We move hundreds of Amazon FBA shipments from China to global warehouses every month. After 3 years of doing this, the same five mistakes keep destroying client margins. None of them are exotic. All of them are completely preventable. Here's what to watch for.
Mistake #1: FNSKU Labels Placed Where Amazon Can't Scan Them
Amazon's automated inbound scanning requires FNSKU labels (the unique product barcode) to be visible without flipping or rotating the carton. Specifically, the label must be on the side of the carton, not the top, and it must not be covered by tape or strapping.
What we see in practice: 20% of new FBA shipments arrive at our prep warehouse with FNSKU labels on the top of the carton (where the lid opens). Amazon receives the carton, the scanner can't find the label, and the entire box gets flagged as "Unidentified Inventory" — held for 14 days while Amazon investigates.
The fix: Apply FNSKU labels to the side of the carton, on the largest unbroken surface, at least 2cm from any seam. Two labels per carton (one on each long side) is the gold standard.
Mistake #2: Oversize Cartons That Trigger Amazon's "Non-Sortable" Fees
Amazon's small-and-medium tier maxes out at 18 inches (45.7cm) on any side and 25 lbs (11.3kg) total weight. Cartons above either threshold get bumped to "non-sortable" — which can add a meaningful per-unit surcharge to your FBA fees on every future unit.
We see this constantly with sellers who try to maximize cartons-per-pallet by using slightly larger boxes. The math looks good at shipping time. The math looks terrible after the cartons hit Amazon and every future unit ships at the non-sortable rate.
The fix: Spec your cartons to 45×30×30cm or smaller. If your product genuinely doesn't fit, accept the non-sortable tier and budget for it — don't try to game it.
Mistake #3: Missing the FBA Appointment Window
Amazon FBA inbound delivery requires an appointment booked through the carrier's portal at least 48 hours in advance. Show up without an appointment, or even 30 minutes late, and the warehouse refuses delivery. Your truck goes back to the holding yard, you pay re-delivery fees, and the cargo waits up to 7 days for the next available slot.
We've had multiple clients lose entire restocking cycles because they used a low-end forwarder who didn't book the appointment properly.
The fix: Use a forwarder who handles the appointment booking as part of their FBA service (we do this automatically for every shipment). Confirm in writing 24 hours before delivery that the appointment is locked in.
One Amazon AU seller we onboarded had been losing 2 days per shipment because their previous forwarder booked appointments through a portal that defaulted to "next available" rather than asap-locked. Eight shipments a year × 2 days each = 16 days of lost selling on bestsellers per year. We fixed it in one phone call.
Mistake #4: "Shipment Received in Partial Condition" Investigation Loop
If Amazon counts your inbound and finds even one carton missing or damaged, the entire shipment gets flagged for "partial receipt." Investigation can take 7–21 days. During that time, your inventory is invisible to buyers — neither in stock nor formally lost.
The most common cause: weak carton sealing during sea transit. Cartons get crushed, opened by handlers, and units fall out. We've seen losses of 3–8% on poorly-sealed FBA shipments.
The fix: Three layers of protection. (1) Inner poly-bagging on every unit. (2) Carton sealing with 50mm+ kraft tape, H-pattern, at least 4 strips per carton. (3) Pallet strapping with 4-way wrap before container loading. We photograph every loading and send to the client before dispatch — that's the only way to prove condition at origin if there's a dispute.
Mistake #5: HS Code Errors on the Commercial Invoice
The HS code on your commercial invoice determines the import duty rate at the destination. For consumer electronics into Australia, that's the difference between 0% (under ChAFTA Free Trade Agreement) and 5%. For textiles into the US, it can be 0% vs 17.5%.
What we see: sellers use the same HS code on every shipment regardless of product, copied from their first invoice ever. When customs spots an error 6 months later, they audit all prior shipments and demand back-duty plus penalty.
The fix: Have your forwarder's customs team review your HS codes before the first shipment. We do this for free on every new client. The 30 minutes of HS code review can save meaningful duty per shipment for clients shipping textiles, electronics, or food-adjacent products.
The Common Thread
All five mistakes share one root cause: using a forwarder who treats FBA shipments like any other cargo. FBA is a uniquely demanding logistics product. Amazon's requirements are strict, the penalties for missing them are severe, and the only way to consistently get FBA right is to have a forwarder whose entire operations team knows the FBA rulebook by heart.
Sammi Ding
Has handled 500+ shipments from China to Australia, US and Europe. Based in our Shenzhen office, available on WhatsApp at +86 136 8628 7742.