Overview

In September 2022 Amazon launched version v2021‑12‑28 of the Vendor Direct Fulfillment Shipping API. The update introduces a createShippingLabels operation that delivers a printable label instantly as a base64‑encoded PDF. Vendors that ship directly to Amazon fulfillment centers must adopt the new flow because it consolidates label creation into a single, synchronous request, trims the number of API calls, and can shave seconds off outbound‑shipment processing.

Key Points

• One‑call label generation — Vendors now receive the shipping label in the same response that registers the shipment, removing the need for a separate “fetch label” request.
• Restricted Data Token (RDT) mandatory — The operation only accepts an RDT, guaranteeing that only authorized apps can access the sensitive label data.
• Base64‑encoded PDF payload — The API returns the label as a base64 string, which can be decoded and saved directly to a file system or sent to a printer without additional transformation.
• Synchronous execution — The call blocks until the carrier produces the label, providing immediate success or failure feedback.
• Version‑specific endpoint — The feature lives under the v2021‑12‑28 endpoint, so integrations targeting older versions must be retargeted to the new URL.
• Carrier compatibility check — Not every carrier supports instant label issuance; the API will return an error if the selected carrier code is unsupported in this version.

How the createShippingLabels Operation Works

1. Request a Restricted Data Token —

   • The vendor’s system calls the getRestrictedDataToken endpoint, requesting the shippingLabel scope.
   • Amazon issues a short‑lived token (typically 30 minutes) that must be used in the next step.
   • Example: A logistics SaaS platform asks for an RDT for order #112‑3344556‑7788990 and receives rdt_XYZ789.