Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) guide for ecommerce sellers

Online channels like Amazon, eBay, and TikTok Shop can be significant sources of revenue, but fulfilling orders across multiple platforms can be complex and time-consuming—that’s where third-party logistics (3PL) services like Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) come in.
Amazon MCF allows sellers to use Amazon’s fulfillment network to deliver orders that come in from Amazon.com and other third-party marketplaces and websites.

This guide provides an overview of Amazon MCF, including its benefits, limitations, pricing, and some best practices for getting the most out of the service. We also show you how feed management tools help you automate and optimize order management processes.

What is Amazon MCF?

Amazon MCF is a logistics service that enables sellers to store their inventory in Amazon fulfillment centers and deliver it to customers through Amazon drivers (Amazon Logistics or other third-party carriers).

Sellers can fulfill orders placed on Amazon.com in addition to their own websites, other marketplaces like eBay, Etsy, and SHEIN, and even social commerce channels like Shops on Instagram and Facebook or TikTok Shop.

As a 3PL service, Amazon MCF offers sellers a high on-time delivery rate (97%!), up to 50% discounts on multi-unit orders, and real-time order tracking.

Additionally, Amazon ships your products in unbranded packaging at no additional fee. This helps to foster a consistent brand experience no matter what channel a customer places an order on and helps keep you compliant with other marketplace’s packaging rules.

How is Amazon MCF different from Amazon FBA?

MCF is part of Amazon’s broader Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) ecosystem, but with a key difference—FBA is exclusive to Amazon orders, while MCF allows sellers to fulfill orders from external platforms as well.

This makes it an attractive option for multichannel ecommerce brands looking to streamline fulfillment without managing multiple 3PL providers.

Both MCF and FBA utilize Amazon’s fulfillment network, warehouse storage, and shipping infrastructure, but they serve slightly different purposes. MCF offers sellers the ability to centralize fulfillment operations while still maintaining a multichannel presence, but it also comes with trade-offs like limited customer data access, branding restrictions, and higher fulfillment costs compared to FBA. There are other potential limitations that you should be aware of:

• Limited control over the customer experience: Sellers cannot customize packaging or include branded inserts, which may impact brand perception. However, Amazon uses unbranded packaging, so you won’t have the Amazon logo on all your orders.
• Potential delays for non-Amazon orders: MCF shipments for external marketplaces may face delays, particularly during peak seasons.
• Product restrictions: Certain product categories, including hazardous materials, perishables, and regulated goods, may not be eligible for MCF. Sellers must confirm eligibility before sending inventory.
• Marketplace limitations: MCF cannot be used for fulfillment on some marketplaces, such as Walmart, due to platform restrictions.

How Amazon MCF works

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how MCF works and what sellers need to consider when using this fulfillment option.

1. Sending inventory to Amazon

Sellers must first send their inventory to Amazon’s fulfillment centers, ensuring all shipments comply with Amazon’s shipping and routing requirements. Amazon provides services such as the FBA Label Service and FBA Prep Service to assist with labeling and packaging compliance. Proper preparation and labeling ensure that inventory is received and processed efficiently.

2. Order integration across multiple sales channels

To enable MCF, sellers must integrate their non-Amazon sales channels with Amazon’s fulfillment system. This can be done through:

• Amazon’s built-in integrations with platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento
• Third-party tools like FeedAMP, which help automate product and order syncing across multiple marketplaces
• Manual order entry, where sellers upload fulfillment requests directly in Seller Central

Once integrated, Amazon automatically receives order data from external sales channels, ensuring a streamlined fulfillment process.

3. Amazon’s picking, packing, and shipping process

After an order is received, Amazon handles:

• Picking the correct product from inventory
• Packing the order securely for shipment
• Shipping the order using Amazon’s carrier network

Sellers can choose from two shipping speed options:

• Standard (3 business days)
• Expedited (2 business days)

4. Tracking and order management through Seller Central

Once shipped, sellers can track orders via Seller Central or their integrated software. Amazon provides:

• Tracking numbers and shipping updates for each order
• Order status monitoring to ensure timely deliveries
• Return and refund processing, though sellers must manage customer service themselves

5. Returns and customer service

Amazon handles return processing for MCF orders, but sellers are responsible for managing customer service inquiries and refunds. Sellers can also request removal orders if they need to retrieve or dispose of inventory stored in Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

The costs of Amazon MCF (as of 2025)

While Amazon MCF provides convenience and scalability, sellers should carefully evaluate costs to ensure it aligns with their overall profitability. Below is a breakdown of the different fees associated with Amazon MCF.

Fulfillment fees

Amazon MCF charges fulfillment fees based on product size, weight, and shipping speed. As of January 15, 2025, the following costs apply:

(Source: Amazon MCF rate card)

(Source: Amazon MCF rate card)

MCF fulfillment fees vary depending on the following:

• Product weight and dimensions
• Order quantity (single vs. multi-unit fulfillment)
• Destination and shipping speed (domestic vs. international fulfillment)

Sellers can use Amazon’s MCF pricing calculator to estimate fees before committing inventory to the program.

Storage fees

Amazon charges monthly storage fees, varying by season:

• Standard-size Items: $0.78/cubic foot (Jan–Sep), $2.40 (Oct–Dec).
• Bulky/Extra Large: $0.56/cubic foot (Jan–Sep), $1.40 (Oct–Dec).

Sellers should monitor inventory turnover to avoid excessive long-term storage charges.

Seasonal surcharges

During peak shopping periods (Q4, Prime Day, etc.), Amazon may apply temporary price increases due to increased demand for fulfillment services. These surcharges typically affect fulfillment fees (especially for expedited shipping) and storage fees (October–December rates are higher).

Additional fees

Beyond standard fulfillment and storage fees, sellers may incur extra charges for specific services:

• Inbound inventory fees: If sellers use Amazon-partnered carriers, they may need to pay additional shipping fees to transport inventory to fulfillment centers.
• Removal fees: If a seller wants to remove unsold or slow-moving inventory, Amazon charges a per-unit fee to ship items back or dispose of them.
• International shipping fees: Cross-border fulfillment through MCF incurs additional costs, including customs duties and international shipping rates.
• Lithium battery handling fee: $0.11 per unit.
• Blocking Amazon logistics: 5% surcharge.
• Remote area delivery (Alaska, Hawaii, etc.): 100% surcharge for standard items, 200% for bulky/extra-large.

Amazon MCF optimizations and best practices

Below are some important best practices to help you be more efficient, reduce costs, and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction while using Amazon MCF.

Improve your inventory management

Proper inventory management ensures that sellers do not oversell products, incur excessive storage fees, or face fulfillment delays.

#1 Sync inventory across your sales channels

If you’re selling on multiple marketplaces, using platforms like Feedonomics helps keep inventory levels up-to-date across all of them. Depending on your requirements, you might consider implementing inventory buffers or real-time synchronization of your inventory.

Example: A seller lists a product on Amazon, eBay, and Shopify. They have 15 units in total, but a recent order on Amazon reduces their stock to 12. Without synchronization, eBay and Shopify might still display 15 units, leading to overselling. With an automated inventory management tool, all channels instantly update to reflect the correct stock count of 12, ensuring accuracy and avoiding fulfillment issues.

#2 Minimize long-term storage fees

Amazon charges additional storage fees for slow-moving inventory, particularly during peak seasons. Sellers should monitor inventory performance and can move slow-moving SKUs to other cheaper 3PL warehouses to avoid high storage costs.

Example: A seller with seasonal products, such as holiday-themed socks, can store excess inventory in a 3PL warehouse and transfer stock to Amazon only before peak demand periods.

Reduce fulfillment costs

Amazon MCF pricing is influenced by product dimensions and weight, making packaging optimization an important cost-saving strategy.

#1 Right-size packaging to lower fees

Amazon calculates MCF fees based on dimensional weight. Using more compact and lightweight packaging can help sellers reduce these fees.

Example: A seller shipping yoga mats should ensure the mats are rolled tightly to minimize packaging size, which can significantly lower fulfillment costs.

#2 Take advantage of MCF discounts

Amazon offers volume-based discounts, so higher order volume may qualify for lower fulfillment rates. If customers frequently buy multiple items, encourage bundling to reduce per-unit costs.

Example: A seller offers gourmet coffee beans in 1-pound bags. Typically, customers buy one bag at a time, but to take advantage of Amazon MCF’s volume-based discounts, the seller creates a “3-Pack Bundle” at a slightly discounted price.

#3 Compare MCF pricing to 3PL alternatives

While MCF offers competitive rates, a 3PL provider may provide better pricing for certain SKUs. Sellers should use Amazon’s MCF Fee Calculator and obtain quotes from 3PLs to determine the most cost-effective solution.

Example: A seller shipping oversized products like mattresses, might find MCF’s dimensional weight pricing more expensive than a 3PL with other freight shipping pricing options.

Improve delivery experience

Shipping speed is a critical factor in customer satisfaction. Sellers should optimize fulfillment processes to minimize delays and set clear expectations.

#1 Set realistic shipping estimates

Since Amazon prioritizes FBA orders, MCF orders may experience occasional delays, particularly during peak seasons. Sellers should adjust estimated delivery times on platforms such as Shopify and eBay to reflect realistic fulfillment speeds.

Example: Instead of listing “2-day shipping” on Shopify, a seller should specify “2-4 business days” to account for potential MCF delays.

#2 Offset expedited shipping costs

MCF offers Standard (3 days) and Expedited (2 days) shipping. To optimize costs, sellers should offer free standard shipping while charging customers for expedited delivery options.

Example: A BigCommerce seller could charge $4.99 for 3-day shipping and $9.99 for 2-day shipping, allowing customers to cover the added cost.

Streamline order management

Automating order management and fulfillment processes can significantly reduce manual work and improve order accuracy.

Integrating Amazon MCF with an order management system (OMS) and tools like Feedonomics can significantly cut the time spent on manual processes:

• Order routing to MCF, 3PLs, or in-house fulfillment
• Inventory syncing across multiple platforms
• Mapping the sales channel’s shipping method to Amazon shipping method schema
• Viewing orders from all marketplaces in a single dashboard, and setting pricing or inventory rules on a per-channel basis

Example: An online store processing 5,000 orders per month can use an OMS to automatically allocate orders to the most cost-effective fulfillment method without manual intervention.

Using Feedonomics with Amazon MCF

As marketplace sellers scale their businesses across multiple sales channels, feed management becomes essential to ensuring accurate order fulfillment, inventory synchronization, and pricing updates. Effective feed management helps prevent fulfillment errors, overselling, and discrepancies that can negatively impact customer satisfaction.

Sellers can optimize their fulfillment processes by using Feedonomics:

• Automated order syncing: Orders from DTC websites, marketplaces, and social commerce platforms are automatically sent to Amazon MCF for fulfillment.
• Real-time inventory updates: Keep stock levels synchronized across all sales channels to prevent stockouts and fulfillment delays.
• Data transformation: Format and optimize product data to comply with each marketplace’s unique product listing requirements.
• Order routing and splitting: Dynamically allocate fulfillment between MCF and other logistics solutions based on predefined rules.

Amazon MCF FAQs