A fulfillment service can help you manage customer orders, send shipments on time, and obtain information on products available for restocking or promotions. The right ecommerce fulfillment service can give your business a competitive edge.
There are several options for fulfilling an order, including in-house fulfillment, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), and other third-party fulfillment services.
FBA allows you to ship inventory to an Amazon warehouse at a competitive cost. When an order comes in, Amazon delivers the product to the customer. Your company can take advantage of Amazon’s distribution network, infrastructure, world-class delivery service, returns system, and customer service process.
Before you consider shipping your products to any Amazon U.S. warehouse, make sure the manufacturing plant and the exporter‘s company have a DUNS Number and are registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA).
Then, file a Prior Notice. Additional requirements must be met.
▪ FDA REGISTRATION
▪ FDA PRIOR NOTICE
▪ U.S. CUSTOMS ASSIGNED NUMBER
▪ FSVP
Foreign and domestic facilities that manufacture or process, pack, hold food for human or animal consumption in the U.S. are required to register with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Exporters and Importers of conventional foods, dietary supplements, medical devices, cosmetics, drug products, must be registered with the FDA.
The FDA Registration Number is used to process customs documentation and Prior Notice (PN) to FDA. All shipments without FDA Registration Number and Prior Notice Confirmation Number, will be DENIED ENTRY by the U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Shipping products to Amazon warehouses without a Prior Notice Confirmation Number will always result in FDA Hold of your cargo and Detention.
$25.00 each | STANDARD
$40.00 each | EXPEDITED
Seven days a week.
Finally, are your labels FDA compliant?
Don’t take a chance assuming that regulations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, India, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, European Union, United Kingdom, are the same or similar.
Also, keep in mind that Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) legislation is being enforced.
Click here, for a list of FDA Detentions, based on failure to comply with FSVP requirements.
The foreign exporter is expected to be the U.S. Importer of Record (IOR), not the Amazon warehouse.
Therefore, obtain a U.S. Customs Assigned Number (CBP-Assigned Number) required to process customs clearance in the United States. The number used to identify an IOR is either an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Social Security Number (SSN), or a CBP-Assigned Number.
U.S. Customs Assigned Number is the basis for establishing bond coverage, release and entry of merchandise, liquidation and the issuance of bills and refunds.
Domestic and foreign companies may request CBP-Assigned Numbers through the Automated Broker Interface used by FedEx, UPS, DHL and other Customs Brokers by submitting Importer Identity Form (CBP Form 5106).
It typically takes CBP (United States Customs and Border Protection) two business days to input and activate a new Importer of Record (IOR).
You may also use the 24/7 Live Chat, for faster responses, in your language.
Amazon currently has 110 active fulfillment centers in the United States and 185 centers globally. Seller do not have the option of selecting any of these warehouses. Amazon indicates where to ship your products.
However, here is a short list of frequently used warehouses for shipments coming from Europe:
#HMW1 – 30260 Graaskamp Blvd, Wilmington, IL 60481
#MDW4 – 250 or 201 Emerald Dr, Joliet, IL 60433
#MDW5 – 16825 Churnovic Ln, Crest Hill, IL 60435
#MDW6 – 1125 W Remington Blvd, Romeoville, IL 60446
#MDW7 – 6605 or 6521 W Monee Manhattan Road, Monee, IL 60449
#MDW8 – 1750 Bridge Dr, Waukegan, IL 60085
#MDW9 – 2865 Duke Parkway, Aurora, IL 60502
#PIL1 – 801 Midpoint Road, Minooka, IL 60047
#STL4– 3050 Gateway Commerce Center Dr S, Edwardsville, IL 62025
#STL6/STL7/HLU1– 3931 Lakeview Corporate Drive, Edwardsville, IL 62025
#ORD2 – 23714 W Amoco Rd, Channahon, IL 60410
#ORD9 – 23700 W Bluff Rd Bldg A, Channahon, IL 60410
#DIL7 – 3601 Howard St, Skokie, IL 60076
| Service | Fee |
| Professional seller rate | $39.99 per month |
| Individual seller rate | $0.99 per item sold |
| Individual selling rates | $0.45 to $1.35 per unit |
| Stock removal | $0.50 to $0.60 per unit |
| Labelling | $0.20 per unit |
| Product prep | $1.00 to $2.20 per unit |
| Long-Term Storage | $6.90 per cubic foot or $.015 per unit |
Source: 2021 US referral and FBA fee changes summary. Update available, automatically.
