Amazon is in the Warehouse business handling millions of inbound and outbound shipments. Their processes are invisible to we Sellers, and that makes for some confusion and concerns while they are processing our shipments.
This is how I explain the shipment process to Sellers with concerns.
For anybody else with these sorts of questions about shipments…
If you open a case with Seller Support, they can’t help you. They don’t have any influence on these shipments. They also don’t know any more about it than you do.
You can’t inquire with the shipment department until that shipment is closed.
Here’s why. The receiving warehouse has dozens of loading docks with semi-truck trailers backed up to them. Inside the trailers might be thousands of boxes just like yours. During the check-in and receiving process, your contents will be counted and compared to your shipping plan documents. Then, your inventory will be divided to be sent to their destination FC. Items in FC Transfer are in staging areas, inside another semi-trailer, or going through the same receiving process. It’s hard to verify anything inside that trailer.
During all that time, the various internal processes don’t update instantly and don’t communicate well until the very end. Numbers and status will vary widely up, down, back and forth until the end. Don’t pay any attention to them until that shipment is closed.
Remember, Amazon has hundreds of warehouses with thousands of employees. They sort of know what they’re doing and don’t need your input until the end.
Send in more and more shipments and be assured that 99.9% of them will be just fine.
I usually wait 4-6 weeks before I even think about checking on my shipments. We’ve sent in thousands of shipments over the years with very few problems.
Here is what Amazon tells us about the shipment. This on the first tab of the shipment info in Inventory, Shipments.
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Shipment created
In transit
See tracking details for all boxes
Delivered
Checked in
MQJ1, 4412 W 300 N, GREENFIELD, IN, 46140-7099, US
October 21, 2023
Receiving
Amazon has started scanning your shipment ID labels. Received units are available for sale. Units may be transferred to other fulfillment centers closer to customers. Learn more
How long will my units take to receive?
Amazon will confirm the receipt of all units in your shipment on or before Nov 11, 2023. On or after this date, if there is any issue with your shipment, it will be eligible for investigation. Learn more
Please note: We are unable to manually expedite the shipment receive process, and Selling Partner Support does not have further guidance.
For SKU-level details, go to Contents. To see items that are available for purchase, go to See the Manage FBA Inventory page .
Fulfillment center transfer Destination (For this shipment it is 26 FCs.)
1DSM5 (BONDURANT, IA)2IGQ1 (HARVEY, IL)3PDX9 (Troutdale, OR)4BHM1 (BESSEMER, AL)5MTN1 (WILMINGTON, DE)6TUS2 (TUCSON, AZ)7MIA1 (Opa-Locka, FL)8FSD1 (SIOUX FALLS, SD)9MKC6 (Kansas City, KS)10CLE2 (North Randall, OH)11CMH1 (Etna, OH)12OAK4 (Tracy, CA)13BDL3 (North Haven, CT)14SMF1 (Sacramento, CA)15MKE1 (Kenosha, WI)16DEN4 (COLORADO SPRINGS, CO)17AUS2 (PFLUGERVILLE, TX)18SLC1 (Salt Lake City, UT)19CMH4 (WEST JEFFERSON, OH)20DTW1 (Romulus, MI)21PSP1 (BEAUMONT, CA)22ACY1 (West Deptford, NJ)23JAN1 (CANTON, MS)24MSP1 (Shakopee, MN)25OKC1 (OKLAHOMA CITY, OK)26TYS1 (LOUISVILLE, TN)
Shipment closing
Your shipment will enter Closed status when Amazon has either confirmed all units received in your shipment against your shipped quantity or your shipment has been open for more than 90 days since creation, whichever is first. Amazon will continue to receive shipments that are already in transit. You cannot ship additional units for a closed shipment.
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Note that this shipment is scheduled for a total of 21 days (3 weeks) before it will be Closed This date is often extended for unknown reasons. Add to that a week or so for Transit from you to the warehouse.
That is 4 weeks total. You can see why I allow 4-6 weeks before checking status.