Amazon has announced the full launch of its first Global Warehousing and Distribution (GWD) facility in Shenzhen, making it available to sellers worldwide.
Chen Ming, Vice President of Amazon China and Head of Global Selling Cross-Border Supply Chain Management, stated that the GWD currently supports shipments to FBA warehouses in the United States. In the near future, it will also extend support to other international Amazon sites, including those in Europe and Japan. This expansion will enable a unified global inventory system, allowing sellers to supply global markets from a single warehouse.
Chen also revealed plans to establish multiple GWD warehouses within China, particularly near major manufacturing hubs such as the Yangtze River Delta region. Amazon intends to increase its investment in cross-border logistics and supply chain infrastructure in China, building a multifunctional network that integrates storage, fulfillment, and distribution. This will allow sellers to ship goods just once domestically, after which Amazon will manage inventory allocation across different countries and sales channels.
When asked about the core capabilities of GWD, Chen emphasized that it functions as an intelligent global supply chain hub rather than just a local warehouse. One key advantage is cost efficiency—compared to storing inventory in U.S. warehouses, GWD can reduce storage expenses by up to 45% by leveraging proximity to manufacturing sources. Additionally, sellers can dynamically adjust inventory based on actual sales data, minimizing overstock risks and avoiding country-specific inventory lock-ins.
The GWD system also simplifies supply chain operations. Through features such as pre-clearance customs support, dedicated shipping capacity via Amazon Global Logistics (AGL), and smart replenishment tools, sellers can improve both efficiency and management visibility. Early estimates suggest that cross-border shipping times could be shortened by up to seven days. The entire logistics process can be tracked in real time through a unified platform, freeing sellers from complex operational tasks and allowing them to focus on core business activities.
Furthermore, GWD supports flexible operations and intelligent distribution. It allows for small-batch, high-frequency replenishment with no minimum shipment requirements, helping sellers maintain optimal inventory levels while reducing out-of-stock risks in destination markets. Amazon will also gradually introduce smart replenishment features that use real-time inventory and sales data to automatically allocate stock to FBA warehouses, addressing key challenges such as when and how much to reorder.
