Shipping Guide
Shipping from China to Amazon FBA
Amazon's importer-of-record rule, the ISF and bond you still need, FBA labeling and delivery appointments — and how DDP to the fulfillment center works.
Quick answer: Amazon never acts as importer of record — you do, or a party acting for you. Every FBA ocean shipment still needs ISF 10+2 before loading in China, a bond behind the entry, FBA-compliant box labels and a delivery appointment at the fulfillment center.
Amazon's rule: never the importer of record
Amazon's own policy is unambiguous: it will not serve as importer of record, PGA importer or PGA consignee on any inbound shipment. The most it will do is appear as ultimate consignee on the customs entry, named with the fulfillment center's address.
That makes you — the FBA seller — the importer of record by default, unless you designate a party to act in that role. Either way, someone specific is legally answerable for the entry data, the duty payment and the bond. Shipments that arrive without a valid importer of record behind them are exactly the ones CBP stops.
The import chain: ISF, bond and entry
An FBA container is an ordinary US import as far as CBP is concerned. ISF 10+2 must be filed at least 24 hours before loading in China, with the fulfillment center's address as the ship-to. The entry is filed under your importer number with your own customs bond, and duty — including any Section 301 layer on your product — is paid at entry.
The practical deadline that catches FBA sellers is the ISF: your cargo data has to exist before the container is stuffed, not when the boxes reach Amazon. Send the packing list, commercial invoice and FBA shipment ID early enough and the chain runs without holds.
FBA operational requirements: labels, appointments, prep
Beyond customs, Amazon imposes its own receiving discipline: every carton carries the FBA box label, the shipment must match the plan in Seller Central, and the truck needs a confirmed delivery appointment at the fulfillment center — turnaways for missing appointments are charged against you.
Freight arriving DDP removes the last friction: the container clears under our arrangement, and the delivery is booked to match your appointment window.
DDP to an Amazon fulfillment center
DDP to FBA bundles the whole chain under one quote: factory pickup in China, export declaration, ISF, ocean freight, entry under bond with duties paid, and delivery to the FC with the appointment in place. You receive one itemized invoice and your account sees no surprise charges.
It is the mode we run most on this lane. The one thing we need from you is accurate product data — HS codes and real values — because under DDP the compliance exposure sits with the party named on the entry.
Frequently asked questions
Can Amazon be the importer of record for my shipment?
No. Amazon explicitly refuses the importer of record role on all inbound freight and at most appears as ultimate consignee on the entry. The seller — or a designated importer of record service — carries that responsibility.
Who files the ISF for an FBA shipment?
Your forwarder or broker files it, using your cargo data, with the fulfillment center address as ship-to. It must be filed at least 24 hours before the container is loaded in China, which is why we collect the invoice and packing details at booking.
Do I need my own customs bond to import for FBA?
Yes — the entry needs a bond behind it, and since Amazon will not provide one, it is posted by the importer of record: you, or the party acting for you. On DDP shipments this is included in the quote.
What does DDP to an FBA warehouse include?
Factory pickup, export clearance in China, ISF filing, ocean freight, US customs entry with duties paid, and delivery to the fulfillment center with the appointment booked. Everything appears as itemized lines on one invoice.
Need a quote for your shipment?
Tell us the cargo, the container type and where it needs to go. We come back with an itemized rate, usually within 24 hours.