amazon Global Logistics User Guide
- September 4, 2024
- Amazon
Table of Contents
amazon Global Logistics
Overview
Amazon Global Logistics helps you book transportation from China directly to an Amazon fulfillment center. By booking transportation on Seller Central, you can compare and select the best shipping mode and shipping speed. But first, you must onboard with Amazon Global Logistics which requires you to set up a payment method and create an Importer of Record (IOR) profile to become eligible to book shipments on Seller Central. This should take approximately 30 minutes to complete and three business days for Amazon to review and approve.
What you’ll need before you begin
-
Contact info for your Importer of Record (IOR)
You will act as the importer of record (IOR) or declarant for inventory. When you sign up to Amazon Global Logistics, you will need to create an Importer of Record (IOR) profile using the details of your company. Whilst you act as the Importer of Record for the inventory, Amazon Global Logistics will coordinate inspections, loading, and transfer from your warehouse to the destination fulfillment center and handle the export and import customs clearance through Amazon-assigned customs brokers. -
For US IOR: Continuous customs bond
A customs bond is a contract used to guarantee the payment of import duties, taxes, and fees to US Customs and Border Protection. Shipments into the US via Amazon Global Logistics require a continuous customs bond on behalf of the importer of record (IOR). Note that this bond does not cover the customs clearance fee that is charged for shipments. If you do not have an active continuous customs bond, Amazon can request one for you in Step 3: Set up an importer of record (IOR) and customs bond (US). -
For US IOR: Employer identification number (EIN) or Customs assigned Importer Number (CAIN)
You will need to provide your EIN or CAIN to US Customs and Border Protection to serve as your importer number. If you are a non-resident importer and do not have a CAIN, Amazon can request one for you in Step 3: Set up an importer of record (IOR) and customs bond (US). -
Company officer contact information
A company officer who can authorize Amazon to conduct customs-related business for the importer. They will need to sign the power of attorney through email.
Onboarding with Amazon Global Logistics on Seller Central
To book transportation with Amazon Global Logistics, you will need to setup your payment method and create an Importer of Record (IOR) profile on Seller Central.
Step 1: Navigate to the Amazon Global Logistics Seller Central Portal
To setup your profile, go to the Amazon Global Logistics portal and log in
using your existing credentials. Select the Set-up profile link to choose your
payment method and create an Importer of Record profile.
From the Setup page, select Create New Account.
Step 2: Choose your payment method
USD is the default payment method for your Seller Central account. To set up
payment, simply select USD as the preferred payment method in the Payment
method tab and no further action is required.
Step 3: Setup Importer of Record (IOR):Click here for a video
guide
Select Importer of Record (IOR), Then select Add new importer of record (IOR).
Enter or request your Importer Number
- If you select United States as your importer country, you will be asked if you have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Customs Assigned Imported Number (CAIN).
- If you do have one of these numbers, select Yes, the importer has an EIN or CAIN and enter those details.
If you don’t have an importer number (either an EIN or a CAIN), select No, the importer does not have a CAIN. Request one for me. Make sure to check the box next to I’m sure I want Amazon to request a CAIN for me to proceed. This will allow Amazon to request a CAIN for the importer. When you’re finished, select Next.
Enter the company details of your IOR in English
Select Add a new importer of record (IOR) and the form below will appear.
Enter all the data fields then select Submit to return to your Amazon Global
Logistics profile.
WARNING:
Before you submit, check that the company name, address, and ID number match
exactly as it appears on the Importer’s business license, all the way down to
capitalization, abbreviation, and spacing. Your account will be rejected if
there are any discrepancies, causing delays to your account creation.
Data
|
Definition
---|---
Country/region| The country/region where the Importer Entity is legally
registered.
Importer company name| The legally registered company name for the Importer
Entity. (Note: Use Latin characters only.)
Street address| The street address of the Importer Entity.
City| The city of the Importer Entity.
Zip code| The zip code of the Importer Entity.
Importer’s primary contact name| The name of the primary point of contact for
the Importer Entity.
Importer phone number| The phone number of the primary point of contact for
the Importer Entity.
Importer email address| The email address of the primary point of contact for
the Importer Entity.
Now the IOR you added will appear in the Importer entity contact dropdown. After you select the appropriate Importer entity contact, fill in the blank fields and questions below. Then select Next.
NOTE:
If your company is a US resident company, select the business type. For non-US
resident companies, the business type will default to Corporation.
If your business has a registered trading name also known as DBA or “doing business as” name, select yes. This is referred to as your business’s assumed, trade or brand name, and may be a different name from the parent legal entity. Ensure that the company name is correct, add a registered trading name if you have one, and make sure the correct mailing address is chosen.
Enter your IOR power of attorney (POA) details
- Select the POA signatory role from the drop-down. Then enter the name and email address of the POA signing officer.
- If your IOR entity is based outside of the US, you will need to sign the Non-resident Corporate Certification (NRCC). Select a second officer role from the drop-down and enter the name and email address of your second officer.
NOTE:
The POA signer and the second officer should be different people with
different email addresses. If you have only one officer in your company as a
non-US resident business, check If you have only one officer, tick here and
enter the details of a second employee instead. The POA and NRCC will be sent
via DocuSign to your specified signatories’ emails, not your Seller Central
login email. The admin person creating this account should be aware and alert
the Signatory that they should expect this e-contract.
Enter customs bond details
- If you have a customs bond, select Yes. How often will the IOR import in one year? This is not just with Amazon, but all imports drop-down, select the number of times per year that your IOR entity will be importing into the US.
- Then enter the email address to which we will send the final entry summaries.
- If you do not have a continuous customs bond, select No. How often will the IOR import in one year? This is not just with Amazon, but all imports drop-down, select the number of times per year that your IOR entity will be importing into the US. Then enter the email address to which we will send the final entry summaries. Select Buy bond.
A bond purchase pop-up window will appear where you can enter in all the necessary info, then select Quote.
Data
|
Definition
---|---
Product descriptions| Enter in brief product descriptions for the types of
goods imported into the US.
Primary country your company imports from| Select the primary country of
origin.
Expected import duties, taxes, and fees to be paid in the next calendar year.
| Select either less than USD 500,000 or More than USD 500,000. Provide the
estimated amount of duties that you expect to pay in the US over the next 12
months. This amount is based on the average duty rate of your products
multiplied by the total value of the products that you will import over the
next 12 months. We use your estimate to determine the amount of your customs
bond.
Are any of your commodities subject to anti-dumping duties or countervailing?|
Select whether the product is subject to anti-dumping regulations. If you
don’t know, select Not Sure.
A quote for a one-year continuous bond will appear. After you review it, select Confirm purchase.
NOTE:
Payment for the purchase of a continuous customs Bond will be billed with your
first shipment.
Once Amazon Global Logistics has a copy of your bond (about five business days after the application is submitted), you will receive the bond details via the email you entered.
Submit your IOR details
Return to Add new importer of record (IOR) to see if the Customs bond bought
message has appeared then proceed to answer the remaining questions.
NOTE:
Payment for the purchase of a continuous customs Bond will be billed with your
first shipment.
- If you selected Yes to the question “Has the IOR imported before?”, you will have the option to have duties, taxes, and fees for shipments charged against an automated clearing house (ACH) account. This account will have been previously set up with US Customs and Border Protection, which would have provided a Payer Unit Number (PUN) for the account. If you want to use this account, select Yes and then enter your PUN in the Duty and tax account number field.
- Finally, enter an email address for the IOR where final entry summaries for the shipment should be sent. Then select Next.
Review the information for the IOR. If anything is incorrect, go back and correct it via the progress bar at the top of the screen or the Previous button at the bottom of the screen. If all the entered details are correct, select Confirm details.
NOTE:
Once you confirm the details, you won’t be able to change the IOR details
until the IOR is reviewed by Amazon.
Upload any supporting documents required for your IOR
- Depending on your business type, you will be required to upload supporting documents to complete your IOR submission.
- If the company name is not in English on a Business license or any other document, enter the company name in English. It can be either printed or handwritten. A business license is preferred. If a business license isn’t readily available, upload documentation that includes the company name (for example, a utility bill).
After you upload all your required documents, select Submit.
NOTE:
Only files smaller than 2 MB can be uploaded, in these formats: .docx, .doc,
.xml, .jpg, .xlsx, .xls, .bmp, .pdf, .csv, and .png.
- Once submitted, the POA and NRCC (if required) will be emailed to the signatories.
- After you DocuSign the POA and NRCC (if required), verification can take 2-3 business days for approval.
- If your IOR is rejected, you’ll receive an email from AGL-Compliance-Onboarding@amazon.com to see the reasons why it wasn’t compliant.
- Once your POA and NRCC have been approved along with your IOR, you can start booking with Amazon Global Logistics on Seller Central. To create a shipment, go to Step 4: Create a Shipment.
Onboarding terms
Before you onboard with Amazon Global Logistics on Shipper Central, make sure that you understand these terms.
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Importer of record (IOR)
An importer of record (IOR) is usually required when shipments of your inventory enter another country. This is optional for Sellers who opt to use their own broker only. However, if you choose Amazon Global Logistics as your broker, IOR and EORI are required for shipments to the US and EU, respectively. For US-bound shipments, you will need the IOR number and for EU- bound shipments, the EORI can be from any EU member state. -
Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to business entities located in the United States the purposes of identification. -
Customs Assigned Identification Number (CAIN)
A Customs Assigned Importer Number (CAIN) is required for importers who are importing in the US using a foreign IOR and do not have an EIN. AGL can apply for a CAIN on your behalf. -
Value Added Tax (VAT) ID
The Value Added Tax (VAT) ID number is a unique number that identifies a taxable person (business) or non-taxable legal entity that is registered for VAT. A VAT number is required to import goods into the EU or UK with AGL. -
Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number
An EORI number is a unique identifier for business entities in the EU. All businesses wishing to import into the EU must use the EORI number as an identification number in all customs procedures when exchanging information with Customs administrations.
Frequently asked questions
Why has my POA been rejected?
When creating the importer of record profile please make sure that the details provided match with the business license that you will upload. Moreover, please make sure to sign the electronic POA that you will receive via email. Check your mailbox and also the spam folder as the link will expire if not signed on time.
How much does it cost to get started with Amazon Global Logistics?
There are no costs involved in signing up with Amazon Global Logistics. There a no subscription fees either, you just pay the transportation fees when using the service.
Does Amazon Global Logistics offer shipping services from other countries besides China, or to countries besides the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain?
Currently, Amazon Global Logistics only provides shipping services from China to the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. We offer Ocean FCL and LCL services.
During the IOR setup, who should I enter as my Non-Resident Corporate Certification (NRCC) signatory?
The Non-Resident Corporate Certification (NRCC) must be signed by another officer of your company to confirm that the officer signing the POA is authorized to do so. The NRCC signatory and POA signatory cannot be the same person unless there is only one person in your company. Names and positions for both the POA and NRCC signatory must be in English.
Why hasn't my POA and/or NRCC signatory received an e-signature email request from Amazon?
If the email address you provided for your POA and/or NRCC signatory is correct and valid, please ask them to check their spam folder for the e-signature request. If they cannot locate the e-signature request in their spam folder, please create a new IOR and enter a different email address for your signatory.
Do I need to submit Customs Assigned Importer Number (CAIN) to get started with Amazon Global Logistics?
You must have an importer number -- either an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or a Customs Assigned Importer Number (CAIN) -- to import goods into the US. If you have an EIN or CAIN, select Yes, the importer has an EIN or CAIN during IOR setup, and enter your EIN or CAIN in the space provided. We will then confirm the details on your behalf. If you do not have an EIN or CAIN, select No, the importer does not have a CAIN. Request one for me during IOR setup and we will secure a CAIN for your importer. Please note that if your company has purchased a US customs bond in the past, you will have a CAIN, even if the bond itself has expired.
I already have a continuous US customs bond. Can I still import with Amazon Global Logistics?/Can I purchase or renew a US customs bond with Amazon Global Logistics?
Amazon Global Logistics can process US imports under an existing continuous US customs bond, or you may purchase or renew a continuous US customs bond with us.
How can I correct my Non-Resident Corporate Certification (NRCC) signatory’s email address?
Once submitted, POA information cannot be amended. Please create a new IOR and submit a new POA with the signatory's correct email address.
Can I share my bond with another company?
You are free to share your customs bond with other companies. However, please note that by doing so your company will also take on responsibility for the goods being imported by those other companies. This makes your company legally liable.
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