Amazon to open its first global smart hub warehouse in Shenzhen in March

Overview

On 28 February 2026, the Shenzhen government's English-language portal, citing Shenzhen Daily and Xinhua, reported that Amazon will open its first Global Warehousing and Distribution (GWD) facility in Shenzhen in March. The plan was announced by Qiu Sheng, vice president of Amazon China. Chinese sellers will be able to ship goods to the Shenzhen warehouse and receive one-stop service covering storage, customs clearance, cross-border transport and global distribution.

Background

Until now, cross-border e-commerce sellers have had to prepare separate stock for each sales region, such as the United States or the United Kingdom. Under the new model, sellers can manage a single, centralised inventory pool, while Amazon handles allocation to its marketplaces around the world. Amazon describes this as "one inventory supply for the world". For sellers, this means they no longer need to forecast demand region by region and pre-position stock in advance, which could reduce excess inventory and duplicate shipments and improve cash flow.

The transformation of Chinese sellers was a major theme of Amazon's cross-border e-commerce summit held in Hangzhou in December 2025. Amazon vice president Eric Broussard said Chinese sellers have shifted from being resellers to becoming "innovators and brand owners". In the first ten months of 2025, Chinese sellers' sales grew by more than 15% in the United States and Europe and by more than 30% in emerging markets, and the number of Chinese sellers earning over 10 million US dollars a year rose by 30%.

Key Points

• Timing and location: March 2026, Shenzhen. This is Amazon's first GWD facility.
• Services: Integrated storage, customs clearance, cross-border transport and global distribution.
• Centralised inventory: Sellers no longer need to split stock by region; Amazon allocates it to each marketplace.
• Why Shenzhen: Sunny Jain, head of Amazon's Global Logistics, called Shenzhen "the ideal location" for the first GWD facility because of its manufacturing strength and the concentration of Chinese sellers. High supply density supports Amazon's scheduling algorithms, and the mature supply chain enables economies of scale at the source.
• Expected impact: Amazon expects the model to help sellers significantly reduce logistics costs.

The base of companies behind Shenzhen's trade is also broadening. According to Shenzhen Customs and the city's commerce department, 62,300 companies in Shenzhen recorded actual import or export activity in 2025, up 16% year on year, including more than 8,600 new entrants. Private enterprises accounted for nearly 70% of the city's total foreign trade, and small and medium-sized cross-border e-commerce sellers are likely to be among them.

Implications for Japan-Shenzhen Exchange

Shenzhen is known as a hub for cross-border e-commerce businesses, and many of the electronics and household goods sold on Japanese e-commerce sites are made by Shenzhen companies. The reports did not explain how the new facility will be used for allocation to Japan, but more efficient cross-border logistics may affect the business of Shenzhen companies that sell to Japanese consumers.

For Japanese logistics companies, trading houses and brand owners, the upgrading of cross-border e-commerce logistics infrastructure in Shenzhen is a development worth watching from the perspectives of both competition and cooperation. The transformation of Chinese sellers into brand owners is also drawing interest, as it relates to the presence of Shenzhen-born brands in the Japanese market. For Japanese consumers, possible changes in delivery speed, prices and quality control may also become matters of everyday interest.

Outlook

The facility is scheduled to begin operating in March. Details such as which marketplaces will be covered, the fee structure and handling capacity had not been disclosed at the time of reporting. Further announcements from Amazon, including whether the Japanese market is covered, will be watched closely.

From the Association

The Association will continue to follow developments in cross-border e-commerce and logistics in Shenzhen. We will keep working to share information and provide opportunities for exchange that help Japanese and Shenzhen companies deepen their understanding of each other's markets.