How to Sell on Amazon EU as a Non-EU Seller: FBA vs 3PL Fulfillment

Amazon's European marketplaces represent an enormous opportunity. Amazon.de alone is the largest e-commerce platform in Germany, a market with over 70 million online shoppers. Combine that with France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Belgium, and you have access to hundreds of millions of consumers through a single seller account.

For non-EU sellers — whether based in China, the US, Turkey, the Middle East, or anywhere else — the question is not whether to sell on Amazon EU, but how to fulfil orders efficiently once you do. The two main options are Amazon's own FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) service and an independent 3PL (third-party logistics provider). Each has clear advantages and trade-offs.

This guide covers everything a non-EU seller needs to know to make that decision and get started.

Amazon EU marketplace landscape in 2026

Amazon operates eight European marketplaces, all accessible through a single Unified European Account:

• Amazon.de (Germany) — the largest, with estimated GMV over €40 billion. This is where most non-EU sellers start.
• Amazon.fr (France) — second largest, strong across most categories.
• Amazon.it (Italy) — growing steadily, particularly in electronics and home goods.
• Amazon.es (Spain) — smaller but competitive.
• Amazon.nl (Netherlands) — still developing, but growing fast. Competes with Bol.com locally.
• Amazon.pl (Poland) — newer marketplace with significant growth potential.
• Amazon.se (Sweden) — Nordic gateway.
• Amazon.com.be (Belgium) — launched 2022, growing steadily.

With one seller account, you can list on all eight. The question is where your inventory sits and who fulfils the orders.

Setting up as a non-EU seller on Amazon

The registration process for non-EU companies is straightforward, though verification can take 2-4 weeks. You will need:

• A valid business licence or registration from your home country
• Government-issued ID of the business owner or legal representative
• A bank account (can be in your home country; Amazon supports international bank transfers)
• A credit card for the monthly seller subscription (€39/month for Professional accounts)
• Phone number and email for verification

Amazon will verify your identity and business through their Know Your Customer (KYC) process. For Chinese sellers, this typically involves submitting your Chinese business licence, the legal representative's passport or ID card, and bank statements.

What Amazon does not require: a European legal entity, a European bank account (though it helps), or a European address. But you will need VAT registrations, which is a separate requirement from Amazon itself — it is an EU legal obligation.

The VAT registration requirement

Before you can store and sell inventory in the EU, you need VAT registrations. The number of registrations depends on your fulfillment model:

• Single-country storage (EFN or 3PL): You need a VAT registration in the country where stock is stored, plus OSS (One Stop Shop) registration for cross-border B2C sales to other EU countries.
• Pan-European FBA: You need a VAT registration in every country where Amazon stores your inventory — typically Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, and Sweden. That is seven registrations to maintain.

Each VAT registration has ongoing compliance obligations: periodic returns, annual summaries, and in some countries, additional local reporting. A VAT compliance service (like Avalara, Taxdoo, or hellotax) will manage this for roughly €100-200 per country per year.

For a detailed explanation of Dutch VAT registration, EORI, and the Article 23 import VAT deferment scheme, see our guide on importer responsibilities and VAT in the Netherlands.

Option 1: FBA — Fulfillment by Amazon

With FBA, you ship your inventory to Amazon's warehouses. Amazon stores it, picks and packs orders, handles shipping to customers, manages customer service for delivery issues, and processes returns.

Amazon offers two European FBA models:

EFN (European Fulfillment Network)

• You send inventory to one country (usually Germany)
• Amazon fulfils orders to customers in other EU countries from that single location, shipping cross-border
• Pros: simplest setup, only one VAT registration needed (plus OSS)
• Cons: higher per-unit fulfillment fees for cross-border orders, slower delivery to non-local customers (3-5 days vs 1-2 for local), less competitive for the Prime badge in non-local marketplaces

Pan-European FBA

• You send inventory to one country, and Amazon automatically distributes it across its warehouses in multiple countries
• Orders are fulfilled locally in each market — fast delivery, lower per-unit fees, Prime eligibility everywhere
• Pros: best delivery speed and customer experience, lowest per-unit FBA fees, strong Buy Box positioning
• Cons: VAT registration required in every country where Amazon places your stock (typically 5-7 countries), less control over where your inventory goes, higher total compliance cost

FBA fee structure in Europe (2026):

• Referral fee: 8-15% of sale price (varies by category — 15% for most, 8% for electronics and computers)
• Fulfillment fee: €2.50-5.50 per unit for standard-size items (varies by weight and dimensions)
• Monthly storage: €26-36 per cubic metre (January-September), €40-42 per cubic metre (October-December)
• Long-term storage: additional fees for items stored over 365 days
• Return processing: free for most categories (Amazon absorbs the cost but it is built into the fulfillment fee)

Option 2: Independent 3PL fulfillment

With a 3PL, you ship your inventory to an independent warehouse — typically in one strategic location like the Netherlands — and the 3PL fulfils all your orders from there. This includes Amazon orders (fulfilled as FBM — Fulfilled by Merchant or Seller-Fulfilled Prime) as well as orders from your own website, Bol.com, eBay, or any other channel.

How it works with Amazon:

• You list on Amazon as an FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) seller, or qualify for Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP)
• When a customer orders on Amazon, the order flows to your 3PL via API integration
• The 3PL picks, packs, and ships the order using their carrier network
• Tracking is uploaded to Amazon automatically

3PL advantages over FBA:

• Multi-channel fulfillment from one inventory pool. Your Amazon orders, Shopify orders, Bol.com orders, and B2B wholesale orders all ship from the same stock. No split inventory, no transfer costs.
• Single VAT registration. If your 3PL is in the Netherlands, you need only a Dutch VAT number plus OSS — not registrations in 5-7 countries.
• Branded packaging. FBA ships in Amazon boxes. A 3PL can use your custom packaging, inserts, and branding.
• Inventory control. You decide where your stock is and how much to hold. Amazon can and does restrict inbound shipments or impose storage limits.
• Transparent costs. 3PL pricing is typically simpler to understand and predict than FBA's complex fee structure.
• B2B capability. A 3PL can fulfil wholesale orders, palletised shipments to retailers, and custom B2B packaging that FBA cannot handle.

3PL disadvantages vs FBA:

• No automatic Prime badge. You can qualify for Seller-Fulfilled Prime, but the requirements are strict (fast shipping, high performance metrics). Without Prime, your conversion rate on Amazon will be lower.
• Less Buy Box advantage. Amazon's algorithm favours FBA offers, all else being equal. FBM sellers can still win the Buy Box, but FBA sellers have a structural advantage.
• You manage more. With FBA, Amazon handles customer service for delivery issues and returns. With a 3PL, you handle these (though many 3PLs offer returns processing).

When FBA makes more sense

FBA is the better choice when:

• Amazon is your only or primary sales channel in Europe
• Your products are standard size and weight (FBA fees are reasonable; oversized items get expensive)
• You are willing to invest in multiple VAT registrations for Pan-European coverage
• The Prime badge is essential for your category (high-competition categories where non-Prime offers rarely sell)
• You want the simplest possible operations and are comfortable paying a premium for it

When a 3PL makes more sense

A 3PL is the better choice when:

• You sell on multiple channels — your own website, Amazon, Bol.com, eBay, B2B wholesale
• You want to minimise VAT registrations (one country + OSS vs 5-7 with Pan-European FBA)
• You need branded packaging or custom unboxing experiences
• Your products are oversized, fragile, or require special handling that FBA charges a premium for
• You have B2B orders alongside your D2C business
• You want more control over your inventory, costs, and operations
• You are testing the European market and do not want to commit to multiple VAT registrations yet

The hybrid approach: FBA + 3PL

Many successful sellers use both. The typical setup:

• FBA for your top 20-30 Amazon SKUs — the products that benefit most from the Prime badge and fast delivery
• 3PL for your full catalogue — all website orders, B2B, other marketplaces, and the long-tail of Amazon SKUs where FBA storage fees would eat your margin

This hybrid approach lets you capture the Amazon Buy Box advantage on your best sellers while maintaining the flexibility and cost efficiency of a 3PL for everything else. Your 3PL becomes your "base" inventory, and you replenish FBA from the 3PL warehouse — faster and cheaper than shipping from your home country each time.

Practical setup steps for non-EU sellers

Regardless of whether you choose FBA, a 3PL, or both, here is the sequence:

1. Register your Amazon Seller Account (if not already done). Choose Professional plan (€39/month).
2. Apply for an EORI number in the EU country where you will import goods.
3. Register for VAT in your storage country. For the Netherlands, appoint a fiscal representative to access Article 23 import VAT deferment.
4. Register for OSS for cross-border B2C sales.
5. Ensure product compliance — GPSR responsible person, CE marking if applicable, correct labelling.
6. Choose your fulfillment model — FBA, 3PL, or hybrid. Sign agreements and complete onboarding.
7. Ship your first inventory to Europe. Sea freight for bulk, air for an initial test batch.
8. Create your Amazon listings — optimised for each marketplace with localised titles and descriptions.
9. Launch and monitor — start with your strongest SKUs, track performance, and expand from there.

Beyond Amazon: the multi-marketplace opportunity

Amazon is the logical starting point, but it is not the only game in Europe. Other marketplaces worth considering:

• Bol.com — dominant in the Netherlands and Belgium. Over 13 million active buyers. If you are already warehousing in the Netherlands, adding Bol.com is a natural extension.
• Zalando — Europe's leading fashion marketplace. Partner programme available for brands.
• Otto — major German marketplace, particularly strong in home and furniture.
• Cdiscount — French marketplace with a strong price-conscious customer base.
• Allegro — Poland's largest marketplace. Growing rapidly.

The operational advantage of a 3PL becomes most apparent when you sell on multiple marketplaces. With FBA, your Amazon inventory is separate from everything else. With a 3PL, all channels draw from one stock pool — simpler, more capital-efficient, and no risk of selling out on one channel while inventory sits idle in another.

Making the right choice for your business

There is no universally correct answer to "FBA or 3PL." The right choice depends on your channel mix, product characteristics, growth stage, and operational preferences. What matters is making a deliberate decision based on your actual situation rather than defaulting to FBA because it is the most well-known option.

At Euroship Fulfillment, we work with brands that use us as their sole European fulfillment partner and with brands that use us alongside FBA in a hybrid setup. We handle Amazon FBM orders, Bol.com, Shopify, WooCommerce, and B2B shipments — all from one inventory pool in our facilities near Schiphol. If you are exploring your options for Amazon EU, we are happy to discuss what the 3PL side of the equation would look like for your products and volumes. Get in touch to discuss your Amazon EU strategy.