FOB vs FCA for Amazon sellers
FOB and FCA are Incoterms. They matter because they define where the supplier’s responsibility ends and where your logistics chain starts
This is the simplest practical way to think about them
FOB (Ocean) in practice
FOB is commonly used for ocean shipments
What it usually means operationally
- Supplier delivers cargo to the port area or forwarder’s receiving location tied to the port
- Your forwarder handles booking, ocean transport, and destination handling steps
- You control the forwarder selection and routing after handoff
What you should confirm early
- Which port in China (Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, etc)
- Cargo ready date
- Receiving cutoff and document cutoff (your forwarder sets these)
- What documents the supplier must provide and by when
FCA (Air) in practice
FCA is common for air
What it usually means operationally
- Supplier delivers to a named place
Often the forwarder’s warehouse or handling facility - After that, your forwarder takes over and flies the cargo out
What you must confirm
- The named place address in China (exact warehouse)
- Latest delivery time to that warehouse (receiving cutoff)
- Document cutoff timing
- Whether cargo must be palletized or labeled in a specific way
Which one should you pick
A simple decision rule
Pick FOB ocean if
- You are shipping LCL or FCL by ocean
- You want lower cost and can tolerate longer timelines
- Your inventory planning has buffer
Pick FCA air if
- You are avoiding stockouts or launching a product
- Timing matters more than cost
- Your cargo is suitable for air and documents are clean
The biggest hidden risk
The most common issue is not FOB vs FCA itself. It is failure to confirm
- Named place for FCA
- Receiving cutoff timing
- Document cutoff timing
Missed cutoffs turn into rollovers, extra fees, and urgent scrambling
Want help choosing the right setup
I can review your shipment details and recommend the simplest option based on timing, budget, and where you are delivering