A pre-delivery checklist for FBA shipments: appointment standards, pallet and carton requirements, labeling rules and the verification habits that keep containers flowing into Amazon warehouses.
The ocean voyage gets the attention, but many FBA shipments actually lose days at the very last step: the warehouse appointment. A container that arrives at port on time can still sit for a week if the delivery appointment is wrong, the pallets don't meet Amazon's requirements, or the labels don't match the shipment plan. This checklist covers what to prepare before the truck arrives at the fulfillment center.
Real Appointments, Verifiable Loads
Every appointment we book is a real, verifiable slot — you can check it against your bill of lading number at any time. That standard exists because the alternative, padded or downgraded appointments, is what causes containers to be turned away at the dock. Before dispatch, confirm three things: the appointment date matches your inventory window, the warehouse code on the appointment matches your shipment plan, and the pallet count on the B/L matches what is actually loaded.
Pallets and Cartons: What Amazon Expects
- Cartons must be rectangular (square or oblong) and transport-grade — non-standard shapes complicate stacking and slow the unloading appointment.
- Pallets should be stackable and within Amazon's dimension limits; oversized pallets need a case-by-case check before booking.
- For certain Canadian destinations (for example YEG1, YOO1 and YYC6), Amazon requires pallets to be labeled by SKU — build this into the prep schedule, not the departure day.
Weight matters too. Ocean channels bill at the greater of actual and volume weight (1 CBM = 167 KG; heavy cargo 1 CBM = 363 KG). If a pallet is heavy but compact, the chargeable weight is the actual weight — and the truck loading plan should respect the per-pallet weight limits of the fulfillment center.
Timing the Last Leg
Reference truck delivery windows after port arrival vary by destination cluster: LA-area warehouses are typically reached in 12-15 days from Matson sailings, Chicago clusters in 21-25 days, and NY/NJ in about 35-45 days on the all-water service. Plan your inventory runway from the door-to-warehouse window, not the port-to-port figure, and keep a buffer between the appointment date and your projected stockout date.
When Delivery Goes Wrong: The Compensation Path
If a delay or damage is confirmed as a logistics-side liability, compensation is paid within 3-5 working days in line with our service terms. The practical takeaway: keep the evidence chain — B/L number, appointment confirmation, warehouse check-in photos — so any claim resolves on facts, not on back-and-forth.
A Five-Point Pre-Dispatch Checklist
- Shipment plan matches warehouse code and SKU quantities.
- Cartons rectangular and transport-grade; pallets within limits.
- SKU-level labels applied where the destination requires them.
- Appointment confirmed, real and verifiable by B/L number.
- Inventory runway covers the full door-to-warehouse window plus buffer.
If you would rather not manage this checklist yourself, our own trucking fleet and warehouse team handle appointments, pallet prep and delivery end to end — tell us your warehouse codes and we will map the plan.