Key points
- Fulfilment centres are not customs brokers: someone with a UAE trade licence and customs code must import and clear the stock first.
- Label every unit and carton in China; relabelling in Dubai costs more and delays the slot.
- DAP with you clearing in your own name usually keeps the import VAT recoverable; DDP only works if a proper importer of record is named.
- Consolidating suppliers into one shipment means one B/L, one clearance and one delivery appointment.
- Plan returns from day one: both marketplaces handle customer returns, but removals and re-export to China are your cost.
How stock gets from China into Amazon and noon warehouses
Selling through Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) on Amazon.ae or Fulfilled by noon (FBN) means the marketplace stores, picks, packs and delivers your products. Getting the stock there is your job. The marketplaces book the inbound delivery, not the import: the cartons must arrive in the UAE, pass customs and any product approvals, and reach the fulfilment centre on a confirmed slot with the right labels. Bulk stock for FBA or FBN is a normal commercial import with 5% duty on CIF and 5% VAT; the Dubai duty exemption for cross-border e-commerce goods of AED 1,000 or less (Customs Notice 16/2026) covers registered e-commerce channels, not a container of stock.
FBA and FBN inbound rules side by side
Both platforms publish their inbound rules in Seller Central and noon Seller Lab, and they change. The table shows the main points as published at the time of writing; check the live rules for your account before your cartons are packed.
| Point | Amazon FBA (Amazon.ae) | noon FBN |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound booking | Create a shipping plan, print Amazon shipment ID labels, book a delivery appointment through Carrier Central | Create and seal an ASN in Seller Lab, then schedule a slot at a warehouse with space |
| On delivery day | Deliver on the confirmed appointment | Arrive within the slot with 2 printed ASN copies; several trucks must arrive together; collect proof of delivery |
| Unit labels | Scannable barcode on each unit as Seller Central requires for the listing | Barcode on every unit: noon partner barcode, EAN/GTIN/UPC or QR, with a readable code below; old barcodes covered |
| Cartons and pallets | Follow Amazon packing and routing requirements in Seller Central | One SKU per box, one ASN per box and pallet, pallets wrapped, labelled and no higher than 1.6 m |
| Shelf life | Follow Amazon's expiry-dated product rules | Under 12 months total life: at least 70% or 6 months remaining, whichever is longer; otherwise at least 6 months |
| After receipt | Products typically available for sale within 48–72 hours | Received and rejected items shown in the GRN report |
Labels and prep: do it in China
Unlabelled units are rejected at noon's quality check as unidentified, and a wrong barcode on Amazon stock can mix your units with another listing. Labour in our Guangzhou warehouse or at the factory is the cheapest place to label, bag and box. Each variant (size or colour) needs its own unique barcode. Remember that the products must also be legal to sell: chargers, electronics, toys and cosmetics normally need MOIAT ECAS conformity, wireless devices need TDRA type approval, and anything with a lithium battery ships as declared dangerous goods.
Prep checklist before cartons leave China
0/7DDP or DAP: who is the importer of record?
Under DDP the seller pays UAE duty and VAT and handles import formalities; under DAP the goods arrive at the named place and the buyer clears customs. For marketplace stock the real question is whose name goes on the customs declaration. The importer of record needs a UAE trade licence and customs code. If your UAE company is VAT-registered and its customs code is linked to its tax number, it can account for import VAT through the reverse charge, a benefit lost if someone else is importer of record. A Chinese seller with no UAE company needs a licensed UAE consignee; we can arrange clearance through one, subject to compliance checks.
- One all-in price from China to the fulfilment centre
- Simple for sellers without a UAE company
- Someone else is importer of record, so the import VAT may become an unrecoverable cost
- Check exactly whose licence and customs code is used, and get the customs papers
- Your UAE company is importer of record
- VAT can be reverse-charged if your customs code is linked to your TRN
- You hold the declaration needed for refunds and re-exports
- We file the declaration under your code and deliver to the slot
Consolidating suppliers and choosing LCL or FCL
Marketplace sellers usually buy from several factories. Our Guangzhou warehouse receives each supplier's cartons, counts and photographs them, reports damage or shortages, applies labels where needed and loads one shipment under one B/L. LCL is charged by W/M, whichever is greater of the volume in CBM or the weight in tonnes (1 CBM = 1,000 kg), usually with a 1 CBM minimum. Under about 12 CBM, LCL is usually cheaper; from about 15 CBM a 20ft container is often better value. noon also limits storage by size class: standard items up to 45 x 34 x 26 cm and 12 kg, oversize up to 130 x 60 x 50 cm and 30 kg, and bulky above that, so plan quantities against your storage allowance.
Usable space: 20GP ~25–28 CBM, 40GP ~55–58, 40HQ ~65–68.
Returns, removals and unsold stock
Amazon handles customer service, refunds and returns for FBA orders on Amazon.ae through its Online Returns Center, and offers inventory removal. noon manages FBN returns, lets you set a return preference, and runs a removal process and relabelling for non-saleable stock. What happens next is your decision and your cost. You can resell returned units, remove stock to a UAE warehouse where we can hold or relabel it, move it to another GCC market, or re-export it and claim a duty refund where the conditions are met.
Your first FBA or FBN shipment, step by step
- Check the productsHS codes, ECAS or TDRA needs, batteries and shelf life before you order.
- Decide the importer of recordYour UAE company under DAP, or a named licensed consignee under DDP.
- Create the inbound planAmazon shipping plan or noon ASN, with quantities that fit your storage allowance.
- Consolidate and label in GuangzhouCartons received, counted, labelled, photographed and packed per platform rules.
- Ship LCL or FCLAs of November 2026 via Khor Fakkan or another port outside Hormuz, then truck to Dubai.
- Clear UAE customsInvoice, packing list, B/L, certificate of origin and approvals; duty and VAT settled or reverse-charged.
- Book and deliver the slotCarrier Central appointment or noon slot; truck arrives on time with the documents.
Amazon and noon inbound
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship directly from China to an Amazon FBA warehouse in the UAE?
Yes, but the goods must first be imported and cleared in the UAE by an importer of record with a trade licence and customs code, then delivered on a delivery appointment booked through Carrier Central.
Do I need a UAE company to sell on Amazon.ae or noon with FBA or FBN?
To import stock you need a UAE importer of record. If you have no UAE company, a licensed consignee can act for you, subject to compliance checks. Marketplace registration rules are set by Amazon and noon.
Is FBA or FBN stock duty-free under AED 1,000?
No. Dubai's AED 1,000 duty exemption covers cross-border e-commerce goods through registered channels. Bulk stock for a fulfilment centre is a normal import with 5% duty on CIF and 5% VAT.
Should I use DDP or DAP for marketplace stock?
If you have a VAT-registered UAE company, DAP with your company as importer usually keeps the import VAT recoverable. DDP suits sellers without a UAE entity, if the importer of record is clearly named.
How long does it take to get stock from China into a UAE fulfilment centre?
Typically 18–30 days door to door by sea, plus the time to get a delivery slot. As of November 2026 cargo lands at Khor Fakkan and is trucked to Dubai; our team confirms timing within one working day.
What happens to returned or unsold stock?
The marketplace handles customer returns. You can resell, remove stock to a UAE warehouse, move it to another GCC market, or re-export it, claiming a duty refund where the conditions are met.
Sources
- Amazon.ae Sell: Fulfilment by Amazon (sending inventory, Carrier Central, returns)
- noon Seller Help Center: FBN packing and delivery policy
- noon Seller Help Center: Managing ASN and storage
- noon Seller Help Center: Barcode requirements
- noon Seller Help Center: Fulfilled by noon (FBN) overview, returns and removals
- Dubai Customs: Customs Notice 16/2026 (e-commerce goods up to AED 1,000)
- Lloyd's List Intelligence: Strait of Hormuz Brief, 22 October 2026
General information checked on the date shown. Rules and rates change: our team confirms the details for your shipment.