Shipping and routing requirements

Packaging your shipment correctly is crucial to making sure your inventory reaches us safely and that it's optimized for entry into our fulfilment centres.

The following requirements apply to all boxes shipped to Amazon fulfilment centres whether by small parcel delivery, less than truckload (LTL) or full truckload (FTL) shipping.

Some shipments have additional requirements:

Important: Failure to comply with FBA product preparation requirements, safety requirements and product restrictions may result in the refusal of inventory at the Amazon fulfilment centre, disposal or return of inventory, blocking of future shipments to the fulfilment centre or charging for preparation or for non-compliance at the fulfilment centre. Please share these requirements with your carrier or vendor to ensure that they fully understand these requirements.

Download our shipping guides:

How to Create a Shipment (PDF)
Shipment checklist (PDF)

Box content information

Providing box content information improves the management of your inventory within Amazon and helps your products become available for sale more quickly. For more information, see Provide box content information.

If you select Skip providing box contents, make sure that:

Each box contains inventory from only one shipment ID. Do not combine items from multiple shipments in the same box. You can find the shipment ID on the Summary page for that shipment.
The shipment details listed on your shipping plan match the shipment being sent to the fulfilment centre, including:
- Merchant SKU
- UPC/EAN/ISBN or other external barcode
- FNSKU
- Condition
- Quantity shipped
- Packing option (individually packed or case packed)
- Box weights and dimensions
Units are prepped according to the requirements found on the Packaging and prep requirements page

Packaging shipments

Following these instructions helps ensure shipments arrive undamaged and ready for intake to our fulfilment centres:

Use a rigid, six-sided box with flaps intact.
Use a single address label that has clear, complete delivery and return information.
Each box you include in the shipment must have its own unique FBA box ID label printed from your Shipping queue.
When shipping multiple case packs in a larger box, apply the unique FBA box ID shipping label on the outside the primary box.
If you are reusing boxes, remove all old shipping labels, barcodes, or markings.
Cover existing barcodes with opaque tape or use a black felt-tip marker to render the barcode unscannable by crossing out the barcode. This prevents the incorrect barcode from being accidentally scanned during the receiving process.
Wrap all items separately.
Use adequate packaging material.
Use strong tape designed for shipping.
After you pack your box, shake it gently. The contents should not move when shaken.
Use boxes with dimensions measuring at least 15.24cm x 10.16cm x 2.54cm and weighing at least 1kg can reduce delays in receiving.
Boxes must not exceed these maximum size and weight requirements: No more than 63.5cm on any side and no more than 22.5kg total, unless the box contains an individual oversize item that exceeds these limits. See the Box dimensions and Box weight sections below for additional information on box requirements.

Avoiding the following also helps ensure shipments arrive ready for intake to Amazon fulfilment centres:

Do not use point-of-sale containers. Point-of-sale containers are part of the product that you are selling and typically contain one single unit. (For example, a coffee maker shipped and sold in its original container.)
Do not use open boxes typically used for display purposes. (For example, open front boxes or boxes without tops.)
Do not use pallet-sized boxes (also known as “gaylords”).
Don’t use string, straps, or over-wrap (plastic or paper).
Do not bundle multiple boxes together.

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.

Tip: For best results, use a new, single-wall, corrugated shipping container with a high burst- or crush-strength stamp.

Acceptable standard boxes:

Regular slotted carton (RSC)
B flute
ECT-32 (edge crush test)
200lb/sq. inch (burst strength)

Use a minimum of 5cm 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 5cm of packing material is not necessary.

Box dimensions

Boxes containing multiple standard-size items or oversized items must not exceed 63.5cm on any side. A box may only exceed 63.5-cm limit if it contains oversize units that measure longer than 63.5cm. Boxes that are excessively large relative to the oversize units (exceeding the 5.08cm of cushioning recommended above) may be subject to restriction of shipping privileges, additional fees, or refusal at a fulfilment centre.

Important: Box dimension policies are strictly enforced. Sending oversize cartons to the fulfilment centre may lead to blocking of future shipments.

Box weight

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:

Boxes must not exceed the standard weight limit of 22.5kg, unless they contain one single item that exceeds 22.5kg.
- For a single item that exceeds 22.5kg, attach a label that clearly indicates Team Lift on the top and sides of the box.
- For a single item that exceeds 45kg, attach a label that clearly indicates Mechanical Lift on the top and sides of the box.
Boxes containing jewellery or watches must not exceed 18.1kg.
UPS allowances for larger box dimensions and weight do not apply to boxes containing multiple standard-size items.

Important: Box weight policies are strictly enforced. Sending overweight cartons to the fulfilment centre may lead to blocking of future shipments.

Note: Accurate box weight and dimensions are required for all shipments, even if you opt to not provide box content information in Seller Central, or if you are not using an Amazon-partnered carrier.

Packing materials

Using appropriate packing material ensures your shipment quickly moves through the fulfilment centre receiving process and protects our associates from potential safety issues.

Use these:

Bubble wrap
Full sheets of paper (heavy-weight kraft paper is best)
Inflatable air pillows
Polyethylene foam sheeting

Do not use these:

All types of packing peanuts, including those made of biodegradable material or corn starch
Foam strips
Crinkle wrap
Shredded paper
Thermocol chips
Styrofoam

Tip: After you pack your box, shake it gently. The contents should not move when shaken.

Watch the videos:

Breaking down the material benefits

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.

Warning: Inflatable air pillows can lose pressure in low-temperature and high-altitude environments.

Polyethylene foam sheeting is thin, soft, resilient, and provides surface protection and cushioning properties. This type of packaging is good for protecting lightweight items.

Additional requirements

All products require a scannable barcode. For more information, see Product Label Requirements.

Each box in a shipment requires an Amazon shipment label in addition to the carrier label. For more information, see Shipment label requirements.

Additional requirements apply based on the shipping method that 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 centre. For more information, see Packaging and prep requirements.

Refused shipments

Some common issues that may result in the refusal of inventory at the fulfillment centre include shipments that are larger than expected, damaged, or sent to the wrong fulfillment centre. Such shipments may be rejected at the dock and returned to you at your expense. Merchant Damage refers to any inventory that is delivered to an Amazon fulfillment centre in an unsellable condition. Shipments considered Merchant Damage or Defective incur a return freight charge.

You cannot refuse or return shipments that are returned to you without first contacting Amazon. Shipments that you refuse or return without first contacting Amazon may be refused a second time, and any costs incurred will be at your expense.

Shipping directly to a fulfillment centre from a distributor

Make sure that your distributor has the correct Amazon shipment 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.

Acknowledgement for Huawei items

You acknowledge that the US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security has restricted, and may restrict in the future, dealings with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and certain non-US 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 fulfilment centres if you are a Huawei Listed Entity or for the purpose of transferring or delivering such items to a Huawei Listed Entity.