Overview

Amazon has released detailed guidance for sellers shipping Fulfillment by Amazon inventory through Amazon Freight during the peak holiday season. The advisory outlines strict requirements around documentation accuracy, delivery window compliance, packaging standards, and communication protocols — all areas where mistakes can lead to chargebacks, shipment rejections, and costly inventory delays during the most important selling period of the year.

What's New

• Stricter delivery windows — Chargebacks now apply for even single-day delays during the holiday period
• Tighter compliance enforcement — Non-compliant shipments face rejection at pickup or at the fulfillment center, plus potential fees
• Proactive communication required — Amazon expects advance notice for any cancellations or schedule changes
• Documentation precision — Bill of lading details must exactly match Seller Central entries before shipments leave your facility

Bill of Lading Accuracy Can Make or Break Your Timeline

One of the most frequent causes of holiday shipping delays is a mismatch between a seller's bill of lading and the corresponding data in Amazon's shipping workflow system. Every detail on the BOL — item quantities, weights, shipment IDs, and destination fulfillment center addresses — must precisely match what appears in Seller Central. Even minor discrepancies can trigger holds at the receiving facility, pushing inventory arrival past critical restock deadlines. During the holiday rush, when fulfillment centers are processing massive volumes, a single documentation error can cascade into days of delays and significant lost revenue. Taking fifteen extra minutes to verify paperwork before dispatch is one of the simplest ways to protect your holiday inventory flow.

Delivery Window Violations Now Carry Real Financial Consequences

Amazon is enforcing delivery windows with very little tolerance for late arrivals during peak season. Missing an assigned window by even one day can result in chargebacks, and these fees add up fast for sellers managing multiple shipments across several fulfillment centers. Building buffer time into shipping schedules is essential to account for carrier congestion, weather disruptions, and general transportation slowdowns that are common in November and December. Fulfillment centers may also have reduced appointment availability during peak weeks, so sellers should secure delivery slots early and treat them as firm commitments. For those using Amazon-partnered carriers through Amazon Freight for LTL or FTL shipments, close coordination with carrier contacts is critical to ensure pickup and transit times align with assigned windows.