Overview

Amazon requires FBA sellers to provide detailed box content information for every carton shipped to its fulfillment centers. This data helps Amazon process inbound shipments more efficiently, gets your inventory available for sale faster, and improves the accuracy of your inventory records. Failing to comply can result in per-unit fees and potential account suspension, making this a requirement every FBA seller needs to understand.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Box content info is mandatory — Amazon requires accurate box-level details for every carton you send to FBA. This is not optional and applies to all shipment types.
• Faster receiving when compliant — Sellers who provide complete box content information have reported faster shipment processing times and more accurate inventory counts at fulfillment centers.
• Manual processing is available but costly — If you prefer not to provide box content details yourself, Amazon can manually process your boxes for a per-unit fee.
• Non-compliance carries consequences — Failure to provide accurate box content information may lead to manual processing fees being charged automatically, and repeated violations can result in shipping privilege suspension.
• Seasonal fee increases apply — Manual processing fees are higher during peak season (Q4), so providing your own box content data becomes even more cost-effective during the holidays.

What Box Content Information Includes

When creating an FBA shipment, sellers must specify several details at the individual box level. This includes the quantity of each SKU packed in every box, expiration dates for any applicable products, the weight of each box, and the box dimensions. All of this information is entered during the shipment creation workflow in Seller Central. Providing accurate data at this stage allows Amazon's fulfillment centers to process your inventory without needing to open and manually inspect each carton, which is what drives the faster receiving times.

Manual Processing Option and Fees

Sellers who choose not to provide box content information themselves can opt into Amazon's manual processing service. This option is selected during the shipment creation workflow by choosing the "skip box information and apply manual processing fee" setting. Amazon will then open and catalog the contents of each box on your behalf. The standard manual processing fee is $0.10 per unit during the first half of the year, and increases to $0.15 per unit during peak season in the second half of the year. For sellers shipping large volumes, these fees can add up quickly — a shipment of 1,000 units could cost $100 to $150 in manual processing fees alone, making self-reporting a significantly more economical choice.