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How to handle the logistics of products made in China?
After much research, you came up with a Chinese supplier that is aligned with all your prerequisites for product development. The process involved creating several samples, until the product was exactly the way you expected. They did the production and will soon move to the final destination.
But in the end, how do you transport that cargo from Asia to the country where your distribution warehouse is located? The idea of this text is just to show you what the shipping options are.
Before anything else, it is important to note that you have gone through the hardest part, which is finding and developing a supplier. Shipping seems complex, but it is a relatively simple part of the process of buying from China. Despite this, it is essential to pay attention at this stage, because if it is done in the wrong way it can lead to a waste of time and money.
For everything to go smoothly, it is important to understand which options fit your objectives and to choose good partners to carry out the process, if you are not proficient in the area.
Below, we share what the transport alternatives are. The choice between them will depend on the values and the time you are willing to invest to receive them. Check and proceed with your import process from China.
China to USA freight forwarder
Basically, you can count on three logistics formats for your cargo in China: courier, airfreight and sea freight.
Courier service (Courier)
This is undoubtedly the most expensive method. However, it is also the most efficient and fastest. Depending on the amount of goods you are transporting, this can be an excellent alternative.
Courier services are provided by companies such as Fedex, DHL and UPS. By contracting one of these companies you do not need to worry too much, as they take responsibility for customs services, as well as picking up and delivering the cargo directly to where it has been indicated.
In general, the documents required by the courier services are: invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. The delivery time of the products varies between two and five working days, depending on the final destination.
Air transport
Air transport is a cheaper alternative to courier services, but it also reaches the final destination quite quickly. On average, it takes between two and ten working days for your order to arrive.
Unlike the courier service, customs clearance will be your responsibility. You can either do this yourself, if you have full control of the process, or you can hire a company that understands the matter. This agent charges a fee to perform the service, but the investment may be worth it when compared to the value of your cargo.
When using air transport, you will need the following documents: invoice, certificate of origin, shipper's export declaration (SED), bill of lading, packing list, import inspection certificate and destination control declaration.
Sea freight
The third option for transporting your goods from China to the final destination is by sea freight. In this mode your orders are placed in containers and routed to the most strategic port in the destination country.
Sea freight is the cheapest of all and very popular among those who buy in China. Its downside is the delay. Your orders can take up to 60 days to reach their final destination, depending on the address.
As with the air option, you or a specialised agency needs to take care of the whole customs clearance process, as well as having to hire a company to do the transport from the factory in China to the Chinese port, and from the final port to your warehouse.
The interesting thing about this method is that you can ship, in the same container, products from different suppliers. With organisation, this allows all your items to arrive together (which is strategic, taking transport time into consideration).
If you have a freight forwarder in China, he can be responsible for receiving all the items for your company and consolidating them into a single container.
You will need the following documents for sea transport: invoice, certificate of origin, shipper's export declaration, packing list, import inspection certificate and destination control declaration.
Do I have to hire people to do this work?
If this is your first time transporting Chinese goods, we strongly recommend that you have a freight forwarder to carry out the process. This service can be contracted both in your country and in China.
By having a partner in the same country as you, communication is easier. By having an agent in Asia, you can help by accompanying the process directly with the supplier and avoid possible mistakes.
Depending on the size of the contracted company, you can have agents on both sides. This scenario is ideal, as it eliminates any problems during transport.
If your goal is to do this process on your own, it is essential to understand the import rules of each country of origin, to avoid mistakes and possible undue tax payments. As for the necessary documents that were cited during this text, here is a link with models that can be used as a basis.
I want to sell products to the United States, but I live in Latin America. Can I do it?
From the moment you find a good supplier in China, it is not necessary to limit yourself to selling these items in Latin America. Focusing on the American market is an excellent strategy for those who want to make money working with imports.
The United States is an excellent country for those who want to reach a large number of people with quality products from China. This is because Americans are the world's biggest buyers and responsible for one third of global consumption. To get an idea, in 2016 alone, they were responsible for moving $13 trillion.
Interesting to think about focusing on the country with those prospects, isn't it? The good news is that those who want to expand their horizons and sell their goods to the United States can do so with peace of mind, even if they live in Latin America.
All you need to do is open a company in the United States. In this text, we have suggested how to find a good Chinese supplier. If your goal is to focus on the US market and reach even more customers, follow the step-by-step material, taking into account the profile of the US consumer. When it comes to transporting these items to the US country, follow the advice in this text you have just read and send the items directly to our warehouse, which is located in Orlando.
After much research, you came up with a Chinese supplier that is aligned with all your prerequisites for product development. The process involved creating several samples, until the product was exactly the way you expected. They did the production and will soon move to the final destination.
But in the end, how do you transport that cargo from Asia to the country where your distribution warehouse is located? The idea of this text is just to show you what the shipping options are.
Before anything else, it is important to note that you have gone through the hardest part, which is finding and developing a supplier. Shipping seems complex, but it is a relatively simple part of the process of buying from China. Despite this, it is essential to pay attention at this stage, because if it is done in the wrong way it can lead to a waste of time and money.
For everything to go smoothly, it is important to understand which options fit your objectives and to choose good partners to carry out the process, if you are not proficient in the area.
Below, we share what the transport alternatives are. The choice between them will depend on the values and the time you are willing to invest to receive them. Check and proceed with your import process from China.
China to USA freight forwarder
Basically, you can count on three logistics formats for your cargo in China: courier, airfreight and sea freight.
Courier service (Courier)
This is undoubtedly the most expensive method. However, it is also the most efficient and fastest. Depending on the amount of goods you are transporting, this can be an excellent alternative.
Courier services are provided by companies such as Fedex, DHL and UPS. By contracting one of these companies you do not need to worry too much, as they take responsibility for customs services, as well as picking up and delivering the cargo directly to where it has been indicated.
In general, the documents required by the courier services are: invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. The delivery time of the products varies between two and five working days, depending on the final destination.
Air transport
Air transport is a cheaper alternative to courier services, but it also reaches the final destination quite quickly. On average, it takes between two and ten working days for your order to arrive.
Unlike the courier service, customs clearance will be your responsibility. You can either do this yourself, if you have full control of the process, or you can hire a company that understands the matter. This agent charges a fee to perform the service, but the investment may be worth it when compared to the value of your cargo.
When using air transport, you will need the following documents: invoice, certificate of origin, shipper's export declaration (SED), bill of lading, packing list, import inspection certificate and destination control declaration.
Sea freight
The third option for transporting your goods from China to the final destination is by sea freight. In this mode your orders are placed in containers and routed to the most strategic port in the destination country.
Sea freight is the cheapest of all and very popular among those who buy in China. Its downside is the delay. Your orders can take up to 60 days to reach their final destination, depending on the address.
As with the air option, you or a specialised agency needs to take care of the whole customs clearance process, as well as having to hire a company to do the transport from the factory in China to the Chinese port, and from the final port to your warehouse.
The interesting thing about this method is that you can ship, in the same container, products from different suppliers. With organisation, this allows all your items to arrive together (which is strategic, taking transport time into consideration).
If you have a freight forwarder in China, he can be responsible for receiving all the items for your company and consolidating them into a single container.
You will need the following documents for sea transport: invoice, certificate of origin, shipper's export declaration, packing list, import inspection certificate and destination control declaration.
Do I have to hire people to do this work?
If this is your first time transporting Chinese goods, we strongly recommend that you have a freight forwarder to carry out the process. This service can be contracted both in your country and in China.
By having a partner in the same country as you, communication is easier. By having an agent in Asia, you can help by accompanying the process directly with the supplier and avoid possible mistakes.
Depending on the size of the contracted company, you can have agents on both sides. This scenario is ideal, as it eliminates any problems during transport.
If your goal is to do this process on your own, it is essential to understand the import rules of each country of origin, to avoid mistakes and possible undue tax payments. As for the necessary documents that were cited during this text, here is a link with models that can be used as a basis.
I want to sell products to the United States, but I live in Latin America. Can I do it?
From the moment you find a good supplier in China, it is not necessary to limit yourself to selling these items in Latin America. Focusing on the American market is an excellent strategy for those who want to make money working with imports.
The United States is an excellent country for those who want to reach a large number of people with quality products from China. This is because Americans are the world's biggest buyers and responsible for one third of global consumption. To get an idea, in 2016 alone, they were responsible for moving $13 trillion.
Interesting to think about focusing on the country with those prospects, isn't it? The good news is that those who want to expand their horizons and sell their goods to the United States can do so with peace of mind, even if they live in Latin America.
All you need to do is open a company in the United States. In this text, we have suggested how to find a good Chinese supplier. If your goal is to focus on the US market and reach even more customers, follow the step-by-step material, taking into account the profile of the US consumer. When it comes to transporting these items to the US country, follow the advice in this text you have just read and send the items directly to our warehouse, which is located in Orlando.
