Send to Amazon: Pack individual units

In this step, you’ll provide box content information for the individual units that you confirmed in the previous step, to be packed in mixed-SKU boxes.

• Step 1 – Choose inventory to send
• Step 1b – Pack individual units
• Step 2 – Confirm shipping
• Step 3 – Print box labels
• Step 4 – Confirm carrier and pallet information (for pallet shipments only)
• Step 5 – Print pallet labels (for pallet shipments with an Amazon partnered carrier only)
• Final step – Tracking details (for small parcel and pallet shipments not using an Amazon partnered carrier)

Once you confirm the individual units of each SKU in step 1 of the workflow, Choose inventory to send, we'll determine which SKUs can be packed together and group them into pack groups.

Factors that determine which SKUs can be packed together include SKU weight and dimensions, prep-and-labeling requirements and ownership, and whether the SKUs are dangerous goods (hazmat) that require special handling at the fulfillment center.

Once you pack your boxes according to the pack groups and provide box content information for each pack group, we will determine the optimal shipment destinations for your inventory. Placing your inventory closer to customers can reduce the time to deliver orders for your products.

If all the SKUs in the pack group will fit into one box, follow these steps:

1. Select Everything will fit into one box.
2. Enter the Box weight, which is the total weight of a packed shipping box, including dunnage.
3. Enter the Box dimensions, which is the outside dimensions of the shipping box.
4. Click Confirm packing information.

If the SKUs in the pack group require more than one box, follow these steps to provide box content information using either the web form or an Excel file:

Provide box content information using the web form

1. Select Multiple boxes will be needed.
2. Select Enter through a web form from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter the estimated number of boxes that the SKUs in the pack group will fit into. This number will be used to generate a web form. You can update the box count in the web form by clicking on the plus/minus (+/-) icon at the top right.
4. Click Open web form and a pop-up window will open. In the top section of the pop-up, enter the number of units for each SKU per box. The total number of units you enter cannot exceed the number listed in the “Units boxed” column for that pack group.
5. Below the SKUs, you’ll add information about box weight and dimensions.
   
   1. First, enter the weights for each box in the pack group.
   2. Next, enter the box dimensions and mark the boxes that they apply to. If you are packing in boxes of different dimensions, you can click on Add another box dimension. Enter the new dimensions and mark the boxes that the new dimensions apply to.
6. Click Confirm packing information.

What are pack groups?

Pack groups are groups of SKUs that can be packed together. For example, SKUs that are classified as dangerous goods (hazmat) cannot be packed with SKUs that are not dangerous goods. That's because dangerous goods are shipped to special fulfillment centers that can receive them safely. Other factors that determine which SKUs can be packed together include SKU weights and dimensions, and prep and labeling requirements and ownership.

Are pack groups same as shipments?

No, pack groups are not the same as shipments. The pack group determines which SKUs can be packed together in a box, based on the factors outlined above. Once you have provided box content information for all of your pack groups, we will determine the optimal shipment destinations for your boxes.

What is the benefit of packing before shipment destinations are known?

In addition to allowing Amazon to determine the optimal destinations for your inventory, you can make quantity adjustments as you pack before you confirm the shipment destinations.

What if I want to make changes to the SKUs that I want to ship when packing?

We understand that as you pack your boxes, you might want to make changes to the quantity of certain SKUs either to account for damaged inventory or to optimize space in the boxes. Packing before you confirm shipments allows you to make quantity adjustments as you pack without any limitations. You can do so by going back to the previous step where you entered the quantities, Choose inventory to send, and updating the quantity of SKUs that you want to change. When you are done, continue to step 1b by selecting Pack individual units.