FBA handles fulfillment — but not your inbound prep shipments, seller-fulfilled orders, or returns. Smart LGSTX audits those contracts and finds where the carriers are taking margin you could keep.
Amazon FBA sellers often focus on FBA fees and lose sight of what's hitting their UPS and FedEx accounts. Inbound prep shipments, seller-fulfilled orders, and MCF returns all generate carrier invoices — and those contracts almost never get professionally negotiated.
The surcharge stack on those invoices is where your margin is going.
Prep center shipments hit dimensional weight charges, additional handling fees, and delivery area surcharges on every pallet. These costs compound before your inventory even enters Amazon's network.
Every inbound prep shipment
SFP sellers absorb residential delivery, fuel, and demand surcharges on every direct-to-consumer order — identical to a DTC brand, rarely optimized. Every residential delivery is a surcharge opportunity the carrier hopes you ignore.
Applied on every residential order
FBA MCF return shipments carry residential and additional handling surcharges that compound on high-return SKUs. Return logistics are the least-audited category in most FBA seller accounts.
Compounds on high-return SKUs
Amazon's packaging requirements often increase box dimensions relative to product weight, pushing shipments into higher DIM tiers. The DIM divisor in your UPS/FedEx contract determines how severe this penalty is — and it's negotiable.
DIM divisor is negotiable
Extended and remote delivery zones affect a significant portion of U.S. residential deliveries and are almost always negotiable on high-volume accounts. Most FBA sellers never audit this category.
$6–$19 per package, varies by zone
Q4 surcharge multipliers on inbound and outbound shipments are a standard carrier tactic; negotiated caps are available but rarely offered proactively. FBA sellers shipping high Q4 volume are especially exposed.
Compounds at highest-volume periods
Amazon FBA sellers spending $100K–$5MM annually on non-FBA carrier shipments typically recover 15–20% of that spend. Inbound prep freight + seller-fulfilled orders + returns — audited together.
Estimates based on annual non-FBA carrier spend. Numbers represent typical recovery ranges — actual savings depend on current contract terms and shipment mix.
| Annual Non-FBA Carrier Spend | 15% Recovery | 20% Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| $100K | $15K / year | $20K / year |
| $250K | $37.5K / year | $50K / year |
| $500K | $75K / year | $100K / year |
| $1MM | $150K / year | $200K / year |
| $2MM+ | $300K+ / year | $400K+ / year |
Gain-share only. No savings = no fee. We present a specific dollar estimate before you commit to anything.
Tell us your non-FBA carrier spend breakdown — inbound prep, seller-fulfilled orders, returns. We give you a specific dollar estimate in 15 minutes. No data submission required at this stage.
Submit a CSV or PDF export from your carrier portal. Our founder reviews every line item personally — 50+ years of carrier-side experience means we know exactly which surcharge categories have room to move.
We show you the specific dollar amount before you decide anything. If it doesn't make sense for your business, we'll tell you that too. We only move forward on accounts where meaningful savings actually exist.
Initial savings visible within the first week. We continue monitoring invoices, catching overcharges, and filing claims on your behalf so savings compound over time, not just at contract signing.
FBA sellers spending $100K–$5MM annually on inbound prep freight, seller-fulfilled orders, or MCF returns can typically recover 15–20% of that spend through contract renegotiation. The most commonly overlooked categories are dimensional weight divisors on inbound prep shipments, residential delivery surcharges on seller-fulfilled orders, and delivery area surcharges on extended zones — all negotiable, and rarely touched by carrier reps.
It depends on your mix. If you ship $100K+ per year on inbound prep freight, seller-fulfilled orders, or MCF returns combined, there's almost certainly a meaningful opportunity. Sellers with hybrid models — FBA for core SKUs, seller-fulfilled for oversized or low-velocity items — often have more non-FBA carrier spend than they realize once it's aggregated across shipment types.
No. The audit and renegotiation applies to your UPS and FedEx accounts — not to your Amazon seller account or FBA relationship. Nothing changes in Seller Central, no carrier swaps are required, and your FBA fulfillment continues exactly as before.
For inbound prep shipments: dimensional weight divisors and additional handling surcharges. For seller-fulfilled orders: residential delivery surcharges and delivery area surcharges. For returns: residential delivery and additional handling on reverse logistics. These categories appear on almost every FBA seller's carrier invoice and are the highest-concentration savings opportunities.
No. Smart LGSTX operates on a gain-share model — we take a percentage of confirmed savings only. If we don't find savings, you pay nothing. The free audit gives you a realistic estimate before any engagement begins.
Yes. We audit and renegotiate contracts with both major parcel carriers. If you split inbound and seller-fulfilled volume across UPS and FedEx, the cross-carrier dynamic often produces better outcomes than a single-carrier negotiation — carriers respond to volume consolidation risk.
No commitment. Our founder reviews every company personally. If the numbers don't make sense for your situation, we'll tell you that on the first call.