When margins are tight, retailers need to look for operational efficiencies in their businesses to drive profits. The ability to source products in bulk from overseas markets is an obvious opportunity to cut unit costs. However, the upfront investment in stock, logistical costs, and lengthy timescales can make sourcing products in large volumes seem unattainable to many sellers.

For many smaller businesses, global sourcing can be a complete leap of faith, resulting in many lost nights of sleep until their goods are safe and sound in their warehouse and available for sale.

With large sums of cash tied up in products that may be months away from retail, trust is a major issue. So what if we told you there was a partner you probably already know and trust that could help you import goods from Asia and place them directly into your warehouse, ready for merchandising?

Amazon Global Logistics

Ship to Seller Storage (STS) is a service offered by Amazon on Shipper Central which allows retailers to ship full-container-load (FCL) ocean cargo from mainland China and Hong Kong to storage facilities in the US, UK, and Germany.

The service covers the following destination ports (delivery radius):

• United States: Los Angeles, Seattle, Oakland, Houston, Baltimore (200 miles).
• United States: New York (100 miles).
• United States: Savannah (50 miles).
• Germany: Rotterdam (400 miles)
• United Kingdom: Felixstowe (400 miles).

End-to-End Service

Amazon offers an end-to-end service, including pickup, floor loading, and customs clearance at the origin and destination. The service can be used for both FBA and non-FBA inventory.

Note: If you use Amazon’s fulfilment services, the sales process from the factory to the customer becomes almost seamless.

Amazon cites the following benefits of the service:

• Flexibility: Allowing retailers to ship inventory of any size, including mixing standard-size merchandise with oversized or heavy/bulky items.
• Cost savings: Amazon offers highly competitive pricing to ship ocean cargo in bulk from China and Hong Kong directly to your destination warehouse.
• One-stop-shop: Book, track, and pay for your shipments in a single, convenient portal.

How much does this all cost?

At the time of writing (September 29, 2022), Amazon is currently quoting the following rates:

• China to the UK: From £6,115.
• China to Germany: From €6,288.
• China to the US: From $5,459.

As with all international trade, currency fluctuations and container/shipping availability will mean these prices are subject to change.

To learn more about how Amazon can help you ship products in bulk into your home and international fulfilment centres, contact Amazon’s global logistics team here.