China to Amazon FBA Freight Forwarding & DDP Shipping

Send ARDI your supplier details and destination. We pick up from the supplier, ship by ocean or air, coordinate U.S. customs through a licensed broker, prep your inventory at our own U.S. warehouse, and deliver to your Amazon fulfillment center — one quote, one point of contact.

For a standard ocean FCL shipment of 5,000 units, total landed cost typically runs $1.60–$2.80 per unit before product cost — covering freight ($2,000–$4,500), duties (27.5–35% of declared value), drayage, container unloading, FBA prep, and Amazon delivery. Air freight raises per-unit cost 3–5× but cuts transit to 12–18 days. Your quote itemizes every line.

Ocean freight takes about 30–42 days factory to fulfillment center: 25–35 days at sea, 1–3 days customs, plus 3–6 days for drayage, prep, and Amazon delivery. Air freight cuts the total to 12–18 days. These timelines include the post-port stages most guides omit.

Practically yes for any volume above samples. A forwarder handles carrier booking, documentation, ISF coordination, duty calculation, and tracking — otherwise you coordinate 5–7 vendors across two countries. For FBA you also need a partner who knows Amazon's receiving requirements and appointment scheduling.

Not literally — Amazon fulfillment centers don't accept shipping containers or unprepped inventory. Cargo must pass through a U.S. prep facility for unloading, FNSKU labeling, poly-bagging, and shipment creation. ARDI receives and preps at its own California or New Jersey warehouse, then delivers to your FC — so the route is direct for you, with the required prep stop built in.

Ocean suits planned, cost-sensitive inventory (minimum 100 kg); air suits time-critical restocks (minimum 40 kg). We recommend the mode that fits your timeline and margin when you request a quote.

40 kg by air and 100 kg by sea. ARDI focuses on carton, pallet, and container freight — not single parcels.

DDP for most sellers: freight, customs coordination, and — where contract terms confirm — duties within one quote. FOB gives more control and can cost less, but you manage customs brokerage, duty payment, and drayage yourself; it makes sense from roughly 50+ containers a year with a dedicated logistics team.

Customs clearance is coordinated through a licensed customs broker. On DDP terms, import duties and taxes are handled within your quote where contract terms confirm.

Cargo is covered for loss and damage through ARDI's forwarding partner, subject to policy terms. Coverage options, limits, and exclusions are confirmed per shipment before booking — ask for them in writing with your quote.

Required: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading (ocean) or air waybill (air), ISF filing (ocean), customs entry, and a customs bond. Category-specific: FDA Prior Notice (food, supplements, cosmetics), CPSC certificate (children's products), fumigation certificate (wood packaging). Your supplier provides the invoice and packing list; the rest is coordinated for you.

Our Riverside, CA warehouse has five Amazon FCs within ~20 miles (ONT8 ~10, SBD2 ~12, ONT9 ~14, LGB8 ~18, SNA4 ~19 mi). Our Edison, NJ warehouse is ~3 miles from Amazon's LGA9 in Edison itself, with JFK8 (~17), TEB6 (~20), EWR4 (~30), and ABE8 (~45 mi) in reach.

As an SPN-listed provider, ARDI handles FNSKU labeling, poly-bagging, bubble wrapping, bundling and kitting, case packing, and shipment labeling — with quality checks and a 1–2 business-day turnaround before delivery to the fulfillment center.

Look for one that owns its U.S. warehouses rather than routing goods through third parties. ARDI receives, preps, and delivers from its own California and New Jersey facilities — 86,000 sq ft total — keeping inventory under one operating group from port to Amazon.