If you’re wondering how to sell on Amazon Australia or eBay in 2026, you’re not alone. These popular platforms can help you reach more customers, but they also come with their own challenges. Each one has different shipping times and methods, so it’s important to set up consistent shipping for your customers. Things like delivery speed, postage costs, tracking, and dispatch all affect your ability to meet customer expectations and maintain healthy margins.
Whether your business is growing or already established, a consistent shipping setup makes fulfilment easier. This guide explains how shipping works on Amazon AU and eBay, what to look for in carriers, and how to create a dispatch process that works for both platforms.
Summary: The Shipping Decisions That Matter Most on Each Marketplace
Amazon and eBay each have their own fulfilment options, seller rules, and performance standards. Your shipping setup should reflect these differences but stay as simple as possible.
The main point is to see shipping as part of your overall marketplace strategy, not just something you do after a customer orders.
Amazon Australia
Amazon gives sellers two main fulfilment approaches: Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), where Amazon handles eligible storage and delivery operations, and Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), where the seller manages fulfilment.
The best choice depends on your products, order volume, how much you can handle in-house, and whether it costs less to outsource or do delivery yourself.
FBA vs FBM: The Honest Trade-Off
With FBA, you send your eligible stock to Amazon’s fulfilment network. Amazon takes care of storage, picking, packing, shipping, and most of the delivery process for customers. This can lighten your daily workload and may let your products qualify for Prime delivery.
However, FBA comes with fulfilment and storage fees, and you need to plan your inventory and keep enough stock on hand. If products don’t sell quickly, you might pay extra storage costs.
FBM lets you control your inventory, packaging, dispatch, and which carrier you use. It’s helpful for bulky items, special packaging needs, or if you already have a good warehouse setup and courier rates.
Dispatch and Valid Tracking Rate Metrics
If you choose to fulfil Amazon orders yourself, dispatch speed and tracking accuracy will be very important. Amazon checks your performance against its rules, including on-time dispatch and valid tracking for eligible shipments.
Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) shows how many eligible shipments have tracking Amazon can check and confirm. Make sure you upload the right tracking details for each shipment.
Your dispatch performance also depends on the handling time you promise. If you say you’ll dispatch within one business day, your warehouse needs to keep that promise, even when things get busy.
Make it a priority to check your Seller Central performance dashboard and the product category. Marketplace rules and targets can change, so don’t just rely on old information or third-party summaries.
Which Carriers Count as Valid Tracking?
Amazon checks if your carrier and tracking number are recognised and can be verified. Using a supported carrier and entering the right tracking number helps make sure your tracking is accepted.
If you sell in Australia, check carrier eligibility and service support in Seller Central instead of just relying on the carrier’s brand. Different services from the same company might have different tracking features.
Before adopting a courier for Amazon orders, check that:
- The carrier and service are supported for your marketplace.
- Tracking numbers are generated for each eligible shipment.
- Tracking events can be recognised and associated with the correct order.
- Dispatch data is uploaded within the required timeframe.
Having a reliable process for labels and tracking helps cut down on mistakes and makes it easier to sort out delivery problems.
eBay Australia
eBay lets you pick your own postage services, set delivery options, and manage fulfilment. This flexibility helps you match shipping to your products, but you need to set up your listings and dispatch process carefully.
Postage Policies and eBay Guaranteed Delivery Expectations
With eBay postage policies, you can set up reusable shipping settings like services, costs, handling times, and delivery options. This way, you don’t have to set up each listing individually for similar products.
When you create a policy, consider where you ship to, parcel sizes, dispatch times, and whether you offer free, flat-rate, or calculated postage. Make sure your delivery estimates match what you can really provide.
eBay Guaranteed Delivery has its own rules, so offering express postage doesn’t always mean your listing qualifies. If your listing is part of a guaranteed delivery program, you need to meet its requirements and keep your handling and delivery settings accurate.
Uploading Tracking and Protecting Seller Standards
Tracking helps both buyers and sellers. Customers can see where their order is, and sellers have shipment info to help with delivery questions or disputes.
Add the right tracking number and carrier details to each eBay order as soon as you send the parcel. If you use a supported integration to buy labels, tracking might upload automatically, saving you time.
Watch your handling time, late shipments, cancellations, and other seller standards. Problems like wrong stock info, missed pickups, slow label creation, or poor packing can affect these measures.
Margin Maths: Marketplace Postage vs Your Own Courier Rates
Marketplace postage is convenient, especially if you’re just starting or ship small volumes. But convenience doesn’t always mean it’s the cheapest option for every parcel.
Look at the total cost of each method, including postage, packaging, surcharges, collection fees, and your time. Also think about tracking, delivery reliability, and any tools that save you manual work.
Worked Example on a 1kg Metro Parcel
Imagine your business regularly sends 1kg parcels to customers within the same metropolitan area. The following example illustrates how to compare two hypothetical shipping options; these are not current carrier quotes.
Example: 1kg metro parcel
In this example, using a courier saves $1 per parcel, or $500 for 500 shipments. But if the other option needs more labour, a paid integration, or a collection fee, the actual savings could be less.
When comparing, also consider service eligibility, delivery times, and tracking needs. A cheaper rate isn’t always better if it causes more delivery problems or extra admin work.
Running Both Marketplaces from One Dispatch Workflow
Running Amazon and eBay separately can double your work, especially if both get orders for the same products. Using one dispatch process saves time, keeps things consistent, and makes it easier to track shipping costs.
A good setup begins with one main daily order process:
- Bring orders together: Review new orders from both marketplaces and organise them by dispatch deadline, product and destination.
- Prioritise urgent shipments: Identify orders with shorter handling times or specific delivery commitments.
- Choose the appropriate service: Match parcel dimensions, destination, urgency and marketplace tracking requirements to an eligible courier.
- Generate labels and pack: Batch similar shipments where practical, while checking that every label matches the correct order.
- Upload tracking: Ensure tracking numbers and carrier information reach the correct marketplace order.
- Reconcile dispatch: Check that every order due for dispatch has been collected, lodged or otherwise processed according to its service requirements.
If you ship often, Zappy can help you book couriers and compare rates as part of your process. The goal is to spend less time switching between shipping tasks while still meeting each marketplace’s rules.
FAQs
Can I use my own courier for Amazon Australia orders?
Yes, seller-fulfilled orders can use eligible third-party courier services. Check Amazon's current supported-carrier and tracking requirements before choosing a service.
Do Amazon and eBay require tracking on every parcel?
No, they don’t need a physical tracking number on every order, but requirements will vary between shipments, marketplaces and policies. Tracking is particularly important for eligible Amazon shipments subject to VTR requirements and for eBay orders where tracking supports delivery evidence and seller performance.
Is FBA cheaper than shipping orders myself?
It depends on your product dimensions, sales volume, storage needs, fulfilment fees and negotiated courier rates. Compare the full cost of each approach, not just the delivery charge.
Can I use the same courier for Amazon and eBay?
Yes, but it’s important to consider whether the service meets each marketplace's requirements and your delivery commitments. Check tracking compatibility and service eligibility separately for both platforms.
How to sell on Amazon Australia?
Selling on Amazon Australia is simple. Start by registering for an account and providing your business and payment details. Next, choose a selling plan that fits your goals: the Individual plan for occasional sellers or the Professional plan for those with higher sales volumes.
How to sell on eBay Australia?
To get started, create a user account and verify your identity by uploading a valid ID and confirming your bank details for payouts. Once your account is set up, use the eBay Listing Tool to easily upload high-quality photos, write detailed descriptions, and select shipping options for your products.
Getting your shipping setup right starts with knowing what’s going on. When you understand your marketplace rules, courier costs, and dispatch capacity, you can build a fulfilment process that helps your business grow without losing profit to postage. Zappy can help you compare delivery options and organise your shipping as you expand.