Packaging your shipment correctly is crucial to making sure your inventory reaches us safely and that it's optimized for entry into our fulfillment centers.
The following requirements apply to all boxes shipped to Amazon fulfillment centers whether by small parcel delivery, less than truckload (LTL), or full truckload (FTL) shipping.
Some shipments have additional requirements:
Download our Shipment checklist (PDF).
Providing information about the contents of your boxes will improve the management of your inventory on Amazon and help your products become available for sale more quickly.
If you select Skip providing box contents, make sure that:
Following these instructions helps ensure shipments arrive undamaged and ready for intake to our fulfillment centers:
Avoiding the following also helps ensure shipments arrive ready for intake to Amazon fulfillment centers:
Picking the right-sized box for what you are shipping is important. If the container is too large, you will need to fill it up with enough packaging material so that the box will not collapse if heavier boxes are stacked on top during shipping.
Use a minimum of 2 inches of appropriate packing material around each item and the same amount in between your products and the walls of the box. If your items are being shipped in the manufacturer's case pack, the 2 inches of packing material is not necessary.
Boxes containing multiple items (standard or oversized items) must not exceed 25.0 inches on any side.
Boxes that contain a single oversize item that do not fit the above dimension limitations must comply with the following requirements:
Weigh and measure boxes and pallets accurately and ensure that the correct values are provided for every shipment. All cartons must also meet these weight requirements:
Using appropriate packing material ensures your shipment quickly moves through the fulfillment center receiving process and protects our associates from potential safety issues.
Watch the videos:
Bubble Wrap or small cell bubble sheeting provides surface protection as well as shock absorption. It can also be wrapped around almost any product, regardless of shape or size.
Paper, specifically kraft paper intended for packing applications, can be used to fill empty space in your shipping box. For best results, use kraft paper with a minimum basis weight of 60 lb to ensure that it is thick enough to provide protection.
Inflatable air pillows use air pressure to secure and hold products in place inside the shipping container, and provide an air barrier of cushioning. They generally come in a strip of air pillows that you can easily use as lightweight dunnage to fill the empty space in your box.
Polyethylene foam sheeting is thin, soft, resilient, and provides surface protection and cushioning properties. This type of packaging is good for protecting lightweight items.
All products require a scannable barcode. For more information, see FBA product barcode requirements.
Each box in a shipment requires an Amazon FBA Box ID label in addition to any carrier labels. For more information, see Shipment label requirements.
Additional requirements apply based on the shipping method you use:
In addition, boxes and box contents must be packaged in such a way that the contents arrive safely and intact at the fulfillment center. For more information, see Packaging and prep requirements.
Some common issues that may result in the refusal of inventory at the fulfillment center include shipments that are larger than expected, not labeled properly, violate policy, damaged, or sent to the wrong fulfillment center.
Each shipment sent into an Amazon fulfillment center requires an advanced dock appointment to be made by your carrier. Failing to create a dock appointment will result in your shipment being refused. For more information about requesting a dock appointment, see Carrier requirements for LTL and FTL deliveries.
Shipments may be rejected at the dock and returned to you at your expense. Seller Damage refers to any inventory that is delivered to an Amazon fulfillment center in an unsellable condition. Shipments considered Seller Damaged or Defective incur a return freight charge.
Shipments that are closed, have been canceled or deleted, or have not been fully completed cannot be delivered to an Amazon fulfillment center. For information on deleting shipments, see Deleted, misrouted and incomplete shipments.
Shipments that contain products that are unexpected or exceed the capabilities of the fulfillment center may be refused. Ensuring your product listings are created with correct information, such as entering accurate weight and dimensions and selecting the appropriate category, assists in ensuring successful placement and delivery to a corresponding fulfillment center.
You cannot refuse or return shipments that are returned to you without first contacting Amazon and your carrier. When a shipment is refused at a fulfillment center, your carrier will be given information from the fulfillment center. Reach out and work with your carrier for any shipment that is refused. Return shipments that you refuse or return to Amazon again without first contacting Amazon and your carrier may be refused by Amazon a second time, and any costs incurred will be at your expense.
Make sure your distributor has the correct Amazon FBA Box ID labels for your shipment. You can grant limited access to your seller account to access labels. For more information, see Set user permissions.
In addition, your distributor must adhere to all Amazon shipment requirements.
You acknowledge that the US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security has restricted and may in the future restrict dealings with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and certain of its non-U.S. affiliates included on the bureau’s Entity List ("Huawei Listed Entities").
You are responsible for complying with these restrictions, as updated from time to time, in relation to any products, software, or technology ("items") that you receive from Amazon or its affiliates. This includes ensuring that you do not remove, transfer, or accept any items, including inventory, that are subject to these restrictions from Amazon or its fulfillment centers if you are a Huawei Listed Entity or for the purpose of transferring or delivering such items to a Huawei Listed Entity.