Amazon has many different services to support businesses of all sizes. Deciding which is right for you requires an understanding of what each service offers and how they can help you meet your goals. Find out important differences between MCF and FBA like what they offer, who uses them, how to get started, and more.
What is Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF)?
MCF provides fulfillment services for orders placed off Amazon.com, like your own website or other ecommerce sales channels. With MCF, you gain access to Amazon’s world-class fulfillment network. Once your inventory is in an Amazon fulfillment center, MCF handles the picking, packing, and shipping directly to customers for orders placed on sales channels outside Amazon. Orders are fully trackable with real-time updates for packages, and tracking information is provided to you regardless of carrier. You can also choose to have your customers’ returns sent back to an Amazon fulfillment center to be incorporated back into your inventory. MCF lets you integrate with your existing ecommerce apps like Shopify and BigCommerce to automate your order fulfillment process, or you can build your own integration with developer-friendly APIs.
By using MCF, you can enjoy many benefits like:
- Flat-rate, competitive pricing
- Fast, on-time delivery
- Easy connections with your ecommerce apps
- Orders shipped in unbranded packaging
- Simplified workflow
- Fully trackable orders
What is Fulfillment by Amazon?
FBA provides fulfillment services for orders placed on Amazon.com. FBA services include receiving, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns for those orders. Unlike MCF, FBA is limited to the Amazon marketplace. If you have an Amazon store, this service might be right for you. FBA takes all the logistics out of selling on Amazon. You send products to Amazon fulfillment centers and when a customer makes a purchase on Amazon.com, Amazon handles packing, shipping, customer service, and returns for those orders.
How to sign up for MCF
You can use MCF, whether you sell on Amazon or not. There are two options to get started:
- If you already sell on Amazon - If you already have inventory in Amazon fulfillment centers, you can use that inventory to place an MCF order — no additional registration needed. Login to Seller Central to create an MCF order.
- If you’re new to Amazon - Create an account to sign up and get started.
How to sign up for FBA
FBA is only available for sellers selling in an Amazon store. There are two ways to register here, too:
- If you already sell on Amazon - Get started with FBA anytime.
- If you plan on signing up to sell on Amazon - During the sign up process, you’ll be given the option of adding FBA services.
