Trade Flock - How to Import Solar Panels From China? TradeFlock - Import Cosmetics from China | Page 22

Air Freight:
This shipping method lies between courier
shipping and sea freight. Shipping times vary
from company to company, but in general, it
takes 5 to 10 days which is not bad at all! Air
Freight costs will be significantly lower than with
courier companies, but extra work is involved
when the goods arrive in your destination
country. With Air Freight importer usually have to
handle documentation and customs clearance on
their own (unlike with courier companies), which
for many newbies may seem impractical. The
importer can always outsource these tasks to a
freight forwarding company at an additional cost.
Sea Freight:
This is the most popular shipping method used by
big companies/firms to import goods from
China. The cost per kilo (£100-£150 per pallet,
even less if importer can order full, or
half-container loads) is very low but the downside
is their lengthy delivery time. Depending on where
the importer is located it will be in the vicinity
of 30 to 40 days in most cases. Just like with Air
Freight, the importer has to take care of the d
ocumentation, customs clearance, and delivery of
goods from the port to home or office. So it always
recommended using a freight forwarding company
that will take care of all the procedures and deliver
goods right to the door.Also, with Sea Freight it’s
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very important to calculate all the EXTRA COSTS
involved. The supplier will usually give the FOB
price, which means that the goods are loaded onto
the ship. But that’s not the end. Once your
shipment arrives at the port there are all kinds of
extra charges, such as: Unloading charge; Port
fees; docking fees; Storage fees; Clearance fees,
etc. In general, Sea Freight is better for bulky
items. Sea freight shipping from China is
perceived as a major hassle when importing
products.There are many more complex issues
when importing from China. However, Importers
still have reason to be concerned about freight
related issues. In this article, we cover everything
from shipping costs and insurances, to Incoterms,
FCL, and LCL shipping.