Important note:
Any violation of the following provisions, principles, safety requirements, and product restrictions applicable for shipments by Kaufland e-commerce Fulfillment and all associated companies (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) may result in denial of acceptance by the FBK warehouse. This may result in the goods being sent back, and future deliveries to (FBK) warehouse locations being rejected, or to a fee being charged by the logistics center. Share the shipping provisions with your transportation service or suppliers as well, in order to ensure that they are fully informed of our requirements.
1: Shipment Conditions
The following Terms of delivery shall apply to deliveries completed to all Kaufland e-commerce Fulfillment warehouse locations. They shall be considered accepted at the latest when the goods planned for sale by the distributor leave the location. They shall also apply to all incoming deliveries by the distributor to FBK warehouse locations, without requiring separate express agreement.
Other terms of delivery, ancillary agreements or terms and conditions of the distributor shall apply only if the parties have expressly agreed in writing that they are valid.
Product packaging requirements
1. General provisions
Goods must be delivered using packaging and load carrying equipment so that the delivered goods can be unloaded and stored with normal loads being placed on the packaging and load carrying equipment, including with the use of forklifts/conveyor technology, without negatively impacting the goods themselves or the conveying process. In addition, the distributor is obligated to package the goods in the most economical manner possible, without endangering the capability to transport and store the goods.
The associated GTIN (also called an EAN-13; bar code and numbers) must be placed in a visible location on every sales unit (SU). The dimensions of the bar codes must be between 2.5 x 5.5 cm and 5.5 x 7.6 cm (e.g., 2.5 x 7.6 cm or 5.5 cm x 5.5 cm).
We recommend that all sellers use GTINs that are assigned by GS1. If GTINs are not assigned by GS1, they must at least comply with GS1 standards. If it becomes apparent in the warehouse that this is not the case, costs may be incurred for labelling. If GTINs do not comply with the GS1 standard, please use the label generator within the shipment creation process to avoid additional costs.
The product designation and quantity, as well as the GTIN in numerical format, must be placed in a visible location on every packaging unit (PU). A bar code may be on the PU, however it may not be the same as the bar code for the SU.
PUs must be protected sufficiently from damage/contamination during transportation and processing in the FBK warehouse.
Examples of PUs with suitable characteristics conform to the following quality standards:
- RSC (Regular Slotted Carton)
- B flute cardboard
- 32-ECT (edge crush resistance test according to DIN EN ISO 3037)
- 200 BH (burst strength)
PUs, in contrast, may not:
- Be packaged or wrapped in stretch film
- Be wrapped in tape, since this will result in them not being recyclable
- Be closed using metal clamps. Individual edges may be closed with clamps, as long as the two largest sides of the box can easily be opened using a safety cutter
- Be fitted with plastic edge protection
- Be made of wood or metal
- Be secured or bundled with plastic straps or tape
Note: If the PU is an SU, then the above principles apply to the SU.
- Economical product packaging that protects against damage and contamination
- GTIN on each SU (dimensions between 2.5 x 5.5 cm and 5.5 x 7.6 cm)
- No third-party advertisements on product packaging
- Characteristics of PU conform to the above quality standards
2. Packaging dimension specifications for parcel delivery
To ensure that your products are sent via parcel with FBK to your customer, the following requirements must be met:
An SU must fit into the boxes indicated in table 1 and weigh a maximum of 29 kg, or be classified as an SU that is ready for shipment. Products that are delivered in their final shipping box, which is suitable for delivery to the final customer, are designated as SIOC (Ship In Own Container). The limit for SIPC products is 120 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm, with a maximum weight of 31.5 kg.
Outer packaging may exceed these dimensions, however in this case it must be palletized as described in section 2.2.2.
If your products exceed the dimensions, the Fulfilment by Kaufland team will initiate a bulky or hauler delivery service to deliver the products to your customers. You can find more information and the corresponding fees for this service at the following link. Currently, this service is only offered for oversized products at our fulfilment centre in Bönen (Germany).
Table 1: Dimensions of FBK shipping boxes
Box | Length (mm) | Width (mm) | Height (mm) |
2 | 217 | 308 | 102 |
3 | 305 | 400 | 306 |
4 | 355 | 450 | 125 |
5 | 480 | 385 | 340 |
6 | 295 | 400 | 600 |
7 | 600 | 505 | 305 |
8 | 650 | 450 | 580 |
9 | 595 | 800 | 585 |
10 | 360 | 350 | 1170 |
Warning!
The principles governing box dimensions (weights and measurements) will be strictly controlled in incoming goods. If boxes that are too large or heavy enter the FBK warehouse, this may result in your future shipments being denied, or you may incur additional costs. If problems occur repeatedly, FBK service may no longer be available to you.
- SU must be ready to ship (SIOC) or fit into one of our shipping boxes, as well as weigh less than 29 kg
- Limit for SIOC products: 120 x 60 x 60 cm; 31.5 kg
- Pus that exceed these dimensions must be palletized
3. Conditions for ready-to-ship products (SIOC)
SIOC products are sent to our warehouse in product packaging which can be used to send the product directly to the customer without further packaging being required.
In addition to the generally applicable packaging principles for product packaging (section 1), the following conditions must be fulfilled before a product can be classified as SIOC and fall under the relevant fulfillment fee regulation.
- The dimensions of the product, incl. ready-to-ship packaging, must meet at least the “Standard” product size (37 x 36 x 53 cm).
- The product packaging must be six-sided.
- The product packaging may not contain any images nor indicate that the package is high-value, to minimize the risk of theft. The sales price may not be listed on the packaging.
- The product packaging must be reliably closed, so that it does not open during transportation and so that the product is not damaged.
- The product packaging must be able to withstand moderate pressure on all sides without deforming. It must be ensured that the package is not crushed by the pressure applied to it through contact with other packages (<=31.5 KG) during transportation by a package service provider.
- The box must withstand a fall test from a height of approx. 120 cm. The box must withstand at least one fall on each side and on a corner without opening.
- The outer packaging must be made of cardboard, and may not be packaged in other materials (such as foil/plastic bags, straps, etc.). Straps are permitted if they are taped over.
- The packaging may have no movable or loose parts that could damage the product or pierce the box from the inside.
- Carrying openings and holes in the packaging may not provide any view of or access to the package contents (these must be sealed with transparent tape if necessary.
- Breakable products cannot be classified as ready to ship (such as glasses, vases, (sun)glasses).
- Products containing liquids cannot be classified as ready to ship.
Warning!
Observe the note when shipping SIOC products to the Fulfillment Center via parcel post.
If the above conditions are fulfilled, then generally there will be no reason the product cannot be classified as SIOC. Please note that the final assessment of whether the product can be shipped in its own container will be completed during the incoming goods process.
To avoid rejection of SIOC classification by our warehouse, please check the product packaging carefully and/or contact your shipping warehouse. By doing so, you will avoid an unexpected increase in the fulfillment fee. Please note that you will receive no separate notification of the final selected shipping method.
Warning!
Evaluations of our customer returns show: Items that we send to customers in secondary packaging are more likely to be in a condition to be sold once again as A-level goods than SIOC items if they are returned.
- Product incl. shipping packaging >= 37 x 36 x 53 cm
- Six-sided packaging without indication of the value of the product (such as image/price)
- Packaging must pass both a pressure and fall test
- No loose parts in the box that could damage the packaging/product
- Openings may not permit access to the product (tape over if necessary)
- No breakable or liquid products
- SIOC boxes must be free of shipment bar codes!
Shipping and transportation regulations
1. Fill material
By using suitable packaging materials, you ensure that your shipment can pass through goods receiving in the FBK warehouse quickly and that our incoming goods employees are protected against potential hazards.
The following materials may be used:
- Sheets of paper
- Blow-up air cushions
- Bubble wrap
- PE foam panels
The following materials may not be used:
- Any kind of fill chips (for instance made of biodegradable material or cornstarch)
- Foam strips
- Crinkle film
- Shredded paper
- Styrofoam or Styrofoam chips
Delivery process
1. Delivery note
Unloading without a delivery note is not permitted.
A delivery note that has been modified or independently created and that contains goods from different FBK shipments cannot be accepted. Only the delivery note provided by the FBK Seller Portal will be accepted (see Annex 1.3.).
Do not use an inkjet printer to print the delivery note/accompanying documents, since the printed information may not be able to be scanned/read if the ink is wiped off or runs.
- No deliveries without delivery note
- Only delivery notes from the FBK Portal will be accepted
2. FBK Delivery Note