While the Amazon FBA platform offers a streamlined approach to selling products, the shipping process can be tedious and time-consuming. That’s where SeaRates.com comes in. We can help you get your shipment to Amazon quickly and easily. As a leading marketplace for freight quotes, we also provide cost-effective solutions for international shipping.
Here are some things to consider when you want to send your cargo to an Amazon fulfillment centre:
1. FCL and LCL: Depending on the type and volume of cargo you’re shipping, you may want to ship Full Container Load (FCL) or Less Container Load (LCL). FCL refers to shipping cargo that has enough volume to fill an entire 20ft or 40ft container. In the case of LCL, your cargo shares container space with other customers’ goods.
2. Packing and labelling: All products sent to Amazon FBA must be properly labelled in accordance with Amazon’s barcode system. Each label must either have a Universal Product Code (UPC) or the specific FBA label. It is also critical to ensure that the packaging dimensions meet Amazon’s guidelines.
3. Find a freight forwarder: A freight forwarder can coordinate the entire shipping process from the point of origin to the final destination. Forwarders provide the best available routes and rates, and ensure the safe and timely arrival of your cargo. Make sure to find a forwarder with experience and knowledge in dealing with shipments to Amazon FBA directly. Finally, remember to get comparison quotes from different freight forwarders, which you can do for free on SeaRates.com.
How can SeaRates help you?
There are quite a few things to keep in mind before shipping to Amazon’s fulfillment centres. Here’s a list of services we offer to help you with your shipping process and avoid any penalties or additional fees:
1. FCL, LCL and Bulk Shipping: We provide services for all your shipping needs, including Full Container Load, Less Container Load and Bulk & Break Bulk. You can find and request quotes on our online freight marketplace, all you have to do is fill in the shipment details along with the type of delivery and total cargo weight. We also offer services for multi-modal solutions across air, land, and sea.
2. Documentation: The paperwork involved in international shipping can often get complicated. Use our Cargo Wizard tool to complete the required documents at each stage of your shipment. These documents include Commercial Invoice, Proforma Invoice, Bill of Lading, and more.
3. Cargo Insurance: It isn’t mandatory to insure your cargo, but we recommend that you protect your investment while at sea. Shipping insurance compensates any loss or damage incurred to your cargo while in transit. We can give you the exact breakdown of insurance points to help you select the right policy for you.
4. Warehousing: Freight forwarding companies on SeaRates.com provide warehousing services for the storage of your goods. All types of cargo can be warehoused. Other warehousing services include receiving the containers at the terminal, delivery to the terminal, customs clearance and more.
What are Amazon Fulfillment Centres?
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Amazon FBA, here’s a quick rundown:
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a logistical service provided by Amazon that allows you to store your products in one of Amazon’s fulfillment centres until they are sold. After joining the Amazon FBA programme, your products will need to be shipped to one of Amazon’s warehouses for storage.
These warehouses also function as Amazon distribution centres where the staff pack and ship the items directly to the customer. The majority of Amazon’s fulfillment centres are situated in North America and Europe.
Other types of Amazon warehouses include sorting centres where the items are distributed based on delivery. The company also has specialty centres and receive centres for specific or popular items. You can find the location of an Amazon warehouse near you using Google Maps. Additionally, they house the Amazon Warehouse Deals section online where customers can get great discounts on used products.
Advantages of shipping directly to Amazon’s warehouses:
1. Reduce third-party logistics costs: Third-party logistics companies are those that load, unload and distribute your cargo to Amazon’s warehouses. They are likely to charge significant fees for their services including for pick-up, pallets and so on.
2. Less time for delivery: Shipping your cargo directly to Amazon greatly reduces the transit time. Using a 3PL or shipping to your own warehouse means different stop points for your shipment, which can add a few days or weeks to the travel time.
3. Fewer touch points: Using 3PL companies increases the chance of your cargo getting damaged as it could be opened or displaced while being handled at multiple points during transit.
Getting your goods to Amazon’s warehouses might seem like a challenging task. However, following the correct procedures and partnering with the right freight forwarder can help in making your shipping process a smooth one.
