Many sellers face the dilemma of whether to ship all FBA inventory at once or split shipments. While full shipments may incur higher costs, partial shipments could impact customer experience. This article examines Amazon's FBA shipping rules and key considerations for optimizing your fulfillment strategy.
FBA Shipment Plans: Splitting Is Generally Discouraged
Amazon typically discourages sellers from splitting a single shipment plan across multiple deliveries. Incomplete orders may lead to poor customer experiences and potential complaints. For merchant-fulfilled sellers, delayed shipments represent one of the most common reasons for account suspension. Unless buyers explicitly consent to split shipments, sellers should generally avoid this practice.
Merchant-Fulfilled Sellers: Shipping Method Matters
Sellers handling their own fulfillment must use Amazon-approved shipping carriers. Accurate tracking information is essential—sellers should double-check that carrier details and tracking numbers precisely match the shipment to prevent complications.
Three Critical Considerations for FBA Shipments
1. Timing: Understand Your Inventory Cycle
The inventory cycle—the time required to sell a unit of stock—serves as a crucial health indicator for products. Sellers should calculate this metric to determine optimal shipping schedules. During peak seasons or major sales events, advance FBA shipment planning becomes particularly important to avoid warehouse processing delays.
2. Cost Calculation: Base Rates Matter
FBA cost analysis should incorporate comprehensive shipping base rates across various methods including express, rail, and ocean freight. New sellers might consider small trial shipments combined with competitive pricing to boost product rankings. Once rankings improve, maintaining proper replenishment rhythms can significantly reduce future shipping expenses.
3. Replenishment Strategy: Sales Velocity Determines Cycles
Product rankings directly influence sales volume, which in turn dictates replenishment frequency. Sellers must monitor sales performance closely to adjust restocking strategies. Whenever possible, consolidating shipments into single packages helps minimize additional logistics costs and maximize profitability.
Can Actual FBA Shipments Be Smaller Than Planned?
Amazon permits minor discrepancies between planned and actual shipment quantities. However, significant variances may compromise warehouse efficiency and potentially lead to rejected shipments. Sellers should verify product counts before shipping to maintain alignment with original plans and prevent unnecessary complications.