The holiday season is just around the corner, and that probably means your orders are picking up. When that happens, the chance for mistakes increases. Typically, those mistakes are small (hello, incorrect PO number) but can have a large detrimental impact (goodbye, on-time shipment).
With that in mind, here are the top tips from the experts at Amazon Freight to help keep your shipments moving smoothly for your customers:
1. Doublecheck your contact info
Your first stop is to log into your account on the Amazon Freight portal and make sure your contact information is up to date. We’re constantly balancing our network and optimizing routes to move your freight—if something changes, we need to know who to contact and how to contact them.
2. Check your details
In life, they say “knowledge is power,” but in freight we say, “details are critical.” Within your account, be sure to provide information about your location. That starts with your operating hours, including night and weekend availability, so we know when loads can be picked up. If your hours change during the holidays, don’t forget to include that.
You’ll also want to input any instructions and notes for drivers coming onto your lot. Is your driveway difficult to get into? Is the turnoff hard to see from the main road? This info makes pickups and deliveries easier, especially for drivers new to your location.
3. Keep the BOL accurate
A bill of lading (BOL) is essentially the passport for your load. You wouldn’t want your passport to have wrong info on it when you’re traveling? The same goes for your BOL. Make sure the numbers (pickup, delivery, and shipper reference) are correct, as well as the location name, address, and point of contact.
4. Get your freight ready
To help avoid delays, get your freight is set to go at the confirmed pickup time, and check your catalog for accuracy. Reviewing for things like typos, correct product dimensions, and the like will help you receive actionable POs.
Bonus tips: Shipping to Amazon’s facilities
If you’re moving your loads into Amazon’s fulfillment centers with Amazon Freight, there are a few other pointers specifically for those shipments.
Ensure manifest accuracy
Doublecheck that the shipments you load into the trailer match with what’s listed on the Amazon POs to avoid delays and fees. If you have last-minute changes, you can edit your shipments directly from your Amazon Freight account up to two hours before pickup or 12 hours before drop-off.
Get your LTL labeling right
For LTL shipments coming into our facilities, ensure you label your pallets correctly. Each pallet needs two labels: an Amazon Freight carrier label and a Seller/Vendor Central label. You can download and print Amazon Freight carrier labels from your shipment confirmation page after booking.
Connect with your transportation consultant
When you’re shipping with Amazon Freight, you’re not shipping alone. While we encourage you to leverage our self-service capabilities to manage your loads, we understand peak can be challenging to navigate on your own. Contact your Amazon Freight account manager who can help.
Get shipping
Following these guidelines will set you up for successful shipping this peak holiday season. If you’re new to Amazon Freight and want to try tapping into our 70,000+ trailers and advanced tech, create an account and instantly start quoting loads.
