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).
Billions of dollars in furniture is imported into the United States each year. Many of today’s furniture imports come from China. Furniture imported from China is in growing demand for furniture dealers. Consumers appreciate the good quality and affordable price points of Chinese-made furniture. Learn how to import furniture to grow your business.
Furniture imported from China is typically shipped via sea freight. It is wise to ship the furniture on pallets for easy unloading. Those pallets are then wrapped in plastic and then packed into shipping containers for the journey overseas.
Read on to learn more about importing furniture from China, like how to deal with your supplier, how much it costs, and more.
China is the world’s largest furniture exporter. Furniture from China is often handcrafted without nails or glue. This means Chinese furniture can last a lifetime and beyond. Many furniture sellers visit China to buy furniture at wholesale prices. China has an entire city dedicated to furniture manufacturers and wholesale. The city of Shunde located in the Guangdong Province is home to a furniture mall for wholesalers. Shunde is known as “Furniture City.” Shunde is well connected to Hong Kong and this makes importing furniture from China easy. Other places to buy furniture in China include:
If you cannot personally visit Shunde or another market, you can use a sourcing agent to buy furniture for you. A sourcing agent will reach out to a variety of suppliers and/or manufacturers. Then he or she will find the furniture you need, buy it, and make a commission on the sale.
Let an Import Specialist Assist You
Personalized Consulting Ensures Your Furniture Will Be Imported Correctly
Licensed Customs Broker Consulting
Wood furniture imported into the U.S. is subject to permits and numerous federal regulations. Don’t let your precious inventory get stuck in Customs. Get the help of a licensed import specialist.
Schedule Your Session NowYou can import furniture for every room in the home from Chinese and international sources. Common furniture imports can include:
Regardless of the kind of furniture you buy, you might need to consider the wholesaler’s minimum order quantity (MOQ). Some furniture manufacturers have a high MOQ; others have a low MOQ.
You need to follow a few special rules when importing wood furniture. These rules help deter illegal logging and protect the U.S. from invasive species of insects.
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) oversees the import of timber and wood products. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) requires all wood entering the country to be inspected. Imported wood must also undergo sanitization procedures. Wood sanitizing processes can prevent non-native pests from entering the country.
APHIS suggests heat or chemical treatment to sanitize wood. Heat treatment involves treating the wood in a kiln or energy dryer. Chemical treatment involves treating wood with a surface pesticide.
Is your furniture made from an endangered species of wood? If so, you’ll need to follow rules related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES rules require that:
Wood furniture imported from China is also subject to anti-dumping duties. According to rules set in place by the Tariff Act of 1930, the U.S. government can place tariffs on goods sold at less than market value and “dumped” on U.S. markets. Furniture imported from China is often less expensive than U.S. manufactured furniture and that makes anti-dumping rules apply. Wood furniture imported from China is often subject to these extra duties. There are some exceptions, however. For example, wooden headboards and nightstands are subject to extra duties. Tables and mattresses are not.
Another commodity that can be subject to additional duties is aluminum. Read our guide on how to import aluminum from China to get the information you need.
Importing furniture from Chinese and international sources isn’t like buying from a domestic supplier. There are three basic payment options to consider:
The most common method of payment for furniture imported from China is the letter of credit. It’s also important to be aware of fluctuating currency exchanges when paying your supplier. Even if the price quote you are given is in U.S. dollars, the cost is likely based on the supplier’s currency.
After paying for your furniture, you will need to arrange shipping.
Let an Import Specialist Assist You
Personalized Consulting Ensures Your Furniture Will Be Imported Correctly
Licensed Customs Broker Consulting
Wood furniture imported into the U.S. is subject to permits and numerous federal regulations. Don’t let your precious inventory get stuck in Customs. Get the help of a licensed import specialist.
Schedule Your Session NowYou will likely fit an entire home’s worth of furniture and then some in a 40-foot container. A full container load holds approximately 800 square feet or 2400 cubic feet. A 40-foot container payload capacity is 61,200 lbs.
If your furniture cargo is at least five pallets, a good option is to ship them through full cargo load (FCL). If your cargo is of a lesser volume, the most ideal option is through loose cargo load (LCL). This means your cargo will share container space will other cargoes. You can share cargo space with other dry wares.
Many international ocean carriers have limited liability for cargo damage. This is usually $500 per container. Because your imported furniture is likely valued at more, you will likely want to have cargo insurance. Your insurance company can help you with this.
After your imported furniture arrives at a seaport, it might be shipped by rail to a location closer to you. From there it might be shipped on a truck.
Some wood furniture requires a permit for import. Other furniture does not require a permit. However, you will need to complete customs paperwork. You will be responsible for paying customs duties. A Licensed Customs Broker can help you with the paperwork.
Are any of the goods you import from China manufactured in or sourced from the Xinjiang region? Any goods or materials produced in the region are prohibited from entry into the U.S. Read our article on the Xinjiang import ban to find out more and avoid having your shipment fined and detained.
If you are importing furniture, you will need to pay customs duties. Customs duty varies by item, but is generally between zero and five percent for those importing furniture to the U.S. You Licensed Customs Broker can help you determine customs duty fees.
There are two other fees that might apply to furniture shipped by sea. You might need to pay the Harbor Maintenance Fee and the Merchandise Processing Fee. Your Licensed Customs Broker can help you navigate these waters.
When you import furniture from China, you should think about the time it takes for the manufacturer or wholesaler to prepare your order and the transit time. Generally speaking, transit time between the U.S. and China takes 14 to 50 days, including customs clearance. This does not include delays due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. With this in mind, you should estimate that your shipment of imported furniture will arrive in 2-3 months.
If you are shipping small amounts of furniture from China, you might use air freight. Air freight is more expensive but much faster. Working with Your Licensed Customs Broker can help you decide which option is best for you.
Are you still confused about how to import furniture? Make it easy on yourself and contact USA Customs Clearance today. Our Licensed Customs Brokers handle your furniture shipping needs.
Our value-added customs brokerage services work seamlessly to provide you with a stress-free customs bond importing process. Have questions? Give us a call at (855) 912-0406 and we can answer your questions right now!
Let an Import Specialist Assist You
Personalized Consulting Ensures Your Furniture Will Be Imported Correctly
Licensed Customs Broker Consulting
Wood furniture imported into the U.S. is subject to permits and numerous federal regulations. Don’t let your precious inventory get stuck in Customs. Get the help of a licensed import specialist.
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