China sourcing for e-commerce and Amazon sellers
What online sellers need to get right when sourcing from China — compliance, packaging, inspection and fulfilment.
Why sellers source direct
For e-commerce and Amazon sellers, margin is everything, and buying factory-direct from China instead of through a reseller often makes the difference between a viable listing and a dead one.
The catch is that selling online adds requirements — compliance, packaging and fulfilment — that a casual buyer can overlook.
Get compliance and labelling right
Confirm the product meets the requirements for your market (for the UK, the relevant safety marks and rules), and that any labelling — including barcodes and, for Amazon, the correct FNSKU labels — is applied correctly.
Getting this wrong causes rejected shipments and suspended listings, so specify it up front.
Inspect and package for the channel
A pre-shipment inspection protects your ratings — a batch of defects becomes returns and bad reviews fast. Packaging also needs to survive e-commerce handling and meet marketplace prep requirements.
Agree the packaging spec and inspection standard before the run, not after.
Plan fulfilment and cash flow
Decide whether goods ship to a fulfilment centre (such as Amazon FBA) or to your own warehouse, and plan the lead time — production plus freight plus prep — so you do not run out of stock.
Remember the cash-flow shape: a deposit, then the balance and freight, all before the first sale. Ordering the right quantity matters as much as the unit price.
Frequently asked questions
Can goods ship directly to Amazon FBA?
Often yes, provided labelling, packaging and prep meet Amazon's requirements. We can arrange inspection and correct labelling before goods ship so they are not rejected.
Do I need UK safety marks to sell on Amazon UK?
You are responsible for your product meeting the requirements for the market you sell in. Confirm the relevant marks and rules before ordering — see our certifications guide.