ARN

Amazon Reference Number (ARN) is a unique ID assigned by Amazon to each shipment under the Collect (WePay) shipping model - where Amazon pays for and arranges freight pickup from the vendor.

The ARN is used to:

• Identify and track the shipment in Amazon’s transportation systems
• Link the shipment to the correct Purchase Order (PO)
• Ensure the carrier has valid documentation at the time of pickup and delivery
• Allow the receiving Amazon Fulfillment Center to accept the freight

In the Collect/WePay model, vendors:

• Confirm routing details in Vendor Central
• Receive routing instructions and an ARN from Amazon
• Must provide this ARN on the Bill of Lading (BOL) and shipping labels
• Cannot proceed with shipment unless ARN is assigned and used correctly

💡 If the ARN is missing or incorrect, the freight may be refused at the dock, causing delays and possible chargebacks.

ARN is not used in:

• Prepaid shipments
• Direct Fulfillment
• FBA (Seller Central)

In short:

ARN = your shipment’s “tracking passport” in Amazon’s freight system when Amazon arranges and pays for the pickup. Don’t ship without it.