Amazon to Roll Out AWD Warehousing and Delivery Service Across Five European Markets

According to foreign media reports, Amazon will launch its Amazon Warehousing and Distribution program, abbreviated as AWD, across its marketplaces in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Positioned as a pre-warehousing solution for FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon), the service enables automatic restocking of FBA warehouses based on demand, helping sellers address supply chain-related challenges.

AWD is a low-cost bulk storage service with pay-as-you-go pricing, which eliminates the cumbersome process for sellers of transferring inventory from upstream warehouses to Amazon fulfillment centers. The service operates on a fixed rate structure, providing sellers with long-term bulk storage space in Amazon's distribution centers, paired with an automatic FBA warehouse restocking mechanism. Sellers only need to ship bulk inventory to AWD distribution centers, and Amazon will handle subsequent restocking automatically based on demand. Relevant rules covering product admission, delivery requirements, fee standards, compensation terms, inventory returns and other aspects are all subject to AWD program policies.

The service was first launched in the US four years ago, where sellers can also use AWD to supply goods for other sales channels. No similar feature plans have been announced for the European region for the time being.

AWD caters to a wide range of seller needs. Sellers who have incurred FBA long-term storage fees or encountered FBA warehouse capacity limits are eligible to use the service, which is particularly effective during peak sales seasons. The service also meets the needs of overseas sellers, supporting them to stock up in advance in the UK or EU regions and distribute goods to FBA warehouses as needed later.

All goods shipped to AWD must complete the pre-processing and individual product labeling required by FBA in advance, then be packed in bulk for delivery. All goods delivered to AWD centers must use sealed packaging; loose, unpackaged or open items will not be accepted. Packaging must use rigid cardboard boxes with six intact sides. Each carton must be affixed with the unique SSCC label generated in the third step of the AWD shipping process, with no single side of the carton exceeding 63.4 centimeters in length and a total weight not exceeding 23 kilograms.

For pallet shipments, one AWD pallet ID label must be affixed to the center of the top of each of the four sides of each pallet, and each carton on the pallet must still have a separate SSCC label attached. Sufficient cushioning material and shipping-specific tape must be used for packaging, and the contents inside the carton should not shift when gently shaken after packing. Point-of-sale display containers and open display boxes may not be used as shipping packaging.