Shipping From China: The Complete Guide (Including Cost and Time)

It doesn't matter whether you're sourcing from Alibaba, 1688, or an offline trading company; you'll all need to choose a shipping method that will safely deliver your goods to their destination. As a result, selecting the most appropriate shipping method from China to your location is an extremely important part of the entire importing process for all importers. Different shipping modes differ significantly in terms of cost, timeliness, and weight of the goods they transport. Furthermore, you must be familiar with the characteristics of various shipping modes in order to make the best decision. In this post, I'll go over the most popular shipping methods used by foreign importers today, as well as explain and compare them. After reading this article, you will have a better understanding of the various shipping methods available for importing from China, and you will be better prepared to select the shipping method that is most appropriate for your company.

The top five most popular shipping methods used to import from China are as follows:

The following five shipping methods are the most commonly used by most importers, and they are as follows:

• a package sent through the mail
• Air express is a service that transports passengers by air.
• Air Railway has its own special line (from China to European countries)
• The transportation of goods by sea
• China Post's Postal Parcel Service
• In the event that you have ever purchased something from aliexpress or a Shopify store, you may have noticed that many sellers use epacket or China post air mail to send small parcels to you;
• these shipping methods are referred to as all postal parcels in the industry.

The advantage of postal parcels is their extensive coverage, which includes more than 230 countries and regions around the world. This means that postal parcels can be sent to almost any location on the planet without difficulty.

For foreign importers who are engaged in dropshipping from China, or for those who wish to ship directly from China to their end customers, the postal parcel is the most convenient shipping method available.

• Air Express is a type of air transportation.
  Air express is the quickest and safest mode of international transportation, but it is also the most expensive due to the high cost of fuel.
• UPS, DHL, FedEx, TNT, Aramex, and other international air express carriers are among the most widely used.
• Please keep in mind that the cost of express shipping is extremely expensive and typically accounts for 30 percent to 50% of your total import costs.
• As a result, before deciding to ship your products via air express, you must add the cost of the air express fee to the total cost of your product.

The Special Line is referred to as the specialline.
Some large forwarding companies in China have a very large number of customers, and when they discover that their customers are concentrated in a particular country or at a particular address, they will take action.

They ship goods overseas via charter flights and then distribute them through local partner companies to reach their final destination in a timely manner. For example, many freight forwarders have opened airline services for Amazon FBA in the United States. They collect the goods from their customers and then consolidate the goods in a single location, such as Guangzhou or Shenzhen, before shipping them out. When the goods are ready, they charter a plane and fly them directly from Guangzhou to the United States. Following clearance by U.S. Customs, their partner, usually FedEx or UPS, will ship the shipment directly to Amazon's warehouse in Seattle, Washington. The advantages of using a special line are the cost and time savings that can be achieved. In most cases, it is significantly less expensive than air express shipping, and it can deliver the goods to the destination within one to two weeks, which is significantly faster than ocean freight. The Amazon FBA line, duty-free line for Europe, special line for Australia, Russia, and other countries are examples of general special lines available on the market. In addition, many freight forwarding companies have established special lines in less-popular countries such as the Middle East, South America, and Africa to serve their customers better.

Railways \srailway

The China-Europe Railway is a freight rail route that runs between China and European countries and is operated by fixed trains and routes. Air express and sea freight are two options for shipping freight, and the railway is a third. If you ship your goods from China to Europe by sea, it will typically take 35 to 50 days for them to arrive. However, if you ship your goods by rail, it will only take 15 days. In terms of cost, rail is less expensive than air, which is typically one-fifth the price of rail.

Sea Freight (sea freight)

Sea freight has long been a popular method of transporting goods from China to ports around the world, including FCL and LCL ports, among other destinations. FCL (Full Container Load): Full Container Load If you have a large number of goods, you can choose FCL, in which case the freight forwarder will collect your goods and place them in one or more containers. This container has only one consignee, and that is you. Standard container sizes include 20'GP, 40'GP, 40'HQ, and 45'HQ, with the most common being 20'GP. LCL LCL is an abbreviation for Less Container Load. If your goods are insufficient to fill a container, you can opt for LCL shipping, in which case the freight forwarder will combine your goods with those of other customers to fill the container.

How Do I Make a Decision Between LCL and FCL?

It all depends on the amount of merchandise you have. The container must be at least 20 feet in length and width. The use of LCL is recommended if the volume of your goods does not exceed 20m3. The choice of a full container is made if the volume is greater than 20 m3.

Comparative Analysis of the Top 5 Shipping Methods

I understand that you may still be perplexed and unsure of how to select a shipping method, but don't worry, I've got you covered.

I've put together a detailed comparison chart so that you can make an informed decision based on the needs of your company.

Seven different modes are compared.
Air express is the quickest in terms of delivery time, but it is also the most expensive in terms of average cost per carton box and per product. The delivery time to the majority of countries is usually 3-7 days.

Generally speaking, we can use air express delivery in two situations: The market is flooded with new product introductions, and a small number of products is urgently required to test the waters. During the peak season, the inventory of goods is insufficient, and it is necessary to replenish it immediately. The special line is less expensive than the standard line, and the delivery time is typically between 10-15 days. If you are shipping goods to the Amazon FBA warehouse and your product profit margin is satisfactory, you can make use of the special line for air transportation. After your sales have stabilized and you have mastered the art of inventory management, you can replenish your stock via sea freight, which can save you a significant amount of money on shipping costs. For the majority of successful importers, this is the only option available. When deciding on a shipping method, there are four things to consider. The needs of each individual importer are unique, and there is no single shipping solution that fits all of them. Based on my personal experience, I've compiled a list of four critical considerations for you to bear in mind when making your decision.

The Finished Goods

Your product is the most important consideration when determining the best shipping method. Using postal parcels is more appropriate if you are doing dropshipping and selling low-cost gadgets, but each postal package cannot weigh more than 2kg in total weight per shipment. If you are an Amazon seller or a Shopify seller who is selling some of the more valuable items, you can directly import your goods into the country by using an air express or special line. If you are a traditional trader who needs to ship a large number of goods at the same time, sea shipping is the most cost-effective method.

Rates for Shipping

I am well aware that international shipping costs are unquestionably one of the most important considerations for all importers and exporters. However, there are times when choosing the cheapest option is not the best choice. The cheapest option frequently entails a slower delivery time, less security, and a less stable product. You must consider whether you are able to bear the risk of a delay in delivery or the loss of goods in question.

Delivery Estimated Time

Another important factor to consider when selecting a shipping method is the delivery time. When the shipping costs are not significantly different, I always recommend going with the faster option. Because faster delivery can result in a higher turnover rate for your merchandise. In addition, during the off-season, you should experiment with a variety of shipping methods and freight forwarders in order to gain a general understanding of how quickly different shipping models can arrive. As a result, during the peak season, when the timings are not particularly consistent, you can use several shipping methods at the same time. As a result, you will be guaranteed to receive at least a portion of the goods, preventing you from running out of stock during the busiest season.

Model of Service Delivery

There are several shipping methods available, and each has a different delivery method, Some shipping methods are not available for delivery to remote areas or to certain commercial addresses. Some people are opposed to door-to-door service. As a result, when selecting a shipping method, you must determine whether or not the shipping method is capable of providing door-to-door delivery to your location.