How to ship stock from China to Amazon FBA in the UK

The short answer: book your goods from the factory to a UK port or airport with a freight forwarder, clear UK customs in your own name (with your EORI number), then deliver to the Amazon fulfilment centre on your shipment plan, with every carton labelled. Sea freight is the cheapest for most sellers, air is for stock you need within about two weeks, and express couriers suit small, urgent top-ups.

1. Choose how the goods travel

Times include collection, customs and delivery and vary with the season; Chinese New Year and the run-up to Christmas add delays. Not sure which pays off? Read air vs sea freight, LCL or FCL, or put your cartons into our freight rate comparison.

2. Agree the Incoterm with your supplier

The Incoterm on your order says where the factory's job ends. With EXW you pay for everything from the factory gate; with FOB the factory pays to get the goods onto the ship in China and you pay from there. For a first order, FOB is the usual middle ground. DDP quotes that include "everything to Amazon" look simple, but check who is named as importer: you need the customs entry and the import VAT certificate in your own business name to reclaim VAT. More in Incoterms explained.

3. Get your UK import basics in place

• An EORI number starting with GB, in your business's name. Without it goods cannot clear customs.
• The commodity code for each product. It sets the duty rate. Look it up in the UK tariff or ask your forwarder to check it.
• VAT registration, if you have it, so you can use postponed VAT accounting and not pay 20% import VAT up front.

Step-by-step detail is in how to import from China to the UK.

4. Prepare the cartons the way Amazon UK wants them

• Keep standard cartons to 23 kg or less and no side longer than about 63.5 cm, unless the product itself is bigger. Heavy cartons need heavy-package labels.
• Every unit needs a scannable barcode (FNSKU label, unless your product is set up to use the manufacturer's barcode).
• Every carton needs its FBA box label from the shipment plan, on a side, not over a seam.
• Ask the factory to label units and cartons before collection. Relabelling in the UK costs more than doing it at source.

Amazon changes its inbound rules from time to time, so check the current requirements in Seller Central before you book.

5. Book the delivery into Amazon

Small shipments can go to the fulfilment centre on your shipment plan as loose cartons by parcel courier. Larger ones go on pallets or in the container with a haulier, and these need a delivery appointment at the fulfilment centre, which your forwarder or haulier books once the goods have cleared customs.

6. Pay duty and VAT, then keep the paperwork

Duty is a percentage of the value of the goods plus shipping to the UK, at the rate for the commodity code. Import VAT is usually 20% of the value plus duty and shipping. If you are VAT registered you can account for it on your VAT return with postponed VAT accounting. Keep the commercial invoice, packing list, customs entry and VAT statements.

A realistic timeline for a first sea shipment

1. Week 1: confirm goods ready, Incoterm and forwarder quotes.
2. Week 2: collection in China, export clearance, loading.
3. Weeks 3 to 7: at sea.
4. Week 7 to 8: UK customs, delivery appointment, received into stock.

Order early for peak season: Amazon fulfilment centres book up and check-in slows down from October.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Import goods into the UK, step by step
• GOV.UK: Check when you can account for import VAT on your VAT Return
• Amazon UK FBA carton weight and size limits (summary)