Amazon FBA from Thailand: Amazon SEND, a Forwarder or an Express Courier
There are three routes from Thailand to a US Amazon fulfillment center: Amazon SEND program, freight forwarder, express courier for small cartons. Amazon is never the importer of record. The seller or their agent files the customs entry. The goods must arrive duty paid. There is no small carton exemption. Products of Thailand have an additional 12.5% tariff since 24 July 2026.
Which routes can ship to Amazon FBA from Thailand?
There are 3 routes. Amazon SEND lists Thailand as the ship from country, US as the destination. A freight forwarder moves cartons or pallets by air or ocean. Express courier is suitable for small cartons. Amazon Global Logistics lists China and Vietnam as its origins for the US.
The SEND page lists 10 ship-from countries including Thailand, and 7 destinations. The carrier takes care of customs clearance at both the country of origin and destination. The page does not mention if the Thailand lane runs by air or sea or both.
With Amazon SEND (Seller Export & Delivery), you can ship inventory globally by air or ocean between 14 different countries.
Source: Seller Export & Delivery (SEND), Amazon, sell.amazon.com.
What does Amazon require before a carton leaves Thailand?
Amazon requires the shipment be created in the Send to Amazon workflow, have an Amazon barcode on each individual unit for resellers, have a unique FBA box ID label on each box, and use cartons no bigger than 36x25x25 inches and 50 pounds.
Brand owners enrolled in Brand Registry keep their manufacturer barcodes. Sellers print Amazon barcodes (FNSKU labels) from their seller account and apply them themselves. Unlabelled reseller stock is treated as defective, not eligible for reimbursement.
As of March 31, 2026, all resellers, including authorized resellers, must use Amazon barcodes when sending inventory to our fulfillment centers.
Source: FBA barcode choice and labeling FAQ, Amazon Seller Central, sellercentral.amazon.com.
For labeling, packaging and weight of the box: print the box ID label from the Shipping Queue, use a rigid six-sided box, pack with at least 2 inches of cushioning around each item, and cap the box at 40 lbs. for jewelry or watches. For shipping and routing: make sure your box is compliant with Amazon’s requirements, if it is not compliant it can be refused, returned or disposed of, and it can block later shipments.
Who is the importer of record on an FBA shipment from Thailand?
The seller or an agent the seller appoints, never Amazon. The importer of record files the customs entry, pays duties, taxes, fees, answers for goods meeting US law. A foreign seller can act as non-resident importer.
Amazon, including our fulfillment centers, will not act as an IOR for any shipment of FBA inventory.
Source: Delivering imports to Amazon, Amazon Seller Central, sellercentral.amazon.com.
Amazon recommends sellers contact the customs broker or carrier. The broker or forwarder may ask for power of attorney. The seller must engage it directly, and Amazon cannot arrange the importer of record role. The importer may need a customs bond, a guarantee that duties, taxes and fees reach US Customs and Border Protection.
Guide: customs declaration and commercial invoice from Thailand
What does an FBA shipment from Thailand pay at US customs in 2026?
There is no small shipment exemption: de minimis ended for every country on 29 August 2025. Each shipment will pay the full duty based on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code plus an additional 12.5% on products of Thailand, plus the merchandise processing fee.
The de minimis has ended on the 29th of August 2025. This means that all shipments from Thailand to the US are subject to customs clearance and payment of any duties and taxes due.
The duty-free de minimis exemption provided under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall not apply to any shipment of articles not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b), regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry.
Source: Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries, The White House, federalregister.gov.
The 12.5 percent is a Section 301 action by the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Published in the Federal Register on 28 July 2026, effective 24 July 2026. It is in addition to the normal rate under U.S. Note 52(a). The notice lists excluded products, so the HTS code is checked line by line. Executive Order 14389 of 20 February 2026 ended earlier IEEPA reciprocal duties.
the Trade Representative has determined to impose 12.5 percent tariffs on products of Thailand, except as provided in Annex I and Annex II, Part A, of this Notice.
Source: Notice of Actions in Section 301 Investigations of Acts, Policies, and Practices of Various Economies, Office of the United States Trade Representative, federalregister.gov.
The example assumes 1,200 cotton knitted T-shirts of Thai origin, 10 dollars each, shipped by air, formal entry.
Line | Basis | USD |
|---|---|---|
Customs value | 1,200 units at 10 dollars | 12,000.00 |
Normal duty | HTS 6109.10.00, general rate 16.5% | 1,980.00 |
Section 301 tariff | 12.5% on products of Thailand | 1,500.00 |
Merchandise processing fee | 0.3464% of value, limits 34.58 to 670.86 | 41.57 |
Paid at the border | Duty, tariff and fee | 3,521.57 |
Sources: Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, Revision 21 (2026), hts.usitc.gov; Notice of Actions in Section 301 Investigations, USTR, federalregister.gov; Customs User Fees To Be Adjusted for Inflation in Fiscal Year 2027, CBP, federalregister.gov. Quantity and unit value are assumptions.
The total is 29.3 percent of customs value and does not include freight, broker fees, customs bond, Amazon's own fees.
Guides: US de minimis suspended, what it means for a parcel from Thailand, shipping cost from Thailand to the USA
Which route fits: Amazon SEND, a forwarder or a courier?
SEND fits a seller wanting booking, payment and tracking inside Seller Central. A forwarder fits pallets and brings a customs broker the seller engages directly. A courier fits loose cartons under half a pallet, each under 15kg, if it can clear goods on commercial invoice.
Amazon SEND | Freight forwarder | Express courier | |
|---|---|---|---|
Importer of record | Seller or appointee, the SEND page is silent and Amazon's rule applies | Seller, or a non-resident importer set up with the broker | Seller or appointee, confirmed with the courier |
Labels | Seller prints and applies, the SEND page is silent | Seller, or the forwarder if it offers labeling | Seller, before pickup |
Delivery appointment | Carrier delivers directly to FBA | Carrier schedules it in advance for pallets | Registered professional carriers only, 500 boxes per shipment on a non-partnered carrier |
Sources: Seller Export & Delivery (SEND), Amazon, sell.amazon.com; Import and export inventory, Small-parcel delivery to Amazon and Truckload delivery to Amazon, Amazon Seller Central, sellercentral.amazon.com; Ship to Amazon FBA from Thailand to the USA, Terrestrial, goterrestrial.com.
Only professional carriers are allowed to make delivery appointments with Amazon fulfillment centers. Amazon doesn't allow general public deliveries.
Source: Small-parcel delivery to Amazon, Amazon Seller Central, sellercentral.amazon.com.
Guide: air cargo vs courier from Thailand
What gets an FBA shipment refused at the fulfillment center?
Collect charges, an entry naming Amazon as importer, incorrect labeling or oversized boxes can cause rejection. Some products require permits and can be seized at the border. If a shipment is refused it is the seller's responsibility to remove it.
Any shipment arriving at an Amazon fulfillment center with collect charges, including any duties, taxes, or shipping costs, will be refused without further concession.
Source: Delivering imports to Amazon, Amazon Seller Central, sellercentral.amazon.com.
Agricultural products, plants & seeds, food, alcohol, supplements, medical devices, drugs, hazardous goods, pesticides are common items that require extra permits. Goods declared without the right agency approval may be held or seized by CBP. Amazon cannot return stored inventory to an address outside the US.
Guide: DDP shipping explained
How Dragon Courier ships to the USA from Thailand
Dragon Courier is a Bangkok courier. We take care of everything door to door, all customs costs and tariffs are included in our fee. You have nothing to pay on arrival.
Dragon Courier offers Importer of Record (IOR) service next to airfreight and EOR services. For the USA we run our own service to the destination and clear customs ourselves. After we clear customs ourselves we pass the parcel to a US carrier for the final leg: UniUni on the e-commerce tier and UPS on the standard tier.
We charge based on weight and dimensions, and quote per country. To send a package we need contents of package and receiver’s name, address, contact number. Before booking a shipment bound for an Amazon fulfillment center please message our team.
About Dragon Courier
Dragon Courier is a family owned Thai courier. We have been in business for over 30 years and send more than 20,000 packages a month to over 200 destinations. We are the largest sender for eBay sellers located in Thailand and take care of all customs clearance and include all duties and taxes in our price.
Contacts and drop-off
We need package contents, receiver's name, address, contact number. Office +66 2656 9019. Justin on LINE and WhatsApp +66 6-5937-0812. info@dragoncourier.com.
Please bring the package to our Bangkok office: Sukhumvit Soi 4, 217/3 Crystal Garden Building, 3rd floor, Klongtoey 10110. Drop-off until 5pm Monday to Saturday. Pickup at a date and time that suits you.
Does Amazon SEND ship from Thailand to the USA?
Yes. Amazon's SEND page lists Thailand as a ship-from country and the US as a destination. The page does not say which modes the Thailand lane offers. Amazon pays the destination duties and charges them to the seller's account after delivery.
Can Amazon be my importer of record?
Amazon can not act as the Importer of Record for any FBA shipment, whatever the size, value, origin or product. The seller or an appointee must file entry and pay duties. An entry naming Amazon is refused and returned at the shipper's expense.
How much duty does a shipment from Thailand pay in 2026?
It is the normal duty for the HTS code plus 12.5 percent on products of Thailand since 24 July 2026 unless product excluded. Merchandise processing fee is 0.3464 percent. From 1 October 2026 the minimum is 34.58 dollars and the maximum 670.86 dollars.
Can I send FBA cartons by DHL or FedEx?
Amazon says a courier can suit loose cartons under half a pallet, each under 15 kg. Only registered professional carriers can book delivery appointments, and collect charges get a shipment refused.
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