Who pays when FBA loses your shipment? There is only one test: which leg the cargo was lost on. Get the leg wrong, and you claim against the wrong party.
Three "Loss" Scenarios
First, loss during the First Leg — the cargo never reached the Amazon warehouse.
Second, Amazon has already signed for it, and it is lost inside the warehouse afterwards.
Third, the inbound quantity does not match the shipped quantity — an inbound discrepancy.
Who Pays Whom: The Division of Responsibility
| Scenario | Claim Against | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Loss during the First Leg | Freight forwarder / carrier / insurer | Transport contract and BOL terms |
| Loss after Amazon signs | Amazon | Amazon FBA policies |
| Inbound quantity discrepancy | Amazon investigation process | Shipment discrepancy claim |
| Loss caused by carton damage | Depends on which leg the damage occurred | Liability determined leg by leg |
The core logic: the forwarder's liability ends at delivery. With proof of receipt, First Leg liability is terminated.
Problems arising after receipt are handled by Amazon under its policies.
Prerequisites for an Amazon Claim
You must have a valid Shipment ID.
You must file within the time window Amazon specifies; late submissions may not be accepted.
You need to provide a packing list, invoice, and proof of arrival or inbound receipt.
The more complete the documents, the faster the investigation concludes.
The Forwarder's Liability Boundary
For First Leg loss, compensation follows the transport contract and BOL terms.
The forwarder must provide proof of delivery (POD) showing the cargo was delivered.
Where a POD exists and receipt shows no exception, First Leg liability is terminated.
Specific compensation standards are subject to the contract and BOL terms.
Handling Process: Who Does What
Step one: check the shipment status in Amazon Seller Central to pinpoint which leg the loss occurred on.
Step two: if it is a First Leg loss, file a report with the forwarder and submit claim documents.
Step three: if it is a post-receipt loss, submit a shipment discrepancy investigation request with Amazon.
Step four: supply the packing list, invoice and other proof as requested.
Step five: await the investigation result, then accept compensation or continue to appeal per the conclusion.
Preventive Steps Sellers Can Take in Advance
Keep the POD and packing list for every shipment — don't wait until a claim to look for them.
Upload the tracking number promptly after creating the shipment so its status stays trackable.
Record the inbound quantity before shipping, to make later discrepancy checks easy.
Insure high-value shipments to leave a fallback for loss.
Follow up on inbound receipt promptly and submit discrepancies early — don't miss the deadline.
