Amazon Launches SEND: A New Partnered Carrier Program for International FBA Shipments
In early 2024 Amazon introduced SEND, a partnered carrier program that lets sellers arrange international FBA shipments inside Seller Central. SEND displays quoted rates from multiple Amazon‑approved LSPs, automates customs paperwork, generates Amazon inbound labels and carrier waybills, and consolidates payment to the seller’s Amazon account.
Overview
Amazon unveiled SEND, a partnered carrier program that lets sellers arrange international FBA shipments directly inside Seller Central. Launched in early 2024, the service bundles booking, customs, tracking and payment into one workflow, giving global merchants a single‑pane view of cross‑border logistics.
Key Points
- Integrated LSP marketplace — Sellers can view quoted rates from several Amazon‑approved logistics providers side‑by‑side, eliminating the need to solicit separate quotes from freight forwarders.
- End‑to‑end shipment management — The platform handles booking, carrier pickup, in‑transit tracking, customs clearance and final delivery to the destination fulfillment center without leaving Seller Central.
- Customs support built in — Required commercial invoices, HS codes and other documentation are entered once and transmitted automatically, reducing the chance of border delays.
- Guided workflow with tooltips — Each of the three steps includes contextual help; for example, a tooltip explains how to calculate dimensional weight for air freight.
- Automatic label generation — Upon confirming a shipment, the system prints both Amazon inbound labels and carrier waybills, ensuring the package is ready for pickup.
- Payment consolidation — Shipping charges are billed to the seller’s Amazon account, so there is no separate invoicing process with the carrier.
- Rate transparency — Quotes display base freight, fuel surcharge and any ancillary fees, letting sellers instantly compare total landed cost against their existing contracts.
- Multi‑country coverage – SEND currently supports shipments to fulfillment centers in the U.S., Canada, EU (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK), Japan and Australia, expanding the reach for sellers in those markets.
- Entry‑level friendliness — New sellers without a dedicated freight team can launch their first cross‑border shipment using the same interface they use for domestic replenishment.
- — Because rates depend on origin, destination, weight and product category, sellers should benchmark SEND quotes against their historical freight spend before committing.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
SEND gives sellers a single‑pane view of international freight, reducing the time to book, clear customs and print labels from days to minutes. By showing base freight, fuel surcharge and ancillary fees, it enables direct cost comparison (e.g., $4.10 /kg vs $4.25 /kg) and simplifies invoicing, which can improve cash‑flow and inventory planning for global growth.
Key Takeaways
- SEND launched in early 2024 and integrates booking, customs, tracking and payment within Seller Central.
- The platform lists rates from multiple Amazon‑approved LSPs, e.g., $3.45 /kg for GlobalFreight Co. vs $3.80 /kg for Oceanic Logistics.
- Customs data (commercial invoice, HS code) is entered once and transmitted automatically, reducing border delays.
- Automatic generation of both Amazon inbound labels and carrier waybills occurs after payment, eliminating separate label‑printing steps.
Recommended Actions
- →In Seller Central, go to the new SEND workflow under 'International Shipments' and run a test quote for 500 units to a European fulfillment center.
- →Compare the SEND quote (e.g., $4.10 /kg) with your existing freight invoices and decide whether to use SEND for the next shipment.
- →If approved, select a partnered LSP, upload the commercial invoice and HS code, and generate the Amazon inbound label and carrier waybill directly ...
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