Cross-border logistics covers the full supply chain from Chinese warehouses to global consumers. As cross-border e-commerce upgrades from “selling goods” to “brand thinking,” logistics has upgraded from “getting there” to a key variable affecting user experience, repeat purchase rates, and brand image.
## Direct Mail: Fast Market Entry, Limited Experience
**Direct mail from China**: goods dispatched from domestic warehouses via international express (EMS, China Post packets, FedEx, DHL) or dedicated line logistics (Yanwen, Yuntu, Wanyi, etc.) to destination consumers.
Advantages: no overseas warehousing costs, no advance stocking needed — suited for small-batch, multi-SKU testing phases. Disadvantages: slow delivery (regular packets 10–30 days, impacting shopping experience); low logistics tracking visibility; difficult returns handling (consumer returns to China cost prohibitive — most sellers use “abandon and refund” strategy); customs duty risks in some destinations.
## Overseas Warehouses: The Key Upgrade to Local Fulfillment
**Amazon FBA**: pre-shipping goods to Amazon fulfillment centers in target markets; Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, delivery, and customer service. Consumers get Prime two-day delivery. Advantages: most reliable delivery times; FBA products get search priority on Amazon. Disadvantages: combined FBA storage + fulfillment fees are high; excess inventory penalties; cannot use FBA inventory for other channels.
**Third-party overseas warehouses (3PL)**: renting third-party warehouse space in target markets (US, Europe, Southeast Asia), commissioning local logistics service providers (3PL) to handle inbound, picking, local delivery, and returns. High flexibility; can simultaneously supply multiple channels (independent store + Amazon + local retailers).
## Overseas Warehouse Deployment Strategy
US: Los Angeles/Long Beach (West Coast) + New Jersey/Chicago (East Coast) — large sellers need dual-coast warehouses to control domestic delivery speed. Europe: Germany (covers EU FBA fulfillment network); UK (post-Brexit requires separate inventory). Southeast Asia: Singapore (financial hub, radiating Southeast Asia).
See [DTC Independent Store Guide](https://sunqi.org/dtc-independent-store-guide-en/) and [SF International Logistics](https://www.sf-international.com/).
