One of the biggest cost factors in any online business is shipping and handling fees on customer orders. In recent years, shipping costs have soared due to inflation. One way to save on shipping fees while selling on Amazon is utilizing their Buy Shipping option. Amazon claims that sellers can save an average of 35% off compared to USPS's current rates!
What is Amazon's Buy Shipping?
Buy Shipping is Amazon’s shipping service available directly in Seller Central. Amazon uses the following trusted carriers for their Buy Shipping program:
- FedEx
- Ontrac
- UPS
- USPS
- DHL
- China Post
If you'd like to access your current carrier rates through Buy Shipping, you can also link your accounts to Buy Shipping under the Manage your Carrier Accounts page!
Why Use Amazon's Buy Shipping?
Aside from just saving on shipping costs, Buy Shipping offers other great benefits for sellers:
- A-Z Claims Coverage: Orders shipped with Buy Shipping are protected against A-Z Claims.
- Valid Tracking Rate Coverage: For orders shipped with Buy Shipping, you will have an almost perfect rate, as Amazon uploads tracking automatically.
- Negative Seller Feedback: If sellers receive negative feedback due to late or undelivered orders that were shipped with Buy Shipping, they can request to have the feedback removed.
How to Buy Shipping through Amazon:
Sellers can buy shipping through Amazon through Seller Central on individual orders, or in bulk.
Individual: In Seller Central, navigate to Orders > Manage Orders. Find the order you want to buy shipping for, and to the right, under “Action” - click “Buy Shipping”. From there, enter your product dimensions
In Bulk: Under order management, using the checkbox on the left, select all and click “Buy Shipping in Bulk”. Enter your dimension details for each order and click “Buy Shipping”.
Buy Shipping can even get connected directly to your API software with a shipping integrator! This would be an ideal scenario, as it removes the manual clicks involved with Buy Shipping.
If you’re a client looking for more information, contact your account team! If you’re interested in learning more about how Blue Wheel can aid in your brand efforts in online marketplaces, schedule a consultation with our team, we would love to hear from you.