Amazon GWD Now Accepts Expiration-Dated Products in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Ningbo — 365 Days of Shelf Life Required at Shipment Creation, 180 Days When Inventory Leaves GWD for US FBA
Amazon has opened Global Warehousing and Distribution (GWD), its upstream storage network in China that replenishes US fulfillment centers, to expiration-dated products. Sellers in categories such as Health and Personal Care, Beauty and Baby Products, plus other eligible categories, can now send dated inventory to the Shenzhen, Shanghai or Ningbo GWD facilities, provided it has at least 365 days of remaining shelf life when the shipment is created. Inventory must still have at least 180 days of shelf life when it leaves GWD for US FBA, and meltable or temperature-sensitive items remain ineligible even within those categories.
Real-World Impact
A unit sent to GWD with exactly 365 days of remaining shelf life must leave GWD for US FBA while it still has at least 180 days left, so it can spend at most 185 days (365 − 180) between shipment creation and replenishment, including transit to the GWD facility.
Key Points
- Expiration-dated products can now be stored in GWD and replenished to US FBA fulfillment centers
- Eligible categories named by Amazon include Health and Personal Care, Beauty and Baby Products, along with other eligible categories; the ASIN itself must still meet GWD product eligibility
- Inventory can go to GWD facilities in Shenzhen, Shanghai or Ningbo if it has 365 days or more of remaining shelf life when you create the shipment
- Products must have 180 days or more of remaining shelf life when they leave GWD for US FBA
- Some products within eligible categories, such as meltable or temperature-sensitive items, cannot be stored in GWD
- Replenishment from GWD to FBA works with the same automatic or manual replenishment options as other GWD inventory
What You Should Do Now
- 1Check GWD product eligibility for your expiration-dated ASINs before booking; meltable and temperature-sensitive items are excluded even in eligible categories
- 2Confirm each lot has 365 days or more of remaining shelf life at the time you create the GWD shipment, not just at production
- 3Track remaining shelf life of stock sitting in GWD so replenishment to US FBA happens before units fall below 180 days
- 4To start, go to Send to Amazon Warehousing and Distribution, select a China ship-from address, choose a GWD distribution center, then select SKUs and quantities, provide the required information and submit the booking