From London to Las Vegas: Why U.S. Fulfillment is the Smartest Move for UK Brands

In a world where daily headlines are wrapped up in tariffs, trade deals, and frustrated consumers, I've been paying attention to what ecommerce brands are talking about in their own communities. 

One notable trend that popped up: The relationship between the UK and U.S., particularly in terms of trade. In 2024, the US was the UK's single largest national trade partner, with UK exports totalling £196 billion, or 22.5% of their total exports for the year. 

You better believe that at least a portion of that is coming from DTC ecommerce sales. Major fashion retailers like ASOS, Boohoo, and Pretty Little Thing have long exported their style to the U.S. 

Look deeper though, and you'll see brands across other categories are taking off too; from beauty fixtures like Victoria Beckham and SpaceNK to food brands like Hotel Chocolat and Origin Coffee. 

While you can order from these UK brands in the U.S., it's not without its hurdles, especially with the end of the de minimis exemption in 2025. 

The question is: At what point should you stop shipping from the UK, and start fulfilling from the U.S.? 

Let's break it down. 

U.S. Fulfillment for UK Brands: What's Really Driving the Shift?

📦 U.S. ecommerce is booming: Americans spent $1.29 trillion online in 2024 alone (Insider Intelligence, August 2025). That’s more opportunity—but also higher expectations.

🚢 Shipping from the UK is getting riskier: Changes to de minimis rules and increased customs scrutiny have made direct-to-consumer UK-U.S. shipping slower and pricier.

⚙️ Speed wins sales: 68% of U.S. consumers say delivery time influences whether they hit “Buy Now” (NRF, 2024). If your parcel’s crawling across the Atlantic, you’re losing out.

That’s why fast-growing UK brands—from cosmetics to collectibles—are switching to U.S.-based 3PLs like Shipfusion.

Why U.S.-Based Fulfillment Beats Shipping from the UK

Faster Delivery = Happier Customers

Americans are used to 1-2 day shipping. If you’re still shipping from Manchester or Milton Keynes, your customers in Minneapolis might be waiting 8–10 business days—and that’s if customs plays nice.

With Shipfusion’s network of U.S. warehouses, you can offer 2-day delivery to most of the country. That game-changer puts you on par with the fastest shippers in the West (hi, Amazon).

Lower Shipping Costs, and No Surprise Tariffs

International shipping racks up more than postage—it’s duties, taxes, and lost packages, too. But when you store inventory stateside:

• You skip the per-order customs paperwork

• You avoid surprise de minimis changes

• You benefit from domestic carrier rates (FedEx, UPS, USPS)

Brands using Shipfusion often reduce their per-order costs while gaining transparency into landed cost. No more guessing. 

Bonus points for avoiding the riskiest transaction of all: Sticking your unwitting customers with high delivery or duties fees that cause them to refuse a package and send it back on your dime (or 10p, as it were).

Easy Returns (Because They Matter More Than You Think)

U.S. customers expect (usually) free, (always) easy returns—and they’re 3X more likely to shop again when returns are painless. That’s tough to pull off from overseas.

Shipfusion’s returns infrastructure includes:

• U.S.-based return addresses

• Scan-based label creation

• Real-time reverse logistics tracking

Whether you’re selling board games, serums, or sunglasses, handling returns like a local brand makes a huge difference.

No More Warehouse Growing Pains

Tired of juggling couriers, managing space, and hiring warehouse staff during peak season? Offload all of it—at least for your U.S. operations. Outsourcing fulfillment unlocks new markets in a flash, without any of the overhead or administrative risk.

With Shipfusion:

• You get tech-integrated inventory management

• Dedicated account managers (yep, real humans)

• Scalable infrastructure for flash sales or Christmas chaos

And you don’t need to be a warehouse expert—we are.

You're Still a UK Brand—Just Faster in the U.S.

You don’t need to “go American” to win U.S. customers. But you do need to meet them where they are: at their doorsteps, quickly.

Shipfusion lets you keep your UK HQ, culture, and customer care—while delivering a local-like experience in the States. Think of it as your satellite operations team, without the overhead.

Comparing UK and U.S. Fulfillment

Let's do a quick comparison here. Let's say you're shipping from a London-area warehouse to New York. 

5-Step Checklist: Ready to Expand to the U.S.?

Here’s what to check off before launching U.S. fulfillment:

1. Identify your U.S. customer hotspots – Know where you’re shipping most frequently. Get a free shipping analysis on us!

2. Evaluate your per-order shipping costs – Include customs, duties, and delays.

3. Assess your returns process – Can you provide prepaid U.S. returns?

4. Choose a fulfillment partner – Look for proven DTC experience, tech integration, and real support.

5. Get your U.S. inventory in place – Shipfusion helps with freight forwarding, receiving, and inventory setup.

FAQs: What UK Brands Need to Know Before Fulfilling from the U.S.

Final Thoughts

Expanding your brand into the U.S. doesn’t have to mean battling border delays or juggling fulfillment chaos from across the pond. With a partner like Shipfusion, you get the infrastructure, expertise, and peace of mind to scale stateside—without losing what makes your UK brand unique.

So if you’re serious about U.S. growth and tired of playing the slow shipping game, it might be time to move fulfillment across the Atlantic.

Ready to make Shipfusion your U.S. partner? Let’s chat.