Overview

Amazon sellers who use UPS to ship small parcels to certain fulfillment centers must use alternate shipping addresses instead of the standard facility addresses. This requirement exists because UPS cannot efficiently process high shipment volumes at the physical locations of these fulfillment centers, so Amazon has partnered with UPS to reroute packages through nearby alternate facilities.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• UPS shipments only — This alternate address requirement applies exclusively to shipments sent via UPS. Sellers using other carriers such as FedEx or USPS can continue shipping to the standard physical addresses of the listed fulfillment centers.
• Partnered carrier labels are handled automatically — If you use Amazon's partnered carrier program and generate shipping labels through Seller Central, the system will automatically print labels with the correct alternate address. No manual intervention is needed in this case.
• Self-arranged UPS shipments require manual action — Sellers who arrange their own UPS shipping outside of Amazon's partnered carrier program must manually print labels with the alternate UPS address. Failing to do so could result in shipments being returned or delayed.
• Network capacity limitation — UPS has confirmed that its network operations at certain fulfillment center locations cannot handle the volume of inbound packages, which is why this rerouting arrangement was established.
• Multiple fulfillment centers affected — The list of affected facilities spans numerous states including California, Indiana, Tennessee, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, and Ohio.

How the Alternate Address System Works

When UPS receives a package destined for one of the affected Amazon fulfillment centers, the alternate address directs the parcel to a nearby UPS facility that has the capacity to handle large inbound volumes. From there, UPS coordinates the final delivery to the actual Amazon warehouse. This process is transparent to the seller once the correct label is applied — the package still arrives at the intended fulfillment center, but it takes a slightly different route through the UPS network. Sellers should note that this rerouting does not typically add significant transit time, as the alternate facilities are generally located in the same region as the target fulfillment center.