How to track FBA shipments

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If you’re a Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) seller and you’re sending shipments of inventory into Amazon’s fulfillment network, you’ll likely want to know how long the process takes and when products will be available for purchase. Tracking shipments can help you answer these questions and more.

To help your inventory reach the right location safely and on time, this post covers:

• What is an FBA shipment and what are FBA shipment events?
• How long do FBA shipments take?
• How to track your FBA shipments
• 5 common inventory issues and how to avoid them
• How to reconcile an inventory discrepancy

What is an FBA shipment and what are FBA shipment events?

An FBA shipment is a specific amount of inventory that an Amazon seller has sent into our fulfillment network so it can be processed and distributed through FBA. FBA is a fulfillment option that allows sellers to outsource the packing, shipping, customer service, and returns for Amazon orders, and offer free, two-day Prime shipping to customers. As part of Supply Chain by Amazon, FBA can help sellers attract customers and scale.

FBA shipment events, also called shipping statuses, are different stages in the process of sending a shipment into the Amazon fulfillment network. To find shipment status updates, hover over Inventory in the main menu of Seller Central, then select Shipments. This will take you to your Shipping Queue, where you can view the status for individual shipments.

Here’s an overview of common FBA shipment statuses and what they mean:

• Shipment created: When you first create a shipment in Seller Central, this status includes two steps:
  
  • Ready to ship: This status automatically updates when you print labels.
  • Shipped: The carrier has picked up the shipment, or you have dropped it off with the carrier.

• In transit: Your shipment enters this status when we receive carrier information verifying that the shipment is being transported.
• Delivered: This status indicates the shipment is ready to arrive at Amazon’s location, or it’s at Amazon’s location but not yet checked in.
• Checked in: Your shipment enters this status when it has moved from the facility yard to the dock door and is ready to be unloaded.
• Receiving: Your shipment enters this status when we scan your first shipment label. Received units are available for sale, but before they’re available for immediate shipping, we might transfer them to other locations for optimal delivery to customers. Learn more about how we receive inventory.
• Closed: Either we’ve confirmed all units received in your shipment, or the shipment has been open for more than 45 days for a domestic shipment or 75 days for an international shipment.

Learn more about shipment events

How long do FBA shipments take?

FBA shipment times can vary based on many factors, including the steps in your process and carrier timeframes. For example, during high-volume periods, like holiday seasons or the lead-up to shopping events like Prime Day, it can take longer for shipments to move from one stage to another. Timelines can also vary between status changes. For example, a shipment might be checked in several days after the date it arrives at an Amazon location.

How to track your FBA shipments

You can track FBA shipments from your Shipping Queue in Seller Central. Next to the status for each shipment, select Track shipment to explore more information under the “Shipment summary.”

The summary also contains the Shipment events tab that you can select to review the path of a shipment from creation to completion, including its current status.

While a shipment is in transit, you can also use the tracking information from your carrier to monitor a shipment’s progress through the carrier’s website.

Learn more about tracking shipments

5 common inventory issues and how to avoid them

1. Is inventory properly packaged and prepped?

If shipments and products are labeled incorrectly or have other packaging or prep problems, it can lead to damage or safety issues. Follow these best practices to avoid delays:

• No labels are missing, and no boxes or units are mislabeled.
• Shipments use appropriate packing materials, like poly bags, shrink wrap, or bubble wrap.
• Amazon barcodes and manufacturer barcodes are correct and scannable.

Learn more about Amazon packaging and prep requirements

2. Is the ship-to address correct?

Take adequate steps to ensure products don’t end up at the wrong location. Double check the accuracy of the ship-to address and work with your carrier to facilitate accurate shipments.

3. Did you send the right products?

When we receive a shipment from you, it should contain the exact products you listed in your shipping plan. Pay close attention to details of each product you send, like size and color, to make sure there are no unexpected discrepancies.

4. Did you send the right amounts?

Make sure the number of boxes and product quantities match what you specified for each shipment. Have a process in place or work with your distributor so shipments don’t contain too many or too few units.

5. Is the shipment on time?

Provide an accurate delivery window during shipment creation, and ensure the shipment arrives at the Amazon location within the window. Choose a carrier who offers in-transit tracking so you can monitor the shipment and catch any issues early.

Learn more about common issues

How to reconcile a discrepancy with an FBA shipment

If there’s a difference between the number of units you report sending and the number of units we report as received, you can use the following process to get more information and resolve issues.

Step 1

Select the Contents tab in the “Shipment summary.” If there’s a discrepancy, this tab will display the difference between expected units and units located. Hover over the number of located units for more details.

Step 2

Check that the shipment is eligible for reconciliation. Once the shipment status is “Closed,” eligible products will have an Action required dropdown menu with options for you to select.

Step 3

To identify potential causes of the discrepancy, review our checklist of common receiving issues. For example, you might need to confirm that you or your supplier did not ship a product, shipped a different product, or included extra units, compared to what is listed in the shipment contents.

Step 4

• Use the Action required dropdown menu to confirm you sent a different number of units compared to the number of units listed for the shipment, or request that we research the difference.
• Provide supporting information and documents, like proof of inventory ownership and proof of delivery.
• Preview and submit your request.

After you’ve submitted a reconciliation request, a case number will display on the Contents tab of the Shipment summary.

Step 5

Select Case submitted to get more information about your reconciliation request. Watch for status and communications updates, and respond to any requests related to your reconciliation within five business days. The “Discrepancy” column on the Contents tab will update to reflect changes in units received and reconciled. Check for reimbursements by hovering over Reports in the main menu of Seller Central, then select Fulfillment.

Learn more about how to reconcile a discrepancy

Track FBA shipments to optimize inventory

Avoid hiccups in your inventory management, improve business performance, and increase sales by proactively tracking shipments. Resolving any issues and making optimizations along the way can help your operations run smoothly and boost customer satisfaction.

FBA can help you streamline operations and reduce operational costs. You can learn more with Seller University, which is home for free educational resources like guides and tutorials for shipping inventory, fulfilling orders, and other topics.

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