Overview

Amazon has introduced a mandatory delivery‑window field for all FBA shipments that are sent using carriers outside its partnered network. The requirement, which went live in early 2024, forces sellers to enter an estimated arrival‑date range when they create a shipment in the Send to Amazon tool. Providing this window helps Amazon’s fulfillment centers schedule dock staffing and processing, which can shorten the time inventory spends in receiving and become available for sale faster.

Key Points

• Mandatory field for non‑partnered carriers — Every small‑parcel or LTL shipment that uses a third‑party carrier must include a delivery window; a shipment from a seller in Texas using a regional freight broker now triggers a required “arrival window” entry.
• Window length varies by shipment type — Domestic shipments are limited to a 7‑day range (e.g., March 1 – March 7), while cross‑border shipments may use up to a 14‑day range (e.g., March 1 – March 14) to reflect longer transit times.
• Editable before the start date — If a carrier reports a delay, the seller can adjust the window any time before the originally scheduled start date without penalty; a change from March 1‑7 to March 3‑9 is accepted as long as it is made before March 1.
• Partnered carriers are exempt — Shipments that use Amazon‑partnered carriers such as Amazon Freight or Amazon‑contracted UPS automatically feed tracking data to Amazon, so the delivery‑window field does not appear for those routes.
• Compliance tied to receiving efficiency — While Amazon has not announced formal fines, shipments that arrive outside the declared window may be placed on a “late‑arrival” queue, delaying put‑away and potentially affecting sales during peak periods.
• Impact strongest for high‑volume non‑partnered shippers — Sellers who move more than 5,000 cubic feet per month via independent LTL providers will see the greatest operational benefit and also face the highest risk of non‑compliance if windows are inaccurate.

How Delivery Windows Work

1. Create shipment in Send to Amazon — When a seller selects “Create a new shipment,” a new field labeled “Delivery Window” appears; a seller shipping 200 units from Ohio to the Dallas fulfillment center might enter “April 10 – April 16.”