Amazon Shipping Delays: The Current Situation & How to Navigate It
Logistics providers are currently stretched very thin, which has affected most companies’ supply chain networks across the country, including Amazon’s.
You’ve likely noticed that Amazon is experiencing trucking backlogs and fulfillment center capacity issues, resulting in pick-up and delivery delays. Because of these setbacks, Sellers and Vendors alike may notice that it takes longer than usual for their products to become available on Amazon.com.
The GO team has compiled suggested ways of working to navigate through these logistics challenges:
Collect Vendors
If a carrier misses the pick-up date, the Collect Vendor’s warehouse routing team should submit a Missed Pick-Up case in Vendor Central immediately (Contact Us>Shipments>Carrier Missed Pick-Up). Amazon will only re-tender if a case has been filed and they will use case information to communicate with the scheduled carrier.
Warehouse routing teams should use carrier pick-up confirmations as their main channel for carrier communication. This is the most direct way to resolve any issues causing delays in pick-ups, wait times, etc.
Schedule pick-up times within purchase order (PO) ship windows. So long as Collect Vendors do this, they will not be held liable for PO On-Time chargebacks, regardless of carriers arriving late.
Pre-Paid Vendors
Communicate with carriers to ensure they will accept and fulfill dispatches to all Amazon fulfillment centers.
Like Collect Vendors, route and schedule delivery within PO ship windows to reduce delays and chargebacks.
Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) Sellers
If a carrier misses the pick-up date, the Seller’s warehouse team should submit a Missed Pick-Up case in Seller Central immediately (Help>get Support>Browse issue>Selling on Amazon>Fulfillment by Amazon>Inventory shipped to Amazon). Amazon will only re-tender if a case has been filed and they will use case information to communicate with the scheduled carrier.
Sellers should optimize their pick and pack processes so that cargo is prepped and ready by their scheduled pick-up times. FBA is currently pushing pick-up schedules beyond the 2-day minimum. The quicker the FBA orders are confirmed and the less than truckload (LTL)/full truckload (FTL) pallet dims are declared, the sooner the orders can be completed and the pick-ups can be scheduled.
Carrier Pickup Expectations
Truckload: Carriers are expected to schedule delivery appointments with Amazon first. Once carriers have this appointment in place, they will reach out to Vendors to schedule pick-up appointments.
Less Than Truckload: Carriers are not required to schedule delivery appointments with Amazon prior to pick-up. They are required to pick up shipments 24 hours after the tender.
Vendors and Sellers must be ready to load and ship their freight by 8 A.M. local time on the freight ready date (FRD). Vendors are expected to load the carriers’ trailers.
Vendors and Sellers must provide the carrier with a printed bill of lading (BOL) at the time of pick-up.
Our Global Overview team is here to help you every step of the way as we deal with these shipping delays. If you have any further questions regarding fulfillment setbacks or avenues of mitigation, contact us at info@123goecom.com.