The three core directions of Amazon FBA inbound optimization

01 Reduce warehousing costs
“Real-time Eligibility Alert+Total Cost of Inbound Cost Estimation” Select the most cost-effective warehousing plan
“New Label-free Warehousing Policy” + “Optimized Packing Method” to further reduce costs

02 Optimize warehousing decisions
Added a “real-time control of warehouse reception status” view to better plan storage and avoid congestion
New warehousing policy: The “delivery period” was adjusted to 7 days, and accurate delivery can be prioritized
Added the “More Transparent Reception and Listing Period” function, which makes the reception and listing progress transparent

03 Improve warehousing efficiency
Three major upgrades to the FBA Inbound Shipment Tracking Intelligent Control System (FIST):
“FBA shipment tracking service technology docking”, the whole process is more transparent
“Automatic delivery time update”, more simplified operation
“Intelligent transfer”, more efficient warehousing

“How to save money” is a topic that many sellers have always been concerned about. To this end, Amazon has created an efficient and practical cost reduction solution based on the sellers' cost optimization needs throughout the warehousing process from the three key aspects of storage options, labeling process, and packaging methods.

Core pain points
Is it difficult to determine eligibility for free configuration fees?Is the cost of the solution difficult to compare?

When sellers create shipments, there are two key actions that directly affect inbound costs:
● First, you need to determine whether you can meet the “Amazon optimized shipment splitting”, that is, the multi-point storage requirement, and the storage configuration fee can be waived
● Second, it is necessary to select the most favorable plan from a variety of warehousing options to avoid unnecessary costs

For many sellers, these two items require repeated checks and trade-offs, which is time-consuming and laborious.

Solution
Real-time eligibility alerts+total cost estimate of warehousing

Core pain points
Avoid mixing inventory with additional labeling, which is expensive to manage?

Previously, in order to avoid mixing inventory with other sellers, brand sellers would prevent unnecessary trouble by labeling each item and then shipping it, but this would increase corresponding management costs.

Solution
New policy to “end mixed inventory”

Starting April 2026, Amazon will end blended inventory. This means that brand sellers can use manufacturer barcodes directly into the warehouse without additional labeling, while the inventory can still be managed independently. Not only does this save a lot of time and labor costs, but standard barcode inventory can also be used across Amazon and other sales channels, further reducing overall management costs.

Core pain points
Is the packing not compliant and the listing is slow, and the configuration fee is increased if the mixed packaging does not meet the standards?

The choice of product packaging method not only affects warehousing costs, but also directly affects warehouse processing speed and customer experience:
● For single-SKU sellers, if the packaging does not meet the requirements, it may be necessary to unpack and sort twice at the sorting center, delaying the shelf life
● Multi-SKU mixed-pack sellers, on the other hand, find it difficult to meet the “exact same type and quantity per box” exempt from warehousing configuration fees, and incur additional costs

Solution
Amazon's recommended packaging method+pack later

In response to the different packing pain points of single SKU and multiple SKU, Amazon launched targeted optimization solutions:
● Single SKU products: Amazon has launched a new “Amazon Recommended Packaging Method” function (Box Packing, BPR for short). As a new step in the “Ship to Amazon (STA)” process, BPR can intelligently tell FBA sellers “how to pack more cost effectively”. By packing according to the recommendations, the shipment can skip the sorting process at the transit station and fly directly to the distribution center, improve inventory allocation efficiency and delivery timeliness, and also have the opportunity to get FBA fee discounts

The US site is currently being piloted. Interested sellers should contact your account manager to apply for participation
● Multi-SKU mixed products: The “Pack Later (Pack Later)” function added to Amazon's new delivery and warehousing API allows sellers to split the warehouse first and then pack. They only need to ship 5 items of each product to automatically obtain the “Amazon Optimized Shipment Split” storage option. Simply put, the system first tells the seller where to deliver the goods and then packages them, saving time and trouble

If the cost of storage depends more on “how to choose the plan”, then what makes sellers most anxious during the warehousing process is often the “uncertainty”: where will the goods be delivered, when will they be delivered, and whether there will be delays in storage?To help everyone get out of this passive situation, Amazon has introduced new warehousing features and new policies, so that the inbound progress can be viewed in real time, flexible and controlled, and rules to follow, making it easy for sellers to easily control the overall pace.

Core pain points
Create a warehouse for blind selection of shipments, delays due to unknown reception pressure?

When creating a shipment, many sellers are unaware of the actual receiving pressure of the target warehouse. They can only select and ship the goods based on experience and wait for the goods on the way or even to the warehouse before finding that reservations are tight and receipt is delayed, which affects the overall pace

Solution
“Keep track of warehouse receipt status in real time” view

To address this pain point, Amazon launched the “Real-time Warehouse Receipt Status” view. After creating a shipment and selecting an estimated delivery period, sellers can check the warehouse status for each inbound option and inbound region, such as through prompts such as “Available,” “Expected Receipt Delayed,” or “Warehouse Capacity Reached and Unusable,” making it easy for sellers to select the appropriate inbound area. In addition, sellers can also view the estimated warehouse receipt status for each week in the “Expected Delivery Time” calendar view, compare the receipt situation in different time periods, and make the warehouse status clear at a glance.

Core pain points
Shipments that arrive early/late are difficult to reserve, and the inbound queue is delayed?

There are many cross-border logistics links and high uncertainty, making it difficult for sellers to accurately control the delivery time of goods. The shipment arrives early, and it is impossible to reserve it in advance. If the shipment arrives late, it will have to be re-queued according to the real-time status of the warehouse. It is likely that you will face the problem of delayed receipt.

Solution
Delivery Period+Priority Storage Eligibility

In addition to functional upgrades, Amazon has also updated the “Delivery Window” (Delivery Window) and inbound reservation policies:
● The “Delivery Window” (Delivery Window) was adjusted to 7 days: For shipments within the US and cross-border shipments, the standard delivery window will be 7 days (previously 14 days for cross-border shipments). Sellers are required to provide an accurate estimated delivery time and modify the estimated delivery period at any time based on the shipment situation until the shipment has been scheduled for delivery or the estimated delivery period has begun.
● Eligible for priority warehousing: Shipments that arrive within the estimated delivery period can be eligible for priority storage reservations, thereby speeding up the receipt of products

Once a shipment has been shipped, it is often difficult for sellers to determine when they can begin receiving it and how long it will take to complete the listing, which makes it impossible to control replenishment, promotion, or inventory adjustment plans.

Solution
Transparent acceptance and listing timelines

Amazon synchronizes receipt and listing time information to the shipment summary page to enable transparent and independent inquiry throughout the progress process. Sellers can directly view two key time points:
● First, the estimated time required from delivery to the beginning of registration of unloading
● The second is the estimated time required from the beginning of receipt to the final listing

In this way, it is possible to focus on the receipt and launch times of key products, so that subsequent sales and replenishment plans can be arranged.

After the shipment was shipped, many sellers were still struggling with problems such as “manual ticketing updates, complicated and error-prone”, “Shipment delays due to customs inspection emergencies, the warehouse can't be done, etc.” Amazon launched the “FBA Inbound Shipment Tracking Intelligent Control System (FIST) Solution” to accurately solve sellers' problems in tracking shipments, managing expected delivery times, and dealing with storage delays through three core services, making operations more worry-free.

Core pain points
Tracking information is scattered, and manual recording of ticket numbers is always error-prone?

In the past, if you wanted to check the location of a shipment, you had to switch back and forth between different logistics carrier platforms. The process was tedious and time-consuming, comparable to a “investigation”. What's more troublesome is that it was easy to make errors when entering tracking numbers manually. This may also cause storage defects and affect account performance.

Solution
FBA shipment tracking service technical interface

As one of the core services of the FIST system - “FBA ShipTrack Service Technology Connection (ShipTrack)”, through a one-stop integrated logistics service provider system, every key point of the shipment can be viewed in real time from collection, transportation to warehouse delivery. At the same time, the system will also automatically sync the shipment tracking number, so there is no need for the seller to manually enter and check, simplifying operation. In addition, using ShipTrack, you can also exempt storage defects caused by inaccurate shipment tracking numbers and reduce the impact on account performance.

Core pain points
Manually updating delivery times is cumbersome, and delays in information affect reservations?

There are many variables in cross-border logistics, and sellers need to manually update the estimated delivery time period by ticket. Not only is the operation complicated, but it is also easy for information to lag, which affects the efficiency of warehousing reservations.

Solution
Delivery times are automatically updated

Core pain points
Unexpected situations are difficult to prevent. What should I do if storage is delayed?

In cross-border logistics, it is inevitable to encounter various unexpected situations, causing goods to be stored on time. Once delivery is delayed, it is likely to cause the risk of being out of stock, disrupt the pace of sales, and cause losses to sellers.

Solution
Intelligent transfer

FIST's third core product - “Smart Reroute (SR)” - can provide sellers with flexible solutions to such unexpected problems. If the FIST carrier used by the seller has launched this service, when the shipment is delayed, they can apply for the shipment to be transferred from the original congestion/delayed warehouse to another uncongested FBA warehouse, thereby effectively shortening the storage cycle and replenishing the goods in a timely manner.

If you want to start the FIST product experience described above, from “watch the logistics yourself” to the advanced mode of “the system helps you watch”, you only need to choose the FIST carrier that supports the corresponding product service:
You can find all FIST carriers through the “Amazon Global Selling Site” and the “SPN Service Provider Network” FIST exclusive page. Currently, there are nearly 100 FIST carriers to choose from.
(You can copy the following link to your browser for more details: https://gs.amazon.cn/fist/fistlist)

Save money, save worry, and improve efficiency. These new features and policies have actually solved the core pain points of the seller's warehousing process. In the future, Amazon Logistics will continue to iteratively optimize, making cross-border logistics more convenient. As the new year approaches, sellers are advised to use the above tools as soon as possible to make positions more stable and grow faster.