Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfilment uses your existing FBA inventory to fulfil orders from any channel — your Shopify store, WooCommerce, your own website checkout, or any other platform.
MCF workflow:
1. You send inventory to Amazon FBA warehouses (same as standard FBA)
2. You integrate MCF with your non-Amazon store (Shopify MCF app or API)
3. When a customer orders from your Shopify store, MCF receives the order
4. Amazon picks, packs, and ships from their warehouse using your FBA inventory
5. The customer receives an Amazon-style or plain brown box shipment
The compelling part of MCF is inventory consolidation: one inventory pool for Amazon orders and DTC orders, rather than splitting inventory between an FBA warehouse and a separate 3PL.
This is Amazon MCF's most significant limitation for DTC brands:
Amazon MCF packaging:
- Ships in Amazon-branded boxes (white with Amazon smile logo) by default
- "Blank box" option available: unbranded brown boxes, but no custom packaging
- No tissue paper, no custom inserts, no branded tape, no handwritten notes
- The unboxing experience is identical to receiving an Amazon order
ShipBob packaging:
- Accepts your custom branded boxes
- Handles tissue paper, stickers, custom packing tape
- Can insert marketing materials, thank you cards, product samples
- Full control over the unboxing experience
For subscription box brands, luxury brands, or any DTC brand where the unboxing experience is part of the product: MCF's packaging limitations are disqualifying.
Amazon MCF fee example (standard size, 1 lb):
- Fulfilment fee: ~$3.00–4.00 per unit (similar to FBA rates)
- Storage: same as FBA rates ($0.75–2.40/cubic foot/month)
- No additional 3PL receiving or handling fees
ShipBob fee example (similar product):
- Receiving: $15–25/hour at intake
- Storage: $15–30/pallet/month
- Pick and pack: $3.00–5.00 per order + $0.50/additional item
- Postage: at-cost negotiated carrier rates
At small to moderate volumes, MCF's all-in cost is comparable to ShipBob. At very high volumes, ShipBob's storage rates may be more competitive for slower-moving inventory.
MCF advantage: Single inventory pool. If a product is selling faster than expected on Amazon, MCF can use the same inventory to fulfil DTC orders when needed. You don't have to split inventory between channels and risk stockouts in one channel while having excess in another.
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Try Sellable free →ShipBob advantage: Separate inventory gives you control over which stock serves which channel. Some brands prefer keeping their best-presented (custom packaged) inventory with ShipBob and using FBA/MCF for a separate batch of standard-packed products.
Amazon MCF for sellers already on FBA who want to extend fulfilment to their DTC channel with minimal operational overhead. Works best for products where packaging doesn't need to be branded.
ShipBob for DTC brands where the unboxing experience is important, where custom packaging is a brand differentiator, or where building a brand identity separate from Amazon's ecosystem is a strategic priority.
With standard MCF, yes — the shipment may include Amazon branding. Amazon offers a "blank box" option that uses unbranded packaging, which helps but doesn't provide custom branded packaging. For brands who specifically want their own branding on the package: ShipBob or another 3PL is required.
At comparable volumes for standard-size products, MCF and ShipBob are often similarly priced per unit. MCF's advantage is the lack of separate receiving fees and the operational simplicity of one warehouse relationship. ShipBob's advantage can emerge for oversized products where Amazon adds size surcharges.
Amazon offers an official Shopify integration for MCF called "Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment" in the Shopify App Store. This app syncs Shopify orders to MCF automatically when enabled. Setup takes 1–2 hours if your Shopify store is already connected to an Amazon Seller account with FBA inventory.
Yes. Some brands use MCF for most orders (cost-efficient, simple) while using ShipBob for a premium gift packaging line or subscription box products where the unboxing experience justifies the higher cost. Routing logic can be handled by your ecommerce platform.
MCF is not suitable for: products requiring special handling or custom kitting, items requiring refrigeration, subscription box products with multiple components to assemble, and any product where Amazon-associated branding would confuse customers who thought they were ordering directly from your brand.
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