How to manage seller-fulfilled orders on Amazon - Sell on Amazon

How to manage seller-fulfilled orders on Amazon

seller-540708060.jpg

Learn to manage Fulfilled by Merchant orders, from confirming shipments to messaging buyers.

Sign up*

When a customer places an order in the Amazon store, they get their items in two basic ways. Either items are fulfilled by Amazon, or they’re fulfilled by an Amazon seller using the Fulfilled by Merchant program.

Regardless of who delivers their orders, customers expect a smooth, delightful experience. In other words, Fulfilled by Merchant orders should deliver the same quality service as Fulfillment by Amazon orders.

Delighting the customer in the same fashion ultimately works to your advantage. Every responsive update, on-time delivery, and thoughtful interaction strengthens your reputation as a reliable seller in the Amazon store.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

  • What Fulfilled by Merchant orders are
  • How to configure and automate delivery settings
  • How to view and manage customer orders
  • Common order scenarios and what to do about them
  • How to communicate with buyers
seller-fulfillment-527838741.jpg

What are Fulfilled by Merchant orders?

Fulfilled by Merchant orders means you take care of packing and shipping your products to customers yourself. That means that, ultimately, you’re responsible for making sure the order gets to the customer on time.

Here’s a summary of how it works:

  • You list your products in the Amazon store.
  • When a customer buys something from you, Amazon sends you the order details.
  • You pack the item, purchase shipping labels, ship it, and confirm the shipment.
  • Should the need arise, you are responsible for communicating with buyers.

What is Fulfilled by Merchant?

As an Amazon seller who fulfills your own orders, you are part of the Fulfilled by Merchant program. This Amazon program comes with a set of tools that helps you manage customer orders and complete other tasks, like:

  • Setting accurate delivery dates that reflect your capabilities and the capabilities of the carriers you choose
  • Managing your inventory across different locations
  • Aligning your stock levels
  • Optimizing order processing across multiple sales channels
  • Accessing shipping options for fast, reliable delivery

Learn more about Fulfilled by Merchant

Why order management matters

Streamlining your order management isn’t only about saving time—it’s vital for running a successful business. Here’s how it can help you:

  • Reduce errors and save costs: Our order-fulfillment tools like Amazon Buy Shipping or Veeqo allow you to purchase pre-negotiated shipping labels with major carriers while getting account protection from delivery-related issues.
  • Set accurate promises: When you purchase shipping labels through our order-fulfillment tools, our delivery-promise automation tools learn your preferred shipping methods and use them to calculate more accurate delivery dates on future orders, letting you focus on growing your business.
  • Increase sales: More accurate delivery dates are typically shorter. And when customers see that deliveries will arrive faster they’re more inclined to buy.
seller-fulfillment-473690714.jpg

Set up and streamline your order management

Before you start fulfilling orders, there are a few things you should set up to ensure smooth operations.

Manage delivery time settings

At Amazon, total delivery time is calculated as:

  • Total delivery time = handling time + transit time + weekends and holidays + extra buffer in case of carrier delays

The delivery-time components you manage are handling time, transit time, and weekend and holiday settings:

  • Handling time: Handling time, also known as production time or lead time to ship, is the time between when the customer places the order up to when you hand over the order to a carrier. Adjust handling time per SKU or use Automated Handling Time to streamline operations.
  • Transit time: Transit time is the time between when you hand the order over to your carrier and when it’s delivered to the buyer’s address. Enable Shipping Settings Automation to automate it for better accuracy, or manually set it in shipping templates if needed.
  • Weekend and holiday settings: Set up your weekend and holiday settings to account for non-working days, so shipping and delivery estimates stay accurate. Make these adjustments in your shipping settings to avoid overpromising and keep customers delighted.

Learn more about managing delivery time

Set Automated Handling Time and order handling capacity

Automated Handling Time uses your past shipping data to recommend handling-time adjustments for each SKU automatically. This feature ensures delivery promises are accurate and adapts over time as your shipping practices evolve.

Learn more about Automated Handling Time

Order handling capacity lets you set a daily limit for the number of orders you can process. If this limit is reached, Amazon automatically adds an extra day to the handling time for additional orders. This tool helps you manage busy periods like holidays or sales without decreasing your delivery performance.

Learn more about order handling capacity

Use Shipping Settings Automation

Shipping Settings Automation simplifies shipping by automating delivery regions and transit times. It calculates these details using your warehouse location and chosen shipping services, so customers get accurate delivery estimates.

To enable Shipping Settings Automation:

  1. In Seller Central, under the settings icon, select Shipping Settings.
  2. Create a new shipping template: On the “Shipping Templates” page, select Create new shipping template. Select OK in the pop-up window.
  3. Set up your warehouse locations: Choose the locations where you’ll ship from, then select Next to continue.
  4. Determine your fulfillment preferences: Indicate your carrier preferences, pick the shipping services you use, then review your selections and select Next.
  5. Finalize your shipping template: Review and edit shipping options, regions, and rates. Then select Next and Confirm.
  6. Assign ASINs to your new template: Go to the Manage All Inventory page from the Seller Central main menu under Inventory. Pick the ASINs you want to add. Select the Edit drop-down menu, then select Change shipping template.

To enable Shipping Settings Automation on an existing template, pick the template you want to edit from the “Shipping settings” page. Then select Edit template.

Learn more about Shipping Settings Automation

hqdefault.jpg
Watch
Shipping Settings Automation
Provide faster, more accurate delivery promises with Shipping Settings Automation. Learn about the benefits and how to enable Shipping Settings Automation on new and existing shipping templates.

Did you know?
You can simplify your shipping with Amazon Buy Shipping
Amazon Buy Shipping lets you purchase and print shipping labels all in one place, streamlining your process and saving time. Enjoy discounted rates from trusted carriers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS—averaging 31% lower than retail ground rates—and gain extra protection for delivery claims with 6x more for A-to-z claims.

View and manage Amazon customer orders

Once you start receiving orders, you can view and manage them in Seller Central using the Manage Orders page.

Manage Orders

The Manage Orders page in Seller Central is one way to view order details, review statuses, and take the right actions. Here’s how to use it step by step:

  1. Log into Seller Central and select Orders, then Manage Orders from the main menu.
  2. Select one of the following tabs: Pending, Unshipped, Cancelled, or Shipped.
  3. Use filters to search for specific orders by order ID, buyer name, or product title. You can also filter by date and order status.

Learn more about options for managing orders

Order statuses

Each order will have a status that tells you its current stage. Here’s what each status means:

  • Pending: The buyer’s payment is being processed or verified. You cannot ship the order or contact the buyer until payment is confirmed.
  • Unshipped: The order is ready for fulfillment. Prepare, pack, and ship the product promptly to stay on schedule.
  • Cancelled: The order has been cancelled by the buyer or seller. No further action is needed unless you need to adjust your inventory.
  • Shipped: The order has been marked as shipped. This status updates buyers and allows them to track their delivery.

Learn more about the order process

Confirm shipments

Follow these steps to confirm shipments:

  1. From the Manage Orders page, select the Unshipped tab.
  2. Choose the order you have shipped and select Confirm Shipment(s).
  3. Fill out the required fields, including the carrier and tracking number.

Note: If you use Amazon Buy Shipping to purchase labels, your shipments will automatically be confirmed and include valid tracking.

Learn more about confirming shipments

seller-fulfillment-211638821.jpg

How to manage common Amazon order scenarios

Managing Fulfilled by Merchant orders often means addressing various situations, from pending orders to last-minute cancellations. Here’s how to handle the most common scenarios:

Pending orders

Pending orders occur when a buyer’s payment hasn’t been completed or verified. These orders are automatically updated once the payment is cleared. Here’s what to keep in mind:

  • Don’t ship the order yet. Wait until the status changes from “Pending” to “Unshipped.”
  • Avoid contacting the buyer. Communication isn’t permitted for pending orders to protect the transaction process.
  • Monitor your Manage Orders page. Pending orders typically update quickly, but staying attentive ensures you’re ready to proceed without delay.

Learn more about pending orders

Buyer cancellation requests

When a buyer asks to cancel an order, acting quickly helps prevent unnecessary shipping or inconvenience.

  • Check the request immediately. Go to the “Manage Orders” page and locate the order.
  • Approve cancellation promptly. If the order hasn’t shipped, cancel it.
  • Update inventory. If the product has been reserved for the cancelled order, return it to available stock to avoid missing sales opportunities.

Note: If you cancel an order with a buyer-cancellation request, it will not impact your cancellation rate.

Learn more about order cancellations

Pro Tip
Add a cancellation window to streamline order processing
Giving buyers a brief timeframe to cancel before shipping can reduce unnecessary returns, save time and costs, and improve customer satisfaction by offering added flexibility.

How to communicate with buyers about their Amazon orders

Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging tool helps you communicate with buyers when needed. Here’s how to use it effectively and maintain positive interactions.

When to contact buyers

Situations where you may need to reach out include:

  • Resolving order issues, like confirming details or addressing delays
  • Answering product-specific questions before or after a purchase
  • Providing necessary information, like troubleshooting steps or warranty details

How to use Buyer-Seller Messaging

  1. Log into Seller Central, then select the envelope icon in the upper-right corner.
  2. Locate the conversation. Use filters or buyer order details to find the correct thread.
  3. Type your message. Address the buyer’s concern clearly and include any supporting information, like tracking numbers or product instructions.
  4. Send your message. Once satisfied with the write-up, click send and wait for the buyer’s reply.

Learn more about Buyer-Seller Messaging

Tips for clear and positive communication

Here are some tips to help foster buyer confidence and keep interactions professional:

  • Respond promptly. Quick replies show buyers you value their time and concerns. Aim to respond within 24 hours.
  • Use clear and simple language. Avoid overly technical terms unless they’re essential, and explain actions or information thoroughly.
  • Stay polite and professional. Focus on solving problems and keeping the buyer’s satisfaction a top priority.
  • Focus on solutions. If a buyer has an issue, emphasize how you’ll resolve it. Offer choices when applicable to give customers more flexibility.
Manage customer orders with Amazon tools
Amazon tools can help you manage seller-fulfilled orders efficiently. Use the Manage Orders page to track orders and review statuses like “pending” or “shipped.” Automate delivery regions and transit times with Shipping Settings Automation to save time and provide accurate delivery promises. These tools can streamline your operations, delight customers, and strengthen your seller reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:
What happens if I forget to confirm an order as shipped?
A:
If you don’t confirm shipment within 7 days, Amazon will cancel the order, and you won’t get paid—even if the item has been shipped.
Q:
Can I add extra items to an existing order?
A:
No, once a customer places an order, additional items cannot be added. The customer will need to make a separate order.
Q:
Can I adjust shipping addresses for orders?
A:
Sellers cannot modify a shipping address once an order is placed. Ask the buyer to cancel the order and repurchase with the correct address.
Q:
How do I prevent cancellations?
A:
To help prevent cancellations, maintain accurate inventory levels, provide clear product descriptions, and make sure promised delivery timelines are realistic.

*A Professional selling plan is $39.99 a month + selling fees. Learn more

Mickey Toogood
Mickey Toogood
Mickey Toogood is a Sr. Content Marketing Manager at Amazon. He’s passionate about connecting sellers with ecommerce opportunities. He also loves books, travel, and music.