IB

Inbound (IB) describes the process of shipping, receiving, and checking inventory that arrives at Amazon Fulfilment Centres (FCs) from external suppliers - including both 1P vendors (via Vendor Central) and 3P sellers (via Seller Central with FBA).

The IB process typically includes:

• Creation of a shipment plan or purchase order
• Labeling and preparation according to Amazon guidelines
• Appointment scheduling (especially for pallets or truckload deliveries)
• Transit and check-in at FC docks
• Receiving, scanning, and stowing of inventory

Why IB matters:

• Impacts product availability and Buy Box win rate
• Delays in IB processing can lead to stockouts and lost sales
• Accuracy in IB handling helps reduce chargebacks and defects

💡 Example: A seller creates an FBA shipment for 1,000 units of a kitchen item - once it’s received at the Amazon FC, it's marked as successfully inbounded.

In short:
IB (Inbound) refers to the flow of inventory into Amazon’s warehouses - a critical part of the supply chain that affects availability, sales, and operational performance.