Before the shipment leaves, have four things done: a commercial invoice and packing list that match your SKU list, carton labels with SKU, quantity and lot, a customs broker and forwarder engaged with the freight arriving DDP (duties paid), and a receiving appointment with whoever receives it. Decide prep and labeling for Amazon or Walmart before the factory prints anything. On arrival, count, photograph and reconcile against the packing list before a single unit is put away or forwarded.
Documents and the people who clear the freight
- Commercial invoice and packing list, matched to your SKUs. Every line on the packing list should map to a SKU you sell, with units per carton and cartons per pallet. If the factory uses its own item codes, add your SKU to each line before departure.
- A licensed customs broker. They handle classification, duties and clearance. Marcana does not act as customs broker or importer of record, and does not advise on HS codes or duty rates; that belongs with your broker.
- Freight forwarder booked, terms understood. Shipments to a 3PL should arrive DDP: duties, taxes and clearance paid by you or your forwarder before delivery. A truck that arrives with duties owing does not get unloaded.
- Importer of record decided. Who is the importer on the paperwork is a legal and tax question for your broker or attorney, and it has to be answered before the ship sails.
Carton labels, SKU map and photos at the factory
Ask the factory for three things, and ask for photos of each before the shipment leaves:
- Carton labels on two sides of every master carton: SKU, product name, units per carton, lot or batch, and expiration if it applies. Unlabeled cartons get opened and counted by hand, which is slow and billable.
- Pallet build: cartons per pallet, one SKU per pallet where possible, pallets wrapped and under 6 ft where the truck allows. Mixed pallets need a pallet-level packing list.
- Master carton dimensions and weight per SKU. Your 3PL needs them for storage; Amazon and Walmart need them for inbound plans.
Decide prep and channel allocation before departure
If any of this inventory is going to Amazon FBA or Walmart WFS, decide now, not on arrival:
- FNSKU vs manufacturer barcode. If Amazon requires FNSKU labels for your listing, the factory can print them onto units or your 3PL can apply them at $0.55 to $0.35 per unit. Applying at the factory is cheaper; applying at the 3PL is safer if the listing may change.
- Poly-bag, suffocation warning, bubble wrap. Amazon discontinued its own prep on January 1, 2026, so these have to happen before inbound. Factory-applied where the packaging is final; 3PL-applied at $1.25 to $0.70 per unit where it is not.
- Expiration and lot formatting. Amazon's expiration format rules and lot-tracking needs must be on the label before the unit is sealed.
- How much goes to Amazon first. A measured allocation, roughly two replenishment cycles per SKU, with the reserve held outside FBA. See FBA vs 3PL.
Book the receiving and set expectations
- Pre-declare the inbound. Marcana requires every inbound shipment to be declared before it arrives: carrier, tracking or container number, box or pallet count, contents and expected date. The declaration is what turns "a truck showed up" into a scheduled receiving.
- Receiving appointment for pallets. Freight carriers deliver pallets on appointment. Parcels (UPS, FedEx, USPS) do not need one, but should still be declared.
- Know what receiving includes. At Marcana, receiving means counting cartons, photographing the delivery and any damage, checking against the packing list, and putting away. Pallet receiving is $25 per pallet; boxes are included up to your plan allowance and $5 each beyond it. A full unit-level count is inventory verification, from $4 per box, and is worth it on a first shipment.
- Name a decision-maker. If cartons are short, damaged or mislabeled, someone has to decide within 24 hours: quarantine, relabel, accept and note, or refuse. Decide who that person is before the truck arrives.
The day it lands
- Count and photograph before signing. Pallet count and visible damage are noted on the carrier's delivery receipt. Anything not noted at delivery is nearly impossible to claim later.
- Reconcile against the packing list by SKU and lot before put-away. Discrepancies go to the factory and the forwarder the same day.
- Hold the Amazon allocation until the count is confirmed. Forwarding to FBA from an unreconciled receipt is how brands end up with inventory Amazon says it never got.
- Verify the store connection with a test order before the first real one ships from the new location.
Questions founders ask
No. Marcana does not act as importer of record or customs broker and does not advise on HS codes, tariff classification or duty rates. Shipments must arrive DDP, with duties, taxes and clearance handled by you or your forwarder and broker.
The shipment is still received, but unlabeled cartons have to be opened and counted by hand, which takes longer and is billed as inventory verification. Photos of every carton label taken at the factory are the cheapest insurance you can buy.
For palletized freight, yes: carriers deliver on appointment and the shipment must be pre-declared. Parcel deliveries do not need an appointment but should be declared so they are expected and matched to your account.
Standard boxes and pallets with clear labels and a matching packing list are typically counted and put away within one to two business days of arrival. Unit-level verification, relabeling and prep add time in proportion to the units.
Damage is photographed at delivery and noted on the carrier receipt, the affected cartons are set aside, and you decide the disposition: inspect, relabel, repack or dispose. Liability for loss or damage attributable to Marcana is capped at the lesser of declared cost and $100 per box; cargo insurance for transit is arranged by the shipper.