SSR (Seller Central Ship Request)

Amazon & D2C glossary · Harpy Media

A Ship Request is the authorisation created in the seller console to send inbound inventory for fulfilment: it defines the consignment, books the appointment, and sets the compliance expectations the shipment will be measured against on arrival.

What is SSR?

A Ship Request is the authorisation created in the seller console to send inbound inventory for fulfilment: it defines the consignment, books the appointment, and sets the compliance expectations the shipment will be measured against on arrival.

It is the modern replacement for the older, looser shipment planning arrangements, and the difference is precision. The request specifies cartons, contents, and timing in a form the receiving network can plan against — which means what you declare determines how your freight is handled and whether it attracts unexpected charges.

What the request commits you to

Three things. The physical consignment, because the carton count and configuration declared are what the network prepares to receive. The schedule, because the appointment booked determines when the freight must arrive. And the compliance standard, because the labelling, packing, and documentation requirements are all attached to the shipment type and assessed on receipt.

The practical implication is that the paperwork is the shipment. A request created from an estimate and dispatched from reality produces a mismatch that costs time at receiving, delays availability, and often produces charges. Accuracy before dispatch is far cheaper than reconciliation after it.

Working it properly

Four disciplines: plan the shipment before packing rather than after, so what is declared is what is built. Pack and label to the requirements attached to that shipment type, verifying before freight leaves. Keep the appointment realistic, with enough margin for transport variability. And reconcile what was dispatched against the receipt, promptly, so that any difference is caught while the records are fresh.

Then watch the metrics that stem from it — receiving accuracy, discrepancies, and any fees attributable to shipment compliance. These are among the more controllable operational numbers in the whole account, because every input is inside the brand’s own warehouse rather than in the hands of third parties.

In practice

A seller builds shipments to a plan, declares what has actually been packed, labels to the requirements for that consignment type, and books an appointment with realistic transport time. Receiving is smooth, inventory becomes available quickly, and the compliance charges that used to appear sporadically on the settlement stop.

How Harpy Media helps

Inbound planning is part of our operations work: consignments declared accurately, compliance requirements met at pack rather than patched at receiving, and receipts reconciled while the records are still fresh.

SSR FAQ

What is a Ship Request?

An authorisation created in the seller console to send inventory for fulfilment — defining the consignment, booking the appointment, and setting the compliance standards the shipment is assessed against.

Why does accuracy matter so much?

Because the declaration drives how the freight is received and whether charges apply. A consignment that differs from its paperwork causes delays, reconciliation work, and fees that accurate planning avoids.

What should I monitor?

Receiving accuracy, discrepancies between dispatch and receipt, and any compliance charges. These are among the most controllable operational metrics because every input sits in your own warehouse.