Author: Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk

  • Selling Trampolines on Amazon FBA: A 2026 Seller’s Guide

    Selling Trampolines on Amazon FBA: A 2026 Seller’s Guide

    By Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Published 2026-05-18 · Last updated 2026-05-18 · 14 min read · Online Selling

    TL;DR

    • Trampolines mostly fall into Amazon’s Large Bulky and Extra-Large size tiers — the fee structures here are 5–10× higher than the Large Standard tier many new FBA sellers are used to.
    • The 12ft round trampoline is the practical FBA dividing line: 12ft and smaller usually work on FBA economics; 14ft and larger usually need FBM or hybrid models to be profitable.
    • Carton dimensions decide your size tier, which decides your fees, which decides your profitability. Carton spec is not a logistics detail — it is the single largest controllable factor in FBA trampoline margin.
    • A 14ft round trampoline at $399 retail with full FBA fees is usually a break-even or losing trade once advertising spend is included. The same product at $499 retail is much healthier.
    • Rocheyard ships product with full CPSC compliance and CPC certification, with carton specifications designed to align with US import and Amazon FBA inbound requirements.

    Why most FBA sellers underestimate trampoline economics

    Most Amazon FBA sellers who add trampolines to their catalog come from another category — small electronics, household goods, sporting accessories, or beauty. They’ve internalized one version of FBA economics: standard size, fees in the $4–$8 per unit range, returns relatively painless. They look at a 14ft trampoline retailing at $499 and think: “$200 product cost, $50 in fees, $250 gross — looks great.”

    That mental model is the most expensive mistake a new trampoline FBA seller can make. Trampoline cartons are oversized in ways that move them into Amazon’s Large Bulky or Extra-Large size tiers, where the fee math is structurally different. Fulfillment fees alone can be 5–10× higher than what a small-item FBA seller is used to. Inbound placement fees apply differently. Storage fees are higher. Returns are devastating because oversized return logistics are not built for casual self-service.

    The seller who wins in this category is the one who builds the FBA fee model before placing the wholesale order. If you’ve worked through our wholesale trampoline pricing guide already, the landed-cost numbers here will connect directly.

    How Amazon classifies trampolines: size tiers explained

    Amazon classifies every FBA product into a size tier based on packaged dimensions and weight. The tier determines almost every fee that follows. The size tier system has been refined repeatedly since 2018; what follows is the structure as of 2026, but you should verify current thresholds in Amazon Seller Central before final pricing decisions.

    Tier Trampoline examples Seller implication
    Large Bulky Fitness rebounders, kids 6–8ft trampolines, some compact 10ft formats Usually the most workable FBA tier for trampoline sellers.
    Extra-Large Many 12ft and 14ft round trampolines, standard rectangle SKUs Fee math must be modeled carefully; 14ft often becomes borderline.
    Special Oversize 15–16ft round trampolines, large rectangle frames, inground systems FBA is usually uneconomical; FBM or 3PL fulfillment is the normal path.

    Carton dimensions and weight are what trigger a tier — not the assembled product size. A 14ft round trampoline whose carton is just over a tier threshold is classified by the carton, regardless of how compact the frame looks on the shelf.

    The FBA fee structure for trampolines

    FBA fees on trampolines stack from five layers. Each varies by size tier; verify current rates in Seller Central before pricing your SKU.

    • Fulfillment fee. This is the largest line item. It scales with size tier and unit weight, and increases sharply as you move from Large Bulky to Extra-Large to Special Oversize.
    • Inbound placement fee. This per-shipment charge varies by destination program and unit size. For oversized items, it is meaningfully higher than for small items.
    • Monthly storage fee. Trampolines occupy a lot of cubic feet, which means storage fees punish over-ordering or holding inventory through Q4 without sell-through.
    • Long-term storage fee. Rarely a problem for fast-moving spring SKUs, but a real cost when fall inventory sits until the following spring.
    • Removal and disposal fees. For oversized items, removal and disposal fees are high enough that damaged inventory can erase margin.

    Layered on top is the Amazon referral fee — commonly modeled at 8% of sale price for Sporting Goods. The practical implication: fulfillment fee and inbound placement fee are the two lines you must verify for your specific carton dimensions and weight.

    Where carton dimensions decide your profitability

    This is the section most new trampoline FBA sellers skip and most experienced ones obsess over. Amazon’s size tier boundaries are defined by packaged carton dimensions — not assembled product size, not unit weight alone.

    A 14ft round trampoline could theoretically ship in a carton anywhere from about 145 cm long to 165 cm long, depending on how the supplier engineers the packaging. That seemingly minor difference can move the SKU from one fee tier to another. The difference between Large Bulky and Extra-Large fulfillment fees on the same SKU, multiplied across a year of sales, can exceed the entire profit on a container.

    FBA-focused trampoline sellers should ask suppliers for:

    • Exact carton L × W × H in inches, not just centimeters or “approximately.”
    • Gross weight per carton including packaging.
    • Whether multiple carton configurations are available for the same SKU.
    • Written carton-dimension confirmation as part of the order file.

    A supplier who can’t give exact carton dimensions in writing is not a supplier you should send directly to FBA. Rocheyard’s standard quote process includes precise carton specifications per SKU, designed against US import requirements and reviewed for Amazon FBA tier compatibility when the buyer is selling on Amazon.

    FBA vs FBM vs Dropship: a decision framework for trampoline sellers

    Not every trampoline SKU belongs on FBA. A useful decision framework looks at product size, expected return rate, inventory turn velocity, capital requirement, brand positioning, and return logistics.

    Dimension FBA fits FBM fits Dropship fits
    Product size ≤12ft round, kids, rebounders 14–16ft round, rectangles 15ft+ round, inground, custom
    Expected return rate <5% 5–10% Any, but operationally harder
    Inventory turn Strong spring to early-summer demand Year-round slower turn Testing-new-SKU stage
    Capital requirement High: inbound to FBA first Medium: flexible 3PL or warehouse Lowest: per-order fulfillment
    Brand positioning High Prime conversion expectation Niche, bulky, or price-sensitive New SKU validation
    Return logistics Amazon handles, but expensive for you Seller-handled with more control Dropshipper-handled; most complex

    The simple starting rule: rebounders, kids ≤8ft, and round ≤12ft usually fit FBA; 14ft round and medium rectangles are borderline; 15ft+, inground, and large rectangles usually belong on FBM through a 3PL or warehouse.

    Hybrid models work well. Many established trampoline sellers run kids and small SKUs on FBA, large SKUs on FBM through a regional 3PL, and replacement parts through FBM or supplier-supported fulfillment.

    A worked profit example: 14ft round on FBA

    This example uses the landed cost developed in our pricing guide for a mid-premium 14ft round trampoline. The FBA fee numbers are illustrative ranges; verify current specific rates in Seller Central for your carton dimensions.

    Assumptions:

    • 14ft round trampoline, mid-premium specification: CPSC + CPC compliant, 1.5mm hot-dip galvanized frame, PP mat, full enclosure
    • Landed cost in your US warehouse: $220/unit
    • Inbound shipping from your warehouse to Amazon FBA: about $8/unit
    • FBA Extra-Large fulfillment fee: in the $45–$55 range, verify exact value in Seller Central
    • Amazon referral fee on Sporting Goods category: 8% of sale price
    • Sponsored Ads spend: typically 8–15% of revenue for trampolines on Amazon
    Retail price Landed cost FBA fulfillment Inbound shipping Referral fee Ads Net per unit Margin
    $399 $220 ~$50 $8 $32 $40 ~$49 12%
    $499 $220 ~$50 $8 $40 $50 ~$131 26%
    $599 $220 ~$50 $8 $48 $60 ~$213 36%

    $399 is the dead zone. It is too thin to absorb returns, advertising overrun, or fee changes. $499 is the working zone. It sustains advertising and still leaves room for damaged-unit reserve. $599 is the premium zone. It requires stronger brand positioning, private label, bundling, or specification differentiation.

    Listing optimization for trampolines: what actually moves conversion

    A profitable retail price isn’t a wish — it’s the output of a listing that converts at that price. Five elements move conversion most for trampoline listings on Amazon:

    • Title formula. Use size, shape, safety feature, use case, capacity, and premium differentiator in the first scan.
    • Bullet points. Each bullet should answer a specific buyer objection: size, safety system, build quality, included accessories, warranty, and parts support.
    • A+ Content modules. Effective modules include spec tables, assembly expectations, safety breakdowns, and what’s-in-the-box visuals.
    • Image stack. Combine white-background hero, lifestyle image, spec overlay, frame detail, net detail, and packaging scale shot.
    • Backend keywords. Use backend terms for alternative size descriptions, accessory mentions, and legally appropriate variations.

    For sellers preparing a broader channel strategy beyond Amazon, Rocheyard’s wholesale process helps align carton, specification, packaging, and order planning before the first bulk order.

    Returns and damage: the silent margin killer

    Return economics on FBA trampolines are different from small-item categories. Three forces stack: return rates are higher, damaged-in-transit rates are real, and returned units are often unsellable.

    • Return rates are higher than other categories. Industry experience puts trampoline return rates in the 5–10% range, driven mostly by carton damage, missing-parts complaints, and assembly difficulty.
    • Damaged-in-transit rates are real. Oversized carriers handle trampoline cartons less carefully than small parcel. Damage rates in the 2–5% range during shipping are normal.
    • Returned units are often unsellable. An Amazon return of a 14ft trampoline rarely arrives back at FBA in resaleable condition.

    The defensive moves: use stronger packaging, secure supplier commitment to replacement parts, plan a 5–8% damage and return reserve into first-order quantity, and build a customer-service workflow that responds in under 4 hours during the first 30 days post-delivery. Rocheyard maintains replacement parts availability for at least 12 months after order delivery.

    Building a private-label FBA brand: the trampoline opportunity

    Trampolines are a category where private-label brand building has unusual leverage. High AOV supports brand investment, buyers cross-shop on quality cues, and replacement parts create a multi-year revenue tail.

    Building a private-label trampoline FBA brand isn’t trivial. Minimum order quantities for customized branding rise; tooling and packaging changes add lead time; and brand investment rarely returns in the first season. But for sellers planning multi-year category presence on Amazon, private label is the path to non-commodity margin.

    Rocheyard supports private-label programs at various MOQ tiers depending on customization depth — from logo printing at 500 units to fully custom tooling at higher commitment levels. See Rocheyard’s private label trampoline program for the current customization path.

    What Rocheyard sees in FBA trampoline buyer patterns

    Across the 800+ 40HQ-equivalent containers Rocheyard has shipped and our 20+ active US wholesale clients, including established Amazon FBA sellers, three patterns are consistent in 2026.

    1. FBA-focused buyers care about carton dimensions more than FOB price. A buyer optimizing for FBA economics will pay more on FOB for a SKU with carton dimensions that stay within a better tier, because long-run fee savings dominate.
    2. Mixed-SKU containers are increasingly common for FBA testing. Rocheyard’s mixed-SKU 40HQ support down to 30 units per SKU lets sellers test several SKUs before committing larger inventory.
    3. Multi-container staged delivery aligns with FBA inventory cycles. Rocheyard’s staged delivery cadence — first 40HQ at approximately 30 days post-deposit, with subsequent containers shipping at roughly 8-day intervals — lets FBA sellers send units in waves that match Amazon intake capacity and working capital.

    This is the operational difference between buying as a generic wholesale customer and buying as an Amazon-focused customer. The product is the same; the supply chain matters.

    Frequently asked questions

    Are trampolines profitable on Amazon FBA?

    Conditionally yes. Profitability depends on SKU size, retail price achieved, and return-rate management. Most trampolines 12ft and smaller can be profitable on FBA at typical retail prices. Most 14ft trampolines require $499+ retail to be reliably profitable. Most 15ft+ trampolines should be sold FBM, not FBA.

    What size tier does a 14ft trampoline fall into on Amazon FBA?

    Almost always Extra-Large, based on packaged carton dimensions. Verify the exact tier classification for your specific carton dimensions in Seller Central, since boundary thresholds occasionally adjust.

    Should I use FBA or FBM for trampolines?

    A useful rule of thumb is FBA for trampolines 12ft and smaller, FBM for 14ft and larger. Many successful sellers run a hybrid: FBA on smaller SKUs for Prime conversion, FBM on larger SKUs for margin protection.

    How much does Amazon FBA cost for a trampoline?

    It depends primarily on size tier, unit weight, carton dimensions, and seasonal storage rates. Verify current rates in Seller Central for your specific SKU. Always model the exact carton dimensions of the SKU you’re sourcing, not industry averages.

    What’s the return rate on trampolines sold on Amazon?

    Industry experience suggests 5–10% return rates on trampolines sold through Amazon FBA, driven primarily by carton damage, missing-parts complaints, assembly difficulty, and size-mismatch returns.

    Can I dropship trampolines on Amazon?

    Technically yes, but it’s the hardest path. Amazon policies require the seller of record to be the merchant on packaging and invoices. Damage rates and return logistics on oversized dropship are also harder than FBA or seller-managed FBM.

    What carton size do I need for Amazon FBA trampoline shipping?

    The practical question is which size tier the carton triggers. Work backwards from the tier you want and confirm with your supplier that the available carton fits. Suppliers who can offer FBA-optimized carton dimensions provide direct margin advantage.

    Next steps

    Three reads will sharpen your FBA trampoline strategy:

    The trampoline FBA category rewards sellers who do the fee math before placing the order, not the ones who place the order and discover the fees afterward. Build the model first, then size the order.

    Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Wholesale trampoline sourcing for US small business buyers — round, rectangle, oval, inground, kids, and fitness rebounder formats, with private label and replacement-parts support. About Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk

  • ASTM F381 vs F2225: What US Trampoline Sellers Need to Know

    ASTM F381 vs F2225: What US Trampoline Sellers Need to Know

    By Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Published 2026-05-18 · Last updated 2026-05-18 · 10 min read · Commercial Buying

    TL;DR

    • CPSC compliance plus a CPC (Children’s Product Certificate) is the legal floor for importing and selling trampolines in the US — these are what your customs broker actually files at clearance.
    • ASTM F381 and ASTM F2225 are industry-referenced design standards, not laws; F381 covers trampoline components and F2225 covers the safety enclosure.
    • A third-party ASTM lab test report is a premium add-on held by a minority of brands; not having one is not a legal violation, and many China-made trampolines on the US market are sold without it.
    • “ASTM aligned,” “ASTM tested,” and “ASTM certified” mean three different things, and suppliers often use the loosest term to imply the strictest one.
    • The real red flag is a supplier who cannot produce CPSC and CPC documentation — that is a legal problem, not a marketing one.

    Why most buyers get the certification question backwards

    Most US trampoline buyers have been trained, by suppliers and listing copy, to open every sourcing conversation with one question: “Is it ASTM certified?” It feels like the safe question. It is also the wrong place to start.

    ASTM standards describe how a trampoline should be engineered. They do not control whether your shipment clears US Customs. The documents that control clearance are CPSC compliance and a CPC certificate, and a surprising number of buyers never ask for those by name. The result is a buyer who feels protected because a supplier said “ASTM” out loud, while the paperwork that actually carries legal weight was never checked.

    This article separates the four things that get bundled together — ASTM F381, ASTM F2225, CPSC compliance, and CPC certification — and explains which ones are legally required, which ones are engineering references, and which ones are optional premium documentation.

    The four documents that actually matter for US trampoline sales

    Four separate things travel under the single word “certification.” They do different jobs and sit at different levels of obligation.

    Item What it is Legal status for US sales
    CPSC compliance The product meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s federal rules for children’s products. Mandatory
    CPC certification A Children’s Product Certificate issued by the importer or manufacturer, declaring the product passes applicable rules based on testing. Mandatory
    ASTM F381 A consensus design standard for trampoline components: frame, springs, mat, and pads. Voluntary / industry reference
    ASTM F2225 A consensus design standard for trampoline safety enclosures and nets. Voluntary / industry reference

    The split is the whole point. CPSC compliance and the CPC are federal obligations enforced by US Customs and the CPSC. ASTM F381 and F2225 are published by ASTM International, a standards body, and adopting them is a design and quality decision rather than a legal one.

    What ASTM F381 actually covers

    ASTM F381 is the standard for the trampoline itself — the structural and component side of the product. It gives manufacturers specifications and test methods for the parts a jumper relies on every time the mat moves.

    In practical terms, F381 addresses the steel frame and its joints, the springs or equivalent elastic elements, the jumping mat and its stitching, and the frame padding that covers springs and rails. It also sets out manufacturing tolerances, labeling and warning requirements, and the test procedures used to confirm a component performs as specified.

    What F381 does not do is certify a finished unit by itself. It is a design and testing reference. A factory can build to F381, document its design choices against the standard, and produce a product that aligns with it — separate from whether an outside laboratory has issued a formal F381 test report for that specific model.

    What ASTM F2225 actually covers

    ASTM F2225 is the companion standard for the safety enclosure — the net system that surrounds the jumping surface. Because the enclosure is the part most directly tied to fall-related injuries, it has its own dedicated standard rather than being folded into F381.

    F2225 covers enclosure design factors such as net height relative to the jumping surface, mesh opening size, the strength and durability of the netting material, the design of the entry and exit point, and how the enclosure attaches to the frame. The aim is an enclosure that keeps a jumper inside the safe zone, resists wear, and does not create its own entrapment or pinch hazards.

    For a buyer, the useful takeaway is that “the trampoline meets ASTM” is an incomplete statement. A unit can be strong on F381 component design and weak on F2225 enclosure design, or the reverse. When a supplier references ASTM, it is reasonable to ask which standard, and whether the enclosure was designed against F2225 specifically.

    How CPSC compliance and CPC certification work

    CPSC compliance and the CPC are where the legal obligation actually lives, and they work together.

    The Consumer Product Safety Commission is the federal agency that regulates children’s products in the US. Trampolines marketed for children fall under its rules, which can cover requirements such as lead and phthalate limits, mechanical hazard provisions, tracking labels, and applicable safety standards. CPSC compliance means the product meets those federal requirements.

    The CPC — Children’s Product Certificate — is the document that proves it. The importer or domestic manufacturer issues the CPC, declaring that the product complies, and basing that declaration on test results from a CPSC-accepted testing process. The CPC identifies the product, lists the rules it complies with, and names the testing that supports the claim.

    At the border, this is the paperwork that matters: a customs broker references the CPC when clearing a children’s product shipment, and the CPSC can request it. You can read the CPSC’s own explanation in its CPSIA business guidance and confirm import-document expectations with US Customs and Border Protection.

    A supplier who understands the US market should be able to provide CPSC compliance documentation and support a CPC without hesitation. If that paperwork is slow, vague, or “available later,” the problem is not a quality nuance — it is a clearance risk.

    “ASTM tested” vs “ASTM aligned” vs “ASTM certified”

    This is where most of the confusion in trampoline listings is created, often deliberately. Three phrases get used as if they are interchangeable. They are not.

    • “Designed to align with ASTM” means the product was engineered using the ASTM standard as a design reference. This is a legitimate and common practice, and it is honest as long as it is not dressed up as something more.
    • “ASTM tested” implies a test was actually run against the standard. The important question is who ran it: an in-house factory test and an independent third-party laboratory test are very different forms of evidence.
    • “ASTM certified” is the strongest claim and the most often misused. When a supplier says this, ask for the specific test report — issued by which lab, for which model, against which standard, dated when.

    The pattern to watch for is a supplier using the loosest phrase while letting the buyer hear the strictest one. “Designed to align with ASTM” is accurate for many good products. It is not the same as holding a third-party ASTM lab report.

    What to ask suppliers about certification

    A short, specific document checklist separates suppliers who understand US compliance from those who recite buzzwords. This expands the supplier vetting approach covered in our guide to sourcing wholesale trampolines from China.

    1. Can you provide CPSC compliance documentation for the exact models I’m quoting?
    2. Can you support a CPC (Children’s Product Certificate), and what testing is it based on?
    3. Which ASTM standards were these models designed against — F381, F2225, or both?
    4. When you say “ASTM,” do you mean designed-to-align, in-house tested, or third-party lab tested?
    5. If a third-party ASTM lab report exists, which laboratory issued it, for which model, and on what date?
    6. Will the compliance documentation match the actual SKUs in my order, not a similar model?
    7. How do you handle compliance paperwork for private-label or custom-color versions of a standard SKU?

    A supplier who answers these plainly is a supplier you can build a program with. A supplier who keeps redirecting to the word “ASTM” without producing CPSC and CPC documents has answered the question whether they meant to or not. You can also cross-check a candidate against the broader criteria in how to compare trampoline suppliers for wholesale.

    Common mistakes US trampoline buyers make on compliance

    • Treating “ASTM” as proof of legal compliance. ASTM alignment is a design quality signal. It does not replace CPSC compliance or a CPC.
    • Assuming no third-party ASTM report means an unsafe or illegal product. Most China-made trampolines reach the US market without a standalone third-party ASTM lab report. That is normal and lawful.
    • Accepting compliance documents for a different model. Documentation has to match the actual SKU being shipped.
    • Forgetting that private-label changes can affect documentation. Custom colors, custom boxes, or structural changes can mean the compliance paperwork needs to reflect the modified product.
    • Not connecting compliance tier to price tier. Higher-assurance documentation and tighter quality control carry cost. As covered in our 2026 wholesale pricing breakdown, a quote that looks unusually cheap may be skipping steps that surface later as compliance gaps.

    What Rocheyard sees in 2026 compliance buyer patterns

    Across recent quoting activity, Rocheyard sees buyers becoming more precise about compliance language, and that shift favors suppliers who can document rather than describe. Buyers who used to ask only “is it ASTM” now increasingly ask for CPSC documentation and CPC support by name.

    Rocheyard also sees a widening gap between suppliers who treat compliance as a consistent, every-SKU practice and those who treat it as a per-order scramble. A supplier who can apply the same CPSC compliance and CPC process across a mixed-SKU container, including private-label variants, is meaningfully rarer than one who can do it for a single hero product.

    For context, Rocheyard’s wholesale brand has shipped 800+ 40HQ-equivalent containers and 200,000+ units while serving 20+ active US wholesale clients. Rocheyard’s position is deliberately plain: all Rocheyard products ship with full CPSC compliance and are backed by CPC certification, the legal requirement for US import and sale. Rocheyard trampolines are designed to align with ASTM F381 and F2225, and the product specifications behind these models are detailed in the product specifications guide.

    Frequently asked questions

    What’s the difference between ASTM F381 and ASTM F2225?

    ASTM F381 is the design standard for the trampoline’s components — frame, springs, mat, and padding. ASTM F2225 is the design standard for the safety enclosure, the net system around the jumping surface.

    Is ASTM certification legally required to sell trampolines in the US?

    No. ASTM standards are voluntary consensus standards. The legal requirement for selling trampolines as children’s products in the US is CPSC compliance plus a CPC (Children’s Product Certificate).

    What’s CPC certification and why does it matter for trampolines?

    A CPC is a Children’s Product Certificate issued by the importer or manufacturer. It declares that the product complies with applicable CPSC rules based on supporting test results, and it is the document a customs broker files at clearance.

    What does “ASTM-aligned” actually mean on a product listing?

    It means the product was designed using the ASTM standard as an engineering reference. It does not mean an independent laboratory issued a formal test report for that model.

    Can I import a trampoline without CPSC compliance documentation?

    You should not. Importing a children’s product without CPSC compliance and a CPC exposes the shipment to clearance issues and the importer to enforcement risk.

    Do I need third-party lab test reports from my supplier?

    A standalone third-party ASTM lab report is a premium add-on, not a legal requirement. What you do need is CPSC compliance documentation and CPC support, because those are mandatory.

    My supplier says they’re “ASTM certified” — what should I verify?

    Ask which laboratory issued the report, for which exact model, against which standard, and on what date. Then confirm the same supplier can produce CPSC compliance documentation and support a CPC.

    Next steps

    Before placing a wholesale trampoline order, separate the four documents in your own head: CPSC compliance and CPC are mandatory, ASTM F381 and F2225 are design references, and a third-party ASTM lab report is an optional premium. Ask suppliers about all four by name, and require the CPSC and CPC paperwork to match your exact SKUs.

    If you want a supplier conversation that starts with documentation instead of buzzwords, request a quote from Rocheyard. Quotes include the compliance basis for each model — full CPSC compliance, CPC certification, and ASTM F381/F2225 design alignment — and Rocheyard responds within one US business day.

    Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Rocheyard’s parent company has over a decade of experience in the outdoor and garden product space, with the team holding 6+ years of focused trampoline industry experience. About Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk

  • How to Source Wholesale Trampolines from China: A 2026 Buyer’s Guide

    How to Source Wholesale Trampolines from China: A 2026 Buyer’s Guide

    By Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Published 2026-05-10 · Last updated 2026-05-10 · 14 min read · Sourcing & Wholesale

    TL;DR

      US buyers source the overwhelming majority of consumer trampolines from China- based manufacturers, concentrated in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces. A clean sourcing run takes 8–14 weeks from first inquiry to delivered container, plus 4–6 extra weeks if you order a sample first. Landed cost on a 14ft round trampoline shipped FOB to a US East Coast warehouse typically lands in the 1.7×–2.6× FOB range once duty (HTS 9506.91.0030 plus Section 301), ocean freight, drayage, and last-mile are added. The three failure modes that wreck most first-time orders are: skipping the sample, accepting “ASTM-aligned” without verifying CPSC/CPC compliance, and underestimating Lunar New Year production gaps. Rocheyard recommends new buyers stage sourcing across two checkpoints — paid sample, then a structured wholesale quote — before committing container-level capital.

      Why this guide exists

      Most articles about importing from China are written for general e-commerce sellers buying small parcels. Trampolines are not small parcels. A single 14ft round trampoline carton is typically 150 cm long and 25–35 kg, which moves it into LTL freight class, oversize FBA fees on Amazon, and a category of customs documentation that catches first-time importers off guard. This guide is written specifically for US-based buyers — independent retailers, online sellers, and small commercial programs — who are sourcing trampolines for resale. It walks through every step from supplier discovery to landed delivery, with the costs, timelines, and red flags that matter at each stage. Rocheyard is itself a wholesale trampoline supplier serving this exact buyer profile, so we’ll point out where our process fits and where you should reasonably evaluate alternatives. If you are sourcing your first container, read straight through. If you are renegotiating an existing supplier relationship or optimizing landed cost, the table of contents lets you jump in.

      1. Decide what you’re actually sourcing before contacting

      suppliers The single biggest cause of wasted weeks in trampoline sourcing is starting supplier conversations before you’ve defined your spec. A supplier asked “do you have trampolines?” will quote whatever’s cheapest in their warehouse — which may not be remotely what your buyers want. Before sending the first inquiry, lock these six fields: Field What to specify Why it matters Shape Round / rectangle / oval / inground / kids / fitness rebounder Drives MOQ, container fit, retail positioning Size Frame OD in feet (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16) or rectangle dimensions Drives carton size and freight class Frame thickness 1.2 mm / 1.4 mm / 1.5 mm / 1.6 mm galvanized steel tube Largest single price driver Spring count and lengthe.g. 96 × 7” springs Drives bounce feel and mat compatibility Net configuration Inner net / outer net / pole count / pole padding Drives net replacement compatibility years later Compliance CPSC compliance and CPC certification (required for US import); ASTM F381/F2225 alignment Required by US customs and most online marketplaces If you’re not sure how to fill these in, our trampoline product specifications guide covers each field in detail. Walking into a supplier conversation with these six values reduces back- and-forth from weeks to days and signals to the supplier that you’re a serious buyer — which materially affects the pricing you’re shown.

      2. Where Chinese trampoline manufacturers actually cluster

      Chinese trampoline production is geographically concentrated. Knowing the cluster matters because it tells you which port to ship from, which Lunar New Year shutdown calendar applies, and which factory ecosystems share component suppliers (springs, nets, frame tubing). The three primary clusters: Shandong province — Qingdao region. A well-established cluster for export-oriented trampoline production. Closest port: Qingdao (TAO). This is where Rocheyard’s manufacturing partners are based, with a focus on US-spec backyard and kids categories. Zhejiang province — Yongkang, Jinhua, and Ningbo. The largest concentration of trampoline assembly factories overall. Closest port: Ningbo (NGB). Jiangsu province — Suzhou and Wuxi area. Concentration of higher-spec and OEM- capable factories. Closest port: Shanghai (SHA). Often used for premium rectangle and inground projects. The implication for sourcing: a US buyer evaluating two suppliers from two different provinces is comparing two genuinely different ecosystems — not just two factories. Pricing, lead time, and packaging norms differ.

      3. How to find suppliers (and the order to use them)

      There are three paths most US buyers take, with very different signal-to-noise ratios: Alibaba and Made-in-China.com. High volume, high noise. Useful for initial market scanning and price benchmarking, but the top-ranked listings are often trading companies, not manufacturers. Filter by “Verified Supplier” and “Trade Assurance” at minimum, and assume you’ll need to disqualify 70–80% of listings during vetting. Trade shows. The Canton Fair (April and October) and the China Sourcing Fair are the highest-density way to see twenty trampoline factories in two days. Travel cost is real, but for buyers planning to source $100k+ annually, the ROI is usually clear after one trip. Sourcing agents and verified wholesalers. Pre-vetted, English-fluent contact, often with US-side warranty and parts support. Higher unit cost than going direct, but materially lower risk and time-to-first-order. This is the category Rocheyard sits in. For buyers who want a single accountable counterparty rather than ten Alibaba conversations, our quote process collapses supplier discovery into a structured inquiry. For first-time importers, Rocheyard recommends starting with a verified wholesaler or sourcing agent for the first one or two orders — the time and risk savings dominate the unit- price difference — then evaluating direct factory relationships only once you understand the product category, the typical defect rates, and the freight math.

      4. Vetting a supplier: a 12-point checklist

      Once you have 3–5 candidate suppliers, vet them before requesting a quote. This step is non-optional. The questions below are written so a “no” or evasive answer is itself the signal.

      1. Can you share your business license and export license? Both are real documents; ask for both.
      2. Are you a manufacturer or a trading company? Either can work, but the answer affects pricing transparency.
      3. What is your factory address and can I see it on Google Maps satellite view? A real factory has a real footprint.
      4. Which trampoline categories do you specialize in? Generalists who claim to do every category at top quality usually don’t.
      5. Do you hold CPSC compliance documentation and CPC (Children’s Product Certificate) testing for US-bound product? Can you share a sample? This is a hard US import requirement, not a marketing claim.
      6. Are products designed to align with ASTM F381 (components) and ASTM F2225 (enclosure) standards? Test reports are a plus but not always available — design alignment plus CPSC documentation is the real US-market floor.
      7. What is your MOQ and is it negotiable?
      8. What is your typical lead time post-deposit?
      9. What payment terms do you offer? T/T 30/70 is standard. Wire-only with no LC option is a yellow flag for first orders.
      10. Can I order a paid sample? A factory that refuses paid samples for a serious buyer is signalling something.
      11. Who is your QC contact and can they share recent inspection photos for an unrelated client?
      12. Can you supply replacement parts — mats, nets, springs, pads — for the same model 12+ months after my order? Many factories rotate models seasonally; replacement-parts continuity is not automatic and is one of the most common post-arrival surprises.

      If you’d like a printable version of this checklist, our supplier-comparison guide expands each point with the supporting context.

      A note on certifications: the US-market truth is that CPSC compliance and CPC certification are the hard floor — they’re required by US Customs and Consumer Product Safety Commission rules to legally import and sell trampolines in the US. ASTM F381 and F2225 are the engineering design standards the industry references; full third-party test reports are a premium add-on, but a supplier without CPSC/CPC paperwork should not be on your shortlist regardless of how impressive their factory photos look.

      Rocheyard holds CPSC compliance and CPC certification on shipped product and designs to ASTM F381 / F2225 alignment.

      5. The sample stage: when to spend $200–500 to save $20,000

      A trampoline sample typically costs $150–500 plus express shipping ($150–300) — call it $300–800 all-in. For an order of 100+ units, that’s a rounding error in your landed cost. For a first order, it’s the cheapest insurance you’ll buy.

      Order a sample when:

      • This is your first order with a supplier, regardless of how good their factory looks online.
      • You’re committing to private-label packaging or branding and must touch the carton before the printer goes to plate.
      • The price quoted is materially below the rest of your quote spread; anomalously low pricing usually indicates a spec mismatch, not a discovery.
      • You’re moving into a new size or shape category with this supplier.

      Skip the sample when:

      • You’re reordering a SKU you’ve sold successfully before from the same supplier.
      • The supplier is one you’ve personally visited within the past 12 months.
      • Order quantity is small enough — around 20 units of a known size — that pre-shipment inspection on the bulk order is more cost-effective.

      When the sample arrives, evaluate against your spec sheet, not against your gut. Weigh the carton. Measure frame tube wall thickness with calipers. Count springs. Photograph everything for your supplier file. If anything is off-spec, raise it in writing before paying the bulk deposit. Rocheyard’s sample orders process is structured this way for first-time buyers, with sample fees partially creditable against subsequent bulk orders.

      6. MOQ, pricing, and the quote you should expect

      MOQ in the trampoline category is usually expressed in two ways: per-SKU minimum, and per-container minimum, since shipping a half-empty container destroys the unit economics.

      Across the Chinese trampoline export market in 2026, typical MOQ patterns look like this:

      Category Typical per-SKU minimum Notes
      Round backyard 12–14ft 200–300 units A 40HQ container fits roughly this many.
      Round 15–16ft 100–200 units Larger frame, fewer per container.
      Rectangle 100–200 units Premium positioning, smaller market.
      Kids 10–12ft 250–350 units A 40HQ fits approximately 290–320 units depending on carton.
      Kids ≤8ft 300–500 units Lower per-unit price, factories need volume.
      Fitness rebounders 300–600 units Smallest unit, factories optimize for high-volume runs.
      Inground 30–80 units Project-business norms, often custom.

      These are typical industry ranges, not Rocheyard quotes. Negotiability depends on payment terms, packaging requirements, mixed-SKU willingness, and whether you’re buying in season or off-season.

      Rocheyard’s approach for first-time US buyers is structured around three flexibility points that are unusual in the China-direct market:

      • Round 12–16ft backyard trampolines start at one 40HQ container, which fits approximately 260 units depending on the specific size mix.
      • Mixed-SKU 40HQ containers are supported down to 30 units per SKU, which lets a buyer test 3–5 different models in a single container instead of committing one full container to a single SKU.
      • Multi-container orders ship in a staged cadence — the first 40HQ delivers approximately 30 days after deposit, with each subsequent container shipping at roughly 8-day intervals.

      Final terms — including specific MOQ negotiability for repeat buyers — are confirmed during quote review. Share your buyer profile through the quote form and we’ll confirm fit within one US business day.

      A wholesale quote you should accept will include, at minimum:

      • Unit FOB price by SKU
      • Origin port: Qingdao, Ningbo, or Shanghai
      • Lead time post-deposit
      • Carton dimensions and weight per unit
      • Cartons per 20ft / 40ft / 40HQ container
      • Payment terms, typically 30% T/T deposit and 70% against B/L copy
      • Validity period, usually 15–30 days
      • Required compliance documents: CPSC and CPC at minimum

      A quote that’s missing any of these — especially carton dimensions and container math — is a quote written for a customer the supplier doesn’t take seriously. Push back, or move on.

      7. Freight: from FOB China to your US warehouse

      Once you accept a quote, three logistics layers stack between you and your warehouse:

      • Ocean freight. A 40HQ container from Qingdao or Ningbo to Los Angeles or Long Beach typically takes 14–18 days transit; to New York/New Jersey via the Panama Canal, 28–35 days. Freight rates fluctuate with season, fuel surcharges, and carrier capacity — a 40HQ from North China to the US West Coast in 2026 has commonly quoted in the $2,500–$5,500 range, with Lunar New Year and the pre-Christmas rush tightening capacity and raising rates by 30–60%.
      • Customs clearance. Trampolines classify under HTS 9506.91.0030. The base general duty rate is currently 4.6%. Chinese-origin trampolines are also subject to Section 301 tariffs, which change with US trade policy. Always verify the current rate at the USITC HTS database or with your licensed customs broker before pricing your order. You’ll also pay Merchandise Processing Fee and Harbor Maintenance Fee. A licensed customs broker handles the filing for $80–200 per entry; do not attempt your first import without one.
      • Drayage and last-mile. Drayage for a 40HQ runs $400–900 within 100 miles of the port, more for chassis fees and dwell time. If you’re shipping LTL to multiple destinations from the port, expect freight class 200–250 for trampolines depending on density.

      8. Worked landed-cost example: a 40HQ of 14ft round trampolines

      Let’s run the math on a representative order to show how the layers stack. The numbers below are illustrative, not Rocheyard quotes — your actual numbers will differ.

      Assume:

      • 14ft round trampoline with safety enclosure
      • Quoted FOB North China port: $95/unit, illustrative
      • Carton size approximately 156 × 41 × 31 cm, about 36 kg per unit
      • Roughly 88 units fit in a 40HQ on this carton spec
      • Destination: a 3PL warehouse in Long Beach, CA
      Cost layer Amount Notes
      FOB unit cost $95.00 $8,360 for 88 units
      Ocean freight: 40HQ to LA $4,000 $45.45 per unit at 88 units
      Marine insurance $80 Approximately 1% of cargo value
      US duty: 4.6% base + current Section 301 Verify at USITC before pricing Apply combined rate to declared FOB value
      MPF + HMF ~$60 total Combined federal fees
      Customs broker $150 Per entry
      Drayage to Long Beach 3PL $650 Single 40HQ delivery
      3PL receiving + putaway ~$5/unit $440 for 88 units
      Landed cost per unit, excluding duty ~$157 About 1.65× FOB before any duty
      With duty applied Add current HTS rate × FOB Section 301 has historically swung this multiplier into the 1.9×–2.6× FOB range

      Three takeaways from this math:

      1. Ocean freight per unit drops dramatically with full container loading. If you can’t fill a 40HQ on a single SKU, mix SKUs in one container before resorting to LCL.
      2. Duty is the swing factor. Recalculate every time tariff policy moves.
      3. The cheapest FOB quote is rarely the lowest landed cost. Spec quality and shipping reliability matter far more.

      9. Common mistakes that cost first-time importers real money

      Working with US trampoline buyers who switched suppliers, these patterns come up repeatedly:

      • Skipping the sample on order #1. Costs 4–6 weeks of pre-deposit time but saves 2–3 months of post-arrival firefighting when something is wrong.
      • Confusing “ASTM-aligned” with “CPSC-compliant”. ASTM is a design standard; CPSC + CPC is the legal requirement to import and sell in the US.
      • Ordering for spring delivery in January. Lunar New Year shuts most factories for roughly 4 weeks late January through mid-February.
      • Underestimating drayage and detention. A container that sits at the port for 5 days because your 3PL had no receiving slot can cost $800+ in detention/per-diem fees.
      • Forgetting replacement-parts continuity. Confirm parts availability commitment in writing — Rocheyard’s standard is to support replacement parts for the same SKU for at least 12 months after order delivery.
      • Not budgeting for damaged units. Trampoline cartons are oversized; LTL damage rates of 2–5% are normal.

      10. How Rocheyard’s process maps to this guide

      Most of this guide describes the work of finding and vetting an unfamiliar supplier from scratch. If that’s the job you want to do, the framework above is the same one we’d recommend regardless of where you ultimately source.

      If you’d rather collapse the discovery and vetting stages, the Rocheyard wholesale process is designed to handle them on your behalf. The four steps are:

      1. Inquiry. You share buyer type, target products, and quantity range through the quote form. We reply within one US business day.
      2. Review. We confirm product fit, lead time, and the right next path.
      3. Sample or private-label discussion. For first-time buyers, we’ll usually recommend a sample before bulk; for repeat buyers or known SKUs, we move directly to quote. Sample fees are partially creditable against your subsequent bulk order.
      4. Order planning. Quantity, packaging, destination, and after-sales support are confirmed. Multi-container orders are planned with our staged cadence: first container approximately 30 days post-deposit, subsequent containers at roughly 8-day intervals.

      For context on scale: Rocheyard’s parent company has over a decade of experience in the outdoor and garden product space, with the team holding 6+ years of focused trampoline industry experience. The Rocheyard wholesale brand has shipped 800+ 40HQ-equivalent containers and 200,000+ trampoline units, serving 20+ active US wholesale clients with a pure US-market focus.

      Whether you go direct or through a wholesaler, the principles in this guide — spec discipline, sample-first for new suppliers, real CPSC/CPC documentation, full landed-cost math, and Lunar New Year planning — apply identically.

      Frequently asked questions

      How long does it actually take to get trampolines from a Chinese supplier to

      my US warehouse?

      Realistically, 8–14 weeks from your first inquiry to a delivered container, assuming no sample. With a sample stage included, add 4–6 weeks. Lunar New Year (late January through mid-February) extends timelines by 3–6 weeks for any order whose deposit lands in that window. Buyers planning for a March–April backyard sales push should pay deposits by early November of the prior year. Rocheyard’s standard production lead time runs 3–5 weeks depending on customization depth, with multi-container orders shipping in a staged cadence.

      What’s the minimum order I can place if I’m a small US retailer?

      Across the Chinese trampoline export market, per-SKU MOQs typically run 100–500 units depending on category, and most factories effectively require a full container to make the economics work. For a small US retailer wanting to test a category before committing to a full single-SKU container, a verified wholesaler with mixed-SKU container capability is usually the better path than negotiating with a factory directly. Rocheyard supports mixed- SKU 40HQ containers down to 30 units per SKU, which is specifically designed for this gap most factories don’t serve well.

      Can I really trust a Chinese trampoline supplier I find on Alibaba?

      Some — yes. Most — proceed cautiously. The 12-point vetting checklist in this guide will eliminate the worst 60–70% of listings on its own. The remaining suppliers fall into three groups: trading companies (fine for some buyers, a problem for others depending on your goals), small-batch factories (often great quality but limited capacity), and large export- oriented manufacturers (usually safe but with rigid MOQs). The “Trade Assurance” badge plus a video factory tour plus genuine CPSC/CPC documentation plus a successful sample is the four-of-four signal you want before placing a bulk order.

      What’s the actual import duty on trampolines from China?

      Trampolines classify under HTS 9506.91.0030 with a base general duty rate of 4.6%. Chinese-origin trampolines are also subject to Section 301 tariffs, which have been adjusted multiple times since 2018. Verify the current Section 301 rate at the USITC HTS database before pricing your order — this is the single number most likely to be out of date in any guide you read, including this one. Plan for the possibility that rates change again before your container arrives.

      Should I order samples from multiple suppliers before deciding?

      For a first-time importer evaluating 3–5 finalist suppliers, ordering 2–3 samples in parallel is usually worth the $1,000–2,000 cost. You’ll see real differences in carton quality, frame welds, mat stitching, and net weave that no spec sheet captures. For a repeat buyer working with a known supplier, samples are only needed when changing SKU or packaging.

      What’s the difference between CPSC compliance and ASTM F381?

      CPSC compliance plus a CPC (Children’s Product Certificate) is the legal requirement to import and sell trampolines in the US — it’s enforced by US Customs and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. ASTM F381 is a technical design standard developed by ASTM International that specifies trampoline component requirements; ASTM F2225 covers safety enclosures. A supplier can design products to ASTM standards without holding a third-party ASTM lab test report, which is common and acceptable for the US market. What you should not accept is a supplier who can’t produce CPSC and CPC documentation, since that paperwork is what your customs broker actually files. Rocheyard ships product with full CPSC compliance and CPC certification, designed to ASTM F381/F2225 alignment. How do I handle warranty claims on a container of trampolines once it’s in

      the US?

      Build the warranty plan before the container ships, not after. The minimum: the supplier must commit in writing to (a) parts availability for the model for at least 12 months, (b) photo-based defect adjudication (no return-to-China shipping for damaged parts), and (c) a credit-or-replacement policy for confirmed defects within a specified window. Suppliers who balk at these terms are usually signalling that they don’t have the operational maturity to support a US wholesale program — better to learn that before the deposit than after the arrival. What’s the single most expensive mistake first-time trampoline importers

      make?

      Underestimating duty plus freight in the landed-cost model. A buyer who priced their retail margin off a 1.5×-FOB rule of thumb learned in 2018 will be 20–30% off in 2026. Always recalculate landed cost using current tariff rates and current freight quotes before setting retail prices, and rebuild the model whenever either input moves materially.

      Next steps

      If you’ve read this far, you have a working framework. The next move depends on where you are: If you’re researching the category before sourcing, read our trampoline product specifications guide and our trampoline sizes guide before requesting any quotes. If you’re ready to compare suppliers, the supplier-comparison guide extends the 12- point checklist in Section 4. If you’d rather skip discovery and start a structured wholesale conversation, request a wholesale quote from Rocheyard. Share your target products, quantity range, and destination; we reply within one US business day. Whichever path you take, the rule that decides whether your first container is profitable or not is set before the deposit — not after the unit arrives. Spec discipline, sample-first, real CPSC/CPC documentation, full landed-cost math, and Lunar New Year planning. Get those right and the rest is execution.



      Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Wholesale trampoline sourcing for US small business buyers — round, rectangle, oval, inground, kids, and fitness rebounder formats, with private label and replacement-parts support. Operating from a parent company with 10+ years of outdoor product industry experience. About Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk

    • Wholesale Trampoline Pricing in 2026: What US Buyers Actually Pay

      Wholesale Trampoline Pricing in 2026: What US Buyers Actually Pay

      By Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Published 2026-05-10 · Last updated 2026-05-10 · 13 min read · Sourcing & Wholesale

      TL;DR

      • “Wholesale price” and “what you pay” are two different numbers. Landed cost in the US typically runs 1.7×–2.6× the FOB unit price once freight, duty, and last-mile are stacked on.
      • Trampoline FOB pricing across the export market splits into four broad quality tiers, separated by frame thickness, mat material, net spec, and US-market compliance documentation.
      • The single most expensive mistake first-time buyers make is comparing two FOB quotes side-by-side without checking whether both can actually clear US customs at the same duty rate.
      • Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin trampolines are the largest swing factor in landed cost; rates change frequently and must be re-checked every order cycle.
      • Rocheyard sees the strongest 2026 buyer demand at the mid-premium tier, where products carry full CPSC compliance and CPC certification — the legal floor for US import — and where retailers can still achieve 40%+ gross margin at typical retail price points.

      Why “wholesale price” is the wrong question

      Most first-time trampoline buyers ask a supplier the same opening question: “What’s your wholesale price for a 14ft round?” The answer they get back is technically correct and practically useless.

      The reason is that the price a supplier quotes you on email is almost never the price you’ll pay. A typical supplier reply will list a per-unit FOB number — meaning the price for the unit loaded onto a vessel at a Chinese port. That number leaves out ocean freight, marine insurance, US import duty, federal fees, customs broker, drayage, and 3PL receiving. By the time the trampoline lands in your warehouse, the cost has typically grown into the 1.7×–2.6× FOB range depending on duty rates and freight conditions in the quarter you ship.

      So the right question isn’t “what’s the wholesale price.” The right question is: “what’s my landed cost, and how does it compare against my retail price target?” If you’ve already read our broader guide to sourcing wholesale trampolines from China, this is the financial deep dive that complements it.

      The four price tiers in the trampoline export market

      Trampoline FOB prices from China cluster into roughly four quality tiers. Pricing varies by size, season, and supplier — so this guide describes tiers by specification, not by dollar values that go stale within months.

      Tier Typical specification signals US-buyer implication
      Entry tier 1.0–1.2 mm frame, thin zinc plating, PE mat, minimal net poles, usually no CPC on file. Difficult to legally import for consumer sale unless the buyer handles testing and documentation.
      Mid tier 1.2–1.4 mm galvanized frame, PP mat, standard net configurations, CPC may or may not be available. Common on Alibaba and at smaller distributors; documentation must be checked explicitly.
      Mid-premium tier 1.4–1.6 mm galvanized frame, premium PP or Permatron-style mat, padded poles, full CPSC compliance and CPC certification. Rocheyard’s product range sits in this tier: US-market compliance plus durability expectations for backyard buyers.
      Premium tier 1.5–1.8 mm frame, multi-stage finishing, UV-stabilized mat, fully padded enclosure, branded packaging, premium OEM support. Pricing reflects the premium build, packaging, and brand program.

      The practical implication for buyers: when you see two FOB quotes that look 30% apart at the same nominal size, you are almost always comparing different tiers — not the same product at different prices. The cheaper quote is rarely a “deal.” It is usually a different specification.

      What drives the price difference between tiers

      Six specification choices account for almost all of the FOB price spread between tiers. Understanding them lets you read a quote sheet with confidence rather than just trusting a supplier’s positioning.

      • Frame steel grade and wall thickness. This is the single largest cost driver. A 14ft round trampoline frame uses roughly 30–40 meters of steel tube; moving from 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm wall thickness adds materially to steel cost and galvanizing time.
      • Mat material. PE is the cheapest, PP is the working-class default, and Permatron-style woven material costs more upfront but is preferred by branded retailers selling to higher-AOV customers.
      • Spring count, length, and gauge. A 14ft round can be built with different spring counts and lengths. Longer and more numerous springs improve feel up to a point, but they add steel and labor.
      • Net configuration. Inner-net designs, pole count, pole padding, and net replacement compatibility all affect cost.
      • Certification documentation. Producing CPC certification on a tested lot adds real cost. Suppliers who quote dramatically below their tier-mates often get there by skipping CPC, which transfers risk to the importer.
      • Packaging and accessories. A bare-bones brown carton costs far less than a printed retail-ready carton with ladder, anchor kit, repair patch, and warranty card.

      When you receive a quote, compare specs first and price second. A 14ft round at one price with 1.2 mm frame and PE mat is not actually cheaper than a 14ft round at a higher price with 1.5 mm frame and PP mat — it’s a different product.

      From FOB to landed: the seven cost layers

      Once you accept an FOB quote, seven cost layers stack between you and your warehouse. Skipping any one of them in your budget is how first containers turn into “we lost money on the order.”

      1. FOB unit cost — the per-unit price at the Chinese export port.
      2. Ocean freight — a 40HQ container from North China to the US West Coast has commonly priced in the $2,500–$5,500 range in 2026, with seasonal swings.
      3. Marine insurance — typically about 1% of cargo value.
      4. US import duty — trampolines classify under HTS 9506.91.0030 with a base general duty rate of 4.6% as of 2026. Chinese-origin product is also subject to Section 301 tariffs. Always verify the current rate at the USITC HTS database or with your licensed customs broker before pricing your order.
      5. Federal fees — Merchandise Processing Fee and Harbor Maintenance Fee.
      6. Customs broker — typically $80–$200 per entry. A licensed broker is non-optional for first-time importers.
      7. Drayage and 3PL receiving — port-to-warehouse trucking, chassis fees, dwell time, and receiving/putaway.

      Add all seven and you have your true landed cost, which is the only number that matters for retail pricing.

      A worked landed-cost example: 14ft round, 40HQ container

      The example below uses illustrative numbers, not Rocheyard quotes. Your actual figures will differ by supplier, route, and current policy.

      Assume:

      • 14ft round trampoline with safety enclosure, mid-premium tier specification
      • FOB Qingdao: $130/unit, illustrative
      • Carton size approximately 156 × 41 × 31 cm, about 36 kg per unit
      • Roughly 88 units per 40HQ on this carton spec
      • Destination: a 3PL warehouse in Long Beach, CA
      Cost layer Amount per unit Notes
      FOB unit cost $130.00 Mid-premium 14ft round
      Ocean freight: 40HQ to LA $45.45 $4,000 ÷ 88 units
      Marine insurance $0.91 Approximately 1% of FOB
      US duty: 4.6% base + current Section 301 Verify at USITC before pricing Apply combined rate to declared FOB value
      MPF + HMF $0.68 Federal fees split across container
      Customs broker $1.70 Per-entry fee split across container
      Drayage to Long Beach 3PL $7.39 $650 ÷ 88 units
      3PL receiving + putaway $5.00 Per unit
      Subtotal, excluding duty ~$191 About 1.47× FOB before duty
      With duty applied Landed cost varies with current rate Section 301 has historically pushed total to 1.9×–2.6× FOB

      What this example illustrates is not the specific dollar number — that will move with policy and freight markets — but the structure. Ocean freight is a major line item, duty is the largest swing factor, and the remaining layers are small individually but cumulative.

      This also explains why mixed-SKU container support matters. If your buying volume on a single SKU isn’t enough to fill a 40HQ, a supplier who lets you mix SKUs in one container preserves FCL economics. Rocheyard supports mixed-SKU 40HQ containers down to 30 units per SKU specifically because this is the gap most factories don’t serve well.

      How seasonal and policy shifts change pricing

      Three forces move trampoline pricing meaningfully through the year:

      • Lunar New Year. Chinese factories shut for approximately 4 weeks, late January through mid-February. Buyers who plan around this calendar pay normal pricing; buyers who don’t can miss the spring sell-through window.
      • Peak shipping seasons. Pre-Lunar-New-Year and the August–October pre-Christmas rush tighten ocean freight capacity. During these windows, 40HQ rates from North China to the US West Coast can rise meaningfully above off-season rates.
      • Section 301 and trade policy shifts. Tariff rates on Chinese-origin trampolines have moved several times since 2018 and continue to move. Always re-check the current rate at the USITC HTS database before each new order.

      How to spot anomalously low quotes

      A quote that looks 30% cheaper than its peers is almost always one of three things: a different specification tier, missing certification documentation, or a supplier hiding cost they’ll add later.

      • No CPC documentation. A 14ft round at a price far below the rest of your shortlist usually means the supplier has skipped CPC testing.
      • Frame thickness understated. Quote sheets sometimes list “1.5 mm frame” when the actual production frame is 1.2 mm. Always request a sample and measure with calipers before bulk deposit.
      • Vague carton dimensions. A serious wholesale quote includes carton L×W×H and weight, plus units per 40HQ.
      • Wire-only payment, no LC option. Most established factories offer T/T 30/70. A supplier insisting on 100% upfront for first orders is signalling risk.
      • Sample refused or inflated to discourage you. A supplier who is confident in their product welcomes a paid sample.

      The 12-point supplier vetting checklist in our supplier comparison guide covers these signals in detail.

      Reverse-engineering retail price from landed cost

      The only number that matters for retail decision-making is how landed cost compares to your retail price. Suppose you source a mid-premium 14ft round trampoline at FOB $130, with a landed cost of approximately $220 per unit, including current duty rates you must verify. You’re selling on Amazon FBA.

      Layer Cost per unit Notes
      Landed cost $220 From the example above
      FBA fulfillment fee $45–$55 Verify current Amazon rates in Seller Central
      Amazon referral fee ~$32 Illustrative 8% category rate on a $399 sale
      Inbound shipping to FBA ~$8 Freight prep + label cost amortized
      Total Amazon-fulfilled cost ~$305 Your true cost-of-sale
      • At $399 retail: gross margin is about $94 per unit, or 24%.
      • At $499 retail: gross margin is about $194 per unit, or 39%.
      • At $599 retail: gross margin is about $294 per unit, or 49%.

      The difference between profitable and not-profitable is not the wholesale price. It’s the gap between your landed cost and your achievable retail price. ASP matters more than unit margin percentage, because a higher-ticket trampoline can generate materially more gross profit per unit.

      What Rocheyard sees in 2026 buyer pricing patterns

      Across the 800+ 40HQ-equivalent containers Rocheyard has shipped to date and our 20+ active US wholesale clients, three pricing patterns are consistent in 2026.

      1. Mid-premium has decisively won the assortment battle. Buyers who tried to compete on entry-tier pricing have largely moved up because cheap-trampoline marketplace economics no longer support advertising spend.
      2. Mixed-SKU container loads are accelerating. Buyers increasingly want combinations such as 14ft round, 12ft round, and rectangle SKUs in one container. Rocheyard’s mixed-SKU support down to 30 units per SKU exists for exactly this buyer behavior.
      3. Multi-container staged delivery is becoming a cash-flow advantage. Rocheyard’s staged delivery cadence — first container approximately 30 days after deposit, with each subsequent container at roughly 8-day intervals — turns the same total order into a phased inventory build.

      The buyers winning in 2026 treat landed cost, retail margin, and cash flow as one connected system rather than chasing the lowest FOB number. The math, policy environment, and freight market all reward this approach.

      Frequently asked questions

      What’s a fair FOB price for a 14ft round trampoline from China in 2026?

      There isn’t a single fair price — there’s a fair price for each specification tier. A 1.2 mm-frame, PE-mat, no-CPC entry-tier product trades at very different FOB pricing from a 1.5 mm-frame, PP-mat, CPSC+CPC mid-premium product. Compare specs first; compare prices second.

      Why is my landed cost almost 2× my FOB?

      Because seven cost layers stack on top of FOB: ocean freight, marine insurance, US import duty, MPF and HMF, customs broker, drayage, and 3PL receiving. Excluding duty, the landed-to-FOB ratio is typically around 1.5×; with duty applied, it commonly runs 1.9×–2.6×.

      Should I trust a $40 FOB quote on a 14ft trampoline?

      No. A $40 FOB quote almost certainly means missing components, missing CPC paperwork, or both. The price is a red flag, not an opportunity.

      How does Section 301 affect my trampoline pricing today?

      Significantly, but the specific rate changes too often to quote here. Verify the current Section 301 rate for HTS 9506.91.0030 at the USITC HTS database before pricing each order.

      Does Lunar New Year really change trampoline pricing?

      Yes. Factories shut for approximately 4 weeks and ocean freight capacity tightens in the pre-LNY window. Buyers who plan around the calendar avoid both effects.

      What retail markup do most US trampoline retailers use?

      Online sellers often model 1.5×–1.8× landed cost as MAP, while brick-and-mortar retailers may target keystone or higher. The right markup is the one your channel can actually sell at.

      Can I lower my landed cost by buying smaller quantities?

      Almost always no. LCL freight runs much higher per unit than FCL. The better path is mixed-SKU container loading, which preserves FCL economics across several SKUs in one container. Rocheyard supports mixed-SKU 40HQ containers down to 30 units per SKU for this purpose.

      Next steps

      Once you’ve worked through your landed-cost math, three further reads sharpen the picture:

      The buyers who succeed in this category aren’t the ones who find the cheapest FOB quote. They’re the ones who model landed cost honestly, factor in policy and seasonal swings, and pick the specification tier where the retail-margin math actually works.

      Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk · Wholesale trampoline sourcing for US small business buyers — round, rectangle, oval, inground, kids, and fitness rebounder formats, with private label and replacement-parts support. About Rocheyard B2B Sourcing Desk