How long does shipping from China take?
| Mode | Typical time | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Standard express | 3–6 working days | Door to door with no minimum shipment size |
| Economy express | 7–12 working days | Lower cost where the shipment is not urgent |
| Samples and prototypes | 3–6 working days | The usual entry point before committing to volume |
| Documents | 2–5 working days | Priced per envelope rather than per kilo |
Typical ranges measured from supplier pickup to signed delivery. They are not a commitment; the binding range is issued with your quotation.
Lane facts
| Minimum shipment size | None; express is priced per shipment rather than per container or cubic metre |
| Pricing basis | Charged on chargeable weight, the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight |
| Covered by the price | Pickup, export handling, network transit, clearance and delivery to the door |
| Chargeable weight | Charged on the greater of actual and volumetric weight; courier networks commonly divide by 5000, so 1 CBM is about 200 kg |
| Restricted goods | Batteries, liquids, powders and branded goods need channel confirmation before dispatch |
| Remote areas | Remote-area and oversize surcharges may apply beyond the standard network |
| Packaging | Must be suitable for automated sorting; we can repack at the warehouse first |
| Quote turnaround | A formal quotation is issued within one hour once the cargo details are complete |
What does this cover?
We compare suitable express channels according to cargo type, package size, destination and requested timing. Express is the fastest route to the door and has no fixed minimum shipment size, which makes it the natural entry point for samples and small orders.
Who is this for?
- Samples, prototypes and single items
- Small parcels and documents
- Urgent spare parts and small replenishment
- First shipments from a new supplier before committing to volume
What is included in the service?
- Supplier pickup coordination
- Package measurement and data capture
- Courier channel selection and dispatch
- Tracking reference and delivery confirmation
What do you need from us to quote?
- Product name and a short description of what the goods are
- Piece count, weight and package dimensions
- Supplier address and contact
- Consignee name, full address, postcode and phone number
- Declared value and currency
- Whether the goods contain a battery or a regulated substance
What does the quotation cover?
The quotation states the total for the scope described in it. It is built from the cargo data, the origin and destination, the transport mode and the delivery scope agreed at that time.
What is included?
- Pickup coordination and package measurement
- Courier freight to the destination door
- Tracking reference
What is not included?
- Duty and tax payable at destination unless the service includes them
- Remote-area and oversize surcharges
- Storage and return-to-sender charges
What might cost extra?
- Remote or difficult-access delivery beyond the standard service area
- Customs inspection, holds or revaluation at either end
- Storage where cargo cannot be dispatched inside the agreed free period
- Detention and demurrage when a container or vehicle is held beyond free time
- Oversized, overweight or special loading equipment
- Cargo that arrives without the documents required for the confirmed route
- Special cargo approved after review but requiring extra handling or documentation
- Address change, re-delivery or a failed delivery appointment after dispatch
- Peak-season or fuel surcharges applied by the carrier
- Duty or tax reassessment where customs does not accept the declared value
Freight rates and space change with the market, so each quotation carries its own validity period. Once it expires, or if the rate or space changes before booking, the price is reconfirmed before dispatch.
Cargo is weighed and measured after it reaches the warehouse. If the piece count, weight, volume, packing, cargo attributes or delivery address differ from the original inquiry, the charge is recalculated and sent to you for confirmation before payment and dispatch.
How long does each stage take?
Transit is counted from the stated start point to the stated end point for each stage. Carrier schedules, port and customs conditions, and the destination delivery arrangement all affect the outcome.
- Pickup and handover: 0–1 day (calculated from Cargo collected from the supplier to Package handed to the courier network)
- Network transit: 2–4 days (calculated from Package accepted into the courier network to Arrival in the destination country)
- Clearance and delivery: 1–2 days (calculated from Arrival in the destination country to Delivered to the consignee)
Estimated total: An estimated total is issued with the quotation, expressed as a range with the calculation start and end points stated. It is an estimate, not a guaranteed arrival date.
Last verified 2026-09-15.
What must be confirmed before booking?
- Remote-area and oversize charges may apply beyond the standard network
- Restricted goods need channel confirmation before dispatch
- Declared value and duty handling depend on the service level
- Packaging must be suitable for automated sorting
What mistakes should we avoid?
- Under-declaring value and then facing a customs hold
- Sending a battery product on a channel that does not accept batteries
- Giving a residential address without a phone number for the courier
- Assuming express is always cheaper than air freight for larger volumes