Template for large and heavy items
The freight-shipping template is for heavy and bulky items, such as large TVs, furniture, and domestic appliances that are shipped through a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier. Since these deliveries require scheduling an appointment with the buyer, the freight shipping template provides you with benefits that make it easier to sell large and heavy items on Amazon:
- Messaging to buyers about scheduling a delivery appointment.
- Allows buyers to update their phone number at checkout.
- Allows you to include a charge for residential deliveries (see FAQ 12 for more details).
- Count each order as an on-time delivery as long as you deliver the item at the scheduled time and ship through a freight carrier that provides tracking information to Amazon (refer to FAQ 2 for a list of such carriers).
The freight-shipping template provides you with two options for arranging delivery to the customer, Arranged Freight Delivery and Scheduled Delivery.
Arranged Freight Delivery
This option requires you or your carrier to contact the buyer via phone to set up a delivery appointment time. At checkout, customers will be notified that they will be contacted to arrange the date of the delivery. This is the default shipping option, and will always be enabled for products listed on the freight shipping template.
Scheduled Delivery
In this case, the buyer will see the available delivery slots (in an inline calendar format), and will have the option to pick any slot at their convenience. You can use Seller Central to indicate slots when you/your carrier can deliver. This is an optional shipping option, and you will have the choice to enable this for products listed on the freight shipping template.
Requirements to use the freight shipping template
- Tracking: You are required to provide a shipment tracking ID and carrier name to Amazon for all the orders shipped via Arranged Delivery or Scheduled Delivery.
- On-time delivery: You are required to deliver the item during the appointment time. We require an on-time delivery rate of 97%.
- Products: This template can be used only for items that require shipment through an LTL carrier and require scheduling.
-
Carriers: You can either self-deliver or deliver using an LTL carrier. If you self-deliver, please write "Self delivery" as the carrier name during ship confirm.
[Scheduled Delivery Orders Only]: If you use an LTL carrier, you have to use a freight carrier that provides tracking information to Amazon (refer to FAQ 2 for a list of carriers).
- Scheduling [Arranged Delivery Orders Only]: You/your carrier must contact the customer to schedule an appointment time for delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up the freight shipping template?
To use this template, follow the steps below to enable the new template settings:
- From the ‘Settings’ drop-down on Seller Central, select ‘ShippingSettings’.
- Click ‘CreateNewShippingTemplate’.
- Select ‘FreightShipping’, or choose from one of your existing freight shipping templates, and then click ‘OK’.
Please email us at arranged-freight-delivery@amazon.com to get a detailed step-by-step guide on setting up the template.
Which freight carriers provide tracking information to Amazon?
We currently get tracking information from the following freight carriers:
- FedEx Freight
- UPS Freight
- Yellow Freight
- Saia LTL Freight
- Roadrunner
- XPO Logistics
- ABF
- AAA Cooper
- Southeastern Freight Lines
What does the buyer see at checkout for offers listed on the freight template?
For offers that do not have Scheduled Delivery enabled, the buyer will only see one delivery option at checkout – Arranged Delivery.
For offers that have Scheduled Delivery enabled, the buyer will see two delivery options at checkout – Arranged Delivery and Scheduled Delivery. Scheduled Delivery will be selected by default, as long as at least one delivery slot is available. If the order also includes service (i.e. it is a Unified Delivery and Service order), the buyer will only see Scheduled Delivery at checkout (if at least one slot is available).
How do I identify if the buyer selected Scheduled Delivery, and the date the buyer selected?
All Scheduled Delivery orders will have a “Scheduled Delivery” message displayed on the Manage Your Orders page along with the date of delivery.
What are the expectations from me for a Scheduled Delivery order?
You are expected to deliver the Scheduled Delivery order during the timeslot selected by the buyer at checkout. Failure to do so may affect your on-time-delivery rate. You should also confirm shipment before the last ship date/time (which is usually 1 hour before the delivery timeslot). Failure to do so may negatively impact your Late Shipment Rate.
What should I do if I am unable to contact the buyer?
You or your carrier should try to contact the buyer at least twice via phone and then you can message them using Buyer-Seller-Messaging on Seller Central. If the buyer does not respond after 4 contact attempts, contact Seller Support to report the issue and cancel the order. You must send email to the buyer with reasons for the cancellation.
What should I do if I/my carrier attempt a delivery at the appointment time, but the buyer is not present to accept the delivery?
Your carrier must attempt the delivery a second time if the first attempt failed because the buyer was not present. After the second delivery attempt, you can contact Seller Support to report the issue and cancel the order. You must inform the buyer with reasons for the cancellation.
What should I do if I/my carrier cannot deliver at the appointed time due to unforeseen circumstances?
If the delivery fails because of issues related to you or your carrier, you must offer to reschedule with the buyer for free. If the buyer prefers to cancel the order, you must accommodate their request.
What is the returns process for such orders?
The return policies for orders that use the template for large and heavy items are the same as for the default shipping template. For more information, see Manage returns.
Can I list items that are shipped via LTL carriers on some occasions, and parcel carriers on other occasions?
No. All the items listed on the freight-shipping template should always be shipped through freight LTL carriers. In such cases (for example, if one unit of the order is shipped parcel, and 10 units of the order is shipped freight), we recommend that you list such items on the standard template. However, while shipping them via freight carriers, make sure that you are using one of the freight carriers listed in FAQ 2, so that your Valid Tracking Rate is not impacted. For more information about the Valid Tracking Rate, go to Valid Tracking Rate.
Am I required to unpack or assemble the item for the customer?
No, you are only required to deliver the item to the customer's porch, driveway, or garage. If the customer has a service order to get it unpacked/assembled, please have them contact our Customer Support Team at 877-384-1926. We do offer Delivery plus Services for large items under the Amazon ShopLocal program. If you have a staff of technicians and want to deliver and install your products, you may apply to this program using the following link: http://go.amazonsellerservices.com/DSApplication
What is the residential delivery charge?
The freight shipping template allows you to set a fee for delivering large and heavy items to a residential address. If the buyer’s address type at checkout is a residential address, they will be charged this fee on top of the regular shipping fee (if any). In a small the number of cases where the customer address type is unavailable, the customer will see a shipping fee inclusive of the residential delivery charge.
How will the residential delivery charge be calculated in case of multi-item orders?
The examples below show residential fee calculations for multi-item orders.
There will be other costs like item price, tax, other shipping fees that are not included in the calculation.
- Freight shipping template A – Residential fee is $50
- Freight shipping template B – Residential fee is $100
- Items A1 and A2 are listed on template A, and item B1 is listed on template B
| Scenario | Checkout | If buyer cancels item A1 | If buyer cancels item B1 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cart 1: 1 x A1 1 x B1 |
Total purchase residential fee = $100 which is the max ($50, $100) ------------------------------------------ Item A1 residential fee = $50 Item B1 residential fee = $50 |
Total purchase residential fee = $100 ---------------------------------- Item B1 residential fee = $100 |
Total purchase residential fee = $50 ---------------------------------- Item A1 residential fee = $50 |
|
Cart 2: 1 x A1 1 x A2 1 x B1 |
Total purchase residential fee = $100 which is the max ($50, $100) ------------------------------------------ Item A1 residential fee = $33.30 Item A2 residential fee = $33.30 Item B1 residential fee = $33.40 |
Total purchase residential fee = $100 which is the max ($50, $100) ---------------------------------- Item A2 residential fee = $50 Item B1 residential fee = $50 |
Total purchase residential fee = $50 ---------------------------------- Item A1 residential fee = $25 Item A2 residential fee = $25 |
