How Long Does It Take to Ship from China: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

No matter your location, you can easily import anything that you need through different means from China.

It is important to look at mode of shipping from China and period it takes for the cargo to reach your destination.

In this guide, you will learn more about the period of shipping cargo from China.

Which Products can you Ship from China?

 Shipping from China

China is the leading manufacturer of different products that you may need for different purposes.

Implying that, you can get different products that you will use for different purposes from China.

Here are some of the products that you can comfortably import from China.

• Home Furniture and Decorations
• Children Toys
• Pet Supplies
• Clothing and Other Fashion Accessories
• Electronic Devices such as Televisions, Phones, and Radios among others.
• Office Equipment such as Computers, Pens, Papers, Files and other accessories
• Cars and Automobile Parts
• Lighting Accessories
• Kitchen Ware
• Manufacturing Machines
• Travel and Outdoor Products
• Shoes and Other Sporting Equipment

In other words, the list is endless as there are numerous products that you can get from China.

You should, however, know if the products you are importing from China will be accepted in your country.

Which Incoterms do you use to Ship from China?

The importation process of cargo from China to anywhere in the world requires proper sharing of responsibilities.

In other words, you have to know the party that is responsible for taking care of different responsibilities.

In that case, you will have to look at the incoterms that will spell different responsibilities to different parties.

Here are the main incoterms that you can consider when shipping cargo from China.

EXW (EX Works) Incoterms

In this case, most of the work will be on the head of the buyer who will have to take care of transporting the cargo.

Your supplier will cease responsibility after availing the cargo at the floor of the factory for you to pick.

FCA- Free Carrier

Here, your supplier can supply the cargo to a particular place that you will name free of charge.

After that, you will assume the responsibility of transporting the cargo from China to your final destination.

CPT – Carriage Paid To

Here, your supplier will deliver the cargo to another carrier to whom you will decide at his or her expense.

After that, you will pay for the rest of the shipping requirements all the way to your country.

CIP – Carriage and Insurance Paid To

Your supplier will include the cost of insuring the goods and transporting them all the way to your shipping carrier.

You will take responsibility after your carrier receives the goods and pay for all the other expenses.

DAP – Delivered at Place

As a seller, you will deliver the goods at the point of destination and transfer responsibility to buyer before unloading.

As the buyer will proceed with paying for the unloading of the cargo and proceeding with other key cargo processes.

DPU – Delivered at Place Unloaded

In this case, the seller will bear the responsibility of delivering the cargo at agreed terming and then unload it.

As soon as the cargo is unloaded, you will proceed with the rest of the shipping and pay for every other expense.

DDP – Delivered Duty Paid

The unique aspect in this incoterm is that your seller will have to pay for the import and export duty of delivering the cargo.

You will proceed to the agreed destination and assume responsibility of the cargo from that point onwards.

FAS – Free Alongside Ship

Your seller will make sure that he or she pays for the cargo shipping up to the port where a particular vessel awaits.

You will assume responsibility for the cargo as soon as it arrives alongside the shipping vessel all the way home.

FOB – Free on Board

The seller pays for cost of shipping up to the point where your cargo is safely loaded on the shipping vessel.

After that, you will assume responsibility for the cargo by paying all the other shipping expenses to the final destination.

CFR – Cost and Freight

Your buyer will pay for every expense of transporting cargo to final port of destination and necessary obtaining documents.

In this case, you will use the documents to obtain your cargo from the shipping carrier and proceed with other responsibilities.

CIF – Cost Insurance and Freight

Your supplier will pay for every cost including insurance to the final arrival place in the country of destination.

You will assume minimal responsibility of receiving the cargo once it arrives at the final destination in your country.

Which Modes of Transport can you use to Ship from China?

You will use different means of transport depending on your location to transport cargo from China.

The choice of transporting your cargo from China will depend on the destination and time you expect the cargo.

In other words, the faster you want your cargo to arrive, the faster the mode of transport.

Here are the main modes of transport that you will use in shipping your cargo from China.

Road Transport

Truckload shipping

You can opt to ship your cargo via road transport on trucks and trailers depending on the size of the cargo.

This is the best means of transport for moving cargo from China to closer or neighbouring countries.

It also the cheapest means of transport for moving cargo to the neighbouring countries in China.

You will, however, take longer on the road if the destination of the cargo is stretched.

Railway Transport

You can also opt for railway transport if the destination has a railway connection with China.

It involves loading the containers on a train which will transport them all the way to the nearest train station.

It is a very economical mode of transporting your cargo from China since it does not cost much.

You will also wait for some time before you receive the cargo because the shipping time is quite slow.

Sea Transport

COSCO Shipping Lane

You will use sea transport when shipping cargo via sea vessels to countries connected via the sea or oceans.

In this case, you can either book space within a container or use the whole container depending on the size of cargo.

Apart from that, it is the best mode of transport that you can use to safely transport cargo that is very huge and bulky.

In terms of time, it is slow as you will have to wait for days or weeks depending on the distance.

It is also a cheaper means of transporting cargo in comparison to air lifting the cargo to final destination.

Air Transport

China Southern Cargo

You can also decide to transport your cargo via aeroplanes which will fly the goods to the nearest airport.

It is the fastest means of transport that you can opt for as you can receive the cargo within hours.

Apart from that, air transport is quite costly and you will pay a lot more in comparison to other means.

Which Factors Determine the Shipping Time from China?

There are quite a number of factors that you should consider looking at when looking at the shipping period from China.

Here are the main factors that you should have a look at when shipping your cargo from China.

Distance

First, you have to know the final destination of the cargo and the source of the cargo.

You should know that China is a vast country and you may get the goods you need from different parts.

The further the location of the source of goods, the longer the time you will wait for your goods.

Apart from that, the further your final destination for the goods, the longer the waiting period.

Mode of Transport

You should also pay close attention to the means of transporting your cargo from China to final destination.

In conjunction with the distance, you will transport your cargo faster via aeroplanes than through the sea.

In other words, the faster the means of transport, the lesser the shipping period of goods from China.

Custom Clearance

You must also look at the custom clearance period and how long the department takes to clear your cargo.

It is important to have all your documents at hand to facilitate faster custom clearance of cargo.

You can also call upfront and inform the customs department about the arrival of certain goods with relevant documentation.

The faster you clear your goods with the relevant customs departments, the shorter the shipping period.

Which is a Faster Way to Ship from China?

The fastest way that you can use to ship cargo from China is by approaching all the details with experienced personnel.

In other words, you can hire freight forwarders who have more experience in clearing your cargo for export.

As soon as the clearance process is complete, you will proceed to loading the cargo on aeroplanes.

You can either charter a plane which will deliver the goods on an express route from China to your destination.

Apart from that, you can book space on the cargo plane and get the cargo within hours or a few days.

Which is the Slowest Mode of Shipping from China?

Well, in case you have no experience in customs clearance you might have to wait longer.

You may not have the knowledge that the freight forwarders have thus limiting your speed through custom clearance.

Apart from that, you will also wait longer if you use sea mode of transporting your cargo from China.

Here, you will have to wait for the loading of all the cargo on the ship.

In addition to that, the cargo ship might make stops along the way to offload cargo at various destinations.

Depending on how far the final destination is, you will have to wait for weeks since it is quite slow.

What is the Shipping Time from China to Various Destinations?

Well, shipping time to various destinations around the world will vary due to the distance and mode of transport.

Apart from that, the origin of the cargo in China may vary thus having a great impact on the shipping time.

Here are the approximate periods you will have to endure depending on origin and final destination.

· Time for Air Freight Shipping from China

Here is a table showing approximate time for shipping cargo from China to Europe

Shipping from various places in China to the United States of America

Shipping from various sources in China all the way to different destinations in Asia.

· Time for Sea Freight Shipping from China

Shipping from China to various destinations in Europe

Shipping from various sources in China to United States of America

Shipping from China to Oceania and Asia

· Time for Rail Freight Shipping from China

· Time for Road Shipping from China

Well, you can also op to ship from China to the neighboring countries and Europe through the road network.

It might be a cheaper method of shipping but that might take a very long time for the goods to arrive.

How long does Courier Shipping from China take?

Courier shipping usually takes shorter periods in comparison to other forms of shipping your goods.

In most cases, courier service provides use the fastest means of transporting your cargo.

There are exceptions which usually arise with the type of cargo you intend to transport to final destination.

In case you have heavy and bulky cargo, you must go through sea transport which is generally quite slow.

It is also a faster mode of shipping as they take care of customs clearance and include door-to-door services.

How long does Drop Shipping from China Take?

Well, drop shipping is also quite fast since they use the nearest supplier to your location.

In this case, you will take advantage of the stock of goods that other suppliers have from China.

As soon as you receive the order from a customer, you will contact the nearest stocker.

The stocker or supplier will then supply your cargo to the customer without passing through you.

What is the Average Shipping Time from China using Door to Door Shipping?

The average shipping time from China using door to door shipping ranges from a few days to weeks.

In most cases, door-to-door delivery services usually take the fastest means of transport which is the plane.

There are exceptions, depending on the size of cargo you intend to transport which requires special type of handling.

Apart from that, distance also plays a huge role where the further the location, the longer the shipping period.

What is the Shipping Time for ePacket from China?

On average, you will wait for less than 30 days to receive your ePacket from China.

According to different reviews and various delivery locations you can wait for between 1 to 10 days.

It is one of the lowest charge modes of shipping cargo and you may also ship ePackets free of charge.

How can you Shorten Shipping Time from China?

Shipping route from China

There are quite a number of exploits that you can go through to ensure that you reduce the shipping time.

In other words, you can increase the shipping speed by taking a few factors into account.

Here are the main factors you should consider to shorten shipping period from China.

Keep in Touch with Suppliers

You should always check with your supplier to ensure that you have your goods on the go at the right time.

In case you don’t, your supplier may not pay close attention to your cargo thus increasing the overall delays.

Pay Extra Fee

You can organize with your supplier to fasten the mode of clearance for the goods by motivating them with extra fee.

In this case, your supplier will accord your cargo the first priorities thus reducing the overall shipping time.

Ordering in Bulk

You can also exploit the logistics by ordering your cargo in great bulk thus prompting faster levels of clearance.

In this case, most of the customs officials will deal with your cargo and clear it for export faster to reduce clogging.

Use Courier Service Providers

You can also opt for courier service providers who have clear systems that enable faster modes of clearance.

Apart from that, they also use the fastest means of transport available thus shortening the shipping periods.

How does Freight Forwarder Help to Reduce Shipping Time from China?

You should consider using a freight forwarder when shipping your cargo from China to reduce shipping time.

Freight forwarders have plethora of experience in transporting your cargo from China.

You can take advantage of the experience they have and shorten the shipping time of the cargo.

They also have good contacts with the customs clearance department who will help clear the goods faster.

In addition to that, they also know the shortest routes that particular ships take to deliver the cargo.

Implying that, they will load your cargo on the most convenient mode of transport thus ensuring faster deliveries.

How Long Will Custom Clearance from China Take?

On average, you will wait for between 3 to 7 days for the customs department to clear the cargo in China.

There are quite a number of factors that will influence the clearance period of the cargo from China.

For instance, the size of cargo will have a great impact on the clearance period.

You will wait longer if the goods are bulky as it requires time to clear all the cargo on the ship.

Is the Time for LCL Shipping from China and FCL Shipping from China the same?

Yes, time for LCL and FCL shipping from China is the same.

In other words, the goods will be on the same ship and will arrive at the port of destination at the same time.

The only difference comes when you will be doing the clearance of the goods.

LCL cargo will take longer to clear in comparison to the FCL cargo because of individual sorting of cargo.

On the other hand, FCL clearance is faster since it involves clearance of specific containers thus reducing clearance period.

So, in a way, you will have to wait longer for LCL cargo in comparison to FCL cargo clearance period.

At BanSar, we can speed up the shipping process from China.

Contact us today to reduce the shipping time and cost from China.