Overview

When Amazon sellers purchase shipping labels through Buy Shipping services, the initial charges are based on the package details they provide. However, carriers routinely verify package dimensions, weight, and other information after a shipment is picked up. If the actual package attributes differ from what was entered on the label, sellers can expect to see correction charges — or occasionally credits — applied to their accounts. Understanding how these adjustments work is essential for avoiding unexpected costs and maintaining healthy margins on seller-fulfilled orders.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Corrections apply to both outbound and return shipments — Carrier adjustments can occur when you ship an order to a customer or when a prepaid return label is used by the customer to send an item back.
• Charges appear in payment reports — Shipping correction adjustments show up in your Seller Central payment reports, though they may not appear in the same settlement period as the original shipping purchase.
• Three main triggers exist — Incorrect dimensions or weight, invalid return addresses, and ineligible shipping service selections are the primary reasons sellers incur correction charges.
• An $18 fee applies for undeliverable return addresses — If your return address is invalid or undeliverable, the carrier charges an $18 penalty per package that cannot be returned.
• Monthly surcharges may apply — Carriers can impose a per-package surcharge based on manual audits conducted during outbound or return shipping.
• Sellers bear full responsibility — Amazon passes these carrier charges through to you, and you are responsible for any corrections caused by incorrect label information.

Why Corrections Happen: The Three Main Causes

The most common reason for shipping correction charges is a mismatch between the product's listed dimensions or weight and the actual physical attributes of the package being shipped. When carriers measure and weigh packages during transit processing, any discrepancy between what was declared on the label and the actual measurements results in an adjusted charge. This applies equally to outbound orders heading to customers and return shipments coming back to you. If the corrected shipping cost is higher than what you originally paid, you will be debited the difference. Conversely, if the correct cost is lower, you will receive a credit.