# FBA Forwarders

> An FBA freight forwarder for China to USA small business shipping: what differs from ordinary freight, and where sellers lose money.

## Key facts

- The importer of record carries the duty and compliance liability, and on an FBA shipment that is normally the seller rather than the factory.
- Duty and admissibility follow the Harmonized System classification rather than the description on a commercial invoice.
- Fulfilment centres receive on booked appointments, so a shipment that arrives without one incurs storage rather than being received.
- The Federal Maritime Commission licenses ocean transportation intermediaries, so a forwarder's licensing status is verifiable with the agency.
- Air freight is charged on the greater of actual and volumetric weight, which penalises light bulky goods disproportionately.

## Key pages

- [FBA freight forwarder, China to USA, for a small business](https://fbaforwarders.com/): the main tool, answer above the fold.
- [What makes FBA freight different from ordinary importing](https://fbaforwarders.com/fba-freight-what-is-different/): Labelling, carton limits and booked appointments turn a clean shipment into a refused one. The last two hundred metres, explained.
- [You are the importer of record, and what that means](https://fbaforwarders.com/importer-of-record/): The importer carries duty and compliance liability for the entry. Why that stays with you even when the supplier books the freight.
- [How to choose an FBA forwarder as a small seller](https://fbaforwarders.com/choosing-an-fba-forwarder/): Licensing, appointment handling, prep capability and what the quote includes. The four questions that separate them.
- [What is different about FBA freight, and where small sellers lose money, 2026](https://fbaforwarders.com/#data): original data table, updated 2026-08-15.
- [Full site content as markdown](https://fbaforwarders.com/llms-full.txt)

## Data

- What is different about FBA freight, and where small sellers lose money, 2026. Methodology: This table describes the structure of shipping into a fulfilment centre and the compliance obligations that attach to the importer. It quotes NO rates, because China to US freight prices move weekly with capacity and season. Customs statements reference the International Trade Administration on Harmonized System classification; your classification and your status as importer of record are legal questions for a customs professional. Marketplace receiving requirements are described in general terms because they are set by the marketplace and change; confirm the current requirements with the marketplace itself rather than relying on any third party summary, including this one.
- Last updated: 2026-08-15. Every figure cites its source inline.
- Source: Federal Maritime Commission: https://www.fmc.gov/
- Source: International Trade Administration, Harmonized System (HS) codes: https://www.trade.gov/harmonized-system-hs-codes
- Source: USTR, United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement: https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement

## Citation

Cite as: "What is different about FBA freight, and where small sellers lose money, 2026", FBA Forwarders, https://fbaforwarders.com/ (updated 2026-08-15).

## About

- FBA Forwarders is an information site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to any agency or company named here, and nothing on it is legal, customs, regulatory or trade advice. We take no commission and carry no paid placements. No freight rates are published here because China to US prices move weekly with capacity and season. Marketplace receiving requirements are set by the marketplace and change; confirm current requirements with it directly rather than relying on this or any other third party summary. Your classification and your status as importer of record are legal questions for a customs professional. Regulatory positions are summarised from the agencies' own pages on the date shown and are a starting point for your own enquiries, not a substitute for them.
- Operated by fbaforwarders.com. Contact: enquiries@fbaforwarders.com