In this article, learn about:
Why peak-season order errors trace back to onboarding speed instead of order volume
Which ASN errors trigger chargebacks and what each means for a new hire
How a smaller seasonal labor pool raises the stakes this year
Seasonal retail hiring is projected to reach about 450,000 jobs this fourth quarter, down 2.5% from 461,500 last year, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas data in Retail Dive. Temporary workforce order accuracy becomes a training question as much as a staffing one.
Whether you run fulfillment in-house or through a 3PL, a seasonal hire may never have seen a retailer's advance ship notice (ASN) timing window. That hire can repeat a mistake that a tenured picker would have stopped making months ago. This article breaks down which ASN errors trigger chargebacks, what a smaller labor pool changes, and what a new-hire EDI checklist should cover.
Related Reading: EDI Structure Explained: Segments, Elements, and Transaction Sets
Why Temporary Workers Put Order Accuracy at Risk
ASN accuracy starts on the warehouse floor. If physical inventory, labels, and shipment documents are inaccurate, the ASN will likely be inaccurate as well. A seasonal hire handles each of those inputs early on in their training.
A single quantity mismatch, missing expiration date, or late ASN can look small alone. Across hundreds or thousands of shipments, those errors become costly. A supplier may report 1,000 units in the ASN while Amazon receives 980, and even an accidental mismatch of that size can trigger a compliance chargeback.
Timing problems often start when warehouse teams log shipments late or manual processes slow ASN generation. A hire who has not been shown those handoffs can repeat the same delay on every shift. Suppliers that rely on manual ASN processes also face higher compliance risk as shipment volumes grow. Suppliers should therefore train new hires on retailer-specific rules before the first live shift.
Related Reading: The Role of ASNs in the Amazon Fulfillment Process
Which ASN Chargebacks Put Peak Season at Risk?
ASN errors can feel unpredictable, but they follow a few clear patterns. ASN-related issues account for approximately 24% of Amazon compliance chargebacks, according to Cleveland Research Company benchmarking.
During peak season, the people packing, labeling, and logging shipments are likely new to the process. Four causes recur on ASN chargebacks, and each one gives you a single point to cover in new-hire orientation.
The table below shows what goes wrong in each case and how to guide the team:
Error Category | What Goes Wrong | Training Point for New Hires |
Unit count mismatch | The ASN quantity differs from the quantity received, such as 1,000 units reported and 980 received | Double-check carton contents during packing and reconcile counts before the ASN goes out |
Late ASN | The ASN misses the retailer's window. Amazon generally expects it within 30 minutes of departure or at least six hours before the appointment | Learn the retailer's window and who signs off on shipments at the dock |
Expiration date errors | The date sits in the warehouse system but reaches the ASN missing or inaccurate | Check that the carton date matches the ASN date |
Labeling and carton errors | The scannable label or carton details do not match the ASN under Amazon's labeling requirements | Scan each label against the ASN before the pallet closes |
Amazon charges a percentage of the cost of the defective products in a shipment, and the percentage depends on the supplier’s compliance rate:
Above 95%: 2%
From 70% to 95%: 4%
Below 70%: 6%
Those percentages apply to late ASNs, missing expiration dates, and scannable labels that do not match the ASN. For example, a late ASN on a shipment with $10,000 of product costs $200 at a 96% compliance rate and $600 at a 65% rate. An expiration date less than 30 days from ASN creation costs far more. It will result in a charge of 100% of the product cost plus $2 per unit, at every compliance rate.
Missing ARN or PRO numbers, incorrect packaging hierarchies, and invalid shipment details are also among common causes, so the four categories above are a starting point rather than a full list.
Related Reading: How Amazon's ASN Chargebacks Are Calculated
What Does the Smaller Seasonal Labor Pool Change?
Seasonal hiring in transportation and warehousing reached 266,500 positions in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Challenger data reported by Chain Store Age. That was down 12% from 2024 and the lowest fourth-quarter total since 2018.
Retail shows the same direction: 2025 was the smallest seasonal gain since 2008, 15% below the 543,100 jobs added in 2024. Challenger adds that retailers began shifting to on-demand staffing models in 2024. Only a handful had publicized 2026 headcount plans as of Oct. 1.
The step to more first-time workers on a given warehouse floor is this article's reasoning, not a reported fact. A smaller pool and a faster-rotating on-demand model suggest fewer returning workers per site and less time to train new arrivals. A missed timing rule can then repeat across shifts until the first chargeback posts.
Suppliers that plan for a thinner pool can then build the steps below into their staffing plan.
Related Reading: Sync Up for Success: Tips To Tackle Peak Season
What Goes on a Warehouse Temp Worker Training Checklist?
Each item ties to a chargeback category above.
Before the First Shift
Before the first shift, a seasonal hire should be able to:
Complete scanner certification and verify a label against the ASN
State the retailer's ASN timing window, such as Amazon's 30 minutes after departure or at least six hours before the appointment
Explain how Walmart and Amazon ASN rules differ on label standards and compliance scoring
Practice creating an ASN on a mock line before the first live shift
During the First Week
During the first week, suppliers should audit new-hire work on a fixed cadence:
Reconcile warehouse counts against ASN quantities on every high-volume shipment
Double-check that expiration dates in the warehouse system appear correctly in the transmitted ASN
Review failed or rejected EDI 856 transmissions each day, since a failed transmission can trigger a late-ASN chargeback even when the shipment data is accurate
Compare errors by shift and by facility to find repeat patterns
When most ASN chargebacks come from one warehouse, the cause can be local processes, which is why the audit compares errors by facility.
Related Reading: How To Prevent Amazon ASN Chargebacks
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly must an ASN reach Amazon?
Amazon generally expects the ASN within 30 minutes of shipment departure or at least six hours before the delivery appointment. A late ASN can result in an on-time non-compliance chargeback even when the shipment contents are accurate. Amazon's on-time shipment expectations have also risen to 95%.
Who owns EDI compliance when seasonal staff come from a 3PL?
The supplier does. A 3PL changes who executes the process, but the compliance commitment stays with the supplier. Suppliers should audit their 3PL providers against the retailer's current ASN requirements. SPS guidance also recommends periodic audits of expiration date procedures across locations and 3PLs, so each site follows the same process.
Do all retailers use the same ASN rules?
No. Walmart scores ASN accuracy chargebacks as a tiered percentage of product cost on a rolling four-week compliance rate and handles corrections largely through EDI 824 feedback, so a checklist should list each retailer window and scoring separately.
Want To Cut the Steps New Hires Can Get Wrong?
Peak season puts enough pressure on suppliers without adding unnecessary manual work. When order volumes climb and seasonal employees are still learning the ropes, automating routine tasks can help teams stay accurate and keep orders moving.
SPS Fulfillment helps suppliers automate EDI document exchange, reducing the time spent entering order information and preparing advance ship notices (ASNs) for different retailers.
For example, Nambé reduced chargebacks from its retail customers by more than 50% after implementing SPS Fulfillment and integrating order processing with its ERP system.
While Nambé's experience wasn't specific to seasonal staffing, the takeaway applies: The less time employees spend on repetitive data entry, the more time they have to focus on keeping orders accurate, shipments on schedule, and customers satisfied.