With competitive price and timely delivery, sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Importers shipping from China to the US can use express, air freight or sea freight
Which method you use will depend on the type of cargo and load, your timing requirements and budget
With dozens of airports and ports with service from China, US importers have great flexibility. Make sure you contact a freight forwarder to understand all your options and to maximize your savings
A freight forwarder based in China like Guided Imports have negotiated rates unavailable to US or international forwarders, and we pass those savings on to you
It’s important you understand your incoterms with your supplier, as this will affect both the final cost and any logistics you may be responsible for. If you’re unsure, get a quote and we can help you figure it out.
Don’t forget to protect your investment with freight insurance and work with a customs broker to ensure your goods leave China and enter the US without issue. Guided Imports offers these services if you need them.
Many freight forwarders took advantage of the supply chain crisis and were caught price-gouging their customers.
When shipping rates cooled down in 2022, and space became readily available, the freight forwarders who were taking advantage of their customers began to experience a mass customer exodus. This caused some freight forwarders to go bankrupt which left their customer’s shipments stranded.
It is vital to understand how your freight forwarders business is doing. For example, despite the economic downturn, Guided Import’s volume has grown by 300% during the second half of 2022 and we’re consistently growing our team. While some of the world’s largest freight forwarders have been going through a series of mass layoffs.
As the economy remains questionable, it is important to recognize, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If one freight forwarder offers a rate that is substantially lower than the competition, and they can’t provide a legitimate reason as to why, there is a greater chance that they may be trying to take advantage of you.
As ocean rates maintain an all-time low, steamship lines will consistently cancel sailings with little to no warning, in an effort to match demand. This will increase the chance of delays.
While that’s a great question, there is no universal “best way” to ship from China to the US.
When planning a shipment, you’ll carefully want to consider the following variables:
Product and Load – what is being shipped, what are its dimensions, and how much does it weigh?
Destination – which country am I shipping to, and what routes are available?
Timing Requirements – do you need your items yesterday, in a few days, or can you wait several weeks?
Depending on your answers to these questions, one or more of the following shipping methods should be considered, including
Air Express
Air Freight
Sea Freight
Regardless of which method you ultimately choose, the best way to ship from China to the US will always be by contacting a China freight forwarder, and there are several reasons for that.
First and foremost, a freight forwarder based in China, like Guided Imports, will have rates far lower than what a US or international freight forwarder can typically offer. And that’s because our rates have been negotiated for the Chinese market, and not the United States.
Likewise, due to the high volume of shipments the leading freight forwarders book with their respective carriers, they also have better rates than if you tried to contact a carrier directly to manage your one shipment. All of these savings are then passed on to you.
At least that’s what we do at Guided Imports, which is why we’ve rapidly become one of the best freight forwarders for shipping from China for retail, Amazon FBA, and high-growth e-commerce brands.
Typically, shipping to the United States from China will take anywhere from 1-45 days, depending upon the mode of transport chosen and the final destination of the goods within the United States. Air Express can take anywhere from 1-5 days, air freight from 2-15 days, and sea freight from 15-35+ days..
These numbers are estimates, and the exact transit times will depend on a number of factors, including what types of goods you’re shipping and their load, where in the United States you’re shipping to, the season, current demand, and especially Chinese Holidays which can also have an impact on shipping depending upon the time of year.
Not to worry, we’ll cover transit times in more detail in the sections related to each shipping method.
Shipping costs from China to the USA are typically made up of freight costs and landed costs.
The freight costs can usually be calculated based on the shipping method used by looking at the weight and/or volume of the goods being shipped, and the speed at which goods are shipped.
Average freight costs for the various shipping methods can range from
Air Express to the USA: $7.54 to $9.54 per kilogram
Air Freight to the USA: $3.40 to $15.50 per kilogram
Sea Freight to the USA: $1,200-$1,850 per container
Additionally, many shipments include “landed costs”, such as transportation from the factory to the shipping agent, warehousing, or customs clearance. This is especially true when you use sea freight and air freight, depending upon your shipping incoterms.
We’ll cover exact shipping costs in more detail later in the sections related to the three different shipment methods, which follow.
Let’s start with express shipping first, since it’s the fastest method available to importers.
China Express Shipping involves using a major international courier, like UPS, DHL, or FEDEX who handles all:
Shipping arrangements
Logistics
Documentation
and Customs Clearance
Unlike sea and air freight, express shipping is always both “all-included” and “door-to-door”.
This simply means that when you book express shipping, the fee quoted includes all logistics, transport, preparation of documents, and customs clearance. It also means the goods will be shipped from your supplier all the way through to the final destination you designate. This is not always true of sea and air freight, making express shipping incredibly convenient.
That being said, the convenience of express shipping does come at an added cost, which will cover in more detail below.
In general, express shipping from China to the US can take between 1-5 days, depending upon the courier, selected shipping speed, and even the types of products you are sending.
Now let’s look in a bit more detail at the various options when choosing to ship your goods via China Express to the USA.
FedEx offers two primary services when shipping internationally, the priority service focuses on speed, and its economy services focus on savings.
With International Priority, nicknamed IP, FedEx can ship customers’ products from China to the US in 1-3 business days. If you are shipping over a weekend, there is a chance the days will not be counted, as FedEx only ships during Saturdays in some regions of the US, and not all. IP is the highest-priced product FedEx offers.
For a slightly lower cost service, FedEx also offers its International Economy or IE service. Customers shipping via IE can have their cargo arrive in as little as three days, but at times up to 10 days, as this type of shipment is not prioritized.
It is worth noting that FedEx does not ship lithium-ion batteries, so any cargo containing batteries must be shipped using alternative services, such as DHL and UPS.
UPS offers an international courier service called UPS Worldwide Expedited, which can ship from China to 220 countries worldwide.
This service takes approximately 2-5 business days and includes door-to-door service.
UPS handles all customs clearance, and in our opinion, does a better job fulfilling larger cargo shipments than both FedEx and DHL, which we’ll detail next.
DHL offers three products to customers shipping from China to the US.
DHL Express Worldwide is its standard express shipping service and the service that most forwarders will quote when customers request DHL to ship their cargo via express mail. This method is ideal for smaller shipments, and DHL tries to deliver this cargo by the next business day. When shipping from China to the USA, this usually means that it takes two days for cargo to arrive, however, results vary by 2-4 days on average.
DHL Express 12:00 is a service that allows for time-sensitive shipments to arrive the next day, before 12:00 noon, whenever possible. These shipments are usually prioritized the same way DHL Express Worldwide is prioritized, however, once the shipment arrives in the US, it is expedited to arrive at the destination before noon.
DHL Express 10:30 is a service for the most urgent shipments. This service is set up to allow for shipments to arrive by the next day, before 10:30 AM. This cargo is often prioritized immediately, once it arrives at any of the DHL’s warehouses in China.
Bear in mind, Coronovirus continues to impact shipments from China. We recommend contacting us for an updated quote anytime you are shipping products from China.
Below, you can consult rates as of the time of writing (April 2023).
The United States and China do a lot of trade with each other, so it’s no surprise that shipping from China to US is a hot topic. If you’re not sure how to get started shipping from China to US, this article will tell you everything you need to know.
From choosing your supplier to preparing documents and paying customs duty, this complete guide will make you an expert in shipping from China to US. And if you’re looking for a freight forwarder to help you start shipping from China, look no further.
The following documents are required for goods exported from China to enter the United States:
The process of shipping goods from China and importing them for resale into the United States consists of these steps:
To find the best freight forwarder for your shipments needs, we recommend following these steps:
Before you’ll be able to choose the right freight forwarder for your company’s needs, you need to identify what exactly those needs are. Consider what types of products your company ships, where your Chinese suppliers are located, and where in the United States your products’ final destination is. Consider shipment volume and frequency, and any preferences you may have about shipping methods.
When considering a specific freight forwarder, consider whether they have experience handling shipments from China to the United States. Does the forwarder have experience handling your type of shipments? Do they have experience handling all types of shipment methods? What does the freight forwarder do to minimize risk?
You want your freight forwarder to be a partner and a resource, not just a means to an end. In order for that to happen, communication is key. When you reach out to them for a quote, are they easy to get in touch with? You may want to specifically look for forwarders who offer online tracking, regular notifications, and who are available to call directly when issues arise.
Finding the right forwarder can be a taxing process. Luckily, the decision for you is easy. Choose DFH Logistics to handle all your freight forwarding and shipment needs. With experience shipping all kinds of merchandise all over the world using all different types of shipping methods, we have the expertise and knowledge you can rely on to get all your shipments done properly.
China has ports all along its coast, which provides plenty of ways to ship goods from China to the US. Some of the most common sea freight routes are:
After arriving in the United States, items then complete their journey to the rest of inland United States (or to another end destination).
Some shipments involve combining shipment methods. Items may first be shipped via air cargo from mainland China to the nearest major US airport. Then, after clearing customs, the shipment may be processed the rest of the way via express shipping (such as UPS or FedEx). These services handle dispatching the packages to their final destination.
The best shipping route for your situation will depend on what you’re shipping, what shipping method you’re using, and your products’ end destination. Talk with your freight forwarder to determine which shipping route best fits your needs and situation.
Shipping times can vary slightly depending on a wide number of factors including the time of year. Always check with your freight forwarder about current ship times so you have a realistic expectation of when each shipment will arrive. But in general, here are typical ship times for each shipment method:
Customs duty for goods to enter the United States vary based on the type of item being imported. That’s why it’s essential to stay well-informed about current customs policies and import fees for items coming to the United States from China. The customs charge will vary depending on what is being imported, and these can change frequently. Always check with your freight forwarder about what you can expect to pay at customs.
Items coming to the United States from China are also subject to a 25% tariff. This applies to almost all items.
In order for your shipments to make it into the United States without problems, the following requirements must be met:
China is a large country with a booming manufacturing industry, which is good news for businesses because it means they can find just about any item there. Here are some cheap products we recommend importing to the USA from China:
According to a 2018 Statista survey, 21.53% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 had at least one pet. And as any pet lover will tell you, there’s no shortage of items pet owners can buy for their pets. Popular pet supplies include toys, litter boxes, pet furniture, monitors, and pet health products.
Americans love buying new clothes, and clothing from China has a reputation for being quick, easy to buy, and affordable. Whether you’re offering your customers basic graphic t-shirts or a whole new wardrobe, China is a fantastic place to look for a supplier.
However, always vet your suppliers for quality workmanship. It’s easy to sell clothing to someone once, but in order to get repeat customers, you want to deliver on quality.
Because almost everyone has a cell phone, phone accessories and gadgets are more popular than ever. These include cords, plugs, chargers, lights, phone stands, Bluetooth earphones, phone speakers, etc.
Every home needs kitchen supplies. Especially now, when people are spending more time at home than ever, demand for fun new kitchen items is high. These range from simple must-haves like spatulas, pots, and pans, to more advanced or novelty items like strawberry stem removers, milk frothers, or regular kitchen supplies in novelty shapes or colors.
DFH Logistics offers the following services, complimentary to all customers:
Whatever your shipment includes, wherever your intended destination, DFH Logistics is here to help.
Contact us so we can get started on your free quote today.
Shipping costs can vary widely depending on a wide variety of factors. To help you make the best shipping decision for your situation, DFH Logistics will provide multiple shipping pricing options and will talk over your options with you.
It normally takes about 3-5 days for a FedEx package to arrive in the USA from China. This can vary based on a number of factors, so always confirm with your freight forwarder.
This will depend on the container weight, the route taken to ship the container, and current shipping rates. You may also have to pay additional fees depending on the specific items being shipped in the container. For specific questions like this, we recommend contacting DFH Logistics for a free quote so we can best help you estimate your costs.
If you’re looking to start shipping items from China to the United States and are looking for the ideal freight forwarder, look no further. Contact us on our website or send us an email directly at info@dfhfreight.com.