because a split shipment means multiple delivery legs.
- Get the FC address and the receiving window before booking freight. Turning up outside the window can mean refused delivery.
You will also need the shipment ID and the correct FNSKU labels for each unit.
Step 3: Get the prep right
This is where most rejections originate. Amazon's standard requirements, which your supplier or a prep centre must follow:
| Requirement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| FNSKU label | One per unit, on the outside, scannable, covering any barcode |
| Poly bagging | Required for loose items, textiles and anything that could spill |
| Suffocation warning | Required on poly bags above the size threshold |
| Carton weight | Usually under 23 kg per carton unless clearly marked as team lift |
| Carton dimensions | Must not exceed Amazon's maximum side and girth limits |
| Carton labelling | FBA shipment ID and box labels on each carton, printed not handwritten |
| Set and bundle marking | Clearly marked where units must be sold together |
Two practical points. First, printed labels, not handwritten. Second, do not let your supplier use their own barcode — it must be the FNSKU.
Step 4: Choose the freight mode
| Mode | Transit | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sea freight LCL | 20 – 30 days door to door | First orders, test batches, slow-moving SKUs |
| Sea freight FCL | 23 – 42 days door to door | Restocks over about 15 cbm |
| Air freight | 5 – 10 days door to door | Urgent replenishment, high value per kilo |
| Express courier | 3 – 7 days | Samples, small urgent quantities |
Most sellers use a mix. Sea freight carries the bulk of the stock and air freight plugs the gaps when a SKU runs out faster than forecast.
For a cost breakdown on the ocean option, see sea freight from China to the USA.
Step 5: Decide who is the importer of record
This is the decision that catches sellers out most often.
If you are selling in the USA, you generally need a US entity or a designated importer of record, an Employer Identification Number, and a customs bond. Some forwarders offer a DDP service where they handle importation and deliver to the FC — convenient, but you are not the importer of record, and that has consequences for duty recovery and for how Amazon treats the goods.
For most sellers building a real business, importing in your own name is the cleaner long-term arrangement. Talk it through with your forwarder and a customs broker before your first shipment, not after. The full document set is in our US customs clearance checklist, and the cost trade-offs of each Incoterm are in Incoterms 2020 explained.
Step 6: Manage the delivery appointment
Amazon FCs operate on appointments. If your container arrives and the appointment is missed, you are looking at storage costs and possibly a refused delivery. Your forwarder should:
- Book the delivery appointment as soon as the arrival date is firm
- Confirm the FC's current receiving hours and dock requirements
- Have a contingency plan for a refused or delayed delivery
The five mistakes that cost the most
- Labels applied at the destination instead of at origin. Prep at the factory is far cheaper than rework in a US warehouse.
- Assuming all FCs accept the same packaging. They do not, and requirements change.
- Booking freight before the shipment plan is confirmed. The destination may change.
- Under-declaring value. It is fraud, it risks seizure, and it is not worth it.
- No buffer between arrival and your restock deadline. Amazon receiving itself takes days, and sometimes longer in Q4.
Frequently asked questions
How long does FBA shipping from China take? Sea freight door to door is typically 23 to 42 days depending on the US coast. Air freight is 5 to 10 days. Add Amazon's own receiving time on top.
Can my supplier ship directly to Amazon? Some will, but most are not set up for FNSKU labelling and Amazon's carton standards. Using a prep service at origin is usually cheaper than fixing problems at destination.
Do I need my own company in the USA to sell on Amazon? Not to list products, but you will generally need an importer of record and a customs bond to import. Many sellers use a DDP service initially and switch to importing in their own name as volume grows.
What happens if my shipment is not compliant? Amazon may refuse it, charge a prep fee to fix it, or return it at your cost. Refused shipments can sit for weeks.
Is LCL or FCL better for FBA? Below about 15 cubic metres, LCL. Above that, FCL is cheaper and faster, and for time-sensitive restocks the speed alone often justifies it.
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