China fulfillment · Supply chain · Cash flow
Why fulfil from China instead of an overseas warehouse
· 5 min read · SuperFulfill
Many e-commerce brands that make their products in China ship them in bulk to a warehouse in the US, UK or EU before the first customer order arrives. That route is familiar, and for some brands it is the right one. Fulfilling from China takes a different approach: stock stays in a warehouse near the manufacturers and each order ships from there directly to the customer. This post explains what changes, and where each model fits.
Two routes, side by side
The overseas-warehouse route runs: factory in China, bulk freight, an overseas warehouse, storage and handling, then the customer. Stock is bought, shipped and stored abroad before it sells.
Fulfilling from China runs: factory, a SuperFulfill warehouse in China, then each order shipped to the customer. There is no bulk freight leg to a second warehouse, and no overseas storage to pre-pay.
What changes
The practical differences brands usually ask about:
- Stock held abroad: with an overseas warehouse you commit stock to one region in advance. From China, stock stays near where it is made until it sells.
- Replenishment: an overseas warehouse needs a bulk shipment every time you restock. From China, new production goes into the same warehouse it was made near.
- New products and drops: you can test a launch without first moving its whole run overseas.
- Selling into several regions: one stock pool in China can serve customers in different countries, instead of splitting stock between regional warehouses.
- Delivery time to the customer: a local warehouse delivers faster on the final leg. Shipping from China takes longer to reach the customer, and the difference depends on the product and destination.
Where an overseas warehouse is the better fit
If most of your customers are in one country, expect next-day delivery and you sell predictable volumes of a stable range, a local warehouse can make sense. Fulfilling from China tends to suit brands that manufacture in China, launch often, sell into several markets or want to avoid committing stock abroad in advance.
What it looks like with SuperFulfill
SuperFulfill receives your stock in China, stores it, picks and packs each order and hands it to a carrier for delivery worldwide. An account manager is assigned to your brand. Invoices and your wallet balance are available in the client portal. Rates are quoted for your products and destinations, so any saving depends on your own mix.