Amazon AWD
Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) is Amazon's upstream bulk storage and distribution service for third-party sellers. It stores pallets and master cases at Amazon-operated facilities and moves inventory into FBA fulfillment centers through an auto-replenishment system. AWD is built for sellers who need low-cost long-term storage, run into FBA capacity limits, or want to consolidate inventory across multiple sales channels.
AWD sits upstream of FBA in a seller's supply chain and handles storage, automated replenishment, and multi-channel distribution to destinations such as Walmart Fulfillment Services, direct-to-consumer orders, and other marketplaces from a single inventory pool. The service focuses on pallet and master-case volumes, so it is generally a better fit for sellers who ship by the truckload and can plan inventory in advance. Teams that rely on kitting, bundling, custom prep, or parcel-based inbound should verify whether AWD's scope fits their workflow.
Pricing
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Key Features
- Bulk Upstream Storage: Stores pallets and master cases at Amazon-operated facilities positioned upstream of FBA fulfillment centers.
- Auto-Replenishment to FBA: Automatically ships inventory from AWD into FBA when Prime-ready stock drops below threshold levels set by Amazon's replenishment model.
- Multi-Channel Distribution: Distributes inventory from a single AWD pool to non-Amazon channels including Walmart Fulfillment Services, direct-to-consumer orders, and other marketplaces.
- Integrated FBA Inbound: FBA inbound placement is included in AWD pricing, so there is no separate placement fee when moving stock from AWD to FBA.
- Amazon Managed Transportation: Optional Amazon-managed freight service for moving inventory from the supplier to AWD and from AWD to FBA.
- Smart Storage Discount Tiers: Discounted storage rates are available for sellers who commit to longer storage durations or use Amazon managed transportation.
- No Seasonal Storage Surcharges: Flat storage fee structure without the Q4 long-term storage surcharges that apply to standard FBA inventory.
- Seller Central Integration: Inventory visibility, shipment creation, and replenishment settings are managed directly from Seller Central.
Strengths
- Low-cost bulk storage option compared with standard FBA storage and many independent 3PL providers.
- Automated replenishment into FBA reduces manual inventory planning for sellers managing tight FBA capacity limits.
- Supports Multi-Channel Distribution to Walmart Fulfillment Services, direct-to-consumer orders, and other non-Amazon channels from a single inventory pool.
- Pay-as-you-go pricing structure with no Q4 long-term storage surcharges on AWD stock.
- FBA inbound placement fees are bundled into AWD pricing, reducing duplicated fees for sellers who route inventory through AWD.
- Tightly integrated with Seller Central and Amazon's broader fulfillment network.
Considerations
- AWD only accepts LTL and full truckload shipments, so parcel-based inbound workflows are not supported.
- Sellers have reported capacity constraints where AWD has declined inbound shipments during peak periods.
- Transfers from AWD into FBA can take several days or longer, which may affect sell-through during fast-moving inventory cycles.
- AWD does not offer kitting, bundling, or custom prep services, so sellers with complex prep needs may still need a separate prep center.
- Storage and processing fees differ by region, with West Coast base rates higher than other regions as of January 2026.
- Using AWD alongside FBA concentrates more of the supply chain with a single vendor, which some sellers view as a dependency risk.