When you start selling on Amazon India, one of the first logistics-related decisions you’ll face is choosing your order fulfillment method.

Apart from FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon), two popular options are:

✅ Easy Ship
✅ Self Ship

Both methods come with their own set of advantages and limitations, and choosing the right one can make a huge difference in delivery speed, cost, customer satisfaction, and returns management.

📦 What is Easy Ship?

Easy Ship is Amazon’s shipping service for sellers who want to store inventory at their own location but want Amazon to handle pickup and delivery.

🔧 How It Works:

• You pack the order at your premises.
• Amazon logistics picks it up from your address.
• Amazon delivers it to the customer and handles basic customer support.

✅ Benefits of Easy Ship:

• No Need for Own Courier Tie-ups: Amazon takes care of the delivery.
• Cash on Delivery (COD): Amazon collects COD payments for you.
• Wider Reach: Leverages Amazon’s large logistics network across India.
• Amazon-Labeled Experience: Your customers get tracking, delivery support, and branded service.

❌ Disadvantages of Easy Ship:

• Higher Shipping Charges: Usually costlier than Self Ship, especially for remote areas.
• Fixed Pickup Timings: You need to follow Amazon’s schedule for pickups.
• Returns Handling Can Be Slow: Amazon handles returns but refunds may take time.

🚚 What is Self Ship?

Self Ship is a fulfillment method where you (the seller) are responsible for shipping the order to the customer using your own courier service or India Post.

🔧 How It Works:

• You receive an order on Seller Central.
• You arrange shipping through any courier of your choice.
• You upload tracking details manually.

✅ Benefits of Self Ship:

• More Control Over Courier Choice: Useful if you have local courier tie-ups or bulk rates.
• Cost-Effective for Local Deliveries: Ideal for sellers operating in specific zones.
• Custom Branding: Option to include your own packaging, promotional material, or inserts.

❌ Disadvantages of Self Ship:

• No Amazon Logistics Support: Entire responsibility is on you—from shipping to delivery to returns.
• No Cash on Delivery (COD): Only prepaid orders are generally feasible unless you have COD enabled with your courier.
• No Prime Badge: You miss out on visibility and trust that Amazon Prime brings.
• Risk of Account Penalties: Delays, lost packages, or wrong tracking info can hurt your seller rating.

🤔 Easy Ship vs Self Ship: Side-by-Side Comparison

🧠 When Should You Use Easy Ship?

Choose Easy Ship if:

• You are just starting out.
• You don’t have a courier tie-up.
• You want Amazon to manage COD and basic logistics.
• You want access to Prime-like customer experience.

🔄 When Should You Use Self Ship?

Choose Self Ship if:

• You already have logistics partnerships.
• You want to reduce shipping cost in hyperlocal or bulk shipments.
• You sell items that need custom packaging or branding.
• You’re experienced and can handle tracking + returns smoothly.

🏁 Final Verdict: Easy Ship or Self Ship?

Both methods are useful—but serve different types of sellers.

• Easy Ship is great for convenience, Amazon backing, and COD reach.
• Self Ship offers flexibility, cost savings, and custom control.

Many experienced Indian sellers use a hybrid model—Easy Ship for nationwide orders and Self Ship for local deliveries or special B2B orders.

💼 Need Help Choosing the Right Fulfillment Strategy?

At bizconsulting.io, we help Indian sellers:

• Compare and set up fulfillment models
• Optimize shipping costs and delivery timelines
• Integrate courier APIs for Self Ship
• Apply for Amazon Easy Ship and handle onboarding

📩 Get in touch today to streamline your Amazon operations and boost your profits.