Managing Multi-Location Shipping Settings in Amazon Seller Central
In early 2024 Amazon added per‑location shipping settings to Seller Central, letting each warehouse define its own operating hours, carrier cut‑off times and an on/off activation flag. The new Shipping Settings Automation (SSA) feature works with the POST /listings/2021-09-01/inventory API to sync per‑SKU inventory per site.
Overview
Amazon now lets sellers who ship from several warehouses set shipping rules for each site instead of using a single, account‑wide configuration. The change debuted in early 2024 and gives sellers the ability to match real‑world logistics—such as local carrier schedules and inventory levels—to the Amazon order‑routing engine. Sellers with more than one fulfillment center should adopt the new controls to keep delivery promises accurate and avoid stock‑outs.
Key Points
- Per‑location shipping rules — Each warehouse can have its own operating hours, carrier cut‑off times, and shipping capabilities, so a seller with a Dallas and a Seattle hub can promise different delivery windows for each region.
- Location profiles — Sellers enter a unique address, primary contact and time‑zone for every site, ensuring that Amazon’s calculations respect local business days and holidays.
- Activation flags — A simple on/off switch lets sellers pause shipping from a specific location (for example, during seasonal maintenance) without removing the profile entirely.
- Carrier‑specific cut‑off windows — When Shipping Settings Automation (SSA) is enabled, sellers can set a 2 PM UPS cut‑off for the New York warehouse and a 4 PM FedEx cut‑off for the Los Angeles warehouse, broken down by each day of the week.
- Multi‑location inventory sync — Amazon’s inventory APIs accept per‑SKU quantities per site, allowing a seller to push “120 units of SKU 12345 in Chicago, 45 units in Miami” so the system routes orders to the nearest stocked hub.
How Location‑Based Shipping Settings Work
- Create or edit a location profile — In Seller Central’s Shipping Settings hub, click “Add New Location,” enter the warehouse’s street address, select the correct time‑zone (e.g., Pacific Time for a California fulfillment center), and save. A seller with three sites—Chicago, Denver, and Houston—will now see three separate entries.
- Set shipping capability — Toggle the “Active Shipping” flag for each profile. If the Denver warehouse is undergoing renovation, the seller can switch its flag to “inactive,” causing Amazon to automatically exclude it from order routing while keeping its inventory data intact.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
Location‑specific rules prevent missed carrier pickups and late‑shipment defects, improving delivery speed and Buy Box eligibility. Sellers with multiple fulfillment centers can now pause a site during maintenance without losing inventory data, ensuring continuous order routing.
Key Takeaways
- Per‑location shipping rules launched in early 2024, allowing separate operating hours and carrier cut‑off times for each warehouse.
- Activation flags let sellers toggle a site’s shipping on or off without deleting its profile.
- SSA enables daily carrier cut‑off windows per location, e.g., 2 PM UPS for New York and 4 PM FedEx for Los Angeles.
- Inventory API endpoint POST /listings/2021-09-01/inventory now accepts SKU quantity per location ID.
Recommended Actions
- →In Seller Central, go to Shipping Settings > Add New Location and create a profile for each warehouse with address, time‑zone and activation flag.
- →Enable Shipping Settings Automation (SSA) in the Shipping Settings dashboard and set carrier cut‑off times for each location.
- →Set up a daily feed that calls POST /listings/2021-09-01/inventory with SKU, quantity and location ID for each fulfillment center.
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!