Operator glossary
Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF)
Using your FBA inventory to fulfill orders from anywhere else — Shopify, TikTok Shop, wholesale — one stock pool, Amazon's logistics, a separate fee schedule.
MCF ships non-Amazon orders from the same FBA pool that serves your Amazon sales: an API or dashboard request, Amazon picks, packs, and ships with tracking. One inventory position across channels kills the classic split-stock problem where Amazon runs dry while your 3PL sits full.
It runs on its own fee card (typically above FBA's per-order economics), offers unbranded packaging and, in some configurations, carrier choice — check current terms where buyer platforms restrict Amazon-logistics tracking. The strategic fit: brands whose off-Amazon volume is meaningful but not yet 3PL-scale, and Q4 overflow when your DTC channel spikes with demand your FBA stock can absorb.
The numbers
- Separate MCF fee schedule per unit by size/weight and speed; unbranded packaging available.
- One FBA pool serves Amazon + external channels — inventory truth in one place.
- Check marketplace-specific carrier/tracking restrictions before routing (some platforms limit Amazon-fulfilled tracking).
Primary sources: Amazon selling fees (official)
Related terms