Managing Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF)

Fulfill orders from all channels by using your inventory stocked in Amazon FBA. Goflow supports a seamless and automated integration with Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF).

Creating an Amazon MCF Warehouse

Amazon MCF operates through an FBA warehouse in Goflow. To connect an Amazon FBA warehouse, create an Amazon store, and then link an FBA warehouse to it. Amazon MCF uses FBA listings rather than 3PL products. Enable listings import, and map the Amazon store-fulfilled listings.

1. Create an Amazon store
2. Link an FBA warehouse
3. Enable FBA listings Import
4. Map the FBA listings

Once the FBA warehouse is linked to your Amazon store, return to the FBA warehouse in Goflow to manage order fulfillment options.

Managing MCF Fulfillment Options

MCF fulfillment options control how Goflow creates an Amazon 3PL fulfillment request. Follow these steps to manage fulfilment settings:

1. From the sidebar menu, go to Directory › Warehouses and open the Amazon FBA warehouse.
2. In the Outbound Fulfillment card, click the pencil icon to edit.
3. Update the settings and click Save.

Manage these settings:

• Order Nubmer - Set the Fulfillment Order Number.
• Channel Sharing - Select whether to share the sales channel with Amazon. Amazon uses this information to determine allowed carriers and apply channel-specific discounts.
• Blank Box - Requires Amazon to use packaging without Amazon branding. If blank packaging is unavailable, the fulfillment request is canceled rather than shipped in Amazon-branded packaging.
• Neutral Carrier: Requires Amazon to use a neutral carrier, such as USPS, UPS, or FedEx; not Amazon Shipping. This option adds a 5% surcharge.
• Early Tracking - Controls when shipments are updated in Goflow. When enabled, orders are marked as shipped as soon as tracking becomes available. This prioritizes faster shipment notifications, although a small percentage of tracking numbers may be updated later. When disabled, Goflow waits until Amazon confirms the shipment before marking the order as shipped. This prioritizes tracking accuracy over speed.

Different sales channels have different requirements. For example, some channels do not accept Amazon Shipping tracking numbers, making neutral carrier important, while others have strict shipping deadlines, making early tracking valuable. Select the stores to which each setting applies. This allows you to enforce specific fulfillment options only for channels that require them. You can choose:

• All stores
• Only some stores
• All stores except some

Enabling Automatic Fulfillment

Goflow can automatically send orders to Amazon for fulfillment, thereby eliminating the need for manual review and submission. When enabling automatic fulfillment for Amazon MCF, you can specify how to handle orders where Amazon cannot promise delivery on time:

• Do Not Auto-Fulfill: Exclude these orders from automatic fulfillment. This allows you to explore alternative fulfillment methods for timely delivery.
• Fulfill with Earliest Delivery: Include these orders in automatic fulfillment, and select an expedited shipping method to minimize the extent of the delay in delivery. This can potentially be expensive.

Amazon provides a promised delivery date in the order fulfillment request. Goflow checks whether this promised delivery date falls on or before the latest deliver-by date that the channel specified with the order. For orders where the channels has not specified a deliver-by date, Goflow calculates one based on the shipping method assigned to the order.

For example, for an order dated Monday, February 2nd, the calculated deliver-by date depends on the assigned shipping method:

• UPS Next Day: Tuesday, February 3
• UPS 2nd Day: Wednesday, February 4
• UPS 3 Day: Thursday, February 5
• UPS Ground: Monday, February 9
• UPS SurePost: Wednesday, February 10

The calculated deliver-by date is extended by one additional day for observed holidays. The following holidays are observed: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Creating Amazon MCF Fulfillment Orders

The following 3PL fulfillment request options are unique for Amazon MCF:

• FBA Listing - The mapped FBA listing that will be used to create the fulfillment request with Amazon. The currently available reported inventory is also displayed.

  If multiple FBA listings are mapped to the same product, you have the option to select a particular listing to use. For lines with multiple quantities, you have the flexibility to adjust the Fulfill quantity. This allows you to fulfill part of a line from one listing and the remaining quantity from a different FBA listing.

  If the order contains a group product, each child product is fulfilled through its own FBA listing. Note that FBA listings cannot be mapped to group products.

  The FBA listing SKU serves as the primary item identifier with Amazon. The item number of the mapped Goflow product is also sent along to Amazon as a secondary identifier.

  You can create a fulfillment request for inactive FBA listings as well, provided there is sufficient FBA inventory available on those listings. Although inactive listings have all their FBA quantities set to zero and do not receive continuous inventory updates, when you create a fulfillment request, Goflow pulls the current inventory quantities live from Amazon, even for inactive listings.

• Shipping Service Level - Amazon typically offers three service levels: Expedited, Priority, and Standard. Each service level includes a promised delivery date and a shipping cost. Choose the service level that ensures timely delivery for the lowest cost.

  The available service levels are affected by your choices on Blank Box and Block Amazon Shipping, as these selections can limit the shipping options Amazon can provide.

• Estimated Cost - After making your selections, Goflow displays the total amount Amazon is expected to charge, including fulfillment fees and shipping costs. Once the order is fulfilled, the estimated cost is applied to the order as the shipping cost.