Amazon SEND Program Now Offers Air Shipping from China to Australia for FBA Sellers
Amazon’s SEND program now adds an air‑freight lane from mainland China to Australian fulfillment centers, letting sellers create, document and track shipments entirely inside the “Send to Amazon” wizard. The air option cuts transit from the typical 30‑day sea window to roughly 7 days and offers negotiated carrier rates for modest volumes.
Overview
Amazon has added an air‑freight lane from mainland China to Australia to its SEND (Simple, Easy, No‑fuss Delivery) program. The new route lets sellers who produce goods in China ship directly to Amazon’s Australian fulfillment centers through a single, Seller‑Central‑based workflow. This change trims the logistical steps that previously forced merchants to juggle multiple freight forwarders, customs brokers, and last‑mile carriers.
Key Points
- Air lane activation — SEND now supports cargo flown from Chinese factories to Australian warehouses, cutting transit time compared with traditional sea freight.
- Negotiated carrier pricing — Amazon’s partnership with vetted third‑party carriers delivers rates that can undercut what many sellers achieve on their own, especially at modest shipment volumes.
- Full integration in Seller Central — The entire shipment creation, documentation, and tracking process lives inside the existing “Send to Amazon” interface, eliminating the need for external freight‑management tools.
- End‑to‑end tracking — Sellers can monitor inventory from the point of pickup in China through customs clearance and final receipt at the Australian fulfillment node on a single dashboard.
- Flexible pickup options — The program accepts both door‑to‑door pickups from manufacturers and drop‑offs at designated consolidation hubs within China.
How SEND Works
- Select and qualify a carrier — Before any shipment can be booked, the seller contacts the approved third‑party carrier listed by Amazon, negotiates a service agreement, and confirms pricing and service levels. Example: A seller of silicone baking molds contacts Carrier X, signs a contract covering air freight from Shenzhen to Sydney, and receives a rate sheet.
- Create the shipment in Seller Central — Once the carrier agreement is in place, the SEND option appears in the “Send to Amazon” shipment wizard. The seller inputs product details, packaging dimensions, and chooses the newly listed carrier as the transportation method.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
Faster 7‑day air delivery lets sellers reduce safety stock and free cash tied up in inventory, while the integrated workflow eliminates multiple freight forwarders and separate portals. Negotiated carrier pricing can be cheaper than self‑negotiated rates, especially for shipments under 1,000 units, improving margins.
Key Takeaways
- SEND now supports an air‑freight lane from China to Australia, reducing lead time from ~30 days (sea) to ~7 days (air).
- The entire shipment creation, documentation and tracking is built into Seller Central’s “Send to Amazon” interface.
- Amazon‑approved carriers provide negotiated rates that may undercut seller‑sourced freight, particularly for modest shipment volumes.
- Pickup options include door‑to‑door factory collection or drop‑off at Amazon‑approved consolidation hubs in China.
Recommended Actions
- →In Seller Central, go to ‘Send to Amazon’, select the new China‑to‑Australia air lane, and create a shipment using an Amazon‑approved carrier.
- →Run a cost comparison between SEND carrier rates and your existing freight contracts for your typical shipment size (e.g., 500 units) before booking.
- →Arrange a door‑to‑door pickup or locate the nearest approved consolidation hub in China for your factory, then confirm pickup in the Seller Central...
Comments
Join the discussion
Log in or create an account to share your thoughts on this update.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!