FBA prep USA: the 2026 landscape.
Verified US FBA prep centers grouped by coast, port proximity, and tax-free state strategy. With Amazon's in-house FBA prep service ended (Supply Chain Dive, 2026), the entire third-party network is now load-bearing. This page is the canonical map.
Honest scope: 3 verified centers as of 2026-05-14 (San Marcos CA, Santa Ana CA, Ortonville MI). California is the only state with more than one published center today. UK, Germany, and Canada are next; international centers publish only after the same 5-check verification clears in each region.
The US prep landscape by coast.
Pick your prep center by what is closest to the right Amazon fulfillment center, not what is closest to you. Amazon's Inbound Placement Service Fee (IPSF) charges sellers when their shipments need redistribution across FCs. A prep center near the East Coast FC cluster reduces IPSF for East Coast demand; West Coast for West Coast demand. The IPSF delta on a national shipment can exceed $0.30 per unit.
East Coast
Highest Amazon FC density in the US. Atlanta is the Southeast routing anchor. Savannah is the port-of-entry for China inbound destined east of the Mississippi. NJ/PA cluster serves the Northeast metro.
- Atlanta, Savannah, New York, Miami
- Savannah (SAV), New York / New Jersey, Charleston
- ATL (Atlanta), EWR (Newark), PHL (Philadelphia), JFK8 (Staten Island)
Central
Dallas and Houston serve south-central FCs. Tennessee is a sleeper play for east-of-Rockies distribution. Michigan is a smaller hub but has working FBA prep capacity.
- Houston, Dallas, Memphis, Chicago
- Houston (HOU)
- DFW (Dallas), MEM (Memphis), ORD (Chicago)
West Coast
Highest concentration of mid-tier prep centers in the US. LA / Long Beach is the port-of-entry for the bulk of China-origin inbound. Ontario CA is the inland routing hub. Phoenix is hazmat-friendly.
- Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Reno
- Long Beach (LGB), Los Angeles (LAX)
- ONT (Ontario), LGB (Long Beach), PHX (Phoenix)
The five tax-free states.
New Hampshire, Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Alaska have no statewide sales tax. Storing inventory in any of them avoids triggering sales-tax nexus in that specific state. Oregon and Delaware are the practically useful options given proximity to West Coast and East Coast Amazon FCs respectively.
Section 321 changes shifted demand to US prep.
In 2025, US Customs ended the Section 321 de minimis exemption for direct China imports. Shipments under $800 that previously cleared customs duty-free now require formal entry. The shift removed the structural advantage of China-direct fulfillment models.
Two consequences: first, China-origin inventory now benefits from consolidation at the container level (single customs entry vs many) instead of per-order imports. A US prep center is the natural consolidation point. Second, with Amazon's in-house FBA prep service ended on January 1, 2026 (Supply Chain Dive), every seller who previously relied on Amazon for prep now needs a US-based third-party prep center.
Net result: a US prep center is no longer optional for most FBA sellers operating in the US market. The question is which US prep center, not whether to use one.
3 recently verified.
Ordered by recency of last verification check. Stale and flagged listings appear on profile pages; archived listings keep their URL but are marked.
MyPrepCenter
Small Michigan-based Amazon prep center operating since 2005. Smaller team; markets fast turnaround and direct phone/email access to operators. Offers custom quotes for specific packaging and preparation needs.
WestFBA
California-based FBA prep center oriented toward importers, with container unloading and large-scale handling for shipments coming through West Coast ports. Has monthly volume minimums; best fit for high-volume importers, especially China-to-US.
FBA In and Out
Orange County, California prep center running a three-step receive/prep/ship process. Handles inspection, FNSKU labeling, packaging, and compliance checks. Port-adjacent location is a practical advantage for importers shipping through Southern California.
Common questions on US FBA prep.
- What is an FBA prep center in the USA?
- A US-based facility that receives your inbound inventory, applies Amazon's required prep (FNSKU labels, polybag, bubble wrap, expiration scans, hazmat docs), and forwards the shipment to a US Amazon fulfillment center. With Amazon's in-house FBA Prep service discontinued for shipments after January 1, 2026 (source: Supply Chain Dive), third-party US prep centers are the default path.
- Do I need a US-based prep center if I sell on Amazon US?
- Strongly recommended above 500 units per month. Domestic prep reduces customs friction, eliminates international shipping risk on prep, and shortens inbound time to the right Amazon fulfillment center. Sellers shipping from China to a Chinese prep center and then to Amazon US incur extra customs, freight, and IPSF cost.
- Which US states have no sales tax on inventory?
- Five states have no statewide sales tax: New Hampshire, Oregon, Delaware, Montana, and Alaska. Storing inventory in a tax-free state can reduce sales-tax nexus exposure in that state. See our tax-free-states pillar for the actual nexus argument and state-by-state prep center listings.
- Where are the largest Amazon fulfillment centers in the US?
- The biggest clusters: Atlanta (ATL FC cluster, southeast routing), Ontario CA / Long Beach (ONT / LGB, west coast), Dallas (DFW, south-central), and Newark NJ / Staten Island NY (EWR / JFK8, northeast). Prep-center proximity to the right FC drives Amazon's Inbound Placement Service Fee (IPSF).
- How much does FBA prep cost per unit in the US?
- Budget tier: $0.65 to $2.50 per unit for FNSKU plus polybag. Mid tier: $2.50 to $5.00 per unit with bundling, inspection, and expiration scan. Premium tier: $5.00 to $15.00 per unit with hazmat handling, FDA-registered facility, photography, and fast SLAs. See our pricing page for a per-tier breakdown.
- Is it cheaper to use a Chinese prep center or a US one?
- Chinese-origin prep is cheaper per unit ($0.05 to $0.50) but adds customs broker fees, international freight, longer inbound time, and IPSF when the shipment lands at a US FC outside the right cluster. After totaling, US-based prep is typically cheaper per landed unit above 500 units per month. Below that volume, supplier-applied FNSKU at source plus direct-to-Amazon is the cheapest path.
- What changed with Section 321 and de minimis in 2025?
- In 2025, US Customs ended the Section 321 de minimis exemption for direct China imports. Shipments under $800 that previously cleared customs duty-free now require formal entry. The change shifted demand from China-direct fulfillment to US-based prep, since US prep centers can consolidate inbound and clear customs once at the container level instead of per-order.
- Which port is best for FBA imports: LA / Long Beach, Savannah, or NY / NJ?
- Depends on demand geography. LA / Long Beach is the default for China-origin volume and west-of-Rockies distribution. Savannah is the cheapest east-coast port for China-origin volume routed east. NY / NJ serves northeast metros and is the best port for Europe-origin volume. Pair your port choice with the prep center that sits closest to it.