Vendor Retail Procurement FAQ

Yes, when there is a requirement change, Amazon can change purchase order data after order creation. Vendors can use the getPurchaseOrders API with 'isPOChanged=true' to get updated orders. If Amazon changes a purchase order, the order will have a 'purchaseOrderChangedDate' field that indicates the timestamp for the order update. If this field does not exist, the order has not changed since creation.

Yes, Amazon can change the purchase order after a vendor has acknowledged it. Please refer to Order changes and cancellation for details.

The getPurchaseOrders API can be used to return orders with one or more canceled items. To do so, filter results with poItemState=Cancelled. This returns all orders containing one or more items canceled by Amazon after purchase order creation.

No, the backorder policy is determined by your Amazon business representative. Read the value in the isBackOrderAllowed field in the getPurchaseOrders API response to determine whether a backorder is allowed. When the value is "true", the order can be processed as a backorder. When the value is "false", backorders are not allowed.

No, Amazon does not allow vendors to send a higher quantity in the order acknowledgment than what was submitted in the purchase order. However, vendors can confirm lesser quantity than what was submitted in the purchase order.

Yes, order acknowledgments must be sent in order to successfully update the status of an order in the Amazon system. You can confirm your purchase order using the API or Vendor Central. You have 24 hours to accept a purchase order. Vendors should reject any purchase order that is on hold past the 24-hour time limit.

If you're unable to meet Amazon order acknowledgement requirements using the API, you must confirm your purchase orders from Vendor Central. Contact your Amazon business representative if you do not have a Vendor Central account.

Yes, every purchase order line item must be provided so Amazon can update the order status correctly.

Yes, provide the quantity so that the Amazon system can update the status of the line item correctly.

Do not process or ship an item that arrives with an invalid item number on the order. Return the invalid item number on the order acknowledgement. Use the "Rejected" acknowledgement code and specify that there is an invalid item number.

For more information, refer to Invalid line item in the purchase order.

Yes, acknowledgments must return the exact same product identifier that was sent in the purchase order.

Yes, vendors are required to return the unit cost price in the order acknowledgement. The cost price should match the unit cost price that will be invoiced. Book vendors are required to provide a list price and discount multiplier. Note that the price cannot be higher than the price submitted in the purchase order.

Amazon requires the cost price to be included in the order acknowledgement. Make sure to check that the cost price submitted on the order acknowledgement matches the cost price that will be invoiced. Amazon payment systems will compare the two and might delay payment if they do not match.

Yes, this is required so Amazon can update the status of the order correctly. If the price is omitted, the order acknowledgement will be rejected by the system.

Yes, acknowledgement codes are required so we can correctly update the status of the order. If you omit the acknowledgment code, the acknowledgment is rejected by the system.

You can find acknowledgement codes in the API Reference.

Partial shipments are allowed. Amazon recommends that you indicate one acknowledgement loop using the code "accepted" with the corresponding date and another acknowledgement loop using the code "backordered" and the corresponding date.

Accepted: For items that you can fulfill immediately.
Backordered: For the remaining quantity that you cannot fulfill immediately. The remaining quantity (ordered quantity minus all confirmed quantity) will be delivered later (backordered).

For more information, refer to Confirm partial item quantity and backorder the rest of the quantity in the Use Case Guide and SubmitShipmentConfirmations in the API Reference.

The listPrice segment is only required if a vendor sells books with a list price.

Use the getPurchaseOrdersStatus operation with filter itemConfirmationStatus=REJECTED. The response returns all orders that have one or more items with the status "rejected".

The getPurchaseOrdersStatus operation provides the order history in the orderedQuantityDetails field and acknowledgment history in acknowledgementStatusDetails field in the response.

The "PARTIALLY_ACCEPTED" status means that the vendor has accepted some items and rejected other items in the purchase order. Backordered items are considered as accepted.

Use the receivingStatus field in the getPurchaseOrdersStatus response to get the Amazon fulfillment center received status and received quantity.

Shipment confirmations where the shipmentConfirmationType is "Replace" let vendors correct previously submitted shipment confirmations by sending an updated version. A second shipment confirmation call will completely overwrite the first shipment confirmation data provided the shipmentIdentifier and sellingParty→partyId are identical for both transactions.

You can increase or decrease pallet, carton, and item unit count. However, you can't use the shipment confirmation to update the original item quantity that you accepted through the PO acknowledgment. To change volumes, you must send a second shipment confirmation with the same shipmentIdentifier and ShipmentConfirmationType set to Replace. You can use the same bill of lading (BOL) number if you want the additional units delivered in the same shipment. BOL is only required for FTL/LTL shipments.

Vendors can verify the status of their original or replaced shipment confirmations via "Vendor Central > Orders > Shipments" or by using the Transaction Status API. Allow up to 30 min after submission for the system to show the original version or replaced version.

Yes, there is a limit of 100 shipment confirmations for every truckload shipment. This means you can only send a separate shipment confirmation at the PO level or carton level if the total number of individual shipment confirmations is less than or equal to 100 for that Full Truckload (FTL) or Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipment. Amazon recommends that you send a single shipment confirmation for the entire LTL/FTL shipment, including all PO and carton details.

Vendors can verify the actual status of the original version or updated version of the invoices via "Vendor Central > Payments > Invoices". Allow up to 30 minutes after submission for the system to show the original (or replaced) version.

Vendors can also use the getTransactionStatus API operation to verify successful submission.

Note that an invoice can be successfully submitted, then rejected. If your invoice is rejected after a successful submission, you will receive an email with details about why it was rejected.

No, each invoice number must be unique and they should never be reused (even after one year).

If an invoice sent by API fails due to incorrect data, but the invoice on Vendor Central has the correct data, then the vendor should update the information through the API using the correct data and the same Invoice ID.

If an invoice has incorrect data on Vendor Central and the API, cancel the invoice and send a new invoice with a new Invoice ID. Refer to business requirements for more details.

The SubmitInvoices operation allows vendors to send credit notes to Amazon. A credit note lists the products, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services that the vendor provided to Amazon and Amazon returned or did not receive. It can be issued in the case of damaged goods or errors in price where allowances or rebates are agreed on beforehand between Amazon and the vendor. Note: The credit note is not supported in all marketplaces.

Vendors must to complete parallel testing with our payments system before they can use the SubmitInvoices operation for payment processing. When vendors send an invoice using the API, the parallel testing phase begins.

Parallel testing phase: Vendors simultaneously send invoices using the API and their Vendor Central account. Vendors are required to parallel test until the content of at least three invoice files are validated (these can be production POs or invoices). When this process is complete, the vendor receives an email, which states that they no longer need to create invoices through their account. Upon receipt of this email, vendors can process their payments by sending their invoices using the API.