Shipping from China to Amazon FBA: Rules, Options and Pitfalls

Shipping to an Amazon fulfillment center is not like shipping to your own warehouse. Amazon will not clear customs for you, will refuse freight that arrives with charges due, and rejects or fines cartons that break its size, weight or labeling rules. This guide covers the US marketplace: what Amazon requires, who has to be the importer, the main ways to get goods from a Chinese factory into FBA, and the mistakes that most often get shipments refused.

Importer of record: Amazon will not do it#

Someone other than Amazon must be the importer of record (IOR) on your US customs entry. Amazon's "Delivering imports to Amazon" page says it will not act as IOR for any FBA shipment, regardless of size, value, origin or product, and that leaving the field blank can get the shipment refused and returned.

The IOR is legally responsible for three things: making sure the goods comply with US law, filing the entry with its supporting documents, and paying duties, taxes and fees. A customs bond may also be required. CBP stresses that even when you use a licensed customs broker, the importer of record remains responsible for the accuracy of the entry and for all duties owed.

Your options for the IOR role:

1. You, as a US business, with a customs broker filing on your behalf.
2. You, as a non-resident importer if your company is outside the US; Amazon notes this is possible and directs you to a broker or carrier for setup.
3. A forwarder offering DDP service, which imports in its own name or arranges the IOR for you. Confirm exactly whose name is on the entry.

Two more Amazon rules matter here. All shipments must be on Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) terms, and anything arriving at a fulfillment center with collect charges, whether duties, taxes or freight, is refused. Amazon may be listed as the ultimate consignee, but only with "c/o FBA" alongside the Amazon entity name.

The IOR also needs the right tariff classification for every product; see how to find your HS code.

Carton requirements#

Amazon's US shipping and routing requirements set hard limits on every box, and oversize or overweight boxes can lead to future shipments being blocked. Brief your supplier on these before production packing, not after.

Labels must not sit on a box seam, should be placed at least 1.25 inches from an edge where possible, and must never be photocopied or reused, because each one is unique. If your supplier reuses cartons, old labels and barcodes must be removed or covered.

Each sellable unit also needs a scannable barcode. Where you use Amazon's FNSKU labels, every distinct product, including each size, color and condition, needs its own FNSKU. For product packaging choices that make this easier, see custom packaging from China.

Pallet and container rules#

Larger shipments that arrive by truck (LTL or FTL) or as a full ocean container delivered to the fulfillment center have extra rules. Amazon's seller requirements for LTL, FTL and FCL deliveries include:

• Pallets: 40 × 48 inch, four-way access wooden pallets in good condition, GMA Standard Grade B or better. No weak pallets such as plastic, cardboard or particle board.
• Weight and height: no more than 1,500 lb per pallet and no higher than 72 inches including the pallet, unless a single unit is taller.
• One shipment ID per pallet, with multiple ASINs physically separated.
• Stretch wrap holding the load, with a "Do not break stretch wrap" note, and FBA pallet labels on all four sides outside the wrap.
• Container loading: leave at least 6 inches between the top of the stack and the container roof so a forklift can unload.
• Shipment size: a single LTL shipment cannot exceed 5,000 boxes.

Every truck delivery also needs a delivery appointment booked in advance by the carrier. Freight without an appointment is refused. If you are deciding between shared and full containers for FBA stock, LCL vs FCL walks through the break-even.

Your shipping options#

There are three common routes from a Chinese factory into FBA. They differ mainly in who handles customs and who checks your cartons before Amazon does.

AGL ships from mainland China, Hong Kong and Vietnam into fulfillment networks in the US, UK, EU and Japan, and also to Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) in the US. It offers Standard Ocean and Fast Ocean services on FCL and LCL, plus air freight that Amazon says reaches its network within 7–10 days.

A forwarder with DDP to FBA is the most common choice for smaller sellers, because one company handles everything. The trade-off is transparency: under DDP the forwarder controls the customs entry, so ask for a copy of the entry summary and confirm the declared values. The EXW vs FOB vs DDP guide explains the risks.

A prep center makes sense when your supplier cannot be trusted to label and pack exactly to Amazon's rules, or when you want to split one import into several FBA shipments. An inspection in China before shipping catches many carton problems earlier and more cheaply; see the pre-shipment inspection checklist.

Common reasons shipments are refused#

Amazon lists several reasons a fulfillment center can refuse inventory, and refused freight is returned at your expense. Most can be prevented at the factory.

1. Freight larger than expected. The shipment does not match what you declared in the shipment plan.
2. Missing or bad labels. No FBA box ID label, reused or photocopied labels, or labels that cannot be scanned.
3. Policy violations. Oversize or overweight boxes, prohibited packing material, or restricted products.
4. Damaged cargo. Crushed cartons or units that arrive unsellable.
5. Wrong destination. Cartons delivered to a fulfillment center other than the one assigned.
6. No delivery appointment. The carrier did not book the dock appointment in advance.
7. Charges due on arrival. Any collect freight, duty or tax charge.
8. Import problems. Amazon listed as importer of record, or missing permits for regulated products. Amazon names agricultural products, food, supplements, medical devices and hazardous goods among items that commonly need extra authorizations.

A final check before your goods leave China should confirm carton sizes and weights, box labels, unit barcodes and the IOR details on the shipping documents. It costs far less to fix a carton in Ningbo than at an Amazon dock.