Many UK Amazon sellers source products from China. Getting those goods from a factory to an Amazon fulfilment centre involves several steps: freight, customs, inspection, prep and delivery. This guide walks through the process and explains why many sellers ship to a prep centre first instead of straight to Amazon.
Step 1: Agree Terms and Packaging With Your Supplier
Before production finishes, agree with your supplier who is responsible for each part of the journey. Common terms include EXW (you arrange everything from the factory) and FOB (the supplier gets goods onto the ship and you take over from there). Ask for strong export cartons and clear carton markings. If your supplier can apply FNSKU labels, send them the labels and placement instructions.
Step 2: Choose a Shipping Method
- Sea freight: the cheapest option for large orders, but the slowest.
- Air freight: faster and more expensive, useful for smaller or urgent orders.
- Express courier: fastest door-to-door option for samples and small shipments.
A freight forwarder can quote each option and handle booking, so you can compare cost against how quickly you need the stock.
Step 3: Prepare for UK Customs
To import goods into Great Britain, your business needs a GB EORI number. You will usually also need to pay any customs duty and import VAT before the goods are released. Many sellers use their freight forwarder or a customs broker to submit the customs declaration. Check the latest rules on GOV.UK or with your forwarder, as requirements can change.
Step 4: Ship to a Prep Centre, Not Straight to Amazon
It is possible to send goods from China directly to Amazon, but it is risky. Nobody checks the stock, labelling mistakes are common, and Amazon may refuse cartons that do not meet its requirements.
Shipping to a UK prep centre first lets you:
- Check quantities and quality before anything reaches Amazon
- Fix or apply FNSKU labels and Amazon packaging
- Split large deliveries into smaller Amazon shipments
- Keep backup stock in storage to avoid capacity limits
- Fulfil orders from other channels using the same stock
Step 5: Inspection and FBA Prep
When your goods arrive, the prep centre counts the cartons and units, checks for damage, and completes any prep your products need: FNSKU labelling, polybagging, bubble wrap or bundling.
Step 6: Ship to Amazon UK
You create the shipment in Seller Central, and the prep centre packs the cartons, applies the labels and sends them to the assigned Amazon fulfilment centres with tracking. Read our step-by-step guide to sending stock to Amazon FBA UK for the details.
Checklist Before Your Goods Leave China
- Shipping terms (EXW, FOB or other) agreed with your supplier
- Freight method and forwarder chosen
- GB EORI number in place
- Customs duty and import VAT budgeted
- Prep centre address given to your forwarder
- FNSKU labels ready, either for your supplier or your prep centre
Ship Your China Stock to Our London Prep Centre
Prep Centers receives shipments from overseas suppliers and forwarders at our London warehouse. We inspect, prep and ship your stock to Amazon UK, and offer storage for backup inventory.
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