As your Amazon business grows, sending inventory to Amazon’s fulfillment and distribution network can become more complex. Sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF), and Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) need efficient ways to manage their shipping costs and trusted carriers who understand Amazon’s inbound shipping requirements.
Amazon’s Partner Carrier program offers a solution through trusted less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers. These carriers can help you send larger amounts of inventory while managing your shipping costs when sending products to Amazon. In this guide, you’ll learn:
- What LTL shipping is
- How the Partner Carrier program can benefit your growing business
- What requirements you need to meet for LTL shipping
- How to prepare and send your first LTL shipment
What is LTL shipping?
Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping means sharing truck space with other businesses instead of using an entire truck. That means when you ship LTL, your products travel on pallets alongside shipments from other companies in the same trailer. A standard LTL shipment includes:
- Products arranged on pallets
- Multiple pallets per shipment
- Shared space in a trailer
- Professional carrier transport
LTL vs. FTL
When you ship LTL, you only pay for the space your products use in the truck, nothing more.
With full truckload (FTL) shipping, you get an entire truck for your products alone. You pay for the whole truck, even if you don’t fill it completely. This option works best when you have enough inventory to fill a trailer, or when you want your shipment to travel straight to its destination without stops.
Learn more about truckload delivery to Amazon
Why use the Partner Carrier program for inbound LTL shipping?
The Partner Carrier program (PCP) offers seamless booking within the Send to Amazon workflow in Seller Central, connecting you with Amazon Freight and other trusted carriers to help your growing business ship inventory safely and on time. Through PCP, you can:
Save money when shipping inbound
Shipping inbound through Amazon partner carriers can help you spend less as your business grows. These carriers offer competitive rates and understand how to move your LTL shipments efficiently into Amazon’s network.
Ship inbound faster
When your business gets bigger, you might need to send more products to Amazon. The Partner Carrier program can help you scale your inventory by providing a streamlined shipping workflow, access to the trusted carrier network that Amazon uses itself, and buyability in transit for FBA SKUs enrolled in the In-Stock Head Start program. This means less time managing shipments and more time focusing on growing your business, improving your products, and serving your customers.
Manage inventory better
Working with Amazon partner carriers can make it easier to keep the right amount of products in the fulfillment and distribution network. Plan bigger shipments based on your business needs, and count on trusted carriers to deliver your inventory safely and on time. This can help maintain better inventory levels, which can mean fewer stockouts, more delighted customers, and more consistent sales.
Learn more about Amazon’s Partner Carrier program
What to know before shipping inbound with partner carriers in Seller Central
Once you’re enrolled in FBA, the Amazon Partner Carrier program is available as a shipping option starting in Step 2 of the Send to Amazon workflow. Before you get ready to ship inbound LTL with a partner carrier, your shipment preparation must meet certain requirements. Understanding them will make your shipping process smoother and help avoid potential delays or shipment rejections at the receiving facility.
Shipping location requirements
Make sure you have a forklift or request lift-gate service for shipments under 12 pallets and 20,000 lb. Clear space for a 53-foot trailer or request a box truck. Have your dock ready or arrange an alternative loading area.
Pallet requirements
When shipping LTL with PCP, you can choose to send floor-loaded or palletized shipments. For palletized shipments, your pallets must be 40 × 48 inches and made of wood with four-way access. Stack boxes evenly and squarely on pallets, with FBA box ID labels facing outward. Wrap pallets in clear plastic stretch wrap. Each pallet requires labels on all four sides. Keep in mind that shipments can’t exceed 5,000 boxes.
Document requirements
When shipping with a partner carrier, you’ll need to provide the following information at booking for your carrier pickup appointment. Amazon manages scheduling a delivery appointment at the destination facility on your behalf:
- Contact information
- Business hours
- Pickup location details
Note: If you choose to use a non-partner carrier, you or your carrier must schedule a delivery appointment at the receiving Amazon facility in advance. You’ll also need additional documentation, including a bill of lading (BOL) with:
- Amazon reference IDs
- Shipment IDs
- Carrier tracking numbers
Carriers without a scheduled delivery appointment will be will be rejected upon arrival. The additional documents above help your non-partner carrier schedule delivery appointments and ensures your shipment arrives at the right location.
Learn more about seller requirements for deliveries to Amazon
How to ship inbound LTL with Amazon partner carriers
Send inventory to Amazon’s fulfillment and distribution network via partner carriers in two steps.
1. Prepare your inventory
- Sort and package your products.
- Use 40 × 48 inches, 4-way access wooden pallets (GMA Standard B Grade or higher).
- Stack boxes evenly and squarely on pallets, with FBA box ID labels facing outward.
- Wrap pallets in clear plastic stretch wrap.
- Add a “Do not break stretch wrap” or “Do not break down” note to the carrier.
- Make sure you have a forklift or request lift-gate service for shipments under 12 pallets and 20,000 lbs.
- Clear space for a 53-foot trailer or request a box truck.
- Have your dock ready or arrange an alternative loading area.
2. Create your shipment for FBA or MCF
- From the main menu in Seller Central, select Inventory, then FBA Inventory.
- On the FBA Inventory page, select Shipments, then Send to Amazon.
- Choose inventory to send.
- Pack individual units.
- Confirm shipping method and service options.
- Print box labels.
- Select a partner carrier and see rates.
- Print pallet labels.
- Track shipment details.
Note: To set your destination, switch from automated to manual shipping settings. Once your destination is set, you’ll see your available shipment options.
Learn more about confirming carrier and pallet information
2b. Create your shipment for AWD
- From the main menu in Seller Central, select Inventory, then Warehousing and distribution (AWD).
- In the Quick actions section, select Send to AWD.
- Choose inventory to send.
- Confirm shipping.
- Print box labels.
- Select a partner carrier and see rates.
- Print pallet labels.
- Track shipment details.
Learn how to send shipments to AWD
Which Amazon inbound shipping method is best for you?
Use this guide to find the right inbound shipping method for your business.
| Shipping method | Key benefits | Best for | Requirements |
| Small parcel delivery (SPD) |
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| Less than truckload (LTL) |
|
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| Full truckload (FTL) |
|
|
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Pickup information
Amazon partner carriers pick up your shipment on your chosen freight-ready date between the operating hours you indicated during booking. You can see your pickup date in the Shipping Queue or your shipment summary. The Tracking details step shows which carrier will pick up your shipment. To open the Shipping Queue:
- Select Inventory from the main menu in Seller Central, then Shipments.
- Select the Shipment name to open the Shipment summary page for that shipment.
- Select the Shipment events tab to see step-by-step updates about shipments from creation to closure.
Start shipping more for less with the Partner Carrier program
As your business grows, Amazon’s trusted LTL carriers can help you send more inventory while keeping costs down. The Partner Carrier program makes it simple to:
- Ship larger amounts of inventory at a competitive rate.
- Work with our trusted network of partner carriers, with nationwide coverage in nearly every lane.
- Enjoy streamlined shipping, with less operational touch points so you can focus on your business.
- Take advantage of end-to-end shipment visibility within our network.
Ready to scale your shipping? Log in to Seller Central to create your first LTL shipment today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send an LTL shipment to Amazon’s network from a residential address?
What LTL carriers deliver to Amazon?
Can I combine FBA, MCF, and AWD inventory in one LTL shipment?
*A Professional selling plan is $39.99/month + selling fees. Learn more
