As an Amazon seller, ensuring your products reach Amazon’s fulfillment centers smoothly is critical to maintaining your business. However, things don’t always go as planned, and occasionally shipments get lost or misplaced during the inbound process. When this happens, proof of delivery (POD) may be required in order for Amazon to investigate.
Understanding Amazon’s requirements for POD is crucial for ensuring that your claims are processed efficiently and favorably. On this page, we’ll break down what Amazon expects from sellers when submitting proof of delivery for lost inbound shipments and how you can streamline the claim process.
What is Proof of Delivery (POD)?
Proof of Delivery (POD) is a document or set of documents that demonstrates your shipment was successfully delivered to an Amazon fulfillment center. It serves as evidence that the shipment was handed over to Amazon’s receiving department. Amazon requires this documentation when processing claims for lost or missing inventory to verify that the shipment was sent and received as part of your Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) process.
Amazon Partnered Carrier vs Non-Partnered Carrier
When using an Amazon Partnered Carrier, sellers pay fees to Amazon to send shipments with a partnered carrier. Shipments booked via Amazon Partnered Carrier are Amazon’s liability once they are handed off to the carrier.
With a non-partnered carrier, sellers arrange their own carrier and assume the risks of shipping items. These shipments are more difficult to get reimbursed for than partnered carrier shipments, and proof of delivery is always necessary.
Types of Shipments
Small Parcel Delivery (SPD)
Refers to shipping smaller packages: individual boxes moved by carriers like UPS or FedEx, directly to Amazon’s fulfillment centers.
Less than a Truckload (LTL)
Refers to shipping larger quantities of inventory that do not require a full truck. This method is used when the shipment is too large for SPD but does not fill an entire truck. These will usually not have a tracking number, but the carrier will be able to supply a bill of lading or appointment ID for proof of delivery.
Full Truckload (FTL/TL)
Refers to shipments that occupy an entire truck. The truck is dedicated solely to your inventory from the origin to the Amazon fulfillment center. These will usually not have a tracking number, but the carrier will be able to supply a bill of lading or appointment ID for proof of delivery.
Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD)
A service provided by Amazon where sellers store their inventory in Amazon-operated warehouses for a longer period; this inventory is then distributed to different fulfillment centers. For shipments direct to AWD, they will usually not have a tracking number, but the carrier will be able to supply a bill of lading or appointment ID for proof of delivery. For AWD to FBA shipments, Amazon occasionally requests proof of Delivery, and we can take care of this for you.
TrueOps Tip: When creating a shipment in Amazon, ensure you assign the correct shipment type. If you assign SPD to an LTL shipment, Amazon will expect individual tracking for each box. If this is not confirmed, we may encounter delays when working on a reimbursement case.
When is POD Required in the Claims Process
All sellers, regardless of seller type (manufacturer vs reseller):
Amazon Partnered Carrier: SPD & LTL/FTL - POD is not required in the initial claim process.
Non Partnered Carrier:
SPD - tracking numbers found in the “Track Shipment” tab on the Shipment Summary provide the proof of delivery, so no additional information is required at the time the case is raised.
LTL/FTL/TL - Proof of Delivery is always required
Types & Requirements of Proof of Delivery
Carrier-issued Proof of Delivery (SPD)
For SPD shipments, carriers will issue a document that confirms the parcel has been successfully delivered will all relevant parcel information such as parcel dimensions, weight, tracking ID, ship-to and ship-from addresses, and/or confirmed delivery date. These documents can be downloaded directly from the carrier's website once you copy the tracking ID and click search, and download the corresponding proof of delivery document.
Bill of Lading (BOL)
A Bill of Lading is often required for LTL/FTL/TL shipments. The BOL should contain:
The shipment ID and/or PO number
Number of cartons/boxes/pallets when it was picked up by the carrier
Total weight of the shipment when it was picked up by the carrier
Signature from the carrier
A stamp or signature from Amazon that confirms the shipment was received at the fulfillment center - this is required if it is non-Partnered, and must be an Amazon stamp.
Appointment ID
Can be provided as an alternative Proof of Delivery. An Amazon provided appointment ID is required for LTL & FTL carriers to schedule a delivery window at the Amazon fulfillment center. A screenshot of the delivery appointment ID, which must have the appointment ID that belongs to the shipment present and legible, is valid proof of delivery.