Problems With Transportation: Chargeback Prevention Guide
This guide covers the four transportation-related chargeback types tied to import shipments and carrier pickups: late trade document delivery, import PO on-time non-compliance, late shipment booking, and pickup accuracy. For each chargeback, you'll find what triggers it, how to avoid it, the current rate card, and the documentation Amazon (and its origin service provider, Century Distribution Systems, Inc. — CDS) requires if you need to dispute a charge.
- Import Documents Late Delivery Chargeback
- Import PO On-Time Non Compliance Chargeback
- Import Shipment Late Booking Chargeback
- Pickup Accuracy Chargeback
1. Import Documents Late Delivery Chargeback
You may receive a chargeback if you did not deliver the trade documents required for shipment to Amazon's origin service provider, Century Distribution Systems, Inc. (CDS), by the Estimated Vessel Departure Date. These chargebacks exist to ensure documentation is available for timely customs clearance and shipment processing.
What triggers this chargeback
Triggered when trade documents required for shipment aren't delivered to CDS by the Estimated Vessel Departure Date. For example, if the Estimated Vessel Departure Date was September 2 and trade documents were emailed on September 5, that's 3 days late and non-compliant. Trade documents are a legal requirement for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allow import into the United States — late submission can block customs clearance and delay the entire shipment.
Rate: $150 per document set for 1–3 days late, plus an additional $50 per document set per day beyond that.
Exceptions
No chargeback if the late document delivery was caused by Amazon or a CDS processing delay — documentation confirming the cause must be provided.
How to avoid this chargeback
- Submit required import shipment trade documents prior to the Estimated Vessel Departure Date — don't wait until the departure date.
- Send documents via email, fax, or courier to CDS and retain proof of delivery (sent date, delivery receipt).
- Confirm receipt in the VMS booking system — check the Document Receive Date to ensure CDS has acknowledged.
Rate card
| Chargeback type | Shipment mode | Rate | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documents Late Delivery (1–3 days) | Import (Ocean / Air) | $150 / doc set | Documents delivered before Est. Vessel Departure Date |
| Documents Late Delivery (4+ days) | Import (Ocean / Air) | $150 + $50/day | Additional $50 charged per day after the 3-day threshold |
Required documentation for dispute
- Email proof
Copy of the email to CDS showing the "sent" date — proving documents were emailed before the Estimated Vessel Departure Date.
- Fax / courier receipt
Copy of fax or courier receipt showing the delivery date to CDS — proving physical documents were delivered on time.
- VMS screenshot
Screenshot of VMS showing the Document Receive Date — proving CDS acknowledged receipt before the Estimated Vessel Departure Date.
Approved submission
Email shows trade documents sent June 18 — 7 days before the Estimated Vessel Departure Date of June 25. VMS confirms on-time receipt (June 18). No chargeback applicable.
Denied submission
Email sent June 27, and VMS shows receipt June 28 — both after the Estimated Vessel Departure Date of June 25. Documents were 3 days late: $150 chargeback applies, plus $50/day for each additional day.
2. Import PO On-Time Non Compliance Chargeback
You may receive a chargeback if the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date entered into CDS's online booking system was not within the ship window designated in the purchase order (PO) for your import shipment. These chargebacks exist to ensure on-time delivery and maintain accurate supply chain scheduling.
What triggers this chargeback
Triggered when the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date entered into CDS's booking system falls outside the PO's Earliest Vendor Ship Date and Latest Vendor Ship Date. For example, if the PO's ship window was September 2–16 but you entered an Estimated Cargo Delivery Date of September 24, that's outside the ship window and non-compliant.
Rate: 3% of COGS on the chargeback quantity.
Exceptions
No chargeback if the non-compliant delivery date was caused by an Amazon or CDS system error — documentation confirming the error must be provided.
How to avoid this chargeback
- Provide an Estimated Cargo Delivery Date that is within the ship window designated on your PO when booking in VMS.
- Always verify the PO ship window dates before entering any delivery estimates in the CDS booking system.
- Double-check that the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date aligns with both the PO's Ship Window Open and Ship Window Close dates.
Rate card
| Chargeback type | Shipment mode | Rate | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO On-Time Non Compliance | Import (Ocean / Air) | 3% of COGS | Est. Cargo Delivery Date within PO ship window |
Required documentation for dispute
- VMS screenshot 1
Screenshot of VMS with the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date entered for the booking — proves the delivery date you provided in the system.
- VMS screenshot 2
Screenshot of VMS showing the confirmed PO ship window (Ship Window Open and Ship Window Close dates) — proves the delivery date falls within the allowed window.
Approved submission
VMS screenshots confirm the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date (July 10) falls within the PO ship window (July 1–15). Delivery date is within the window — on-time compliance proven.
Denied submission
Estimated Cargo Delivery Date (July 22) is 7 days past the Ship Window Close of July 15. Date falls outside the PO ship window — chargeback denied.
3. Import Shipment Late Booking Chargeback
You may receive a chargeback if you did not submit a booking to Amazon's origin service provider, Century Distribution Systems, Inc. (CDS), within the required lead time. These chargebacks exist to ensure timely import shipment processing and maintain supply chain efficiency.
What triggers this chargeback
Triggered when a booking isn't submitted to CDS at least 14 days prior to the Ship Window Open Date for Ocean shipments, or at least 3 days prior to the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date for Air shipments. For example, if the Ship Window Open Date was August 20 and the booking was submitted August 10 (10 days prior), that's less than the required 14 days and is a late booking.
Important: if you began creating your booking within the deadline but failed to click Submit to complete the process, you are still subject to a chargeback. A saved draft does not count as a submitted booking.
Rate: 3% of COGS.
Exceptions
No chargeback if the late booking was caused by an Amazon or CDS system outage — documentation confirming the outage occurred during the booking window must be provided.
How to avoid this chargeback
- Submit your import shipment booking on time — at least 14 days before the Ship Window Open Date for Ocean shipments.
- For Air shipments, submit at least 3 days prior to the Estimated Cargo Delivery Date.
- Click "Submit" in VMS and complete the entire booking process — a saved draft does not count as a submitted booking.
Rate card
| Chargeback type | Shipment mode | Rate | Booking deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Booking | Ocean (Import) | 3% of COGS | 14 days before Ship Window Open Date |
| Late Booking | Air (Import) | 3% of COGS | 3 days before Est. Cargo Delivery Date |
Required documentation for dispute
- VMS screenshot 1
Screenshot of the origin service provider's booking system (VMS) with the confirmed PO's Earliest Vendor Ship Date (Ship Window Open Date) — proves the official booking deadline for your PO.
- VMS screenshot 2
Screenshot of the origin service provider's booking system (VMS) with the submitted booking — proves the booking was submitted on time and shows the exact submission timestamp.
Approved submission
VMS screenshots clearly show the Ship Window Open Date (June 15) and booking submission date (May 28) — submitted 18 days before the deadline, well within the 14-day requirement.
Denied submission
Booking submitted on June 8 — only 7 days before the Ship Window Open Date of June 15. Falls short of the required 14-day lead time; chargeback denied.
4. Pickup Accuracy Chargeback
A pickup accuracy defect is triggered when a collect TL or LTL shipment is rescheduled after 5 PM PT the day prior to the scheduled pickup date, or when the carrier arrives and is unable to be loaded due to a vendor-caused issue — resulting in a missed pickup confirmed by GPS arrival data.
What triggers this chargeback
Triggered in two scenarios:
- Late reschedule: a collect TL or LTL shipment is rescheduled by the vendor after 5:00 PM PT the day before the scheduled pickup date — any rescheduling after this cutoff is a defect regardless of reason.
- Carrier arrives but cannot load: the carrier arrives at the vendor's facility (verified by GPS arrival data) and cannot be loaded due to a vendor-caused issue — freight not staged, facility closed, dock unavailable, or staff not available within the required time window.
Loading time requirements once the carrier arrives: 90 minutes for Truckload (TL), 30 minutes for Less-Than-Truckload (LTL). Rate: $500 per defect (TL), $200 per defect (LTL).
Exceptions
No chargeback if the missed pickup or reschedule was caused by Amazon — e.g. a carrier no-show not caused by the vendor, a routing error, or an Amazon-initiated change. Note: any reschedule after 5:00 PM PT the day before pickup is automatically flagged as a defect — even if due to weather, staffing, or other vendor issues. If a PRO is cancelled due to a vendor-caused defect, it cannot be picked up again until a new routing request is submitted.
How to avoid this chargeback
- Confirm pickup time immediately after routing — if the scheduled time can't be met, reschedule before 5:00 PM PT the day before.
- Keep facility operating hours accurate in Vendor Central — ensure receiving hours match actual dock availability.
- Stage freight in advance — have all pallets and freight prepped, labeled, and positioned at the dock before the carrier arrives.
- Have staff available to load within 90 minutes (TL) or 30 minutes (LTL) of carrier arrival.
Rate card
| Chargeback type | Rate | Quantity basis |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup Accuracy — Truckload (TL) | $500 per defect | Freight ready within 90 min of arrival; reschedule before 5 PM PT day prior |
| Pickup Accuracy — Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) | $200 per defect | Freight ready within 30 min of arrival; reschedule before 5 PM PT day prior |
Required documentation for dispute
- Carrier communication
Carrier communication records showing any coordination, rescheduling requests, or issues — including timestamps confirming actions taken before the 5 PM PT cutoff.
- Facility hours documentation
Facility operating hours documentation confirming dock availability and hours at the time of the scheduled pickup.
- Routing confirmation
Routing request confirmation showing the original scheduled pickup date and time, and any approved rescheduling communications.
- Proof of readiness
Pickup confirmation or proof of readiness — ASN screenshot or photos taken at the warehouse with visible timestamps showing freight staged and ready before carrier arrival.
Approved submission
Freight staged before 2:30 PM — well ahead of carrier arrival. Loaded within the required time (TL: 90 min, LTL: 30 min). GPS confirmed carrier arrival and successful loading — no defect.
Denied submission
Rescheduled at 6:45 PM PT — after the 5 PM cutoff. Carrier GPS shows arrival but freight was not staged; facility door closed and driver could not load. Pickup accuracy defect applied.
For more information on this topic download the attached one-pagers at the bottom of this article.
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