Importers who manufacture products in China and sell in the U.S. can choose from a variety of shipping methods, including express, air, and ocean. How to calculate the freight from China to USA ?
Air freight
Advantages of air freight, the best thing about air freight is speed. Under normal circumstances, the transit time in China does not exceed 10 working days.In most cases only 3-5 days. This is a huge reduction compared to sea freight. Fast delivery times alone can have a huge impact on a business niche these days.
Standard air shipping from China to the US is usually around 8 to 10 days due to the complicated process. However, express air shipping from China to USA takes about 2 or 3 days.
The restrictions associated with air freight are higher in air freight, which makes the process longer and more complicated. When the importer knows all the details and the exact shipping time, you can well plan to receive the goods on time.
Typical dates for this standard are working days, irrespective of receipt dates, weekends and holidays. The actual delivery date is based on the zip code of the destination.
Therefore, longer distances, customs clearance and flight delays increase delivery dates. Increase the transit time when the customs declaration documents are complete and there is no risk of being detained by the customs. When the importer declares to customs, this period will be increased by a day or two. Add 2 days or 4 days when the luggage is declared as Chinese goods.
Sea freight
Sea freight is the main delivery method for cross-border sellers. Usually, replenishment and stocking are carried out according to the shipping timeliness to control logistics costs.
The controlled freight from China to USA can provide sellers with more leverage in product competition. Shipping can be divided into fast ships and slow ships.
Sea freight from China to USA are also divided into LCL and FCL.
FCL shipping
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 freight from China to USA by shipping FCL. FCL pricing is flat whether your container is completely full or not.
The charge for FCL shipping is per container, while the LCL freight from China to USA is determined by volume, measured in cubic meters. LCL is ideal for small shipments because you only pay for the space your shipment uses. This is a cost-effective solution and in most cases cheaper than air freight.
LCL shipping
LCL or less than container load means your cargo will not fill the entire container and will be shipped with other boxes or pallets. Please note that when you ship LCL, your cargo needs to be consolidated at the port of origin and unpacked at the port of destination.
LCL shipping is an option for many cross-border sellers. Under LCL, you will be able to ship cargo that does not fill the container. This means that your cargo will be mixed with other cargo going to the same location as you in order to fill a container.
How to calculate the freight from China to USA
Air freight
Usually, the formula for air freight from China to USA is calculated like this: volume weight (kg) = length (cm) * width (cm) * height (cm) / 5000
Example: Above 500kg, the all-inclusive air freight price is around $5.5/kg, and the express price is $6.5/kg, which can be compared intuitively. But the freight from China to USA I am giving you does not include the cost from the Chinese factory to the Chinese airport.
Sea freight
LCL freight is generally charged according to the higher actual weight and volume weight. The charging formula of the two charging methods is also different: charging by volume = basic shipping per unit (MTQ) × total volume
Charged by weight = basic shipping per unit (TNE) x total gross weight
For example, the volume and weight are mainly charged according to CBM. The minimum charge starts from 1CBM, and the amount exceeds 1CBM. That is to say, if your cargo is 0.8CBM, then it is calculated as 1CBM; if it is 1.3CBM, it is calculated as 1.3CBM
Factors affecting freight from China to USA
Weight and size
The dimensional weight of a package affects its freight from China to USA . The larger and heavier the package, the higher the shipping cost. There are a number of ways retailers can save on shipping, even with heavier items in stock. For example, smart packaging and branding can significantly reduce costs.
A perfectly fitting packaging material is not only cost-effective, but also keeps the product safe.
Market situation
The logistics from Shenzhen to the United States is also divided into off-season and peak season. If it is off-season, due to the small quantity of goods, the shipping company will give some discounts on international sea freight in order to attract customers.
And if the number of goods accepted by the shipping company is relatively large during the peak season, the freight from China to USA will rise.
Distance
Distance is probably the most important factor affecting a retailer’s shipping costs. The farther the origin is from the destination, the more expensive it is to ship the package. There are several shipping areas in the US to be aware of. For companies that ship globally, reducing shipping costs can mean establishing shipping locations in various important regions.
Tariffs and customs
The minimum duty value affects retailers who transact with international customers. Costs may vary by region and should be taken into account when calculating total freight from China to USA .
