A bonded warehouse is a storage facility where imported goods can be held without import duty becoming due, for as long as the goods remain inside. Duty is only assessed once — and if — the goods leave the bonded facility for domestic distribution.
This matters for a few common situations: goods awaiting further customs clearance, inventory staged in China before onward distribution to other markets, or a buffer point for e-commerce fulfillment where inbound freight arrives in bulk before being broken down for outbound parcel shipping.
Un-bonded warehousing, by contrast, is for goods that have already cleared customs and are simply being stored, picked, and distributed in the ordinary course of business — most domestic inventory falls into this category.
Both bonded and un-bonded warehouse services are part of our standard offering, and the right one depends on whether your goods have cleared customs yet and how long they are likely to sit before their next move. If you are not sure which applies to your situation, that is worth clarifying before goods arrive at the warehouse door.