The U.S. POD market is growing rapidly, driving higher pressure for faster shipping and flawless customer experiences. Many sellers are now asking: should they move their fulfillment operations to the U.S. to stay competitive?
This article gets straight to the point – breaking down the key benefits, costs, and considerations to help you determine whether U.S.-based fulfillment is truly essential for your business model.
Fulfillment in the U.S. – The Inevitable Trend for Vietnamese Sellers
In the race to conquer the global Print on Demand (POD) market, choosing the right fulfillment strategy plays a decisive role. For Vietnamese sellers, “Fulfill in the U.S.” is quickly shifting from a competitive advantage to an essential requirement for survival and growth. Two key factors driving this inevitable trend are market scale and the shift in consumer behavior.
The U.S. Market – The Goldmine of Global POD
It’s no coincidence that the United States is often called the “heaven” or “goldmine” of the global POD industry. This market holds enormous potential for any Vietnamese seller aiming to succeed with an inventory-free business model, thanks to several standout characteristics:
- Scale and purchasing power: With over 330 million people and high per capita income, American consumers have tremendous spending capacity on personalized products.
- Consumer culture: The deep-rooted desire for personalization in U.S. culture has made POD (Print-on-Demand) products incredibly popular.
- Year-round holiday seasons: The U.S. market is constantly active with a series of major holidays, creating continuous “sales seasons” such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Independence Day (4th of July), Halloween, Thanksgiving, and especially the year-end festive period (Christmas and New Year).
Numbers don’t lie. According to Statista, the U.S. POD industry generated over $9 billion in revenue in 2024 and is expected to maintain an explosive annual growth rate of 25% through 2030. Notably, leading e-commerce platforms such as Etsy, Amazon, Shopify, and eBay have all witnessed a surge in POD orders labeled “Made in USA.” Consumers increasingly prefer and trust locally produced products that can be delivered within just 2–3 days.
Changing Shopping Habits
Amazon’s dominance with its “Prime Delivery 2-day” service has permanently reshaped U.S. consumer expectations – speed has become the deciding factor. In today’s “Fast or Die” landscape, even a shipping delay of 5–7 days can cause the order cancellation rate to skyrocket by up to 35%.
This poses a serious challenge for Vietnamese sellers still using Vietnam-based or other Asia-based (cross-border) fulfillment models. They face major disadvantages:
- Long shipping times, typically ranging from 10–20 days.
- High and unstable logistics and customs costs.
- Constant risks of order cancellations, negative feedback, or refund requests.
Therefore, U.S.-based fulfillment is no longer a luxury – it’s a strategic necessity. It is the only way for Vietnamese sellers to compete on equal footing, meet expectations for speed, build trustworthy brands, and deliver optimized customer experiences in the world’s largest POD market.
What Is U.S.-Based Fulfillment and How Does It Differ from Vietnam-Based Fulfillment?
Understanding the differences between these two fulfillment models is the first step for Vietnamese POD sellers to build an effective business strategy in the U.S. market.
What Is U.S.-Based Fulfillment?
“Fulfill in the U.S.” is a simple yet revolutionary concept: the entire order fulfillment process – from production, printing, and packaging to delivery – takes place 100% within the United States.
Instead of printing products in Vietnam and shipping them overseas, once an order is placed, your system automatically sends the order to a partner production facility located in the U.S. (for example, FlashShip’s fulfillment center in Texas). The U.S.-based facility immediately prints the design, packages the product, and ships it directly to your customer using trusted domestic carriers such as USPS.
Vietnam-Based Fulfillment
In contrast, Fulfill in Vietnam (also known as the cross-border model) remains a common choice, especially for new sellers. Its biggest advantage lies in lower production costs (base cost) compared to those in the U.S. Additionally, having a local production base allows sellers to manage their printing teams more easily, directly oversee product quality, and stay flexible when testing new products or designs.
However, Vietnam-based fulfillment carries a major drawback – international shipping. This process is not only time-consuming and expensive but also comes with multiple risks such as customs delays, border congestion, and severe backlogs during peak seasons (Q4 and major holidays).
Comparison: Vietnam-Based Fulfillment vs. U.S.-Based Fulfillment
| Criteria | Vietnam-Based Fulfillment | U.S.-Based Fulfillment |
| Shipping Time | 10–20 days | 2–5 days |
| Shipping Cost | High (International USPS) | Low (Domestic USPS) |
| Scalability | Limited by logistics | Easily scalable across the U.S. |
| Customer Experience | Average – long waiting time | Excellent – fast delivery |
| “Made in USA” Branding | Not available | Possible – can include U.S. logo and address |
| Return / Cancellation Rate | Higher | Significantly lower |
| Net Profit | Lower due to high shipping costs | More stable and sustainable |
Fulfillment in the U.S. – Exceptional Advantages for Vietnamese Sellers
Switching to a U.S.-based fulfillment model is not just a temporary fix for shipping challenges – it is a strategic decision that delivers a range of superior benefits, empowering Vietnamese sellers to elevate their business and maximize profits in the U.S. market.
Fast Domestic Shipping
The most immediate and tangible benefit is speed. In a market where customers are accustomed to Amazon Prime-level delivery, U.S.-based fulfillment enables you to meet those expectations. With fulfillment partners located right in the United States – such as FlashShip’s processing center in Texas – the entire process is optimized for efficiency.
Orders can often be produced within just 1 business day (for expedite lines) and shipped domestically within 2–5 days.
The impact of this “lightning-fast” speed includes:
- Reduced cancellation rates: When customers see local tracking and fast delivery, cancellation rates can drop by up to 40%.
- Enhanced buyer experience: Quick delivery encourages customers to leave positive 5-star feedback – a critical factor for maintaining your store’s credibility.
- Algorithmic advantage: Major e-commerce platforms like Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Etsy prioritize stores with fast-shipping badges and U.S. addresses, giving your listings greater visibility and competitiveness.
Reducing Operating Costs
Many sellers hesitate to fulfill in the U.S. because they assume the printing cost (base cost) is higher. However, when looking at the bigger picture, sellers can actually save significantly on total operating expenses.
The reason is simple – you eliminate a range of hidden costs associated with the cross-border model:
- No more expensive international shipping fees.
- No import taxes or complex customs handling costs.
- Lower refund and resend rates due to fewer lost or delayed packages, which directly reduces compensation expenses.
By optimizing the supply chain, sellers can save 15–20% of total logistics costs per month when fully switching to U.S.-based fulfillment.
Building a “Made in USA” Brand
Trust is the cornerstone of e-commerce. American consumers naturally prefer and trust domestically produced products (“Made in USA”) over imported goods.
By fulfilling in the U.S., you’re selling a local product – which opens up strong branding opportunities:
- You can ask your fulfillment partner to print your brand logo or U.S. warehouse address on neck tags or shipping labels.
- Having a U.S. address and operation makes it easier to register your brand with Amazon Brand Registry and protect your designs.
- Most importantly, brand credibility allows you to break free from price wars and confidently raise your average selling price by 15–25% compared to similar products labeled “Made in Vietnam.”
Faster Response and Processing Speed
Fulfilling in the U.S. means automation. Sellers can directly connect their stores to U.S. production facilities via API integrations – for example, through the FlashShip Fulfillment API.
This system enables instant order synchronization: orders from platforms like Etsy or Shopify are automatically pushed to the production facility without any manual intervention. As soon as an order ships, a real-time domestic tracking number is generated and automatically updated to the store, notifying the customer immediately.
This streamlined process minimizes handling delays and maximizes on-time delivery rates – a key metric for maintaining strong account health on major e-commerce platforms.
Gaining a Competitive Edge During Peak Seasons
During major holidays such as Black Friday and Christmas, time is money. This is when the cross-border model often collapses under pressure due to customs congestion and overloaded international shipping.
In contrast, U.S.-based fulfillment sellers rarely face backlogs since all shipments are handled domestically. This allows you to maintain credibility, keep orders flowing smoothly, and maximize revenue during the most critical sales seasons – outperforming competitors still struggling with logistics delays.
Key Factors to Consider Before Fulfilling in the U.S.
Switching to U.S.-based fulfillment is a strategic move, but success requires careful preparation and a clear understanding of potential challenges. Below are the core factors every seller should evaluate.
The “Base Cost” Challenge
This is often the biggest psychological barrier. It’s undeniable that production costs – including blanks and printing – are higher in the U.S. than in Vietnam, due to differences in labor, facility rent, and raw material costs.
- The challenge: If you maintain the same old pricing mindset and try to compete solely on price with cross-border sellers, your profit margins will shrink dramatically – or even turn negative.
- The solution & right mindset:You must completely rethink your pricing strategy. You’re no longer selling a low-cost product shipped from Asia – you’re selling a high-quality, U.S.-made product with lightning-fast delivery. This is an entirely different value package. Be confident in pricing your products higher to reflect that value. Focus on brand building, storytelling around “Made in USA”, and emphasizing superior customer experience. American consumers are willing to pay more for peace of mind, reliability, and speed.
Choosing a Fulfillment Partner
This is a crucial decision that can determine up to 80% of your success. A weak fulfillment partner can destroy your reputation and business in just one sales season. Evaluate your partner carefully based on the following strict criteria:
- Printing Quality: Requesting a sample order is a must. Personally inspect whether the print quality (DTG, DTF) is consistent, whether the colors accurately match your design files, and how well the print holds up after washing.
- Production Speed: Does the partner commit to a clear production timeline (e.g., 1–3 business days)? More importantly, can they maintain that speed during peak seasons such as Q4?
- System & Technology: Is their platform user-friendly and easy to navigate? Is the API integration smooth and fully automated? Are order tracking and updates transparent and in real time?
- Customer Support: When issues arise (misprints, wrong addresses, lost packages), how do they respond and handle the situation? This is where the real difference between fulfillment partners becomes most evident.
Time Zone Differences and Language Barriers
Working with a 100% U.S.-based partner means dealing with a significant time zone gap. When your workday starts in Vietnam, it’s already nighttime in the U.S. – meaning urgent support requests might not be addressed until the next day. Additionally, all communication is conducted in English, which can be challenging if you’re not fully confident in the language.
Understanding these barriers, Vietnamese-focused fulfillment platforms like FlashShip have emerged as the ideal solution. We provide a Vietnamese support team available nearly 24/7, ensuring that all your issues are handled quickly and efficiently – in your native language. This helps bridge communication gaps and eliminate the stress caused by time zone differences, allowing you to operate with complete peace of mind.
Tax and Legal Compliance
Once you start fulfilling and selling products in the U.S., you begin to interact with the American legal and tax systems. Although your fulfillment partner handles production, you – as the seller – are still responsible for Sales Tax obligations.
In the U.S., Sales Tax is regulated at the state level. You are required to collect and remit this tax in states where you have an economic nexus (a significant business presence). This is a complex and ever-evolving topic. As your sales grow, it’s crucial to research applicable regulations carefully or hire a professional tax advisory service to ensure your business remains fully compliant with U.S. laws.
Fulfilling in the U.S. is not just an option – it’s a strategic shift that helps Vietnamese sellers upgrade their entire Print-on-Demand (POD) business model. When every step – from production and packaging to delivery – takes place within the U.S., you not only shorten operational time and optimize logistics costs but also deliver the best possible experience to American customers – the most demanding yet valuable market in the world.
In today’s increasingly competitive POD industry, speed and quality are the two key factors in retaining customers. U.S.-based fulfillment enables Vietnamese sellers to achieve domestic delivery within 2–5 days, reduce cancellation rates, strengthen the “Made in USA” brand reputation, and open the door to global scalability.
If you are looking for a reliable partner to begin this journey, FlashShip is your ideal choice. Contact FlashShip at (+84) 943 024 337 for detailed consultation on U.S. Fulfillment solutions.
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