- FBA shifts storage, packing and delivery work to Amazon for enrolled inventory.
- Easy Ship keeps inventory with the seller while Amazon handles eligible pickup and delivery.
- Self Ship gives the seller more fulfilment control but also more delivery responsibility.
- The right option depends on product economics, operational capability and customer reach—not one fee alone.
FBA: inventory stored in Amazon fulfilment centres
With Fulfilment by Amazon, enrolled inventory is sent to Amazon fulfilment centres. Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, delivery and much of the customer-service flow for those FBA orders. Sellers still need to plan replenishment, monitor inventory health and understand the applicable fulfilment and storage charges.
FBA can be attractive when fast delivery coverage and operational scale matter, but it also requires disciplined inventory planning because excess stock and stock-outs can both hurt economics.
Easy Ship: seller-held inventory with Amazon delivery
Under Easy Ship, the seller generally stores and packs the inventory, while Amazon handles eligible pickup and last-mile delivery. This can suit sellers who want to keep stock at their own location but prefer Amazon-managed delivery for eligible orders.
Self Ship: seller controls fulfilment
With Self Ship, the seller manages dispatch and delivery through their chosen logistics arrangement, subject to Amazon performance requirements. This offers control, but the seller also carries more responsibility for timely dispatch, tracking and delivery performance.
How to choose
Compare total landed fulfilment cost, expected delivery speed, return handling, inventory turns and the workload your team can reliably manage. For some catalogues a mixed model can be appropriate—for example, FBA for fast-moving products and merchant fulfilment for slower or oversized items.
Fulfilment decision matrix
| Factor | FBA | Easy Ship | Self Ship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory storage | Amazon fulfilment centre | Seller location | Seller location |
| Packing | Amazon for FBA orders | Seller | Seller |
| Last-mile delivery | Amazon | Amazon for eligible orders | Seller / chosen carrier |
| Operational control | Lower day-to-day fulfilment control | Balanced | Highest |
| Best starting question | Can stock turn fast enough to justify inbound/storage? | Can we pack reliably and use Amazon pickup? | Can we meet dispatch/delivery metrics ourselves? |