When you import products from China to the United States, which shipping method do you use? express delivery? By sea or by air?How much is the shipping cost from China to USA?
Express delivery
For most people just starting out, shipping by express will be the most suitable method. The courier companies that are widely used in China are DHL, UPS and FedEx. With courier service, you can get fast delivery time and online tracking facility. Most express shipments can reach anywhere in the world within 3~5 business days. But express shipping cost from China to USA is expensive. Typically $5 to $10/kg.
Air transport
If the weight of the purchased product is too large for the courier, such as 100kg, air freight may be the best option. Using air freight, the cost will be much lower than the courier company.
This method is suitable for medium-weight cargo and has tight deadlines or tight controls on security. The transit time varies according to the airline’s schedule, but it is generally between 8 and 10 days, which is not bad.
It is worth mentioning here that air freight usually has a minimum requirement for shipping weight. The average cost of air shipping cost from China to USA is 5 to 8 USD/kg, and the transit time is about 5 to 10 working days.
Sea freight
Ocean freight from China to USA takes a long time, but can carry large quantities of goods, reducing costs. The variety of goods that can be transported is also a major benefit of this model. This is why it is a popular and widely used model in logistics.
Despite the long delivery time, if you plan ahead and have enough time to wait, sea freight will be your first choice. Depending on your location, it will take about 20 to 40 days.
There are two types of ocean freight, FCL and LCL, both of which are related to shipping costs and the size of the container used. FCL = Full Case Load
LCL = less (less than) container load
For ocean shipping, there are usually two ways, expedited or normal ocean shipping. Usually, expedited shipping from China to us will be 3-10 days faster than normal. However, sea shipping cost from China to USA is very cheap, generally only $2-3 per kilogram.
How to save the shipping cost from China to USA?
Optimized packaging
Have you noticed that you have extra space on your package and you need to pay for it? If you’re not careful, your supply chain can cost a fortune.
You should know that shipping from China to the US is charged based on the weight or volume of the goods. You can save money by optimizing your packaging to reduce packaging volume.
Shipment consolidation
Another way to reduce shipping cost from China to USA is to combine smaller quantities of items into larger quantities by consolidating shipping, thereby reducing prices. You send the goods to the forwarder’s warehouse and you can avoid receiving them over and over again. Forwarding companies can store your shipments and consolidate them, especially when you buy from different suppliers.
Find the right shipping agent
You can hire a freight forwarder like Xiongda to manage shipping, customs clearance during import from China.
A broad variable that depends only on the product, importing and exporting countries is tariffs. The advantage of a freight forwarder is speed. Freight forwarders can stay in close contact with your suppliers, keeping you informed of all situations. When a problem occurs, your local partner solves it as quickly as possible.
Xiongda Logistics has many suppliers with warehouses in China. When you choose a manufacturer like them, the goods are sent directly to you and you don’t have to worry about import duties and customs clearance.
Route planning and optimization
Logistics is the process of analyzing the most efficient routes and modes of transportation. There may be multiple routes to deliver your cargo to its final destination. You have to find out the most economical freight forwarder to save you shipping cost from China to USA and time.
