Hello Everyone,

As an Amazon seller, ensuring your freight deliveries meet Amazon's requirements is essential for a seamless and efficient fulfillment process. Falling short on these guidelines can lead to shipment rejections, delays, and additional fees. Let's take a deep dive into the key elements you need to master.

Pallets:

1. Amazon mandates the use of 40 x 48 inch, 4-way access wooden pallets that are, at minimum, GMA Standard B Grade quality.
2. For grocery products, you must use GMA 1A Grade pallets, while health and beauty items require GMA 1A or 1B Grade.
3. Thoroughly inspect your pallets and do not ship on any that are damaged or broken, as they will be rejected at the fulfillment center.
4. Maintaining pallet quality is non-negotiable.

Pallet Building Best Practices:

1. When stacking your boxes and units on the pallets, be sure to physically separate different ASINs. This makes it much easier for the fulfillment center to differentiate the contents upon receipt.
2. Follow any specific handling or orientation guidelines that may be printed on the individual packaging.
3. Arrange the boxes in a stable, brick-like pattern with the heaviest items on the bottom, and ensure the FBA box labels are facing outwards so they can be easily scanned without deconstructing the pallet.
4. Aim for a total pallet height no taller than 50 inches, including the pallet itself, as this maximizes space efficiency in the trailer.

Pallet Labeling Requirements:

1. Place the required FBA pallet labels on all four sides of each pallet, positioning them squarely and not at an angle.
2. If the pallet contains a single ASIN, be sure to label it as such.
3. Additionally, add any special labels that may be needed, such as "Team Lift" for items over 50 lbs or "Mech Lift" for those exceeding 100 lbs.

Seal Compliance for FTL and Intermodal:

1. For truckload and intermodal shipments, you must apply high-quality, tamper-evident seals that comply with ISO 17712 standards.
2. These seals must be permanently marked, and you must record the seal number on the Bill of Lading (BOL) before handing it to the driver.
3. Amazon requires RFID seals on all FTL shipments to further enhance chain-of-custody integrity.

Providing Accurate Bills of Lading:

1. For each and every LTL or FTL shipment you create, you must furnish a complete and valid BOL to your carrier.
2. This document should include all relevant Amazon reference IDs, your seller information, the carrier's details, and the trailer/seal number for FTL loads.
3. Correct BOL data enables efficient scheduling and receiving at the fulfillment center.

Mastering these LTL and FTL delivery requirements will set your Amazon business up for long-term success by ensuring smooth inventory flows.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Best,

Dominic