Guides to shipping from China

Each guide answers one question about shipping from China. We wrote them from the work we do each day in Shenzhen.

  1. 01How long does shipping from China take?Shipping times from China by method: express 2 to 5 working days, air freight 5 to 10 days, special lines 7 to 12 days, post 10 to 20 days, and sea freight by route.
  2. 02Express shipping from China: couriers, costs and volume weightHow express shipping from China works: the couriers, how volume weight sets the price, the surcharges to expect, and when a special line costs less.
  3. 03China Post vs EMS vs DHL: which one to useChina Post, EMS and DHL compared by weight limit, speed, tracking and customs, with a fourth option for parcels that can wait a week.
  4. 04China Post small packet: size limits, tracking and customsThe rules for China Post small packets: 2 kg weight limit, size limits, what you can send, how tracking works and who pays the duty.
  5. 05What you can and cannot ship from ChinaShipping restrictions from China: goods that cannot ship, the rules for batteries, liquids and powders, and the import rules of the US, the EU, the UK and Australia.
  6. 06Shipping labels and customs forms for parcels from ChinaWhat a shipping label from China must show, how to write the address and the goods description, and which customs form each shipping method needs.
  7. 07Shipping insurance from China: what a carrier pays and what it does notCarrier liability pays by weight, not by value. See the legal limits for air, sea and road freight, what general average means, and how to make a claim.
  8. 08How to track a package from ChinaHow to read a tracking number from China, why tracking stops when a parcel lands, what each status means, and when to act.
  9. 09Why shipments from China arrive late, and how to prevent itThe five causes of shipping delays from China: customs, holidays, missing documents, restricted goods and the last mile. What to do about each one.
  10. 10Customs clearance for goods from ChinaHow customs clearance works when you import from China: export clearance, the documents, HS codes, import duty and tax, and the difference between DDP and DAP.
  11. 11Shipping zones from China: how carriers price by destinationWhat a shipping zone is, why each carrier draws its own, how remote area surcharges work, and how to get the right price for a destination.

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