Chinese cities dominate Amazon seller network, outnumbering US hubs, report says

More than half of Amazon’s top 20 seller bases are in China, including top-ranked Shenzhen

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An Amazon fulfilment centre on Staten Island, New York. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:00pm, 30 Oct 2024Updated: 10:18pm, 30 Oct 2024

China is home to US e-commerce giant Amazon.com’s four biggest merchant bases, according to new research, showing the significant role that the world’s second-largest economy continues to play in the global supply chain despite geopolitical tensions.

Shenzhen, a technology and factory hub in China’s southern Guangdong province, leads the pack with 102,588 sellers registered on Amazon, collectively generating US$35.3 billion revenue annually, according to US e-commerce service provider Smartscout.

In second place is Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, followed by the shoemaking hub of Putian in southeastern Fujian province, and Dongguan, another Guangdong city.

“Shenzhen’s prominence is largely due to its position as a manufacturing powerhouse, allowing sellers direct access to production and supply chains,” Smartscout said in its report.

Amazon’s booth at an import expo in Shanghai. Photo: EPA-EFE

China’s Amazon seller community has expanded rapidly in recent years, as a boom in cross-border e-commerce has driven mainland merchants and suppliers to explore opportunities abroad.

The import and export value of China’s cross-border e-commerce industry reached 2.38 trillion yuan (US$333 billion) in 2023, up 15.6 per cent from the previous year, according to the State Council Information Office.