Importing from China is common these days. The country has numerous wholesale sites and marketplaces for you to choose from. This allows you to buy quality items at affordable prices. However, one of the most important parts of the entire import process is “shipping”. You can ship your goods from China to the United States through a variety of shipping methods. However, the concept of “shipping” is not as simple as it seems. Shipping costs determine the cost of transporting goods from one point to another. Rates depend on the type of cargo being transported, the mode of transport, the dimensional weight of the cargo, and the distance to the delivery destination. Other factors that affect shipping rates include seasonality, current events (COVID-19), and capacity. Due to the stagnation of air transportation during the epidemic, international logistics is also one of the most affected industries, not only the speed has slowed down, but the price has also risen sharply. The recent outbreak of the epidemic has been serious, and many logistics companies have issued statements, and the express delivery back to China has been temporarily suspended…Before you claim to fully grasp the relevant concepts, you should understand Shipping cost, time, and several other relevant factors.
This guide to charting shipping rates from China to the United States utilizes advanced data from a variety of real-time sources to give you a better understanding of the cost of shipping your goods from China to the United States. We have prepared this exhaustive guide to help you understand the cost of shipping from China to the USA.
Ocean Freight FCL
FCL, or Full Container Load, is when your cargo fills an entire 20-foot or 40-foot container. If you’re shipping in bulk, you can save time and money by shipping FCL. FCL pricing is flat whether your container is completely full or not.
There are many benefits: FCL shipments don’t need to be loaded and unloaded with other shipments, saving shipping time; sealing the container at the factory means less handling and less chance of damage; LCL’s unit price is high, so for larger shipments, you can save money by paying the FCL flat fee.
Here are some other factors that affect shipping costs from China to the USA: GRI (General Interest Rate Increase). These are container price increases that operators can implement at the beginning and middle of each month, usually in response to demand; prices spike during peak seasons. Peak season comes when businesses ship in bulk to ensure their supplies are ready for the holiday shopping season. For FCL, the peak season is usually between August and November; for holiday delays, shippers from China need to consider Spring Festival (usually in February) and Autumn Golden Week, a week-long holiday that affects demand and prices. Regardless of your origin and destination, be sure to check your local calendar for important holidays.
Ocean Freight LCL
LCL or less than container load means your cargo will not fill the whole container and will be shipped with other boxes or pallets. Please note that when you ship LCL, your shipments will need to be consolidated at the port of origin and unpacked at the port of destination. This is the reason why LCL shipping takes several days than FCL shipping. There are many ways to calculate LCL freight, and the calculation standards may be different according to different shipping companies, different freight forwarders, different ports, or different warehouses.
Shipping cost from China to USA consists of: O/F + CFS + DDC + AMS + ISPS + warehousing fee + fee + DOC. That is, “sea freight + LCL fee + pick-up fee at port + automatic manifest declaration fee + port security fee + warehousing fee + fee + document fee” LCL rate is usually set at the lowest price – sometimes as low as per cubic meter Rice $30 to $40.
Air Freight
Air freight is generally faster but more expensive than ocean freight, so the mode you choose will depend on the size and weight of your shipment, and how fast you need to get to your destination. The larger the cargo, the more complicated the transportation process. There are more ways to find space in the cargo hold of an airplane than regular courier service. Goods are first shipped to a facility where they are consolidated (packed with other goods). Repeat the process in reverse on the other end. The U.S. customs process is also much more complicated than express delivery. International law, national laws, carrier organization regulations, and individual carrier regulations all play a role in defining and restricting what cargo is considered dangerous for transport.
In general, more products are restricted as air cargo than sea cargo, including gases (eg light bulbs), all flammable items (eg perfume, Samsung Galaxy Note 7), toxic or corrosive items (eg batteries), magnetic substances (eg loudspeakers), oxidants and biochemical products (eg chemicals) and public health risks (eg untanned hides).
FedEx Express
FedEx is an American multinational express delivery company. Its headquarters are in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx is known for its overnight shipping service and pioneering system for tracking packages. The company can provide real-time updates on the location of packages. Well, most companies implement this factor. It is one of the top U.S. government contractors.
Total cost = (general freight + fuel surcharge) × discount + packaging cost + other uncertain costs
General shipping formula:
1. When the actual weight of the item to be delivered is greater than the volume, the freight calculation method is the first weight freight + (weight (kg) × 2-1) × the additional weight freight. For example, 7KG goods are calculated according to the first weight of 20 yuan and the additional weight of 9 yuan, then the total freight is: 20＋(7×2-1)*9=137 (yuan)
2. When the actual weight of the item to be delivered is small but the volume is large, the freight shall be charged according to the volume standard, and then the total freight shall be calculated according to the above formula. The formula for obtaining the volume is as follows: Regular items: length (cm) × width (cm) × height (cm) ÷ 5000 = weight (KG) Irregular items: longest (cm) × widest (cm) × highest (cm) ÷5000=weight (KG).
EMS Express
EMS is perfect for customers who are looking for an economical way to ship packages internationally. The company uses the global postal network to deliver your package.
EMS offers an inexpensive shipping method for items up to 65 pounds without any specific delivery time. EMS provides services to more than 180 companies. EMS international express can be sent to more than 220 countries and regions around the world, with outlets in many countries and regions. In addition, the difference between EMS international express and DHL international express, UPS international express, and FedEx international express is that EMS international express has no long-distance fee and fuel surcharge.
The EMS international postage is between Zone 1 and Zone 9, based on the region, the first weight is 90 to 370 yuan, and the renewal weight is 30 to 120 yuan; the price of the first item is between 130 and 445 yuan, and the renewal price is between 130 and 445 yuan. Prices range from 30 to 120 yuan.
UPS Express
United Parcel Services is the world’s largest package delivery company and a leader in shipping services. UPS delivered 1.8 million packages in 200 countries and produced 3.8 billion packages worldwide. As a global leader in the package delivery industry, UPS has always kept pace.
Shipping cost from China to the USA is related to the package weight, volume, final destination, fuel cost, surcharge, etc. The shipping fee is cheaper during the off-season and more expensive during the peak season. The charging standard of UPS express is 0.5KG/extended weight for below 21KG, and the price for kilograms above 21KG. If you use UPS express to send to the United States, whether it is light or heavy goods, there are obvious price advantages.
DHL Express
DHL connects people from more than 200 countries and territories around the world. This company is driven by the power of more than 380,000 employees. It helps manage and transport letters, information, and goods. The company was founded in the United States in 1969 and expanded its services globally by the end of 1970. In the 1970s, DHL became an international express company. In addition, DHL protects the environment by using alternative fuel vehicles.
DHL freight mainly depends on the following conditions: 1. Volumetric weight cargo: For large and lightweight packages, in accordance with the requirements of the International Air Transport Association, a charging standard is heavier between the volumetric weight and the actual weight. Volume weight calculation method: (length × width × height) cmtnt5000 = volume weight. 2. The fuel cost will change every month according to the sales market conditions. 3. The surcharge for remote areas will vary according to the detailed address. 4. The US Midwest includes Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, California, Colorado, Oregon and Arizona, etc. 5. Additional fees for non-standard international parcels: For international parcels whose random side length exceeds 120cm or the actual weight of the pieces exceeds 70kg, additional fees for non-standard international parcels will be levied, and each shipment is only levied once. 6. Commercial insurance: independent decision whether to buy or not, 1% of the insurance amount for an international express payment (minimum insurance cost is RMB100). 7. Import duties: It may be caused according to the specific situation.
