Test U.S. demand with a small batch of inventory

You can test U.S. fulfillment with a small approved batch at FulfillHarbor. There is no monthly order minimum, and storage is charged by occupied bin. Choose a manageable set of products and set a date to review sales, costs and remaining stock before you send more.

Reviewed: November 9, 2026

The aim of a first batch is to learn whether domestic fulfillment works for your products and customers. Keeping inventory in Florida does not create demand on its own.

Choose products you can judge separately

Start with products that already attract U.S. interest or that you have a specific reason to test. Separate variants by SKU so you can see which ones sell and which ones stay on the shelf. Sending every color and size can make it harder to tell whether the issue is demand, the listing or the amount of stock you chose.

Check dimensions, weight, packaging and handling requirements with us first. The service uses bins and small-parcel inventory. Pallet storage is not available.

Set a spending limit before the shipment leaves

Include the cost of the goods, inbound transport, import charges, storage, order handling, outbound shipping, packaging, returns and any store or advertising costs you expect. Keep a reserve for inventory that sells more slowly than you hoped.

This example assumes two standard bins; the required space depends on the products, quantity and SKU organization. The $65 subtotal excludes goods, transport to the warehouse, duties, carrier postage, shipping service fees, packaging and other services. It is not a monthly all-inclusive price.

Use the 3PLHarbor cost calculator to change order and storage assumptions. Both sites use MySmartMailbox; the calculator uses the same warehouse rates.

Keep the launch small enough to review

1. Get your account and products approved, then register the inbound shipment.
2. Wait for confirmed available stock before offering it as ready to ship from Florida.
3. Check the first imported or manually entered order. Review the parcel details, shipping service and full charge before approving dispatch.
4. Record completed orders, actual costs and returned items by SKU.
5. Review the results on the date you chose, then decide whether to replenish, change the offer or stop sending that product.

Choose the review period around your sales cycle and the time it takes to replenish. A product with occasional orders needs a different test from one you already sell every day.

Watch the stock that does not move

Storage is still billed in a month with no orders. Inventory with no sales activity for 180 days may incur an additional $10 per affected bin per month. Make a decision about slow stock before it becomes a recurring expense you have stopped noticing.

Returns also affect the result. Processing is $5 per returned item, including inspection and eligible restocking. You handle customer refunds under your store or marketplace rules. A returned item that can be sold again still ties up cash until it sells.

Decide what would justify a second batch

Compare the margin after actual fulfillment and shipping costs, the number of items still in stock, the return pattern and the time you spent managing the process. Replenish from those results rather than from a target order count alone.

For the delivery decision, compare shipping each order from abroad with keeping U.S. inventory. When you are ready, send your product details to info@mysmartmailbox.com.