When shipping inventory to Amazon FBA, sellers commonly use three shipping methods:
SPD → Small Parcel Delivery
LTL → Less Than Truckload
FTL → Full Truckload
Each method is designed for different shipment sizes and business needs.
📦 What is SPD?
SPD stands for:
Small Parcel Delivery
With SPD:
Individual boxes are shipped separately
Carriers like UPS or FedEx are commonly used
Each box gets its own shipping label
👉 Best for smaller shipments.
🚚 What is LTL?
LTL stands for:
Less Than Truckload
With LTL:
Inventory is shipped on pallets
Multiple sellers may share space on the same truck
Freight carriers handle the shipment
👉 Best for medium-to-large shipments.
🚛 What is FTL?
FTL stands for:
Full Truckload
With FTL:
One seller uses the entire truck
Large quantities of inventory are shipped together
Usually used by high-volume sellers or warehouses
👉 Best for very large shipments.
📊 Main Differences
Feature | SPD | LTL | FTL |
Full Name | Small Parcel Delivery | Less Than Truckload | Full Truckload |
Shipment Type | Individual boxes | Pallet freight | Entire truck |
Common Carriers | UPS/FedEx | Freight companies | Freight companies |
Best For | Small shipments | Medium-large shipments | Very large shipments |
Uses Pallets | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Shares Truck Space | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Lower Volume Needed | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Moderate | ❌ High volume |
💡 When Sellers Usually Use Each
✅ SPD
Best for:
Small sellers
Book/media shipments
Small batches
Fewer boxes
✅ LTL
Best for:
Larger inventory quantities
Multiple pallets
Lower freight costs on medium-sized shipments
✅ FTL
Best for:
Warehouse-scale inventory
High-volume sellers
Large pallet shipments filling most of a truck
⚠️ Important Notes
SPD
Requires:
Box dimensions
Individual shipping labels
Accurate box weights
LTL & FTL
Usually require:
Pallets
Freight appointments
Pallet labels
Freight carriers
🔄 How It Works in AccelerList
Within AccelerList:
SPD, LTL, and FTL shipment workflows are based on Amazon’s shipment setup process
Users enter:
Box details
Pallet information
Carrier data
depending on the shipment type selected.
✅ Summary
SPD = individual parcel shipments
LTL = pallet shipments sharing truck space
FTL = entire truck dedicated to one shipment
The best option depends on shipment size, inventory volume, and shipping needs.