⚠️ Note: 

All existing shipment notices (as of Aug 7 2024) will remain under the "Inventory Orders" section. The new process described below will apply only to shipment notices created from this point forward.

Overview

Customer Shipment Notices allow customers to purchase and ship inventory from third parties to be stored at Firstbase’s global facilities. This differs from Inventory Orders, which are created when customers purchase equipment directly from Firstbase.

 

Customer Shipment Notices are completed in a 3-step process: 

1. 1. Generate Shipping Label. Prepare the shipment for the appropriate Firstbase Warehouse using our shipping label format. Note that if the label format is not followed, your parcel may be subject to delays and additional handling fees (see FAQ at the bottom of the article).
      
   2. Submit Shipment Notice. Create the shipment notice in the Firstbase platform using the tracking number(s) provided by your courier. This is crucial! If parcels are delivered to the warehouse before you create the shipment notice, they may be returned to sender, or be subject to delays and additional handling fees.
   3. Track & Receive. Track your shipment from origin to delivery to our facilities. Once we receive your parcel, and can match the shipping label with the corresponding shipment notice in our platform, your items will be inventoried within our standard processing times and made available for ordering on the Firstbase platform.

👉 Note: Our global facilities cannot complete customer shipments without a tracking code entered in the platform. Parcels that arrive without an associated tracking code are placed in quarantine upon arrival. If your Shipment Notice contains incomplete or inaccurate information, you can update it on the platform at any time. Once an accurate tracking code is provided, we will locate and release your parcel from quarantine to start the receiving process. Please note that quarantine removals are not performed daily and do not follow our standard processing times.

How It Works

1. Open the Firstbase app and go to the Shipment Notices page. Click on “New shipment notice” located in the top right corner of your screen.

2. On the Initiate Shipment Notice page, choose "Direct from Supplier" if your shipment consists of all new equipment in its original OEM packaging from a third party supplier. We will request a PO Number as a secondary reference to match with your parcel (the tracking code is the primary reference). If your shipment is from an office or third-party storage location, select "From Office Inventory". In this case, you'll need to indicate the equipment's condition (New or Used), but a PO Number is not required. Then, click Continue. 

3. On the Submit Shipment Notice page, select the Warehouse that you are shipping to, and the required shipping label format will display in the upper right of your screen under "Labeling instructions". 

 

Shipping Label Formats

 

👉 Note: A complete list of our warehouse addresses and required shipping label formats can be found in our help desk here, and are described below. 

 

Direct From Supplier 

 

For shipments from suppliers, enter the associated PO Number in addition to your warehouse selection. 

The labeling instructions will populate in the upper right of the screen. Your shipping label must follow the format below: 

Telephone Contact: +49 172 1729484

Email Notify : Shipment.Notice@Firstbase.com 

Please review the address label formats with your supplier pre-shipment to ensure that Ship To Name, Customer Name, and PO Number are visible on the physical label placed on the outer shipping box. Incorrectly labeled parcels are subject to delays and additional handling fees.

 

From Office Inventory

 

For shipments from office inventory, enter the condition (new or used) in addition to your warehouse selection. 

 

👉 Note: New and used inventory cannot be included in the same shipment notice. Instead, create two separate shipment notices, one for the used equipment and one for new. Each parcel should be packed and labeled separately with the correct workflow code.

 

The labeling instructions will populate in the upper right of the screen. Your shipping label must follow the format below: : 

Telephone Contact: +49 172 1729484

Email Notify : Shipment.Notice@Firstbase.com 

INS = New (in original OEM packaging)

I1U = Used 

👉 Note: For QC reasons, we cannot process equipment as “new” in our system if the seal has been broken on the original packaging (even if the equipment has not been used). Equipment not in its sealed original packaging will be processed as “used” and undergo our grading, diagnostics, cleaning, data wiping, OS systems restore, and repack process. 

Please review the address label formats below with your shipping team to ensure that Ship To Name, Customer Name, and Workflow Code are visible on the physical label placed on the outer shipping box. Incorrectly labeled parcels are subject to delays and additional handling fees.

 

5. Add the Shipment details including carrier, tracking code, products, and quantities of the equipment you’re shipping us. Select "Add product" if you are shipping multiple SKUs in the same parcel. Select "Add another shipment" at the bottom of the screen if sending us multiple parcels with unique tracking codes. If you don't see your courier in the dropdown, select "Other".

👉 Note: If you can’t find the products that you’re looking for in the dropdown, you will need to add them to your catalog before proceeding. Please contact your CSM to add additional products to your catalog if you are not able to find what you are looking for in the dropdown menu. 

 

6. Review & Confirm all details. Your shipment notice has now been submitted! You can track the status of your shipment in the Shipment Notices page. 

👉 Note:

LTL shipments (~150 lb +) require appointments 48 hours in advance at all locations globally. In order to avoid additional costs and delays, please instruct your shipping partner to schedule appointments via phone or email with the contact info provided for each warehouse.

Courier appointments are not required for parcel service (UPS, DHL, FedEx, TNT, etc) at our facilities in the US, UK, EU, or Canada. However, appointments are required 48 hours in advance at all other locations, regardless of parcel size.

 

FAQ

What can I ship to Firstbase?

Depending on location, you can ship laptops, desktops, tablets, phones, monitors, and IT peripherals. Not all categories are supported in each region. A complete overview of supported categories in each region can be found here. We do not accept furniture or used IT peripherals in any of our locations at this time. 

How much can I ship to Firstbase?

For larger shipments containing more than 1 pallet (~50+ devices) please contact your CSM before scheduling the shipment. We may need to make additional arrangements, and/or require a more detailed packing list, to prepare for unloading and stocking at the warehouse. 

Where is this service available?

This service is currently available in the US, UK, EU, and Canada. Based on an understanding of your use case, we may consider exceptions to support customer shipments in other regions. Please contact your CSM if you want to explore customer shipments in other regions. 

How long does it take to process my shipment and add the equipment to my inventory? 

Our Service Level Objectives (SLOs) vary depending on whether the equipment is New or Used: 

• I1U: Used equipment = 14 business days in the US, UK, and EU from the date of arrival to the warehouse. Other regions may take up to 30 business days. 
• INS: New, unopened equipment (still in original packaging) = 2 business days in the US, UK, and EU. Other regions may take up to 5 business days. 

These SLOs generally apply for shipments up to 50 devices. Larger quantities can take longer. Please contact your CSM to get an accurate quote / timeline for larger shipments. 

👉 Note that if the shipment contains errors (e.g. incorrect quantities or product details, labeling instructions not followed, or the PO number or customer name aren’t visible on the parcel), it will be quarantined until we can identify the parcel. This will delay processing times. Please ensure the shipment instructions are followed in order to avoid delays.

Is there an extra cost for this service?

New equipment in original packaging does not incur a fee. For used equipment, please refer to your order form for your contracted rates ("Equipment Intake Fee"). 

👉 Note that if the shipment contains errors it may incur additional handling fees.  Please ensure the shipment instructions are followed in order to avoid additional charges. Our ad-hoc warehouse labor charges are shown below for reference: