This is probably one of the most common questions I hear nowadays: how do I shipping to Amazon FBA from China to USA?
While it’s not terribly difficult to ship products to Amazon FBA from China to USA, it’s also slightly more complicated than requiring your supplier to put a UPS label on the product and send it to a single Amazon warehouse.
In this article, I will discuss the different ways to send products to an Amazon FBA fulfillment center.
Choose the Best Shipping Method for Amazon FBA from China to USA
When you ship from China to an Amazon FBA warehouse in the US, choosing the most efficient and cost-effective shipping method is critical. It depends on several factors, from the weight and volume of your shipments to how long you need them to arrive.
Sea Freight
Amazon FBA from China to USA by Sea Freight
For shipments with a volume of at least 2 cubic meters or a weight of 400 kg or more, sea or ocean shipping is the most suitable mode of transportation. While ocean shipping is the cheapest method of shipping, it also takes the longest to deliver the goods, up to a month in some cases.
Therefore, ocean freight is not suitable for high turnover inventory or urgent orders.
There are two options for ocean shipping, depending on the dimensional weight of your inventory. These are less than container load (LCL) and full container load (FCL). Although LCL is more expensive than FCL, it is more suitable for cargo volume less than 14 m³.
Air Freight
Amazon FBA from China to USA byAir Freight
When your shipment weighs more than 200kg and is more than 2 cubic meters in volume, please consider using air shipping to Amazon FBA warehouse. Air freight is more expensive than sea freight. However, it also greatly reduces shipping time. It is also cheaper than air express.
You can check with your freight forwarding company whether the goods you need to transport can be shipped by air.
Air freight is subject to more shipping restrictions than ocean freight. Toxic, flammable and corrosive products are prohibited. For example, you cannot ship lithium batteries or aerosol cans by air.
Express Delivery
Amazon FBA from China to USA by express delivery
If your shipment is 1 cubic meter or less in volume and 200 kg or less in weight, express delivery is a good option. For express shipping, billable weight is either dimensional or gross.
Air express is the fastest way to ship goods from China to Amazon FBA warehouse. However, it is also the most expensive.
There are three ways to Amazon FBA from China to USA：
● Shipping directly to Amazon FBA from China to USA
Some sellers have their Chinese suppliers ship goods to Amazon FBA warehouses in the United States. Shipping directly from China is simple, fast, and inexpensive. Unfortunately, you have no control over the quality of the goods received, including whether they are defective.
If you ship your products to FBA warehouses, you can’t inspect the goods to determine whether they are compliant with Amazon’s packaging and labeling requirements. This can prove costly, potentially leading to the loss of your FBA eligibility.
● Shipping to your home or place of business
Having your supplier ship to your home or company increases shipping costs and delivery times. However, it also allows you to physically inspect your goods yourself, ensuring the defect rate is kept to a minimum.
You can personally verify the goods meet the required quality standards and that FBA shipping labels are correctly applied.
However, this may not be the best option if you have limited storage space.
● Shipping to a third party
The third option allows you to ship your goods to a third party for inspection and proper labeling, if necessary. This business may be located in China or the United States and acts as an intermediary.
Although more expensive than either of the other options, shipping to a third party reduces your risk while also allowing you to focus on the other parts of your business. You can expect to pay higher labor costs in the U.S. than in China.
Packaging Requirements for Amazon FBA from China to USA.
1.Carton
The box you use must have six sides and an opening or lid that stays closed. If necessary, you can glue, tape, or secure the opening to keep it closed. The box should also be durable and not collapse to the sides under moderate pressure. Also, if you want to use a perforated box, you need to pass a drop test. This will determine whether your product should be placed in a plastic bag.
2.Plastic bag
For some products, you may need to use a plastic bag. When using plastic bags with an opening of 5 inches or larger, Amazon’s guidelines require you to place a clear choking warning label on the bag, unless the warning has been printed directly on the bag.
Warnings aside, plastic bags must be clear, have a barcode (X00/ASIN) scannable through the bag or outside, and be fully sealed.
If you’re shipping adult products in plastic bags, you’ll need to use a black or opaque bag to hide its contents. Plastic bags must also be completely sealed.
Why and How to find a freight forwarder for Amazon FBA from China to USA?
Solution 1: Find your own Amazon freight forwarder.
If you need to ship shipping to Amazon FBA from China to USA, you must find a good FBA shipping agent to work with.
Because a shipping agent can always give you a shipping quote for any Amazon warehouse address. So you can calculate the cost of your product in a very short time, which is very necessary.
If you are buying products from China, it is recommended that you cooperate with a shipping agent in China, which will be faster and save time, and the shipping fee will be cheaper than the shipping agent in your country. The cost of middlemen can be saved.
In this case, you need to inform the China freight forwarder of the delivery conditions of the product: FOB price or EX-Works. A freight forwarder can provide you with accurate shipping rates from China to Amazon FBA.
Solution 2: Have your supplier help you ship to Amazon FBA from China to USA.
If your supplier has experience shipping to Amazon warehouses at the time of purchase, you need to confirm. If your supplier doesn’t have any experience, you must consider looking for a China shipping agent to help you to amazon fba.
If your supplier has experience with Amazon FBA delivery, you need to determine several very important issues with your supplier, such as whether the delivery includes customs clearance, customs duties, whether customs clearance is completed to the Amazon warehouse address…. and many more
Tips: So customs clearance ability is very important. Once there is a problem with customs clearance, your shipment may be held by customs.
In short, a good Amzon FBA freight forwarder can help you solve most problems about Amazon FBA from China to USA.
