Container unloading starts at port pickup. The container is trucked from the port to the warehouse, usually within 24–48 hours of customs release. Same-day pickup is possible when the warehouse coordinates pickup timing with port release.
At the warehouse, the container is positioned at a dock door and unloaded manually or with material handling equipment. Cartons are counted, checked against the packing list, and documented. Exceptions are photographed and reported.
After receiving, inventory moves into the prep queue. For FBA, this means FNSKU labeling, poly bagging if required, and carton building. For wholesale B2B, this means pallet staging and commercial invoice preparation.
Total container-to-outbound time at an efficient prep center is 1–3 days for standard prep. Same-day outbound for qualifying work is achievable when the container arrives in the morning with a clear prep spec.