How to import and sell on Amazon USA without a U.S. company

The short answer: yes, in most cases

Many manufacturers and brands outside the United States sell on Amazon.com without a U.S. company. Amazon lets businesses from many countries register in its U.S. store, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lets foreign companies import goods as non-resident importers of record. Put together, that means you can usually start with the company you already have.

What you do need is a reliable way to get your goods into the country, through customs, into a U.S. warehouse and on to Amazon or your customers. That is where a U.S. logistics partner makes the difference.

Two different questions: selling on Amazon and importing

Sellers often mix up two separate things:

• Selling on Amazon is about your Amazon account: who the seller is, how you are verified and where Amazon sends your payouts.
• Importing is about customs: who is the importer of record (IOR), responsible to CBP for each shipment's classification, value and duties.

They don't have to be the same company, and neither one requires a U.S. entity by default. Many brands sell and import under their own foreign company. Others appoint a distributor or another importer. The right structure depends on you, your merchandise and your import arrangement, so decide it before your first shipment leaves the factory.

1. Opening an Amazon Seller Central account as an international seller

You register directly in Amazon's U.S. Seller Central with your existing business. Prepare:

• A valid passport or national ID for the primary contact.
• Your company's registration details and business address.
• A recent bank or credit card statement in the name on the account.
• An internationally chargeable credit card.
• A bank account that can receive Amazon payouts. Amazon can pay out to bank accounts in many countries, so a U.S. bank is not required.
• The tax interview: non-U.S. businesses usually complete Form W-8BEN-E in Seller Central.

Amazon may also ask for a short video call to verify your identity. To use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), choose the Professional selling plan. Amazon generally collects and remits U.S. sales tax on marketplace orders, which keeps the start simple; for income tax questions in your country and in the U.S., your tax advisor is the right person to ask.

2. How a foreign company becomes a non-resident importer of record

The importer of record is the party that makes the customs entry and pays the duties. A company outside the United States can take this role. In practice, becoming a non-resident importer of record involves four steps, usually handled together with your customs broker:

1. Importer identification. If your company has an IRS employer identification number, it can be used. If not, CBP assigns an importer number after you file CBP Form 5106 with your company details.
2. A resident agent. Under CBP rules, a non-resident corporation needs a resident agent in the state of the port of entry, authorized to accept legal papers.
3. A customs bond with a U.S.-resident surety company (see below).
4. A power of attorney that authorizes your customs broker to file entries for you.

Good to know: as importer of record, your company is responsible for correct classification, value, origin and duties. Choosing experienced partners is what makes that responsibility easy to carry.

Prefer not to be the importer of record yourself?

Abanro can act as your importer of record in eligible cases, in addition to arranging U.S. customs clearance and your international logistics. Whether a shipment qualifies depends on the shipment, the product category, the applicable requirements and the service arrangement we agree with you. Tell us what you are importing, and we confirm the right setup at the quote stage.

3. The role of a licensed U.S. customs broker

Customs brokers are licensed by CBP to prepare and file entries for importers. For an international seller, the broker typically sets up your importer number, arranges or checks your bond, files the Importer Security Filing for ocean freight, classifies your products, calculates duties and fees, files the entry and answers CBP questions until your goods are released.

With Abanro, you don't need to find a broker yourself. We handle customs clearance for you, reliably and at competitive, transparent rates.

4. Customs bond, importer identification and import documents

Customs bond

A bond guarantees CBP that duties, taxes and fees will be paid. It is required for formal entries, which cover most commercial shipments valued over $2,500 and certain regulated goods at any value. You can buy a single-entry bond for one shipment or a continuous bond that covers all your entries for a year. Regular importers usually choose the continuous bond.

The documents your shipment needs

• Commercial invoice with seller, buyer, product description, quantity, value, currency and country of origin.
• Packing list with cartons, units per carton, weights and dimensions.
• Bill of lading (ocean) or air waybill (air).
• Importer Security Filing (ISF) for ocean freight, filed at least 24 hours before the cargo is loaded at the foreign port.
• Product-specific documents where they apply, such as FDA Prior Notice for food, or certificates for electronics and children's products.

Your products also need correct country of origin marking. We review your products and documents at the quote stage, so you know what is required before anything ships.

5. How international shipping and customs clearance work

1. 1 Origin Foreign manufacturer Goods packed, labeled and documented.
2. 2 Origin International pickup Collected from your factory or port.
3. 3 In transit Ocean or air freight To Los Angeles, Long Beach or LAX.
4. 4 Arrival U.S. customs clearance Entry filed, duties paid, goods released.
5. 5 Abanro Abanro warehouse Received, stored and prepped in Southern California.
6. 6 Your dashboard Abanro Workspace Every step visible to you, 24/7.
7. 7 Destination Amazon FBA or end customer Delivered anywhere in the U.S.

Your company, or Abanro in eligible cases, can be the importer of record. No U.S. entity is needed for this route.

Your freight forwarder books ocean or air freight. For Asia and much of the world, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and LAX are the fastest gateways. Before the cargo arrives, the broker files the ISF and the entry. CBP reviews it, the duties are paid, and the goods are released. For the details of what happens at the port, read from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Amazon FBA.

6. How to send imported inventory to a U.S. warehouse

Once released, your container or air shipment is trucked to your U.S. warehouse. Use your warehouse as the delivery address on your shipping documents, send it your packing list and product details in advance, and agree what happens next: storage, Amazon prep, order fulfillment or forwarding. A warehouse near the port means shorter trucking, lower costs and stock that is ready to sell sooner.

7. How Abanro handles receiving, storage, inventory and FBA prep

Abanro is a U.S. logistics partner built for international sellers. Our central warehouse is in Orange County, Southern California, strategically positioned to serve the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, with access to connected warehouse locations across the United States.

• Receiving and inspection: cartons counted against your packing list, visible damage photographed.
• Storage: pallets and cartons kept by SKU, from $49 per pallet per month.
• Inventory management: stock by SKU, carton and location, with every movement recorded.
• Amazon FBA prep: FNSKU labels, bags, bubble wrap, bundles and cartons to Amazon's requirements, from $1.20 per unit.

No monthly minimum, no setup fee and no long-term contract. Start with one box or a full container.

8. Distributing to Amazon FBA or directly to U.S. customers

From our warehouse, your inventory can go to Amazon fulfillment centers, to your own website's customers, to retailers and distributors, or wait as buffer stock for the next replenishment. Since January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer preps or labels inventory in the U.S., so units must arrive at Amazon ready to receive.

Important: Amazon does not act as the importer of record for FBA inventory, whatever the shipment size or value, so never name Amazon as importer on your customs documents. Import under your own company, another importer you appoint or, in eligible cases, Abanro, clear customs first, and then send the prepped inventory to Amazon.

Selling outside Amazon too? See ecommerce fulfillment, and compare models in Amazon FBA vs. FBM vs. 3PL.

9. Visibility and control from pickup to final delivery

When you sell from abroad, information is everything. Abanro Workspace gives you 24/7 access to your U.S. operation: pickup at origin, international transit, customs clearance, receiving, stock by SKU and location, orders, and every delivery to Amazon FBA or your customers. You manage your U.S. inventory from your own office, in your own time zone, without chasing anyone for updates.

Your products are in America. You're always in control.

How to get started with Abanro

1. Tell us about your products: categories, quantities, carton sizes, origin and where they should go in the U.S.
2. Get a clear quote: every service and price listed upfront. We respond within 6 hours.
3. Plan your import: we review your products and documents, arrange customs clearance with you and confirm whether Abanro can act as your importer of record.
4. Ship: your goods arrive through Los Angeles, Long Beach or LAX, and we take it from there.
5. Sell: your inventory reaches Amazon FBA and your customers, and you follow it all in your Workspace.

You don't necessarily need a U.S. company to start selling in America. You need the right U.S. logistics partner. For more on how we work, see Abanro for international sellers and our Long Beach 3PL and Los Angeles 3PL pages.