You may have tried to ship directly to Amazon FBA repeatedly for your business, especially since you can still manufacture your products. However, if you are looking into growing your business, you need a bigger manufacturer to produce your products. Among the first ideas that come into your mind is looking for a Chinese manufacturer. Many sellers, not only on Amazon, find this solution quick and effective in satisfying their goods' increased demands.
Hence, the questions you have now are “Can I ship directly from Alibaba to Amazon FBA?” or “Can you ship directly to Amazon FBA?” The answer is, “Yes!” We’ll discuss with you in detail how and the other information you need to know before you finally ship directly to Amazon FBA from China. However, there are pros and cons that you need to consider before deciding, so proceed with caution.
What is Amazon FBA?
First, let’s have a quick review of Amazon FBA or Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).
Amazon FBA is the platform’s fulfillment method. It allows sellers who are enrolled in it to delegate orders to customers to Amazon. All you need to do is ship your inventory to Amazon warehouses in Canada if you sell locally or export the goods to the US for foreign clients.
With the fulfillment service comes all other benefits of Amazon FBA like 24/7 customer service, handling returns processes, and repackaging of returns. Even packing the items you sent to ensure they abide by the Amazon packing and preparation guidelines.
Almost 66% of all Amazon sellers use FBA as it does not only offer convenience but with it is a reputation of reliability because of Amazon PRIME. Buyers also love Amazon FBA because of the free shipping offers.
If you are growing your business, it is expected to still look into using Amazon FBA as a method to send your products to your users. Now that you know that shipping directly to Amazon from Chinese manufacturers is possible let us know how it works.
How to ship directly to Amazon FBA?
There are different ways to ship directly to Amazon FBA from China. You can do it through a partner freight forwarder, or manufacturers can ship it straight to Amazon FBA. Besides, manufacturers can send the items to you, or manufacturers can send the goods to a third-party logistics (3PL) company. Each option has advantages and disadvantages.
Partner Freight Forwarder
When shipping directly to Amazon FBA from China, a freight forwarder should be on top of your options. It is one of the most reliable methods. You may choose to include in the manufacturing cost the delivery of your products to the freight forwarder.
On the other hand, you may also look for a freight forwarder company. They will be the ones to pick up your products from the manufacturer and ship them either straight to Amazon warehouses or unload them to a freight station first before going to their storage destination. The former will occur if your shipment exceeds 18 cubic meters of measurement. The latter if your packages measure less than 18 cubic meters. For freight forwarding, you have the choice to send by ship or by plane.
Manufacturers to Ship Directly to Amazon
Skip the search for a freight forwarding company. Let your manufacturer create your products, pack them according to Amazon FBA guidelines, and ship them directly to Amazon FBA as well. This method works if the trust relationship you have with your manufacturer is already established. When manufacturers discover that their clients sell on Amazon, they may think of selling the same items as well at a lower price. There may also be a possibility of producing the articles for other sellers to compete with the business you built on Amazon.
In this type of method, the question “Can I ship directly from Alibaba to Amazon FBA?” can also be answered. There are small to medium manufacturers on Alibaba, which you can partner with in producing the products you will sell on Amazon. This situation gives the same advantage of shortened shipment time but the same challenge. Suppose you haven’t built a partnership trust with an Alibaba manufacturer yet. In that case, this may not be the best option for you for bulk production. You may try a smaller number of items and progress as your trust with the manufacturer builds.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
Although you cannot ship directly to Amazon FBA with this method, shipping through a 3PL has several advantages. Primarily, you will have the chance to check and have some quality assurance on the items manufactured before being sent to Amazon. With this step taken, a domino of positive effects will follow.
First, the risk of sending defective products to Amazon will drop. As a result, only perfect items will reach your customers. Hence, negative reviews, low ratings, and product returns would be lesser. These events will all contribute to a higher ranking listing and, eventually, more sales.
Products from China sent to you
Finally, you may also opt for the manufacturer to send the products to you. Do you have enough storage space or a warehouse of your own? Then, shipping items from China to you will be a great choice. With this, you can be more hands-on in quality checking and packing. This instance is beneficial for businesses still making a name on Amazon. Every product and customer count. You cannot risk sending a defective item out and getting a bad reputation after.
Summary
When shipping directly to Amazon FBA from China, building trust between you and your manufacturer is essential as they will be the ones creating what you sell. Reconsidering this option" and "opting to ship to you first for quality inspection, delivery reliability, etc." is recommended. They will also pack the items for Amazon FBA. Consequently, if you choose to have a freight forwarding service, you should decide whether they will just be transporting your products from China to the US. They will be in charge of packing the items for you too.
Suppose you are still uncomfortable not seeing the products. In that case, you will sell before they do to Amazon warehouses. Choose 3PL or receive the items yourself. You will be at peace that before your items are taken to the warehouse, they are all in perfect condition.
However, shipping directly from China may not be the best idea due to unreliable delivery times and quality insurance. Therefore, shipping to Canada first for your inspection or 3PL inspection is recommended. If you are looking for a reliable shipping company you can partner with in sending your items from Canada to the US, choose Stallion Amazon FBA.
We are experienced in the field of Amazon FBA. We’ll handle all the US Customs and Borders Protection steps your packages need to go through. You may also integrate your Amazon store into our system for convenient shipping.
You can call us at 877-863-7477 for inquiries. You may also visit our website to know more.