Is there a minimum volume to work with you?

No. We handle everything from 1 CBM LCL shipments to multi-container projects. Many of our clients start with a trial LCL shipment and grow with us. What matters is that the shipment makes economic sense, and we tell you that upfront.

What's the difference between LCL and FCL?

FCL (Full Container Load) means you rent an entire 20 or 40-foot container just for your cargo. LCL (Less than Container Load) means your goods share a container with other importers and you only pay for the space used. Below around 15 CBM, LCL is usually more cost-effective. Above that, FCL wins on price and reduces cargo handling.

What does it really cost? Are there hidden charges?

It depends on the Incoterm agreed with your supplier. The real cost can include factory pickup, origin charges (THC, documentation), Chinese export clearance, international freight, import clearance at destination, local duties and taxes, and final delivery. Many forwarders only quote the freight and extra charges appear on arrival. We give you a full breakdown from the first quote.

What is an Incoterm and which one should I use?

Incoterms are international trade terms that define who pays what and who bears the risk at each stage. The most common when importing from China are EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP. For a first-time importer, FOB is usually the best balance: you control freight and insurance without handling China-side logistics. We advise you on which works best for your operation.

What documents does my supplier need to prepare?

The Chinese exporter needs: commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and, in some cases, an export license. Certain products also require quality or phytosanitary certificates. If your supplier has limited export experience, we can guide them or handle the export process directly from China.

Can I track my shipment in real time?

Yes. From the moment your cargo leaves the factory we provide a tracking number. Sea freight: B/L number to track the vessel. Air freight: AWB for real-time tracking. Your account manager also keeps you proactively informed of any incidents or changes during transit.

How does customs clearance work?

Your goods go through customs twice: on departure from China (export) and on arrival in your country (import). You'll need a commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or AWB. Depending on the product, additional certificates may be required (CE marking, phytosanitary, etc.). We handle the Chinese export clearance and coordinate with the local customs agent at destination.

Which Chinese port will my cargo ship from?

Not all goods leave from the nearest or best-known port. The choice depends on cost, available routes, the carrier, transit times and the exact factory location. For example, a factory in Yiwu usually ships via Ningbo-Zhoushan, one in Fujian may get better connections from Xiamen, and many in Guangdong operate through Shenzhen or Guangzhou. We analyse every shipment to choose the best combination of factory, port and carrier, instead of applying the same solution to all. We ship from China's main ports — Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian, Xiamen, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung — to 40+ destination ports across 45+ countries.

Which carriers do you work with?

We work with the world's leading carriers: MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, HMM, Yang Ming and ZIM, among others. But we're not tied to any of them: for each shipment we select the best option based on cost, transit time, space availability and service reliability. That independence is what lets us always recommend what's best for you, not whatever we're meant to sell.

How long does shipping from China take?

It depends on the mode and destination. As a reference for Europe: sea freight LCL/FCL 28-35 days, air freight 5-7 days, rail 18-25 days. Transit times vary for the Americas, Middle East or Oceania. Add customs clearance (1-5 days) and final delivery (1-3 days). Ask us for exact times on your route - we include them in every quote.

What if my goods arrive damaged or delayed?

That's why we recommend cargo insurance. International carrier liability limits are very low - under Hague-Visby for sea freight, coverage is barely ~$2/kg. The industry standard is the ICC clauses: ICC (A) is all-risk and the one we recommend by default. The typical premium is around 0.3-0.5% of the declared cargo value - a small cost compared to the risk.

Could my goods be classified as dangerous goods (DG)?

More often than you'd think. Many legal, everyday products travel as dangerous goods (DG): lithium batteries (phones, power banks, tools), paints and aerosols, perfumes and nail polish, cleaning products, inks, fertilisers or adhesives. What you see as 'a box of ink', the carrier may see as UN1210, IMDG Class 3 (flammable liquid) - some lines won't accept it, others require documentation, surcharges or specific routes. We review the safety data sheet (SDS/MSDS) before shipping to classify it correctly, choose the right carrier and avoid delays, rejections or extra costs. It's best to check before you buy. Regulations: IMDG (sea), IATA (air), ADR (road).

The 10 most common mistakes when importing from China (and how to avoid them)

Importing from China pays off, but almost every nasty surprise comes from the same handful of places. The good news: these are known, avoidable mistakes. Anyone who has spent years at the origin —where the goods are made and loaded— has seen them again and again. Here are the 10 most common mistakes when importing from China and, above all, how to steer clear of them.

Infographic with the 10 most common mistakes when importing from China: wrong Incoterm, looking only at freight, how freight is charged (sea by volume and air by chargeable weight), not negotiating the MOQ, not consolidating, not using the factory for small tasks, missing dangerous goods, wrong classification or paperwork, no EORI in time, and shipping with no cargo insurance. — The 10 mistakes at a glance. We break them down one by one below.

1. Buying on the wrong Incoterm

The Incoterm defines who pays what and who bears the risk at each leg. Closing the deal on the wrong term is the costliest mistake there is. Buying EXW without realising it means you must arrange transport from the factory door in China; assuming a CIF price “reaches your warehouse” is another classic (it only reaches the destination port). And beware the supplier who offers DDP “all included”: if their agent gets stuck at customs in your country, you’re the one left waiting. Choose the Incoterm deliberately; for most importers, FOB is a good balance. If you’d rather we handle the last mile, see door-to-door shipping from China.

2. Looking only at the freight, not the total landed cost

The freight rate is only one part. The real cost at your warehouse (the landed cost) includes factory pickup, origin charges, export clearance, freight, import clearance, duties and VAT, and last-mile delivery. Many compare quotes on freight alone and get a surprise on arrival. Always ask for the full breakdown and spread that cost properly across the final unit price of your product — that’s what really drives your margin. We explain the customs side in customs clearance from China.

3. Not understanding how freight is charged (volume vs weight)

This one separates the beginner from the pro. In sea freight, volume rules: you’re billed mostly by cubic metres (CBM), and weight matters less. In air freight, chargeable weight rules: the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (how much space your cargo “takes”). Getting this right changes real decisions: how to pack, whether sea or air suits you, and whether to go full container or groupage (we cover it in FCL vs LCL). Bulky, light packaging can blow up your air cost without you noticing.

4. Not negotiating the MOQ and overstocking

The supplier will quote a minimum order quantity (MOQ), but it’s almost always negotiable, especially on a first trial order. Accepting it blindly leads to buying too much “just to hit the minimum”: you tie up cash and fill the container with product that then won’t sell. Negotiate the MOQ and match the quantity to what you’ll actually sell; you can scale up once the product works.

5. Not consolidating across suppliers or coordinating production

If you buy from several suppliers, the mistake is letting each ship on its own: duplicated freight and chaos. The efficient move is to coordinate production timing so everything is ready at once and consolidate into a single shipment. A good agent at origin orchestrates this for you: they group cargo from your different suppliers and optimise the sea freight.

6. Not using the factory for the smaller tasks

Chinese factories do cheaply a lot of jobs that would cost a fortune elsewhere: consolidation, small local transport to the port or the agent’s warehouse, simple relabelling, basic quantity checks… Ignoring this leaves money on the table. Use the origin’s labour for the small stuff and save international transport for what really has to cross half the world.

7. Not spotting that your product is dangerous goods

Many everyday products are dangerous goods (DG) without the importer knowing: lithium batteries, power banks, inks, paints, aerosols, some cosmetics. A typical example: an ink that turns out to be UN1210, Class 3 (flammable). Mis-declaring it (or not declaring it) can end in a rejected shipment, fines or seizure. If your cargo could fall here, it must be packed, documented and shipped to spec: we explain what can be sent and how in dangerous goods from China.

8. Wrong tariff classification or paperwork

Two guaranteed sources of a hold. The tariff classification (HS/TARIC code) sets the duty: get it wrong and you overpay or expose yourself to a penalty. And the documents (commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading) must agree with each other and describe the goods accurately; a vague description or figures that don’t match is an invitation for customs to stop your container. We help with classification and coordinate clearance in customs.

9. Not having the EORI in time (EU)

To import into the European Union you need an EORI number, and you’d better have it before the goods arrive, not discover it with the container at the port. It’s a simple formality, but forgotten it halts clearance and racks up storage charges. We explain it step by step in what the EORI is and how to apply.

10. Shipping with no cargo insurance (the mistake that can ruin a shipment)

Time to bust a myth: the carrier does not cover the value of your goods. Its liability is capped by law at a very low figure (on the order of 2 SDR/kg, a few euros per kilo), and on top of that it’s fault-based and full of exclusions. For real value, it’s worthless.

Cargo insurance is voluntary (unless the Incoterm imposes it, as CIF does), and skipping it is a gamble. And we’re not talking about freak events: containers lost overboard, water getting inside the container and ruining the goods without the container even falling, theft, handling damage… it happens. Cargo insurance is arranged through the Institute Cargo Clauses: ICC(A) (“all risks”) is the one to go for; ICC(C) is the bare minimum. It’s insured on CIF + 10% and the premium is around 0.1%–0.6% of value: pennies against what it protects.

And there’s a detail almost nobody knows: General Average. If the vessel suffers a serious incident (a fire, a grounding) and expenses or cargo sacrifices are needed to save the voyage, every cargo owner contributes pro rata, even if your goods are untouched. With no insurance, the carrier can demand a cash bond to release your container. With insurance, your insurer covers it. That’s why, except for very low values, insuring is the sensible call.

Extra: don’t underestimate the timing (Chinese New Year)

China stops for Chinese New Year (late January or February, depending on the year): factories close for a week or two and the ramp-up afterwards is slow. Add the Golden Week in October and the pre-Christmas peak season, and mis-planning the calendar means running out of stock right when you sell the most. Bring production and booking forward with a buffer.

Almost all of these mistakes share one thing: they’re avoided by having someone at the origin who knows the ground. At EasyChinaShipping we’re a Chinese freight forwarder operating from where your goods are made and loaded; we coordinate suppliers, transport, customs and insurance end to end —and if you sell on marketplaces, shipping to Amazon FBA too. Tell us about your shipment and we’ll make it easy, in writing and with no surprises.