Sending your first FBA shipment to Amazon is one of the most exciting milestones in your Amazon wholesale journey. It is the moment your business becomes real — your products go into Amazon’s warehouse and your listing goes live for millions of customers to find and buy.

But it is also one of the steps where most beginners make costly mistakes. Wrong labelling rejected shipments stranded inventory and unexpected fees are all common problems that could have been avoided with proper preparation. We are Brandhunterz Ltd — a UK registered wholesale sourcing company (Company No: 15342697) — and in this guide we walk you through every single step of creating and sending your first FBA shipment correctly.

Before You Start — What You Need

Before creating your FBA shipment make sure you have everything ready. Missing any of these will stop you midway through the process:

Item Needed	Details	Essential?
Active Amazon Seller account	Professional plan fully verified and approved	Yes
Wholesale stock received	Products delivered from your wholesale supplier	Yes
Product listed on Amazon	ASIN created or joined in Seller Central	Yes
Label printer	Thermal or laser printer for FNSKU labels	Yes
Label stock	Standard 40x30mm labels for products	Yes
Cardboard shipping boxes	Strong double wall boxes — various sizes	Yes
Packing materials	Bubble wrap tissue paper or packing peanuts	Yes
Tape gun and packing tape	Strong clear packing tape — minimum 50mm wide	Yes
Weighing scales	For accurately weighing packed boxes	Yes
Tape measure	For measuring box dimensions accurately	Yes

Step by Step — Creating Your FBA Shipment in Seller Central

Step 1 — Go to Manage FBA Inventory

Log into Seller Central. Go to Inventory — Manage FBA Inventory. Find the product you want to send to Amazon. Click the dropdown arrow next to the product and select Send or Replenish Inventory. This begins your shipment creation process.

Step 2 — Set Your Ship From Address

Enter the address you will be shipping from — your home address business address or prep centre address. Make sure this is accurate as Amazon uses it to assign you to the nearest fulfilment centre and calculate shipping costs.

Step 3 — Choose Individual Products or Case Packed

Packing Type	When to Use
Individual Products	When sending mixed quantities or different products in same shipment
Case Packed Products	When all boxes contain identical quantities of the same product — faster processing

For your first shipment select Individual Products — it gives you more flexibility with quantities and is easier to manage when you are learning the process.

Step 4 — Enter Your Quantity

Enter the exact number of units you are sending in this shipment. Double check this number against your physical stock count before proceeding. Entering the wrong quantity causes inventory discrepancies that are time-consuming to resolve.

Step 5 — Choose Your Labelling Option

Labelling Option	Cost	Recommendation
Merchant Labels — You label your products	Free	Recommended — do it yourself
Amazon Labels — Amazon labels for you	£0.15 to £0.20 per unit	Only for large volumes

Always choose Merchant Labels for your first shipment. Print your own FNSKU labels — it is free and gives you complete control over label quality and placement.

Step 6 — Review and Confirm Shipment

Amazon will assign your shipment to one or more fulfilment centres. Review the destination address quantity and any fees shown. Click Approve Shipment to confirm and proceed to the working shipment stage.

Step 7 — Print Your FNSKU Labels

Download and print your FNSKU labels. Each unit requires one label. Print on adhesive label stock — standard 40x30mm labels work perfectly. Print a test label first to check the barcode scans correctly before printing the full batch.

Labelling Your Products Correctly

Correct labelling is critical. Amazon will reject or quarantine shipments with labelling errors causing significant delays and costs. Follow these rules for every unit:

Labelling Rule	Why It Matters
Cover existing barcodes completely	Amazon scanners must read FNSKU only — not manufacturer barcode
Place label on flat scannable surface	Curved or wrinkled surfaces cause scan failures
Do not place label over seams or edges	Labels on edges peel and become unreadable
Ensure label is not damaged or creased	Damaged barcodes cannot be scanned — unit rejected
One label per unit only	Multiple labels cause confusion and scanning errors
Label must be clearly readable	Poor print quality causes rejection — test print first

Packing Your Boxes for Amazon FBA

Amazon has specific requirements for how boxes must be packed and sealed. Following these requirements prevents your shipment being rejected at the fulfilment centre:

Box Requirements

Requirement	Specification
Maximum box weight	23kg maximum per box — weigh every box
Maximum box dimensions	63.5cm on any single side maximum
Box condition	New or like-new — no damage or crushing
Sealing tape	Clear or brown packing tape minimum 50mm wide — no masking tape
Packing density	Fill all empty space — products must not move inside box
Old labels	Remove or completely cover all old labels and barcodes on reused boxes

Packing Checklist

• All products labelled with FNSKU before packing
• Fragile products individually wrapped in bubble wrap
• Empty space filled with packing material — no movement inside box
• Packing list included inside each box
• Box sealed on all seams with strong packing tape
• Box weight under 23kg — weighed and confirmed
• Box dimensions measured and recorded
• No external branding visible on boxes — plain brown cardboard only

Completing Your Shipment in Seller Central

Step 8 — Enter Box Contents and Dimensions

Back in Seller Central enter the details for each box in your shipment. For each box enter the number of units inside the box weight in kg and dimensions in cm. This information must be accurate — Amazon uses it to check your shipment when it arrives.

Step 9 — Print Box Labels

After entering box contents Seller Central generates unique box labels — one per box. Print these and apply one label to the outside of each box in a clearly visible location. These box labels tell Amazon which shipment each box belongs to and what should be inside.

Step 10 — Choose Your Courier

Courier Option	Best For	Cost
Amazon Partnered Carrier	Best rates for most shipments — tracked automatically	Discounted rates
UPS	Reliable for heavier shipments — good tracking	Standard rates
DHL	Good for larger shipments — international also	Standard rates
Royal Mail	Small lightweight shipments only	Lowest cost for small

Always use the Amazon Partnered Carrier option for your first shipment. It gives you discounted rates automatic tracking integration with Seller Central and simplified booking — all through the Seller Central interface without needing a separate courier account.

Step 11 — Book Collection or Drop Off

After choosing your courier book a collection from your address or find the nearest drop-off point. Enter your tracking number into Seller Central after dropping off or receiving collection confirmation. This links your physical shipment to your Seller Central shipment record.

Step 12 — Mark Shipment as Shipped

Once your boxes are collected or dropped off return to Seller Central and mark your shipment as shipped. Enter your tracking number if not already automatically populated. Your shipment status will update as it moves through the courier network toward the Amazon fulfilment centre.

After Your Shipment Arrives — What to Expect

Once your shipment arrives at the Amazon fulfilment centre here is what happens:

Stage	What Happens	Typical Time
Received	Amazon confirms shipment arrived at warehouse	Day of arrival
Checked In	Amazon scans and counts your units	1 to 3 business days
Available	Stock available for sale — listing goes live	Same day as checked in
Closed	Shipment fully received and reconciled	3 to 7 business days

Common First Shipment Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Consequence	How to Avoid
Poor quality FNSKU labels	Units rejected or quarantined at warehouse	Use thermal printer — test scan before shipping
Box over 23kg	Shipment rejected — return shipping cost charged	Weigh every box before sealing
Wrong unit count entered	Inventory discrepancy — time consuming to resolve	Count stock twice before entering quantity
Not covering existing barcodes	Wrong product scanned — inventory error	FNSKU label must completely cover all other barcodes
Poorly packed boxes	Damaged products — customer returns — bad feedback	Fill all empty space — wrap fragile items individually

Using Keepa to Plan Your Reorder Before Stock Arrives

While waiting for your first shipment to be checked in at Amazon this is the perfect time to use Keepa to calculate your reorder point. Check the estimated monthly sales for your product and calculate how many days your current stock will last. Set a reorder reminder so you never run out of stock after your first successful launch.

Conclusion — Your First Shipment is the Hardest One

Your first FBA shipment takes the longest because everything is new. By your third or fourth shipment the entire process becomes routine and takes a fraction of the time. The key is to follow the process correctly the first time — good habits established early prevent costly mistakes later.

Use the step by step guide above for every shipment until it becomes second nature. And remember — the moment your stock is checked in and your listing goes live you are officially an Amazon FBA wholesale seller.

For the complete wholesale journey from finding suppliers to sending your first shipment browse our Amazon FBA Wholesale Beginners Guide or browse the Brandhunterz Brands Directory to find your next wholesale supplier today.