Amazon Partnered Carrier program options

Amazon Partnered Carrier program options are available for both small parcel deliveries (SPDs) and less-than-truckload (LTL) and full-truckload (FTL) shipments within the 48 contiguous states in the US.

• SPDs consist of units that are packed in boxes, with each box individually labeled for delivery. SPDs are typically smaller shipments that are sent via UPS.
• LTL and FTL shipment combines individual boxes on pallets for delivery.

Dangerous goods cannot be shipped via partnered carriers. To learn more, visit Dangerous goods identification guide (hazmat).

For information about loss and damage claims, visit FBA inventory reimbursement policy.

Partnered carriers offer deeply discounted rates, and the cost is billed to your account as an inbound transportation charge. There is a 1-lb minimum fee for partnered carrier shipments. For shipments that weigh less than 1 lb, the minimum fee applies.

We will provide a printable shipping label to use with our carrier. The rates apply to deliveries within the 48 contiguous states in the US. You can cancel up to 24 hours after approving the fees.

After completing your shipment, give your package to the pickup driver. Or take the package to the carrier drop-off site of your choice.

For more information, visit Small parcel delivery to Amazon.

Billable weight and shipping cost calculation

Billable weight is used to estimate the shipping cost. The billable weight will be either the dimensional weight or the shipment weight, whichever is greater.

• Shipment weight is the actual weight of your shipment based on the weight per box.
• Dimensional weight reflects package density based on the box dimensions.

We estimate shipping cost based on the shipment packing information (box weights and dimensions) and the billable weight.

Partnered carriers offer discounted rates to eligible sellers, and the cost is billed to your account as an inbound transportation charge. If your total shipment weighs more than 150 lb, consider using a partnered LTL or FTL carrier.

To use a partnered LTL or FTL carrier, you must meet the shipment requirements described below and have the following:

• A dock or forklift to place pallets on a truck
• The ability to either support a truck coming to your pickup address or use the lift-gate service described below

For more information, visit Carrier requirements for LTL and FTL deliveries.

Shipment requirements

Each shipment requires four-way access wooden pallets that are 40 x 48 inches and GMA Standard B Grade or higher. Also provide the following information, ensuring that it’s accurate:

• A freight-ready date so that pallets are ready for pickup by 8 a.m. local time on that date
• A pallet count at the time of estimate acceptance
• A weight for each pallet
• Freight class

Freight class

Freight class is a standardized classification system that determines the billable weight and risk of a shipment. Freight class is ranked from 50 to 500.

Make sure to provide accurate packaging information when creating a shipment. This information is used for your freight class estimate. If the freight class of your shipment appears to be too low, an alert will show an estimated freight class. If you’re unsure of your shipment’s freight class, choose the Estimate my freight class option during the Shipping charges step in the Send/replenish inventory workflow.

You will be asked to accept Amazon's estimated freight class. Shipments with rejected freight-class estimates are subject to further review. Recurring issues with packaging information may disable your ability to reject freight-class estimates.

For more information, visit Amazon Partnered Carrier freight class.

LTL lift-gate service

If you don’t have a dock door or a forklift, you can still use the Amazon partnered LTL service by requesting lift-gate service from the carrier. To qualify for the service, your shipment must be under 12 pallets and less than 20,000 lb.

To use the lift-gate service, do the following:

1. After creating a shipment, select Less than truckload (LTL) under Shipping method and Amazon Partnered Carrier under Shipping carrier.
2. Contact the carrier and request a truck with a lift gate.
3. Schedule a pickup time with the carrier.
4. Palletize the shipment and be able to move the pallets to the truck when it arrives. Carriers will not have the manpower to move your pallets.

We will assign a carrier and create a bill of lading, which you will receive via email and can access in Seller Central.

Scheduling a pickup

More than 20 carriers participate in the partnered LTL and FTL service. When you use this service, we provide an estimated shipping fee and pickup date based on your shipment information, such as number of pallets, weight, and freight class. We also include the freight-ready date that you provide.

Your pickup date will be on either the freight-ready date or two days from when the estimate is accepted, whichever is later. The carrier assigned to your shipment will appear in the Prepare shipment tab of your shipment as well as on your bill of lading (BOL).

Give the carrier the BOL, which will be available in the Track shipment tab of the shipment summary on the morning of your pickup. The BOL will also be emailed to your contact person for the shipment.

If you discuss your pickup appointment with the carrier, refer to your shipment by the Amazon reference number (ARN) on your BOL. The ARN is different from your FBA shipment ID and is required for pickup and delivery requests. When partnered carriers come for pickup, they won’t have access to the shipment ID. Partnered carriers can’t accommodate pickup appointments and will arrive on the provided pickup date.

Amazon Freight offers pickup within two days of scheduling in select areas for shipments sent to local fulfillment centers. For more information, visit Amazon Freight LTL shipping service.

If you use an Amazon partnered carrier to ship your pallet via Send to Amazon, follow these steps:

1. Under Step 4: Confirm carrier and pallet information, confirm your freight-ready date and pickup contact details for all shipments.
2. Review the pallet estimates for each of the shipments. If needed, edit the pallet configurations to ensure accurate shipping-cost estimates.
3. Confirm each shipment’s pallet configurations to show the shipping-cost estimates. For the freight class, you can enter your own estimate or keep Amazon’s estimate.
4. Review all the shipping-cost estimates.
5. Click Confirm all carrier and pallet information to proceed to Step 5: Print pallet labels.

You can cancel your Send to Amazon shipment by clicking on Void shipments and charges at the bottom of the page. Voiding will cancel all shipments that you created and move them into Canceled status in your Shipping Queue.

For more information, visit Send to Amazon: Change or cancel a shipment.

You can cancel your shipment after approving estimated fees for the following:

• Up to one hour for LTL or FTL shipments
• Up to 24 hours for SPD shipments

To cancel a Send/replenish inventory shipment, go to your Shipping Queue and follow these steps:

1. Locate the shipment and click Work on shipment.
2. Click the Provide details tab.
3. Click Void charges.

Amazon MWS also includes partnered carrier options. For more information, visit Amazon Marketplace Web Service overview.