World’s Largest Importer is the USA, with more than $2500 billion per year, and it goes without saying that China is the largest supplier to the USA, as to the rest of the world.

But you probably already know that because you are looking to import some goods from China to your country USA, but the problem is you don’t know how. Don’t worry.

In this writing, we will show how to pack goods, the cheapest & fastest shipping methods, the best shipping routes, customs documentation & process, and much more. So, keep reading if you want to know more.

For the shipping from China to USA, the available shipping options are the sea freight, air freight and Express freight.

“When your goods are moved in a container on an ocean ship, it is called Sea Freight.” 

Sea freight may be the slowest, but it has a lot of other benefits over Air & Express Freight, such as;

• It is the cheapest
• Fewer Restrictions
• As long as the size is the same, the weight doesn’t cost more, so it’s best for heavy goods.

In Sea Freight, you will be asked how you want to load your cargo on the containers;

• LCL, also known as Less than Container Load, is a shipping option in which your Products are loaded with other’s Products in the same container. This way is cheap when you don’t have enough goods to fill a whole container, so you don’t need to pay for the whole container. 

• FCL, also called Full Container Load, in this method, a separate container is set only for your cargo, and nothing else is put in it. In this method, you are paying for the whole container, so make sure you have enough goods to fill it completely.

It is important to note that in LCL shipping, your goods are loaded with other people’s goods, and the whole container may stop at many destinations to unload other people’s cargo or inspection, which will cause a delay, and your goods have high chances of getting damaged due to multiple unloading & loadings.

In contrast, the FCL shipping method is more secure & faster because your private container will only open when it reaches your country, and with only your goods in it, there will be fewer chances of inspection ( which, if it happens, can take many days ).

If you are looking for port-to-port or door-to-door sea freight from China to the USA with the fastest delivery, hassle-free custom clearance, and budget-friendly costs, then we, Winsky Freight, are the best option for you.

Air freight from China to the USA comes with many advantages, including improved safety, reliability, and time consciousness. You don’t have to wait for 4-5 weeks to receive your goods. Also, air freight can be the most convenient method when shipping lightweight products weighing less than 100 kilograms.

It will be better to use air freight if you are shipping fragile, perishable, and precious goods. That’s because the risk of damages or losses is low. Most air freight companies will also provide you with a tracking number to help you track your goods’ movement. That way, you can predict when your cargo will get delivered.

Unfortunately, shipping by air is an expensive option. You may also incur additional costs and customs fees at the airports. Air freight is costly when shipping heavy cargo. That’s because air freight companies charge their rates based on the cargo’s volume and weight. Some of the expenses included in air freight charges are fuel surcharges, airport transfer charges, security surcharges, customs brokerage charges, and terminal handling charges.

There are 3 famous Express shipping carriers from China to the USA, that is DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

DHL is the fastest Express courier from China to the USA, with a shipping time of about 1-5 days, and DHL import custom clearance ability is better than another express like UPS and FedEx, DHL Express shipping cost is higher than FedEx and UPS, suitable to ship for samples and most urgent goods.

FedEx shipping from China to the USA

FedEx is one of the best Express couriers from China to the USA too, shipping time is about 3-5 work days, and shipping cost is more economic for weights above 21Kg than DHL Express, you can consult your China freight forwarder, as they have discounted agent price than shipping directly from the Express carrier.

UPS shipping from China to the USA

It has two different services for UPS from China to the USA, that is UPS Worldwide Saver and UPS Worldwide Expedited, for UPS Worldwide Saver, the delivery time is about 3-5 business days, and for 5-7 business UPS Worldwide Expedited, the shipping time and stability of the UPS Worldwide Saver is better than UPS Worldwide Expedited, but shipping cost little higher than UPS Saver service, you can consider the shipping according to your special needs.

If you have ever shipped products from China to the United States, you have probably heard about DDP Delivered Duty Paid to ship.

In the DDP shipping agreement, it’s the seller’s responsibility to incur all the costs incurred to transport the goods to the destination port. The supplier assumes all the risks involved.

For DDP shipping from China to the USA, China freight forwarders combine the advantages of both Air and Sea modes of transportation and combine local couriers like UPS and FedEx to Complete China to USA door-to-door shipping. This model is an innovative business model that makes use of the speed of air freight and the low cost of sea shipping to achieve point-to-point and full-process door-to-door delivery.

After customs clearance is cleared by the local agent at the port of destination, the goods are delivered to the designated Amazon warehouse or USA residential address by UPS, FedEx, or Truck.

The mode of first-way transportation by sea freight to US port + last mile delivery by local UPS or FedEx, which makes use of the reservation-free feature of UPS, FedEx, and the cheap price of sea freight, so that customers can take into account both timeliness and economy.

The mode of first-way transportation by sea freight to US port +last mile delivery by truck is currently the most economical and suitable for Amazon and 3rd party fulfillment centers.

The DDP air freight special line operates like this: goods are loaded into the container, then the China freight forwarder arranges the export custom document and export clearance, ship out by air freight to USA Airport, then the USA destination port agent handles import customs clearance and delivery including customs declaration and inspection, warehousing and distribution, cargo insurance, document processing, and other one-stop logistics service.

With this mode of first-way air transportation + last-mile UPS dispatch, the combination of air transportation and UPS end delivery will safely deliver your goods to the warehouse at the fastest speed.

When you are dispatching your cargo from China to the USA, you will have to choose one of these 3 shipping methods, such as; 

i) Air Freight

ii) Sea Freight

iii) Express Shipping

Most people think that Sea freight is the most inexpensive, so it’s the best, while others think Express Freight is the speediest, so it’s better. But that’s half wrong. You see, each person’s product size, weight, & nature differs.

Moreover, each person lives in a different place, so they order stuff at their nearest delivery port. Some people want urgent delivery while others don’t, and above all, every person has a different budget. So, the shipping method differs for everybody.

However, you can see the chart below to get an idea of what kind of shipment method is best for you;

If you see at the above chart, you can see that for big & heavy goods; the best shipment method is the sea, it is because;

• Weight does not matter much in ocean ships; for example, you can put 25,400 kg in a 20 ft container, and it will cost you less than $0.5/kg. While in Air freight, it will cost you $5/kg. In short, Air freight will cost you 10+ times more than sea freight. 

• And the same goes for Big products. As airplanes are a lot smaller than ocean carriers, they take every inch of cargo very seriously, even if it weighs nothing, and they will charge for a higher standard weight according to size instead of actual weight. So, if your goods are big, like a car, crane, etc., always choose sea freight. 

However, if you need your goods very quickly and don’t mind spending more than the product’s actual price, then you can also choose Air freight; it’s up to you.

Shipping from China to Amazon FBA in the US is a popular way of moving goods from China, but it is a process that you should contact a reliable China freight forwarder  to help transport your goods to an Amazon warehouse in the US, they will make the logistics process convenient and simple for you.

Winsky Freight offers professional shipping solution from China to US Amazon FBA,  everything will be done in a timely and cost-effective manner that meets your Amazon shipping requests and expectations.

Winsky Freight has the network of agents in the US that makes the shipping logistics process smooth on both ends. The shipping options available for China to Amazon FBA in the US are ocean freight door-to-door, air freight door-to-door, and express freight door-to-door.

1. The manufacturer prepares the goods, labels the product, and sticks the FBA barcode, made in china remark, and warehouse in number to the outer carton.
2. The manufacturer or Us picks up and delivers the goods to the designated warehouse according to the warehouse order number.
3. Manufacturer provides a commercial invoice and packing list, declaration elements, and complete customs declaration information.
4. After the goods arrived in our logistics warehouse, we will inspect the package, arrange the export customs declaration, and goods leave the place of departure.
5. Goods arrive at the destination (LAX), local partner in the USA handles import customs clearance, payment of customs duties, pick-up, and distribution of goods to the US private destination or Amazon warehouse.
6. If shipped by truck to Amazon, a local agent in the USA will make an appointment with Amazon in advance and deliver the goods to FBA according to the arrival time.
7. Amazon successfully signed for it, and Amazon sellers can check the details of the goods storage from the Amazon website.

No matter whether you are choosing sea or air freight, there are some factors that will affect shipment costs, such as; 

• Goods Type
• Overall Size & Weight of Shipment
• Shipping Route Distance ( the shorter, the cheaper )
• Peak Seasons ( More Orders cause a rise in Shipping prices )
• Others like Custom Checkings, delays, natural disasters, etc.

Below, we will discuss how much you will get charged in shipping through various methods, such as; 

1. a) Sea Freight Cost
2. b) Air Freight Cost
3. c) Express Courier Cost

It is important to note that in sea freight, people always ship big goods, so the cost of shipment is usually based on volume or CBM (cubic meter ) value, in the case of LCL.

In the case of FCL, you are not charged based on CBM because you are paying for the full container, and you can use all the space ( CBM ) inside it or leave it empty.

Check below the LCL sea freight dated 8-April-2023 from China to the USA for your information, pls also note that you need to take the documents fee and destination port fees into consideration too.

Sea freight per CBM from China to USA:

In the case of Air freight, the parcels are usually small, in which case, the cost is based on weight ( kg ). However, if your air parcels are light weighted, then volume weight also used as chargeable weight on Air shipping. You can see the chart below dated 8-April-2023 to get an idea about costs;

Standard Air freight from China to USA per KG:

In express shipping, courier companies pick up your parcel from your house, or you have to deliver it to their nearby office, and they will deliver the parcel all the way to the receiver house within 1-week all over the world.

Express couriers have the most expensive service among all kinds of shipment methods, Check below the Express  freight dated 8-April-2023 from China to the USA for your information

Express freight per KG from China to USA Door to Door:

It depends on, if the shipment charge weight is below 100 kg, normally Express way is the cheapest shipping option, and the estimated cost is around US$8/KG door-to-door from China to the USA.

For shipment total charge weight between 100-300KG, standard air freight will be the cheapest one, the cost is around US$5 per KG.

For total weight and volume above 300KG and 2CBM, the cheapest option will be by sea freight then, estimate the cost of around US$150/CBM.

In all, the cheapest way is to find a reliable freight forwarder to handle your shipment, as they are more familiar with all the shipping options, regulations, and shipping routes from China to the USA and can get better shipping discounts.

When it comes to speed, Sea shipments are the slowest, while Express couriers are the fastest. In this part, we will discuss the factors which affect delivery time and how many days it takes for each method of shipment, such as; 

a) Sea Freight Time

b) Air Freight Time

c) Express Courier Time

There are many elements, which can affect your shipment delivery days, like loading, unloading, customs clearance, natural disasters, peak season, etc., but the most important of all is the distance between the origin and destination.

For example, the distance from China to West USA ports is much less than to the East USA ports, so it only takes about 14 days to ship to Los Angeles ( West USA ), while it takes 39 days to ship to Miami ( East USA ).

It is best suggested to move your cargo to the west of the USA by ocean ship, and from there, you can hire land vehicles to move cargo to your place in the East because it will save you many dollars and days. Below is a rough delivery time from different Chinese Seaports to USA seaports;

There are many aspects that can greatly affect the air freight time from china to usa, such as packing, loading, unloading, customs clearance, shipping carriers , direct flight or indirect flight and so on.

Direct flight can takes only 1 day from airport of China to destination airport of USA , however, some people also choose indirect flights to cut costs, but in these, an Airplane can stop at one or more airports in between, and it will add more days in delivery.

Express Couriers always use Airplanes, the fastest In-Land vehicles, have dedicated custom agents, their own work laborers, and above all, they work overnight, so they have the quickest delivery time no matter where you want to send packages around the world.

However, this quick delivery does not come cheap, and they charge 2 – 3 times more than other shipping methods.

It is important to note that Express Couriers deliver parcels to the doorstep, so the traffic greatly matters because, in crowded cities like New York, it may take an additional day or two for delivery.

It goes without saying that the fastest shipping between China to the USA is by Express Couriers, while Air freight is not far behind and has earned second place. However, Sea freight is the slowest mode of shipping. You can compare them in the charts below;

A lot of situations might lead to shipping delays like port congestion, import and export custom exam, and China holidays, so prepare your shipment ahead, to avoid the potential delay affecting your business and supply chain.

Most Chinese suppliers and manufacturers usually close down their factories during public holidays such as the Chinese New Year, affecting the supply and delivery of Chinese goods.

Before shipping any product from China, ensure that you are within the correct timeline to avoid congestion at the seaports. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait for weeks to get the goods.

Port Congestion

Congestion at the seaport is a common cause of sea freight delays.

When there’s congestion at the port, ships can’t load or unload goods on time.

That means the ship won’t sail on time at the departure seaport and fail to arrive at the destination port on time.

Import Customs Inspections

Although delay cases due to customs inspections are rare, they still happen occasionally.

When sea freight goods go through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection, the shipment can delay for about one to two weeks.

If that happens, you need to give the freight forwarder more time to ship the products.

We know that as a new importer, you are afraid of customs because they check tens of paperwork and charge a hell of fees. And to be honest, without a freight forwarder or customs agent, you will probably end up paying more fees and stranding your cargo due to missing paperwork.

You see, you will need the following paperwork in the Origin Country, China;

• Commercial Invoice ( from the manufacturer )
• Export Declaration Document ( from the Chinese government )
• Packing list ( from the seller )
• COC certification ( issued by the exporter )
• Customs Invoice ( from seller or exporter )
• Bill of Lading ( given by the Shipping company )

After getting these Documents, Chinese Customs will inspect the goods, charge fees, and then clear them for transport.

Then, in the USA, it is better to tell the destination port agents about your shipment and fill out the necessary forms. And when the shipment arrives, you will need to submit almost all the above documents which you get from china to the USA customs.

The USA customs will check the documentation, inspect goods if required, charges USA customs tariffs  according to the products’ nature, and release them to you.

Yes, if you ship cargo from China to the USA, you will have to pay customs taxes unless your goods estimated value is lower than $800.

And for the next $1000, you will have to pay a 3% flat duty. However, if you move above, then standard duties rates will apply. For more info, click here.

You can check the custom duty before the shipment arrives by giving your products’ HTS codes to the customs agent or finding the fees yourself from the USA customs website.

It is important to note that the USA is a very big nation consisting of 2 whole continents. The ports in America are divided into 2-parts, such as;

1. i) West Ports
2. ii) East Ports 

USA West ports are closer to china than East ones, which adds more days & costs in shipment. The major seaports of the USA are Los Angeles, Long Beach, Seattle, Oakland, New York, Miami, Houston, etc. 

However, as China is an Industrial Hub, it has a lot of Airports and Seaports all over the country. China is connected to the sea only from its East side, so Sea ports are situated in eastern cities like Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Ningbo, etc.

Each shipping corporation has its own sea & air routes between China & USA, and the most famous among them are;

Let’s look at how to ship from China to the USA.

1. Choose the shipping options you want, you can choose to ship by air or sea freight, air freight is fast but more expensive, while sea freight is slower but cost much more cheaper, each shipping option has it own advantages and advantages, so it depend on what your shipping need.
2. Ask quote from freight forwarder, contact several China freight forwarders to request quotes based on your shipment type and shipping options you required, and choose one that meet your satisfaction
3. Once you’ve selected the suitable freight forwarder, advise China factory to pack properly and prepare the required custom clearance paperwork for you, such as Commercial invoice, packing list, country of origin.
4. Coordination with the China freight forwarder to pick up the goods from your China factory and delivery to your required destination in the USA.
5. Arrange for pickup and delivery: Coordinate with the shipping company to schedule a pickup time and coordinate delivery to your desired location in the USA.

After all, the shipping process can be complex if without the help of a reliable freight forwarder, so it is better to work with a trusted China shipping agent to help you about the transportation and ensure your goods can be arrived safely and timely.

If you’ve ever shipped items from China to the US, you probably know what incoterms are. Incoterms are formal agreements between the supplier and buyer, specifying who is responsible for loading, shipping, delivery, offloading, and customs clearance.

Here are the most common incoterms you need to know.

Cost Insurance Freight (CIF): 

This trade term gives a seller the responsibility to cover for transport to the US. The seller is responsible for the risks involved.

Free on Board (FOB): 

The supplier delivers goods to your preferred port in China, then you become responsible for anything that happens from there to a US port.

Ex Works (EXW):

When you choose this incoterm, the supplier delivers goods at their factory gate, then you (the buyer) are responsible for shipping to the US.

Tracking goods is easier when transporting them by express shipping services, such as DHL and FedEx. The carrier will offer you a tracking number to track the good’s movement.

Whenever you want to track your cargo, you can visit the carrier’s tracking website and enter the unique tracking number to know your shipment’s progress.

You can also track your cargo’s movement when shipping by sea and standard air freight by tracking number carrier website.

If you have trouble tracking the goods, let your freight forwarder do it on your behalf.

Tracking your shipment’s movements helps you plan delivery schedules appropriately.

There’s no doubt that shipping cargo from China to the United States involves risks. Accidents can occur due to bad weather, and containers can drown in the sea. For this reason, it’s essential to buy freight insurance to protect your goods against missing or damages that may lead to losses.

When you buy freight insurance, you also need to know the cargo insurance clauses, such as the insurance rate, scope of coverage, the deductible amount.

The insurance rates depend on the value and nature of goods you are shipping from China to the United States, normally the insurance rate is 0.3% of your cargo value, and with a minimum cost US$25 per shipment.

Insurance coverage the cargo damage or missing during transit between China to USA, pls note as fragile products damage rate is higher than other cargoes, so insurance companies don’t support for fragile goods insurance now, so for fragile products, do remind China manufacturer to pack the goods safe enough, such as use hard carton boxes and add buffer foam to protect goods impacted during transit.

Normally, it has a deductible amount for cargo insurance, in the insurance policy, the deductible is the amount that must be paid by yourself, the deductible amount  can be between 5% to 15% depending on the total insured value.

When the damage or missing case occur, you must contact the insurance company on time especially for the damage case, takes the photos the same day when you receive the cargo, and let insurance company know, prepare the insurance document needed, such as Commercial invoice, sales contract, packing list, claim letter, List of losses, accident certificate, Bill of Lading.

Insurance company will review carefully for every documents, and the whole procedures takes time, it can be as long as 1 month time, if everything is no problem, insurance company will do the compensation to your bank account.

Shipping products from China to the United States involves many logistics, which may be difficult for you to handle. So, you’ll need help from a reliable freight forwarder.

However, finding the best freight forwarder can be challenging when you don’t know what to consider during the search.

Here are the tips to get the best freight forwarding company in China.

Is the freight forwarder capable of handling the shipping procedures?

If the freight forwarder can fulfill all the supply chain requirements, you should consider it the best company to handle your goods.

The company’s size doesn’t matter here. In fact, small freight forwarding companies tend to give more attention to their clients.

The best freight forwarder has exceptional communication channels.

Since shipping from China to the United States involves complex procedures, effective communication between you and the freight forwarder is essential.

Ensure that the freight forwarder is reachable at any time to address your concerns.

Consider this factor when shipping products that require special care and handling.

If you are unsure where to find a freight forwarder specializing in your goods, you can consult your Chinese supplier to help you find one.

A good freight forwarding company provides several shipping options to fulfill the needs of every client. The most common shipping methods include air freight and sea freight.

For example, you must confirm whether the freight forwarder offers LCL or FCL shipping if you plan to ship by sea freight.

Here are the reasons to hire Winsky Freight to process your shipment from China.

Winsky Freight understands that you need high-quality shipping services, and it all starts with the shipping company handling your goods.

Notably, Winsky Freight has a great relationship with leading carriers worldwide. You can rest assured that your goods will arrive in the US in good shape.

Every importer’s top priority is to save on shipping costs.

If you want to enjoy competitive shipping prices, consider hiring a reputable freight forwarder, like Winsky Freight, to enjoy better prices.

At Winsky Freight, we offer the best shipping rates for various goods. We provide free quotes with no hidden charges.

Whether you plan to ship your goods to the US by air freight, sea freight, or express shipping, you can get all the shipping services at Winsky Freight.

We are the most trusted freight forwarding company in China, specializing in several shipping methods, including DDP shipping and Amazon FBA shipping to the US.

Shipping goods from China to the US market can be daunting when you don’t know how things work. This guide has enlightened you on the basics, so you don’t have to worry.

The most crucial step of shipping from China to the US is to contact a trustworthy freight forwarding company, like Winsky Freight, to take you through the whole shipping process.