Finding Freight Forwarders India & China

[Emporium]

Hi Good Evening Everybody,

I would like to ask for some advice around finding freight forwarders who specialise in moving goods from India and China to UK.

My question to you good people is:

I have been working long and hard to source products for my retail business and have finally after lots of careful research have found the right suppliers and ensured that I have an EORI number and the like before dipping my toe into the foreign market place.

I am currently in the process of getting samples sent to me to check the quality of the products before placing an order with my suppliers.

I now need to find a decent freight forwarder to help me import my goods.

I'm know i'm not going to be a full container buyer at the second to get the prices down massively, However I really need advice on sourcing a freight forwarder who can door to door my orders and cover all the paperwork/duty requirements whilst remaining cost effective so I can price my end product to give me a reasonable profit (I'm not greedy, just realistic against bigger competitors).

Can anybody help or advise on this matter

Many Thanks

Richard

 

[MOIC]

What are your expected shipment sizes, by volume and weight?

These details matter in order to find the best shipping method and who best to use.

For samples, it's best to get an agent in the country you are purchasing to consolidate (and check) all your parcels into one shipment.

 

[Mike Foulds]

Hi Richard.

To help you choose who is best to help you, I would suggest you need to ask for quotes from 2 or 3 forwarders, compare prices, BUT ALSO ask them questions about the service they can offer, can they offer guaranteed space at busy times, and will you have a primary contact person to work with, rather than just working with a "team". Being able to work with and trust your forwarder is really important, and a personal relationship will help you make things smoother in the long run.

Most UK forwarders will have partners in both India and China and be able to offer you services, so it really is down to the cost and level of service you want/need as to whom to go with.

Hope that helps.

Mike Foulds

 

[CHUKTC]

Hi Richard
Your question is a very important one. Finding the best way to ship your goods is important. There are a number of things to consider, firstly if you are obtaining products from more than one supplier you want to consolidate them in China and then ship as a single consignment. Some sellers will offer to ship for you bt be careful as they can only offer CIF terms. You will have to pay for UK port and customs clearance and will have no control over the cost you are charged by the shipping company (That will be set by the Chinese agent). We always advise our customers to purchase FOB or ex works and then sort out shipping separately. We quote our customers a door to door price including port and customs clearance and onward UK transport. I would strongly advise you to get a quote from an agent to do the same. Remember the cost of shipping the goods is not the whole cost of getting them to your door - port clearance, duty and UK transport costs can equal the actual cost of shipping if you are not careful!

You also need to make sure your goods have the correct paperwork to enter the UK and clear customs (It's too late when it arrives). Just because a sample may be shipped without problems doesn't guarantee the same result with a container! I would recommend you use a good UK agent to check all this for you. It shouldn't cost a lot and can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Finally as another corespondent has mentioned to you do do your due diligence on your supplier - make sure you really know who you are dealing with before you part with your hard earned cash. Are they an agent, a supplier or a factory (most will go to great lengths to claim to be a factory, but from experience I can tell you 90% of the time we find they are not!) If they are not a factory that can lead to problems later in terms of quality and supply shortfall issues.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

[Emporium]

Thanks for all of the responses so far,

I have managed to sort out a few things and after speaking with a few forwarders I have been advised to seek the bigger firms like DHL for the amounts I am looking to get moved. I'm a cautious person so i'm going to keep looking until i'm satisfied with the price and services on offer.

After reading countless posts and researching how to find the right suppliers I'm still going to be careful before getting my first orders placed as even experienced people can get hoodwinked. I have to admit it's a minefield when importing and it has made my head spin with all the things to think about.

Once again thanks for the pearls of wisdom

Richard

 

[CHUKTC]

Hi Richard
Just a word of caution, DHL do have some high hidden admin charges they have a habit on springing on you once the goods arrive in the UK. If it's a very small consignment it probably doesn't really matter but for larger consignments there are definitely better more economic options.

 

[Emporium]

Hi Richard
Just a word of caution, DHL do have some high hidden admin charges they have a habit on springing on you once the goods arrive in the UK. If it's a very small consignment it probably doesn't really matter but for larger consignments there are definitely better more economic options.

Thanks for the advice, I have noted that and a couple of forwarders had als mentioned that in their advice when speaking to them. I shall look carefully when the time comes.

 

[China Contract Solver]

Finding a right forwarder can help you a lot. When in the process of looking for a forwarder, you have to check their company's business license to ensure they are legal entities in China. secondly, you have to make a contract with them in case of disputes between you.

 

[CHUKTC]

Richard the alternative, and the one we would recommend is use a fright handler in the UK not China. Your main 'additional costs' are incurred on port entry to UK and those charges can only be controlled if you use a UK agent hence that's why it's our preferred option for clients. It has the additional advantage that you have the security of dealing with a UK company