Bonded warehouses let you park imported inventory for up to five years without paying duty until withdrawal. In normal times that helps cash‑flow, but a tariff‑driven land‑rush has flipped the math. Certified space around Los Angeles, Savannah and Newark is trading at premiums of roughly 60 %, with all‑in pallet prices cresting at $150 per month.
The surge is demand‑led: inquiries for bonded capacity are six times higher than last year as sellers gamble on future tariff roll‑backs. Limited certified square footage for about 21 million ft² nationwide—cannot scale fast enough, so operators are charging materially more than the general.
Why costs keep climbing
| Driver | Effect on fees | What it means for Amazon sellers |
| Tariff indecision (25 – 155 % headline rates, status still fluid) | Longer dwell times; operators bill storage instead of throughput | Inventory ties up cash and misses seasonal buys |
| Regulatory overhead (security bonds, CBP audits) | Higher fixed cost baked into pallet‑rate | Surcharges passed through line‑by‑line on invoices |
| Space scarcity near ports | Auctions for prime racked slots | Secondary markets open 30–60 miles inland |
| Cost‑shifting from 3PLs to shippers | Fees formerly absorbed by operators now itemised | Unexpected true landed cost |
Impact on your Amazon P&L
- COGS inflation: Storage charges accrue before duty is ever paid, so gross‑margin compression shows up in every unit withdrawn.
- Higher aged‑inventory risk: Duty‑unpaid stock can still become unfulfillable or obsolete while waiting.
- Cash‑flow drag: You may end up financing both tariff liability and premium storage if goods linger.
Strategic playbook: go beyond “just use a bonded warehouse”
1. Run a duty‑now vs duty‑later scenario. In many categories the extra 1.5 – 4 × storage premium wipes out any interest savings from deferral by month 4–6.
2. Consider Foreign‑Trade‑Zone (FTZ) or Section 321 alternatives. FTZs allow duty to be avoided (not just deferred) on re‑exports or component break‑bulk, while Section 321 (< $800) can be leveraged for small consignments.
3. Re‑engineer tariff codes & bundles. Minor changes in materials or HS classification can drop an item into a lower bracket—often cheaper than bonded rent.
4. Negotiate Incoterms® smartly. Switching from DDP to FOB ports, or sharing warehousing responsibility with the supplier, can redistribute who pays the premium.
5. Leverage Amazon Global Logistics (AGL) + Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD). Neither program defers tariffs, but they can shorten dwell and cut total landed cost by bypassing congested port 3PLs.
6. Near‑shore overflow. Mexico or Canadian border facilities remain cheaper and let you drip‑feed inventory across when tariffs stabilise.
7. Tighten replenishment cadence. Smaller, more frequent FBA inbound shipments keep duty‑paid inventory lean and reduce exposure to sudden policy flips.
Next steps for sellers this quarter
- Update your landed‑cost calculator with the new bonded‑rate range (use $90–$150/pallet‑month as a working band).
- Audit SKUs sitting >60 days in bonded storage—run a pay‑duty‑and‑release vs keep‑in‑bond comparison.
- Schedule a tariff‑engineering workshop with your customs broker; focus on top‑10 revenue ASINs.
- Reach out to AGL/AWD or a vetted FTZ operator before Q3 peak, when space gets even tighter.
- Communicate price implications to retail buyers now, not after margins turn negative.
Staying nimble, diversifying deferral tactics and continually re‑running cost models will protect you while tariff policy and warehouse pricing keep shifting.
