Importing low quantities from china

[Dan Ashcroft]

Hi

Ive seen a lot of advice on here about importing from china, but struggled to find the advice i'm looking for.

Essentially I'm importing a large number of small, relatively light parts. Which means for 20000 items, they are sent in around 7 cartons, each with a volumetric weight of around 19kg.

I asked a shipping forwarding company and they sugested it wasn't worth shipping and I should courier it. But that's all the advice I got.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I would go about Air freighting it?
Do I still need a forwarder?
I've got a quote for various things in the past with the likes of DHL, and not being a big shipper/poster - they always come back so expensive. Any ideas?

In this case, would it be a good idea to ask the manufacturer to arrange?

Any advice / tips / experience would be great.

Andrew

 

[GraemeL]

Hello Andrew,

You could ship 7 cartons each weighing 19kg by LCL sea freight, but I think you would probably pay a rate that was a minimum charge of the FF.

The lead time will of course be entirely different to air.

You do no harm by asking a UK based FF for a quote for LCL. However that does mean your supplier will need to give you an FOB quote for the products and not an ex works quote. If the supplier will only quote ex works, then you will need to give the FF the factory address so they can add in the cost of local Chinese transport.

Never ask the supplier to deal with freight. You have no control and no recourse.

G

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Hey,

Thanks for that! really helpful.

I can get either ex works or FOB - they offer both.

I read somewhere when dealing with smaller quantities and Air freight it can be better to as the factory as they have existing relationships with couriers - so thanks for the tip!

Sam

 

[MOIC]

You have to be careful when shipping by air, as the chargeable rate is based on 'volume weight' and not the actual weight of the carton.

What are the dimensions of the cartons?

Where in China is the supplier located.

There are alternatives.

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Hi,

The carton size: 50*38*40CM

GW 13.5kgs
NW 12.5kgs

 

[Dan Ashcroft]

Hi,

The carton size: 50*38*40CM

GW 13.5kgs
NW 12.5kgs

And there are 7 cartons in total

 

[Maple Sourcing]

In my opinion, you can ask supplier to arrange the courier, so, they will quote you a package price with door to door delivery. Usually, a decent China supplier has long-term relationship with courier agents and gets favorite prices because of big annual volume. I guess you will not be able to have better buying power considering your volume.

 

[MOIC]

The weight will be charged as volume weight.

What's the City/Province they are being sent from?

 

[vedhababa13]

Can you not make a business visit and hand carry it yourself, just wondering if that would be less hassle if no other implications exist.

 

[Mike Godwin]

HI Dan. I'm an experienced FF for over 40 years and based on each carton as 13.5kgs / 50x38x40cm can advise as follows;
Airfreight: price will be calculated on gross wt 7 x 13.5kgs = 95kgs (wt/volume ratio @ 6000). Courier: price will be calculated on size of cartons 7 x 15.2kgs = 107kgs (wt/volume ratio @ 5000).
Seafreight LCL: would be uncompetitive as minimum rate is based on 1 tonne or 1 cubic metre whichever's greater - so ship 95 kgs by sea and you pay for 1000kgs.
So, air or courier definitely your best option as cheaper and much quicker than sea. Let me know if you need prices/anything more. Always happy to help.

 

[Mr D]

In my opinion, you can ask supplier to arrange the courier, so, they will quote you a package price with door to door delivery. Usually, a decent China supplier has long-term relationship with courier agents and gets favorite prices because of big annual volume. I guess you will not be able to have better buying power considering your volume.

Though a shipping agent in your own country may well have at least as good a relationship with couriers and ship considerably more volume.

 

[MOIC]

Can you not make a business visit and hand carry it yourself, just wondering if that would be less hassle if no other implications exist.

7 Cartons totalling 95kg . . .?

 

[MOIC]

There is a cheaper option other than sea or air freight/courier.

 

[Mr D]

7 Cartons totalling 95kg . . .?

Presumably the airline would charge for going over baggage limit? Think it would be cheaper to ship boxes by air without carrying them?

 

[MOIC]

Exactly my point!

 

[J Ali]

EMS or TNT arranged by seller is around 650usd due to Chinese government subsidys