Top 30 FAQ About Shipping From China

Sharline Shaw

Logistics is always a troublesome problem for people purchased products in China. Therefore, Leelinesourcing offers you this article. This article is a summary of the hottest questions on the supply chain especially the logistics of products purchased in China. The questions include shipment terms, expenses, customs clearance, and package, etc. After reading it, you will find the answers to your logistics questions and have a better understanding of shipping products from China to your place.

1. Q: Do I clear the goods via customs in my country?
     A: We will ensure that all our quotations include the import duty and customs clearance procedures. We can, however, offer FOB China prices and allow you to arrange your own shipping but most customers prefer a complete door to door delivery solution when sourcing Chinese products.

2. Q: Do I have to order a container load?
 A: No you don’t have to order a full container. The size and type of product will dictate the best logistics. We can arrange it to your door using full or part-full containers or air freight.

3. Q: I often need to send samples and key components to my supplier in Shenzhen. I find that I have lots of problems when I send via air direct to Shenzhen, but not so many problems if I send via air to Hong Kong then overland into Shenzhen. Can you help explain this?
A: 1. Local customs officers in China have a lot of room to interpret the rules and regulations as they see fit. So if your shipment gets stuck, it is up to you to explain to the officer’s satisfaction the details of the shipment.

2. Items shipped Air directly to SZ Airport have a much higher rate of problems because the customs officials there are very strict compared to sea and land ports. The volume is low compared to the truck via HK, so they check a higher percentage of items. If problems are found, it is harder for your agent to fix things at the airport rather than SZ land/seaport because, unlike a truck, they can’t easily turn a plane around and send it back to HK to try again.
4. Q: If we buy from a China supplier and deliver to our manufacturer in China with CIF or DDP terms, are we the buyer obligated to pay VAT tax on the product we purchased?
 A: The short answer is that in the typical buy-sell transaction, the seller is responsible for paying the VAT. The VAT rebate, on the other hand, is applied for by the party that exports the goods out of China. In order to pay VAT in the first place and/or process VAT rebate on the outbound, you would need to be a fully licensed legal entity in China.

2018 The Hottest Questions on Logistics of Products Purchased in China 1

5. Q: Does anyone have a checklist for everything your shipment needs to have? Ex: UPC, Box Barcodes, etc. I just want to make sure I don’t have any huge problems so If you have a checklist let me know. Thanks.
 A: Box label, product label, packing list if u have more than 1 box.

6. Q: How much is the AVERAGE cost difference between air shipping and sea shipping? My profit margin is very low with air shipping. Thanks a bunch in advance.

A: It depends on how big and heavy your shipment is. Air is about $6/kg and the sea is normally cheaper if your shipment is over 1 CBM. How much cheaper depends on weight and dimensions.

7. Q: Which packaging is better my supplier offers PE bags and OPP bags?
 A: Have them send you a picture or sample with it wrapped in one and a spare of the other type in the box.

8. Q: My product finally arrived at Amazon earlier today! How long should I expect before they become available for purchase?
 A: In my experience, it could take two or three days to a week after your shipment is delivered. Once I couldn’t wait for so-called FBA and I was told it could take up to 14 calendar days for stock to become available.

9. Q: Do you know if “made in China” label has to be on each of the units? Or just outside the box is fine?
 A: Just on the main box will be good, If Customs catches you your products could be sent back to China, they could be destroyed, and you could be fined. Because of all the political stuff going on, over the last few months, Customs is become a lot more stringent and strict and checking. A lot of people have been posting about problems recently with not having the country of origin properly identified on their products.

2018 The Hottest Questions on Logistics of Products Purchased in China 2

10. Q: What is the ASN number that my carrier is asking me to send a pallet delivery into AMAZON?
A: For a freight shipment, you are meant to tell the carrier the number of pallets/cartons/units in the shipment. They should put that on their “delivery note” paperwork which Amazon stamps on delivery. You then ask the carrier to send you a PDF scan/copy of the stamped delivery note after delivery and you keep this on file in case there are any problems with Amazon processing the pallets.

11. Q: Is it common to lose boxes during transportation? Happened to me. Lost 1/13 boxes just wondering if this is something I should expect going forward.
A:Nope, not normal… How do you know they are lost? Were they sent to FBA directly? A lot of times your shipment will get to FBA, but Amazon only says they received partial. It could be that they just haven’t checked in everything and it will show in the inventory shortly. We see this a lot: people panic that we didn’t get the goods there, but they are going off of Amazon’s inbound check-in status, which of course may not be the most up to date info.

Related Content:

How to Find A Suitable FBA Logistics Company in China For Amazon Selling

12. Q: Is anyone located in the USA and sell in multiple marketplaces (different countries)? What is the best practice to handle imports, duties, customs clearance, etc when shipping your goods to FBA in other countries?
       A: If you are importing in from China and selling to FBA in other countries like USA (best market), UK (2nd) and Canada, you want to ship from China directly to those countries so you don’t have to deal with double import tax. For example, ship from China to the USA, pay for its duty and send to Canada to get hit with import tax again. However, there are some cases that it doesn’t make sure to send to the USA and after that to Canada but very rare.

2018 The Hottest Questions on Logistics of Products Purchased in China 3

13. Q: When sending directly from China to FBA, do you change the “ship from” address to your supplier’s address for FBA label?
      A:1. Either do you write your supplier, or address on the ‘ship from’, would be OK; 2 For fnsku sticker, you can label on any place of your sale unit, but advice to cover another barcode if any printing there.

Related Content:

A Step-By-Step Guide to Shipping to Amazon (FBA)

How to Labeling your amazon products with fba fnsku or upc stickers

14. Q: I checked Amazon’s guidelines and all their samples have boxes. Can my packaging be purely an OPP bag without a box? So let’s say one carton contains 15 units inside. When you open the carton you will see the 15 items packaged in an OPP bag. Will that be okay or does each unit need an individual packaging box? What does Amazon require and what do you guys think? Thanks!
A: Most of the sellers are selling in an opp bag! But NOT working for some products. Amazon does already charge for “pick and pack” since they ship it packaged. The only carton required if your product is a successful one, then you may want to do a customized package for It!

Related Content:

How to Tell your Supplier Package your Goods correctly to meet the standard of Amazon FBA requirements

15. Q: Hi, everyone! What do you think is the best and cheapest way to send 8 – 50lb boxes with oversized items to a fulfillment center?
A: Pallet is the cheapest way to move oversized, heavy items. You will need to get a pallet that fits amazons standards as well as be able to shrink wrap. You can get shrink wrap rollers on U-line if you think it’s worth the investment or even use Saran Wrap.

Related Content:

How to keep low shipping costs to ship the products to your customers for Amazon Sellers

2018 The Hottest Questions on Logistics of Products Purchased in China 4

16. Q: If I already buy from China, can you help me to export?
    A: Yes! After your purchasing by yourself, if you worry about the supplier can’t do as you require, we can be your assistant to push production, check the quality, arrange loading, exportation, customs declaration and after-sales service. The service fee is negotiable.

Suggested reading: How To Buy Direct From China

17. Q: What kind of shipment you offer?
A: We offer sea shipping which could be suitable for a full container or less than one container load. Air cargo is also available (good choice for valuable but small volume products).

For the sea shipping we have below 3 terms:

EXW (Ex Works). Your forwarder needs to pick up cargoes in our warehouse and arrange delivery to your assigned place.

FOB (Free on Board). You need to pay FOB shipping fee, which covers all cost to forward and load cargoes on board.

CIF (Cost Insurance and Freight). You pay for CIF shipping fee, which covers all cost to forward the port of your destination.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

Amazon FBA logistics service

18. Q: Just learned that we have to mention “made in China” on every product unit + master carton so as to get I cleared by USA customs (even in by air DDP case). It was required for the ocean but now also needed for b air ddp shipments. Any comments to affirm or negate it.
      A: Only need to put “made in China” and Amazon label on the master carton.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

How to Labeling your amazon products with fba fnsku or upc stickers

19. Q: I have a question. I have a very light-weight product that I would like to source, however, the supplier is telling me that shipping is $600 for 1,000 units (via Air) is this around the normal range for a very lightweight product or am I just being overcharged?
  A: That depends on how light they are. Actually, there are several ways to ship by air, some are very cheap. So I bet your suppliers didn’t find the right way or they are making a profit on the shipping cost.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

how to keep low shipping costs to ship the products to your customers for Amazon Sellers

20. Q: Hello guys! Have a question. There is only one supplier who is willing to manufacture my product because it is customized and most have a MOQ. How do you suggest I check if their declared shipping cost is reasonable since I don’t have other suppliers to compare to? Shipping will be done by UPS.
   A: Ask more couriers for quotes to compare, sometimes suppliers drive the shipping cost higher to make some profit, especially when they know they are the only supplier of yours. Actually, there are many options to ship parcels from China.

21. Q: Should I pay an inspection company?
– I found many on Alibaba that do the inspections.
– consider the product is boxed and ready to ship to Amz FBA Warehouse.
 A: Hire inspection company to check the quality, you can not rely on pictures and one sample, and you want to make sure your product is good quality and works properly, before ship to you so if the damage can be replaced or fix before coming to you.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

How to find Reliable suppliers to grow your business

22. Q: What is the way to pay border duty Tax when creating a shipment plan on FBA Seller central?
  A: Ask your supplier to give you a quote including all customs expenses.

23. Q: My package is leaving China today. UPS Tracking says it arrives on 06/15/18. I paid for DDP service. Is that to the US Customs or to the actual Amazon FBA Warehouse? (I’m assuming it’s to Customs, not Amz)
  A: The estimated arrival date is for the final destination provided to UPS. If you check the status it will tell you when it cleared customs. Sometimes I had products get stuck in customs for more than a few days. In this case, you will get a new updated delivery day.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

how to keep low shipping costs to ship the products to your customers for Amazon Sellers

2018 The Hottest Questions on Logistics of Products Purchased in China 5

24. Q: My order is late. Who is to blame?
A: A well-written PO keeps the supplier honest.

If you are shipping out of China and the B/L is being provided as the goods are about to ship out, then 6 weeks does sound like a very long time to wait, even if the 6 weeks includes clearing inbound customs in Australia.

In the effort to fight corruption and enforce safety/quality standards, in 2013/2014 I have noticed that shipments with values over 100K USD are being inspected by the port authority in much more detail in the past. This inspection can hold up the shipment for weeks. While the inspections are random, if you are on a blacklist or if you have a value of over 100K USD, you may find “random” inspections are the norm, not the exception.

You ask who is responsible for that delay. The answer depends on the terms of your contract. For example, once I started putting in penalty terms for late delivery, my suppliers “magically” starting hitting the delivery dates. Unless you have clear terms in your contract the freight forwarder will blame the supplier and the supplier will blame the freight forwarder when shipments are late.

Related content:

How To Minimize Risks When Import Products From China

8 tips guide of importing process from China for newbies

25. Q: Hello! Can someone please explain shipping DDP to me? What costs will I have to incur? Vat?
A: Delivered Duty Paid – DDP is directly from the manufacturer to Amazon warehouse = headache free. The cost will, of course, be higher as they are doing all the logistics for you. The cost is really based on your order quantity, size, and your negotiation skills.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

A Step-By-Step Guide to Shipping to Amazon (FBA)

26. Q: Can anybody explain EXW to me? What does that mean? How it is different from FOB?
A: FOB is better than EXW as normally your nominated forwarder will charge very high in terms of EXW local costs and customs. So it is better to have both quotes from shipper i.e. FOB and EXW than also get the shipping costs from your forwarder for both i.e. FOB and EXW. Now if you compare both you will see which one is better for you. However, according to my experience, FOB is better.

27. Q: What is the difference between Multi-country inventory and PAN EU?
A: Multi-country inventory is where you decide to ship stock to the different Amazon warehouses, pan EU fba it is Amazon who takes care of shipping it across countries. There is not really much of a difference sales wise, but if you have multi-country inventory in all or most of the EU countries, you might as well go pan EU fba as you will save on shipping the goods yourself to each country and you are already VAT liable anyway.

28. Q: I started reaching out to manufacturers via Alibaba and one thing they are asking me to get a quote for shipping is the destination. How can I find out which Amazon fulfillment warehouse I would be sending it to if I didn’t create any product listings on seller central yet?
  A: You need to create a shipping plan and Amazon will tell you where to ship. You can not choose they will determine your fulfillment center(s) when you enter the shipping plan – also they will probably split your shipment to multiple locations unless you pay extra to specify not to.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

About shipment

Amazon FBA logistics service

how to keep low shipping costs to ship the products to your customers for Amazon Sellers

A Step-By-Step Guide to Shipping to Amazon (FBA)

How to Find A Suitable FBA Logistics Company in China For Amazon Selling

29.Q: What is the timescale?

A: Different projects will have different timelines, and we begin to work from receiving your order. We will take care of everything including arranging the logistics (the freight from the factory to the port, the shipping to the USA and the delivery from the USA port to your address – including taking care of any duties).

Know more: Our Sourcing Agent Services in China

30.Q: If we buy from a China supplier and deliver to our manufacturer in China with CIF or DDP terms, are we the buyer obligated to pay VAT tax on the product we purchased?

    A: The short answer is that in the typical buy-sell transaction, the seller is responsible for paying the VAT. The VAT rebate on the other hand is applied for by the party that exports the goods out of China. In order to pay VAT in the first place and/or process VAT rebate on the outbound you would need to be a fully licensed legal entity in China.

31.Q:Do I have to order a container load?

       A:No you don’t have to order a full container. The size and type of product will dictate the best logistics. We can arrange it to your door using full or part-full containers or air freight.

32.Q: Do I clear the goods via customs in my country?

       A: We will ensure that all our quotations include the import duty and customs clearance procedures. We can however offer FOB China prices and allow you to arrange your own shipping but most customers prefer a complete door to door delivery solution when sourcing Chinese products.

33.Q: Hello guys! Have a question. There is only one supplier who is willing to manufacture my product because it is customized and most have a MOQ. How do you suggest I check if their declared shipping cost is reasonable since I dont have other suppliers to compare to? Shipping will be done by UPS.

      A: Ask more couriers for quotes to compare, sometimes suppliers drive the shipping cost higher to make some profit, especially when they know they are the only supplier of yours. Actually there are many options to ship parcels from China.

34.Q: I have a question. I have a very light-weight product that I would like to source, however the supplier is telling me that shipping is $600 for 1,000 units (via Air) is this around the normal range for a very light weight product or am I just being overcharged?

      A: That depends on how light they are. Actually there are several ways to ship by air, some are very cheap. So I bet your suppliers didn’t find the right way or they are making profit on the shipping cost.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

how to keep low shipping costs to ship the products to your customers for Amazon Sellers

35.Q: What kind of shipment you offer?

       A: We offer sea shipping which could be suitable for full container or less than one container load. Air cargo is also available (good choice for valuable but small volume products).

For the sea shipping we have below 3 terms:

EXW (Ex Works). Your forwarder need to pick up cargoes in our warehouse and arrange delivery to your assigned place.

FOB (Free on Board). You need to pay FOB shipping fee, which covers all cost to forward and load cargoes on board.

CIF (Cost Insurance and Freight). You pay for CIF shipping fee, which covers all cost to forward the port of your destination.

For your reference, here are some resources relating to your situation:

Amazon FBA logistics service

36.Q : Is it common to lose boxes during air freight? Happened to me. Lost 1/13 boxes just wondering if this is something I should expect going forward.

A:Nope, not normal… How do you know they are lost? Were they sent to FBA directly? A lot of times your shipment will get to FBA, but Amazon only says they received partial. It COULD be that they just haven’t checked in everything and it will show in the inventory shortly. We see this a lot: people panic that we didn’t get the goods their, but they are going off of Amazon’s inbound checkin status, which of course may not be the most up to date info.

Related Content:

How to Find A Suitable FBA Logistics Company in china For Amazon Selling

37.Q: How much is AVERAGE cost difference between air shipping and sea shipping? My profit margin is very low with the air shipping. Thanks a bunch in advance.

A: It depends on how big and heavy your shipment is. Air is about $6/kg and sea is normally cheaper if your shipment is over 1 CBM. How much cheaper depends on weight and dimensions.

______________

2018 The Hottest Questions on Logistics of Products Purchased in China 6

Hopefully, this summary will help you out. And if you still can not solve your logistics problem, you can ask help from Leelinesourcing. As a perfect fit in sourcing products in China, Leelinesourcing has decades of experience and professional team can help you solve all kinds of problems in sourcing or shipping products. We also can provide you with the services including finding suppliers, conducting credit verification, cross-price inspection, negotiating prices, product photography, labeling, FBA shipping, and product branding.

If you have any more questions about FBA, please do get in touch so we can assist you in getting the right information. Leeline sourcing company is involved in different sourcing business that will help your company grow, and make your international business better. No matter how big or small your orders are, we will help you source quality and affordable products, and we will ship them directly to you.

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Leeline sourcing company is involved in different sourcing business that will help your company’s growth, and make your international business better.

No matter how big or small your orders are, we will help you source quality and affordable products, and we will ship them directly to you.

• Product Sourcing: With over 10 years of experience in this field, our team will keep your mind at peace, and you will be sure that the products are supplied through a responsible supply chain.

• Amazon FBA sourcing service: We offer you Amazon seller services, from product procurement, to brand labeling, quality inspection, packaging services, product photographing and also shipping of products to FBA warehouses. Just tell us what you need, and we will help ship your products to your warehouse at lightning speed.

• Business and sourcing ideas: If you walk into our office, we will share business and sourcing ideas with you, even if you are importing yourself, our ideas will help you avoid mistakes that will be costly to your business. Our advice will surely help your business turn out better.

We will keep updating new resources about hot selling item in China, if you are planning to open your online shop and don’t know what kind of products to choose, welcome to subscribe our articles, we will give you some sourcing inspiration.

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Sharline

Article by:

Sharline Shaw

Hey I'm Sharline, the founder of Leeline Sourcing. With 10 years of experience in the field of sourcing in China, we help 2000+ clients import from China,Alibaba,1688 to Amazon FBA or shopify. If you have any questions about sourcing , pls feel free to contact us.

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