If you’re an Amazon Seller Central merchant running a seller-fulfilled model, you understand the double-edged sword of self-delivery.
On one hand, you maintain control over the customer experience and last-mile efficiency.
On the other, you are constantly battling the risk of Amazon A-to-Z Guarantee Claims and the dreaded Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) penalty.
The solution isn’t to stop self-delivery, but to formalise it with a dedicated Transport Management System (TMS) that is fully integrated with Amazon and providing valid tracking.
By integrating your in-house fleet operations directly with Amazon, a TMS provides the essential data to protect your bottom line and your seller account health (so that you stay in Amazon’s good books!).
The hidden cost of ‘item not received’ claims
Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee is an essential mechanism that protects buyers, but it can be tough to navigate for sellers, particularly those who handle their own deliveries.
The most common claim sellers experience leading to automatic seller loss is ‘item not received’ claims.
When a customer files this claim, Amazon’s decision rests almost entirely on valid, verifiable Proof of Delivery.
Without a robust system, self-delivery often falls into the generic ‘Other’ carrier category, making it difficult to automatically upload the required granular valid tracking data.
This lack of integration leads to two major issues:
A-to-Z losses
You lose the case automatically because you can’t provide the trusted confirmation of delivery Amazon requires, resulting in a full refund, and a hit to your Order Defect Rate (ODR).
VTR violations
Your Valid Tracking Rate drops below the required threshold (currently 95%). A low VTR can lead to shipping eligibility suspensions or even the deactivation of your seller account for specific product categories.
A TMS, especially one with a certified Amazon ShipTrack Integration (like Stream), solves this by transforming your self-delivery network into an approved carrier system.
The three pillars of claim reduction using a Transport Management System
A modern Transport Management System acts as a direct communication bridge between your drivers and Amazon’s ecosystem, effectively eliminating the core reasons A-to-Z claims are successful.
1. Seamless, Valid Tracking (Fixing VTR)
Stream directly addresses the VTR issue by providing automatically valid tracking data to Amazon.
Our integration allows you to select the recognised carrier (e.g., StreamTech) from Amazon’s approved carrier list in Seller Central. This is critical, as Amazon validates tracking against its list of recognised carriers.
As soon as an order is planned in Stream, a valid tracking ID is generated and passed to Amazon Seller Central.
The moment the driver updates the delivery status via their mobile app, the tracking information is automatically updated and visible to Amazon. This seamless data flow helps ensure your seller-fulfilled VTR account health is maintained.
2. Trusted confirmation of delivery (The A-to-Z defence)
This is the most powerful defence against “Item Not Received” claims. The single biggest benefit of a TMS is the Electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) functionality.
Stream’s strong ePOD system captures multiple data points that serve as a bulletproof confirmation of delivery:
- Signature capture: A digital signature from the recipient.
- Photo capture: A timestamped, geo-coded photograph of the item at the delivery location (especially useful for contactless delivery).
- Timestamp & GPS coordinates: Precise location and time of the drop-off, confirming the driver was at the correct address.
- Barcode tracking: A complete track-and-trace audit trail from warehouse scanning to the final delivery scan.
With this robust evidence, you are protected against automatic ‘order not received’ losses. When an A-to-Z claim is filed, you can submit the ePOD evidence for a successful defence.
3. Proactive customer communication (preventing claims)
Often, A-to-Z claims are filed not because an item is genuinely missing, but because the customer is anxious or lacks information.
Stream handles proactive communication, which significantly reduces WISMO (Where Is My Order?) calls and potential claim escalations.
The system sends out automated delivery notifications via email or SMS, informing the customer when the order is dispatched, out for delivery, and given an estimated time of arrival (ETA).
Customers are also provided a real-time tracking link, giving them visibility into the final stage of the delivery journey, mirroring the experience of using a national carrier.
By providing reassurance and transparency, you convert frustrated enquiries into satisfied customer experiences, preventing the claim from being filed in the first place.
Conclusion
Self-delivery provides control, but only a dedicated Transport Management System integrated with Seller Central can provide the necessary data integrity and proof of delivery required to thrive on Amazon.
By integrating a TMS with Stream’s Amazon ShipTrack integration, you can achieve Higher VTR as automatic, valid tracking uploads ensure compliance, fewer losses as robust ePOD data provides the ‘trusted confirmation’ needed to win A-to-Z disputes, and better ODR as reduced claims lead to a healthier seller account score.
