Amazon FBA How to Choose Between Consolidation and Sea Freight?

Amazon's shipping methods are mainly divided into two modes card delivery and sea delivery, both of which play an important role in cross-border e-commerce logistics. For merchants who want to sell goods through the Amazon platform, choosing an appropriate shipping method is a key step to ensure that the goods reach the customers smoothly.

Card delivery, or courier delivery, usually refers to the method of transporting goods using international courier services such as DHL, UPS, or FedEx. The advantage of this method lies in its speed, generally completing the process from shipment to receipt within a few days, making it very suitable for small-batch goods that need to be delivered quickly or high-value items. For example, during a promotional event in 2025, an electronics brand chose the card delivery method to ship the latest model of headphones to the European market. Since the product was a seasonal bestseller, the fast logistics distribution helped the brand seize the optimal sales opportunity, resulting in a significant increase in sales.

On the other hand, sea delivery refers to large-scale cargo transportation through ocean freight. Compared with card delivery, sea delivery has lower costs and is suitable for merchants with large order volumes and less stringent time requirements. For instance, last year, a clothing manufacturer decided to use the sea delivery method to transport tens of thousands of winter coats to the United States to cope with the upcoming holiday sales peak. Although the entire transportation process took nearly two months, the low freight cost allowed the company to maintain a low product price, thereby gaining a competitive edge in the market.

It is worth noting that both card delivery and sea delivery have certain limitations and risks. While card delivery is fast, the relatively high international courier fees may increase the operating costs of enterprises; on the other hand, sea delivery may face the risks of long waiting times and cargo damage. When choosing a shipping method, enterprises should comprehensively consider factors such as their own product characteristics, the distance of the target market, and the budget.

With the development of technology, some new logistics solutions are gradually emerging, such as cross-border direct mail and overseas warehouses. These new models combine the advantages of traditional card delivery and sea delivery, providing merchants with more flexibility and convenience. For example, the recently emerging overseas warehouse service allows merchants to store goods locally in advance, and then ship them locally when orders are generated. This not only shortens the delivery cycle but also reduces uncertainties caused by long-distance transportation.

In conclusion, Amazon's card delivery and sea delivery each have their own merits. Enterprises should make reasonable choices based on their actual situations in practice. At the same time, with the continuous innovation and development of the logistics industry, more efficient and convenient logistics solutions will emerge in the future, providing more possibilities for enterprises to expand their international markets.