Before the pandemic, many Amazon vendors relied heavily on Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) to get products to customers. But when COVID disrupted supply chains globally, even Amazon wasn’t immune. Delivery delays and inventory bottlenecks forced many vendors to activate their backup plan: Amazon Direct Fulfillment.
No matter how you use it, knowing how Amazon Direct Fulfillment works helps you get the most out of your vendor account.
In this article, we’ll show you what Direct Fulfillment is, how it’s different from FBA and FBM, and how Windingflow makes it easier to manage.
What is Amazon Direct Fulfillment?
Amazon Direct Fulfillment is a retail dropshipping program designed for vendors in Amazon Vendor Central. Vendors get to ship customer orders directly to customers as soon as an order is placed, rather than sending products in bulk to Amazon’s warehouses. Amazon still owns the product, handles the listing and marketing, and pays for the shipping.
This hybrid model gives vendors more flexibility and quicker time-to-customer without losing Amazon’s sales power.
Direct Fulfillment vs FBA vs FBM
| Feature | Amazon Direct Fulfillment | Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) | Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who fulfills | Vendor | Amazon | Seller |
| Who ships | Vendor (Amazon pays) | Amazon (Seller pays) | Seller (Seller pays) |
| Inventory stored by | Vendor | Amazon | Seller |
| Marketing managed by | Amazon | Seller | Seller |
| Channel | Vendor Central | Seller Central | Seller Central |
Pros of Amazon Direct Fulfillment
- Amazon covers shipping costs
- Vendor controls packaging and quality
- Faster onboarding, less inventory management
- More SKUs listed, less warehouse constraint
- Amazon manages customer service
Cons of Amazon Direct Fulfillment
- Vendor must manage shipping labels, picking, packing, and shipping
- Lower search visibility compared to FBA listings
- Requires fulfillment infrastructure
How Windingflow Simplifies Direct Fulfillment
Windingflow is a modern, flexible solution built for Amazon vendors. It’s fully integrated with Vendor Central and helps vendors:
Sync Orders Instantly
- Pull orders from Amazon Direct Fulfillment automatically
- See real-time inventory levels by SKU and warehouse
- Accept or reject items in one click
Automate Shipments and Packing
- Create shipments from orders sold by Amazon
- Assign and repack boxes visually
- Download Amazon-compliant labels instantly
Fulfill Faster, Stay Compliant
- Send ASN and shipping data directly to Amazon
- Track delivery status and auto-sync with your WMS
- Generate invoices automatically after shipment
Windingflow also supports multi-instance setups, which means you can manage multiple Direct Fulfillment accounts, brands, fulfillment centers, or warehouse zones in one dashboard.
Real-World Impact
One Amazon vendor reduced their Direct Fulfillment order handling time from 3 hours to just 15 minutes using Windingflow. By automating label generation, packing workflows, and invoice creation, they scaled operations without hiring extra staff.
"Windingflow helped us take full control of Direct Fulfillment without overwhelming our team. It's smooth, fast, and surprisingly easy to train new users on."
How to Get Started with Amazon Direct Fulfillment
- Log into your Vendor Central account
- Request access to Drop Ship Central and enable DF
- Choose your label type and shipping preferences
- Upload warehouse info, schedules, and carrier details
- Begin syncing and fulfilling Direct Fulfillment orders with Windingflow
Why Use Windingflow for Direct Fulfillment?
- Built specifically for Amazon vendors
- Automates every step: from order sync to invoice
- Helps ensure compliance with Amazon’s strict rules
- Scales with your volume and fulfillment network
- Integrates with your WMS, EDI, or ERP tools
Ready to Optimize Your Amazon Direct Fulfillment?
Let Windingflow take the manual work out of Direct Fulfillment so you can focus on quality control and growth.
Book a Demo (https://www.windingflow.com/support/contact) to see how Windingflow can streamline your Direct Fulfillment.
