Amazon Adds Los Angeles–to–East Coast Transportation Option: U.S. East Coast Inventory Sellers Must Calculate Total Costs
Amazon has added an option to move imports from the Port of Los Angeles by rail to fulfillment centers on the U.S. East Coast, allowing sellers to view rates and estimated delivery windows during booking.
What are the key facts?
- 1Amazon has begun offering transportation from the Port of Los Angeles to fulfillment centers on the U.S. East Coast
- 2The transportation option is integrated into the standard booking process
- 3Sellers can view rates and estimated delivery windows when booking
- 4Amazon has not disclosed standardized time or price savings
What happened?
Supply Chain Dive reported on September 23, 2026, that Amazon has begun offering a new direct transportation option: goods manufactured in Asia enter through the Port of Los Angeles and then move by rail to fulfillment centers on the U.S. East Coast. The service is aimed mainly at cross-border sellers using Amazon Global Logistics or Seller Managed Placement, as well as sellers that need to deploy inventory to the eastern U.S. market.
Amazon has added the transportation option to the standard booking process. Sellers can view the applicable rates and estimated delivery windows when placing an order. However, the report notes that Amazon has not disclosed standardized figures for time or price savings, so sellers should not plan promotional inventory solely on the estimated arrival date shown by the platform.
When comparing direct ocean service to the East Coast, rail transfer after Los Angeles import, and third-party 3PL options, sellers also need to calculate rail congestion, port demurrage, last-mile delivery, and FBA receiving wait times. The change mainly concerns East Coast inventory deployment, logistics-route selection, and replenishment planning.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Amazon’s new option to move imports through the Port of Los Angeles by rail to East Coast fulfillment centers gives sellers using Amazon Global Logistics, Seller Managed Placement, or East Coast inventory deployment another inbound route. Because Amazon has not published standardized time or cost savings, sellers should compare the full costs and waiting times for rail, ports, last-mile delivery, and FBA receiving rather than relying only on the estimated arrival date.
What should sellers do now?
- 1This week, create three cost models for U.S. East Coast replenishment: direct ocean service to the East Coast, rail transfer after Los Angeles import, and a third-party 3PL option. Include rail congestion, port demurrage, last-mile delivery, and FBA receiving wait times, and retain a verifiable route comparison.Profit calculator
- 2This week, record the rate and estimated delivery window for each shipment in the Amazon Global Logistics or Seller Managed Placement booking flow. Compare them side by side with existing ocean and 3PL options and produce a U.S. East Coast inventory-route selection table.
- 3This week, create a replenishment checklist for listings planned for deployment to the U.S. East Coast, separately marking the estimated arrival date and FBA receiving wait. Confirm promotional inventory only after reviewing route costs and timing, and retain the inspection record.Procurement List