How to choose a fulfillment company in Europe
Start with where your customers are, because that decides where the stock should sit. The 27 countries of the European Union form one customs union. Goods that clear customs once at the EU border move between member states with no further duties, so a single warehouse inside the EU can reach buyers in all of them. The United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway are outside that union. If most of your European orders go to British addresses, stock in Great Britain avoids a customs border on every parcel. If they go to Germany, France or the Netherlands, stock inside the EU does the same.
Shipping each order from home has become harder to justify. Since 1 July 2021 every import into the EU carries VAT, whatever its value. From 1 July 2026 until 1 July 2028 a customs duty of EUR 3 per item also applies to consignments worth EUR 150 or less that come in under the import one stop shop or by post. Holding stock in Europe replaces thousands of small imports with a few large ones.
Next, match the provider to the way you sell. Every listing shows what the company states about itself: whether it connects to Shopify or to other store platforms, whether it fulfills Amazon and other marketplace orders, whether it handles returns, B2B and retail orders, kitting and relabeling. A tick means the company's own website says so. "No information yet" means the website did not say, which is a question to ask and not an answer.
Then check that it can take your products. Cosmetics need a responsible person established in the EU and a notification through the EU's cosmetics portal before they can be sold there. Food supplements follow national notification rules that differ by country. Since 13 December 2024 most consumer products need a responsible economic operator in the EU, and the regulation names fulfilment service providers among those who can fill that role. Ask each company which of these it covers and which stay with you.
Read ratings with their review counts. A 5.0 from six reviews tells you less than a 4.6 from three hundred. Not every reviewer is a client, so read a few reviews before you lean on the number.
On the first call, ask these:
- Who is the importer of record when my stock arrives, and who pays and recovers the import VAT?
- Which registrations do you expect me to hold before the first shipment?
- Is the warehouse your own, or a partner's under your name?
- How do orders, stock levels and returns move between my store and your system?
- What is your smallest client, and what is your largest?
- Can I visit before I sign?
The answers on tax and customs depend on your own business. A tax adviser, or the provider's customs partner, should confirm them before you commit.