Inside The Amazon Partnered Carrier Program
Product shipment is one of the most challenging steps for an eCommerce store. That’s because shipping costs can take a heavy toll on your business. But you don’t have to pay such high costs with the Amazon Partnered Carrier program.
This service lowers shipping rates for FBA sellers. Plus, it also delivers your products to any Amazon warehouse in the US.
Let’s break down the Amazon Partnered Carrier program and its benefits to sellers.
What is Amazon Partnered Carrier?
Photo by Nico Baum on Unsplash
This program aims to improve the customers fulfillment experience, and it provides discounted shipping fees for FBA sellers.
Amazon negotiates each rate with UPS. That way, brands may ship parcels to Amazon fulfillment centers at cost-effective rates.
Sellers only need to attach an Amazon-submitted shipping label to each parcel. Then, they can drop off shipments to their carrier. Another option is to request a pickup at their own warehouse.
From here on, all seller packages arrive at Amazon, and are ready for online sale. The rate is invoiced to your account as an inbound transportation charge.
The program also features many special benefits for enrolled sellers. For example:
Loss Coverage. Amazon will take full responsibility for damage or lost products during delivery. Compensation is up to $2000 per item.Fast Processing. Partnered carrier shipments have processing priority. So, products sent using the program enjoy a faster delivery to customers. Easy Start Up. The program does not require a special sign-up, and no minimum shipments.Tracking Data. brands can track shipments from the Seller Central dashboard. Here, you can review pickup dates, reference and landing numbers, and PRO and PO numbers.
Related content: The Ultimate 2021 Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) Guide
Amazon Partnered Carrier Options
Amazon Partnered Carrier features 3 shipment options for sellers:
Small Parcel Deliveries (SPD)Less-Than-Truckload (LTF)Full-Truckload (FTL)
SPD Carrier
An SPD shipment comprises small unit bulks packed in separate boxes. Each box counts as an individually labeled pack, sent to Amazon via UPS.
Shipments are deliverable to the 48 contiguous US states. As we said above, Amazon will provide you with the labels to use with their approved carrier.
Amazon calculates the cost using the packing information, shipment address and destination. But the most important metric is the billable weight. This bulk is rated in 1 of 2 options:
Shipment weight: the real weight of the shipment, based on weight per parcel. Dimensional weight: packaged density, based on the package dimensions.
Note that there is a 1lb-minimum fee for SPD shipments. So, if your parcel weighs less than 1lb, you’ll be charged a shipping fee.
LTL and FTL Carriers
FTL and LTL are the options for shipments that weigh more than 150lbs.
Carrier fees are also calculated using packing data, shipment address, destination and billable weight.
These services do not transport individual packages. Rather, sellers must combine boxes on pallets.
This is crucial for shipment, because your stock will share space in a trailer or freighter. Of course, you’ll only pay for your own space on the transport.
But LTL and FTL carrier must meet specific requisites form sellers:
Support truck arrival to the warehouse for shipmentForklift or dock door to store the pallets on a truck40 x 48 inches wooden pallets with 4-way accessPallets must be GMA Standard B Grade or higher
Sellers who don’t have a dock door or forklift can request a lift-gate service. This is supported by all partnered LTL carriers.
When using lift-gate service, you can only ship up to 12 pallets. Plus, the shipment should not exceed 20,000 lb.
Before shipment, make sure you provide the following data to the carriers:
Freight-ready datePallet count and weightFreight class
The freight class system rates the risk and billable weight of a shipment. Carriers use package data to estimate your freight class. So, make sure you provide accurate information.
Accepted freight classes rank from 50 to 500. Rejected classes may incur reviews and delayed pickups.
How to Become an Amazon Partnered Carrier
Here’s what you must do to use the Amazon Partnered Carrier services:
Log in to Seller Central, open the “Inventory” tab and select “Manage FBA Shipments.” Here, you’ll be able to see the list of shipments you have.Click on the “Work on shipment” option for any unsent parcel. Here, go to “Delivery Service” and check the following: For SPD, select “Amazon or partnered carrier.”For LTL/FTL, select “Amazon Partnered Carrier.”Submit the details of your shipment. This includes dimensions and weight, shipment method, address and destination.Calculate the shipping costs. Then review and accept the estimated delivery charges, and click on “accept charges”.Finally, contact your carrier to schedule a pick up.
Don’t forget to make sure all shipment information is accurate. Any mistakes could cause Amazon to charge you with a noncompliance fee.
Carrier Tracking Information
Amazon Partnered Carrier provides sellers with automatic tracking data. This helps Amazon to prevent any delays when receiving new stock in the warehouse.
Tracking information also helps Amazon update out-of-stock products. The marketplace estimates the arrivals of specific items, and uploads them for sale while in transit.
For SPD shipments, sellers must place tracking IDs on every parcel. LTL and FTL carriers need a freight progressive number (PRO) for each shipment.
How to Cancel a Shipment
There’s a 24-hour window to cancel SPD shipments. The cancelation timeframe for LTL/FTL carriers is up to 1 hour. However, you can only do so after you approve the estimated fees.
Go to the shipping queue and locate your shipment to cancel.Click on “Work on shipment” and select the “Provide details” tab.Click on “Void charges.”
Note that cancelling a shipment does not cancel the fees. You must follow the steps above to make sure the charges won’t apply, and no pickup is made.
Amazon Global Logistics
Sellers who wish to ship internationally can enroll in Amazon Global Logistics. The program offers Full-Container Load (FCL) and Less-Than-Container Load (LCL), via ocean or air.
Amazon Global Logistics ships from China to the US. It also ships to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Here’s how to use the program:
Create an Amazon Global Logistics profile on Seller Central.Set Up an FBA shipment.Submit the required cross-border documentation.Choose an Importer of Record (IOR) to handle customs clearance.Provide an Exporter of Record (EOR) for additional contact.Select a payment method for customs, duties and related charges.Book transportation.
The program also features Streamlined Inventory Placement to cut down fees. This service ensures all sortable, non-sortable, and specialty items arrive at a single warehouse.
Amazon also has a Service Provider Network (SPN) directory. These are third-party services for FBA sellers.
SPN is a great resource for brands who want to streamline their international shipping. Some of the services available are Accounting and taxes, storage, and translation.
Final Thoughts
Being an Amazon Partnered Carrier can cut down your shipping headaches in a flash. You get access to Amazon’s logistics machine to speed up shipments.
With no special sign-ups, Amazon Partnered Carrier is open to all FBA sellers. Thus, you can reduce delivery times, protect your inventory, and boost sales.
The program can surely meet the fulfillment needs for Amazon stores in a safe way. Plus, you can also speed up customer deliveries, increasing delight and sales.
Author
Esteban Muñoz is an SEO copywriter at AMZ Advisers, with several years’ experience in digital marketing and e-commerce. Esteban and the AMZ Advisers team have been able to achieve incredible growth on the Amazon platform for their clients by optimizing and managing their accounts and creating in-depth content marketing strategies.
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