Before shipping inventory from China to a US or Canadian Amazon fulfillment center, identify the importer, reconcile the commercial documents with finished cargo, and connect customs readiness to the delivery plan. A warehouse address does not establish importer responsibility. Customs release, cargo availability and a receiving appointment are separate checks.
This checklist organizes those handoffs, with specific US distinctions supported by CBP guidance. Canadian importer controls remain questions for the appointed broker. Have that broker establish the requirements for the goods, destination and transport mode before treating the file as ready.
Assign importer and broker responsibilities before booking
Start with a responsibility record naming the legal importer, broker, forwarder and seller contact managing FBA details. Include who approves classification, value and origin data, funds customs charges, answers document requests and authorizes transport changes. An inclusive freight quote should identify these roles rather than leave the importing arrangement implicit.
CBP Form 5106 establishes or updates an importer’s identity within CBP’s systems. CBP’s Form 5106 guidance explains its identification purpose. For a US shipment, have the broker check importer identity readiness alongside authorization and applicable bond arrangements. A matching company name on an invoice does not settle those separate checks.
A licensed customs broker with ABI or ACE access can determine the current information on file with CBP for a given importer number. CBP’s Voided Importer Record FAQs explain this system-check option. If importer details may be obsolete or the record may be voided, request that check before relying on the booking plan. Have the broker identify any correction or reactivation needed.
For Canada, request confirmation of importer registration, CARM access, broker delegation and applicable financial arrangements. Use the Canadian importer and warehouse handoff guide to organize the discussion. Keep the two country files separate; a completed US arrangement does not establish readiness for Canada.
Reconcile the commercial file before export
Build the working file from the supplier’s commercial invoice and packing list. Add product specifications explaining materials, function and composition where the description is insufficient. A marketplace listing title may help identify a product internally, but the broker needs enough detail to assess the actual merchandise.
CBP notes that other agencies may require a permit, license or certification depending on the commodity being imported. CBP’s tips for new importers explain this distinction. Product review therefore belongs before booking: a complete invoice can still leave a commodity-specific requirement unresolved.
- Compare seller, buyer and importer names across the file.
- Match descriptions, quantities and units of measure to finished cargo.
- Check currency, unit prices and totals against the transaction.
- Reconcile carton counts, gross weight and packing details.
- Give the broker the proposed classification, origin basis and supporting product information.
Resolve each mismatch with the party responsible for the underlying fact. The supplier can establish what was packed; the importer and broker address declaration questions. Keep superseded documents identifiable so an earlier invoice cannot be mistaken for the current version.
Connect four checkpoints without treating arrival as readiness
Use a shared shipment register to connect commercial documents, transport references and receiving instructions. The US FBA receiving plan provides a framework for linking supplier release through fulfillment check-in. Assign each open item to an owner and a document version.
| Checkpoint | Recommended owner | Evidence to retain | Reason to pause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Export preparation | Seller and supplier | Reviewed commercial invoice, packing list, product evidence and export-document status | Documents disagree with finished cargo |
| International transport | Forwarder and assigned filing party | Booking, bill of lading or air waybill, routing and applicable filing status | Transport references or filing responsibilities remain unresolved |
| Import clearance | Importer and broker | Document acceptance, open requests and customs release status | Missing information or an unresolved customs hold |
| FBA appointment | Delivery carrier and seller | Current destination, shipment references, labels and appointment confirmation | Receiving instructions conflict with the delivery plan |
The US Importer Security Filing rule applies to import cargo arriving in the United States by vessel. CBP’s Importer Security Filing guidance establishes that transport-mode distinction. For a US ocean booking, identify the filing party and obtain shipment-specific timing instructions before departure; do not carry a vessel checklist unchanged into an air shipment.
Confirm release and receiving readiness separately
Before final dispatch, obtain customs status from the broker, cargo availability from the party controlling release, and appointment instructions from the delivery carrier. These answers address different dependencies. A truck planned around an arrival estimate may still lack available cargo or a usable receiving slot.
Use the Amazon FBA receiving handoff to connect shipment references, carton labels and delivery evidence. After a routing or appointment change, the seller should check the current receiving plan and provide the carrier with the applicable instructions.
Keep proof of delivery separate from inventory receiving status. If inventory remains unavailable after reported delivery, compare the delivery reference, affected shipment and receiving discrepancy before treating customs as the cause. This directs follow-up toward the unresolved milestone.
Escalate inspections, missing documents and appointment changes
For an inspection notice or information request, log the requesting party, shipment reference, exact question, response owner and next update time. Send corrections through the broker’s agreed channel. Retain the earlier version and explain what changed rather than circulating competing invoices in separate threads.
Finding a discrepancy does not itself give the reviewer authority to stop cargo or authorize movement. Escalate the proposed hold, release or diversion to the party assigned that authority in the booking or contract. Record the decision and the condition that must be satisfied before the next handoff.
If release timing threatens the appointment, the transport coordinator should compare rescheduling, storage availability and applicable charges before proposing a recovery move. Obtain approval from the designated cost and routing decision-maker, then give the carrier the confirmed plan.
Use a discrepancy to decide whether the shipment can proceed
Hypothetical workflow: A seller prepares inventory for Canadian FBA delivery. The packing list shows more cartons than the transport booking, and the broker has not confirmed importer readiness. The coordinator escalates both issues before departure because either could prevent the planned handoff.
The supplier checks finished cartons and corrects the relevant record. The forwarder assesses whether the booking needs amendment. Separately, the importer and broker resolve the readiness question. Correcting the carton count does not close the importer issue.
The authorized decision-maker then records whether to proceed, hold or rebook, using the corrected cargo record and broker confirmation. If timing changes, the coordinator obtains a revised delivery plan. Any remaining condition stays attached to its owner and the confirmation needed to close it.