Shipping methods, transit times and what they actually cost
Six ways out of China, each with a job it does well. Rates below are indicative for general cargo leaving Shenzhen or Yiwu and are refreshed weekly — your quote is priced against real dimensions, weight and destination.
Weekly consolidated lanes to the US and EU
Shipments delivered inside the quoted window
Cargo insurance rate on declared value
Destination countries covered
Compare the lanes
Per-kilogram rates apply to chargeable weight, whichever is greater of actual and volumetric.
| Method | Transit | Chargeable weight | From (per kg) | Duty handling | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air express DHL · FedEx · UPS | 3–6 days | L×W×H ÷ 5000 | US$5.40 | DDU or DDP | Samples, first 200 units, urgent restocks |
| Special line air Cloubay consolidated | 7–12 days | L×W×H ÷ 6000 | US$3.80 | DDP included | Repeat orders under 300 kg |
| Sea freight LCL | 28–38 days | Per m³ / 1000 kg | US$0.95 | You or your broker | Restocks over 300 kg or 2 m³ |
| Sea freight FCL 20 ft · 40 ft · 40 HQ | 26–34 days | Per container | Quoted weekly | You or your broker | Full containers, lowest unit cost |
| China–EU rail | 18–24 days | Per m³ / 1000 kg | US$1.65 | DDP available | Europe at mid volume, no port congestion |
| Overseas warehouse Los Angeles · Rotterdam | 2–5 days | Local carrier rate | From US$3.20 / parcel | Already cleared | Proven sellers needing local delivery speed |
Excludes duties, VAT and remote-area surcharges. Lithium batteries, liquids, powders, magnets and cosmetics move on dedicated lanes at a premium — tell us early and we will route them correctly.
When to switch from air to sea
The break-even is rarely where people expect. Air wins far longer than most sellers assume once you price in the cash tied up in a 35-day sea shipment.
- →Under 45 kgAir express almost always wins. Sea freight's fixed costs — customs, port charges, delivery — swamp a small consignment.
- →45–300 kgSpecial-line air is usually cheapest per kilo once DDP is included, and lands three weeks sooner.
- →300 kg – 12 m³LCL sea starts to win on cost. Order early enough that the extra month does not cost you a stock-out.
- →Over 12 m³Go FCL. A 20 ft container is often cheaper than the same volume as LCL, and handled less.
Rough shipment estimate
A demo calculator — the real figure comes back with your quote.
What we prepare, and what stays with you
We prepare
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- HS code classification
- Certificate of origin, Form A / FTA where eligible
- MSDS and UN38.3 for batteries
- Fumigation and ISPM 15 for wooden pallets
We recommend
- Cargo insurance at 0.3% of declared value
- DDP on first shipments to a new market
- Splitting large first orders across two lanes
- Product compliance testing before mass production
Stays with you
- Importer of record status in your market
- Duty and VAT liability under DDU terms
- Product safety marking responsibility
- Any trademark or licensing clearance
Freight questions we get weekly
How is chargeable weight calculated?
Carriers bill the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. Express uses length × width × height in centimetres divided by 5000; our special line uses 6000, which is why bulky-but-light goods often ship cheaper on the consolidated lane.
What does DDP actually include?
Freight, export clearance, import clearance, duty and import VAT, and delivery to the door. It does not include your own sales tax obligations or any product-compliance testing at destination.
Can you ship products with lithium batteries?
Yes — built-in batteries and power banks move on dedicated air lanes with UN38.3 and MSDS documentation. Transit is typically two to four days longer and the rate carries a surcharge. Loose cells cannot go by air express.
Do you deliver into Amazon FBA directly?
We do, into US, UK, EU, CA and AU fulfilment centres. Cartons are labelled with FNSKU and shipment IDs in our warehouse, and we book the delivery appointment for you.
What happens if customs holds my shipment?
Your account manager handles the query with the broker and sends you whatever the authority asks for. On DDP shipments we absorb clearance delays; on DDU we support you but the liability sits with the importer of record.
Send us the dimensions. Get three routings back.
Weight, volume, destination and how fast you need it — that is all we need to price air, sea and overseas-warehouse side by side.