Amazon UK Shipping Guide

Amazon is the one marketplace where the shipping decision starts before you list: send stock to Amazon's warehouses (Fulfilment by Amazon) and it picks, packs and posts every order for a per-item fee, or keep the stock at home (Fulfilled by Merchant) and post each order yourself. For a reseller with a handful of one-off items FBM is the practical route, and Amazon's own tooling then expects you to buy the postage through Seller Central rather than at the Post Office.

Buy Shipping is that tool. It sells Royal Mail, Evri, DPD and Amazon Shipping labels at Amazon's rates, uploads the tracking number automatically and — if the parcel gets its first carrier scan on time — protects you against 'item not received' A-to-z claims. Labels are PDFs for A4 or 4 × 6 thermal printers; there is no QR-code drop-off. Royal Mail parcels go to a Post Office, Collect+ shop, Royal Mail locker or parcel postbox; only Evri's 'drop off' service can be taken to a ParcelShop or Evri locker, because the Standard and Next Day options are collections. InPost is not a Buy Shipping carrier.

What separates Amazon from Vinted or eBay is the metrics. Late dispatch must stay under 4%, valid tracking over 95%, on-time delivery at or above 90% (enforced since February 2026) and cancellations under 2.5%; miss them and listings are suppressed or the account suspended. Since 15 July 2026 the default handling time is 0 or 1 day and the standard UK transit promise is 4 days, so switch on Shipping Settings Automation, use Buy Shipping, and post the same day wherever you can.

Returns follow Amazon's rules, not yours. Merchant-fulfilled sellers must offer a tracked prepaid return label (Evri or Royal Mail through Amazon) or a returnless refund, buyers have 30 days, and an Amazon-issued return label refunds the buyer at the carrier's first scan. Fees are 75p per item on the Individual plan or £25 a month on the Professional plan, plus a referral fee that is mostly 8–15% (cut to 5–10% for cheaper clothing, home and grocery lines in 2026). Used items are welcome in media, electronics, home and toys, but clothing, shoes, beauty and grocery must be new.