Overview

Amazon’s Send to Amazon (STA) workflow is the mandatory gateway for every seller who wants to move inventory into Amazon’s fulfillment network. The process is broken into five distinct steps, and a single mistake in any step can trigger shipment rejections, unexpected fees, or stockouts that directly erode profit. Mastering each phase is essential for keeping FBA operations efficient and cost‑controlled.

Key Points

• Five‑step sequence — The STA workflow moves from inventory selection to carrier confirmation, then to label printing, pallet details, and finally shipment tracking. Skipping or rushing any step creates downstream problems.
• Label requirement — Each individual box needs one label; each pallet needs four labels (one per side). Missing or mis‑placed labels often result in inventory disappearing from Amazon’s system.
• Weight & dimension accuracy — Amazon re‑measures shipments on arrival; any variance triggers additional handling fees that can add up quickly across multiple shipments.
• Packaging standards — Products must meet Amazon’s barcode and packaging durability rules, or the fulfillment center will reject the shipment and charge the seller for both outbound and return freight.
• Fee calculation before shipping — Running the FBA fee estimator before creating a shipment plan prevents surprise costs that turn a seemingly profitable item into a loss.
• Prep service option – Sellers can outsource labeling and packaging to Amazon’s FBA Prep Services for a per‑unit charge, eliminating manual errors but adding a predictable cost.

How Send to Amazon Works

1. Select Inventory — Choose the SKUs you intend to send and enter the exact unit count per SKU. For example, a seller of 250 “Eco‑Bamboo Toothbrushes” would input 250 units, and the system would flag any SKU that is not FBA‑eligible.
2. Choose Shipping Method — Decide between Small Parcel Delivery (SPD) for box‑level shipments or Less‑Than‑Truckload (LTL) for palletized loads. A seller shipping 30 boxes of cosmetics would pick SPD, while a seller moving 1,200 units of bulk kitchenware would select LTL.