What is door to door shipping service from China to USA?
The door to door shipping service is a transportation service provided by a freight forwarding company to a shipper. Under this terms of service, the freight forwarder picks up the container containing the cargo or the cargo itself, delivers it to the port, and completes all the necessary paperwork.
Once complete, the cargo is processed and handed over to the carrier for transport to the port of destination, where it is picked up by the freight forwarder and finally delivered to the shipper’s address.
Is door to door shipping service the same as DDP?
Unlike DDP or DAP, D2D is not part of the Incoterms, the international trade terms of the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce). The shipping method Door-to-Door does not entail the question who has to pay for customs in international transports.
How door to door shipping service from China works?
Importing goods from China to your country is a relatively simple process. Let’s briefly describe how the service works.
Importers identify goods of interest: In the first stage, importers identify goods/products produced by Chinese producers. He makes inquiries, communicates with producers, places orders and pays.
The importer contracts with a door to door shipping service freight forwarder: The importer then contracts with a shipping forwarder to handle the collection, customs clearance and transportation of the goods to his or her destination.
Pickup Transportation: Freight forwarders pick up the goods from the manufacturer’s factory or warehouse, load them on trucks, and transport them to airports, seaports, or rail lines for transportation.
Customs Documents: At this stage, the freight forwarder submits all the customs documents required by the Chinese customs authorities. These documents will provide all the information about the shipment and the country to which it will be shipped.
Freight Journey: The cargo will be loaded into containers and transported to the ship for loading. Before this stage, the freight forwarder has already contacted the carrier on your behalf and arranged all means. After this, the voyage to your home country will begin.
Home delivery: Once the goods are delivered to your country, your agent will use the services of their intermediary to clear customs for the customer. Once duty-paid goods are released, they will be trucked to the address you provide.
Documents required for door to door shipping service
The shipping arrangement for door to door shipping serviceg includes the shipment of the goods from the exporter’s factory all the way to the importer’s warehouse or final address.
The entire process is handled from start to finish by one carrier. If the carrier uses multiple modes of transportation, the required document is called a multimodal bill of lading. A multimodal bill of lading is used for door to door shipping service, also known as a joint bill of lading.
Factors that affect your cost of door to door shipping service from China
Distance
The distance between the port of origin for pickup and the port of destination where the goods will be delivered greatly affects the cost of delivery.
International energy market fuel prices
Vessels need fuel to operate, and fuel costs are hardly static but fluctuate from time to time.
Dockage
Dock charges also affect shipping costs, as freight forwarders have to pay port authorities to dock a vessel to load your cargo. Dock fees vary by port.
Shipping season
Shipping season is also another factor to consider. Off-seasons, when importers ship less cargo, attract lower fees, as carriers tend to lower freight rates. During the peak season, shipping rates are much higher as a large number of shippers want to ship their goods out of China.
In China, the low season runs from March to September, but this may change due to the forces of supply and demand.
Trade currency
Your transaction currency also affects general shipping and delivery costs. If you’re using a currency that’s weaker relative to the U.S. dollar, you’re likely to pay more. It is recommended to use the globally recognized US dollar as a means of exchange because it maintains a relatively stable exchange rate in the international foreign exchange market.
Do you need insurance for door to door shipping service?
Having insurance is essential as the tool protects you from damage or loss. To avoid disputes with your shipping company, comprehensive insurance is recommended. While this will cost more than port-to-port protection, it guarantees full protection from the point of pickup to the point of destination.
Difference between door to door shipping service and port-to-port
In the door to door shipping service , the freight forwarder handles most of the shipping process with little responsibility to the importer and exporter. The freight forwarder picks up the goods from the seller/exporter’s door or premises and delivers them to the buyer/importer’s door or premises.
Port to Port Shipping
In the port-to-port ocean movement type, the freight forwarder only transfers the cargo or cargo from the airport or seaport in the country of origin to the airport or seaport in the country of destination. Goods are usually packed in containers, either via less than container loads or full container loads.
Freight forwarders or carriers are not responsible for origin or destination inland transportation. This responsibility rests with the importer or exporter. This shipping service provides the shortest possible shipping for which the freight forwarder is responsible.
Because of this, it is the cheapest type of shipping and only pays for the middle part of the shipping process, i.e. from the port of origin to the port of destination. However, transportation options are also the most unpredictable, given that the middle part of the transportation process is where the most volatile situations occur.
