Do you know how to ship wholesale toys from China? The process is not so difficult.
First of all, toys are produced in factories in China. After the production process, the toys are loaded onto the ship and set sail. The trip from China is usually about two weeks long, but it may take longer depending on the route you choose and the weather at sea.
When the ship arrives, the wholesale toys from China are unloaded and delivered to warehouses and retail stores. It is then sold to consumers. It usually takes about a month from start to finish.
Shipping wholesale toys from China is relatively easy, but sometimes it doesn’t work. For example, if the ship encounters bad weather, the ship may be delayed and the arrival of the toys may be delayed. Also, wrong loading on the ship can damage toys during transportation.
Transport of toys from China can usually be done smoothly and cheaply, although it can cause occasional problems. This is one of the main reasons why Chinese toys are so popular.
In this post, we’ll introduce the rules and regulations you need pay attention to and 7 shipping methods from China to the US.
Rules & Regulations on Shipping Wholesale Toys from China
There are a few things you should know about shipping wholesale toys from China before you start. First, it is important to understand Chinese customs procedures and customs duties to avoid delays and troubles during transportation. Second, you need to choose a reliable freight carrier with transportation experience to China. Finally, pack the toys properly to ensure they reach their destination safely.
Due to the complicated customs procedures in China, it is important to thoroughly investigate your toys before shipping them out. A customs declaration is necessary. This can be obtained from the shipping company. This form describes the value of the cargo and the category of the cargo. A detailed description of the item to be shipped is also required.
There are several points to be aware of when exporting from China.
1. Make sure you have all the necessary documents. This includes a business license, an export license, and any other necessary licenses.
2. Know the rules and regulations of the destination country. This includes quotas, duties, and other restrictions.
3. Know the customs clearance rules in China. This includes what can be exported, what cannot be exported, how to declare, etc.
4. Make sure the product is properly labeled. This includes displaying the correct country of origin on the label, as well as the necessary safety or warning labels.
5. Be prepared to pay duties and taxes.
If you follow these guidelines, exporting from China will be smooth and hassle-free.
When exporting toys from China, it is also important to know the following regulations.
1. Toys for children under the age of 14 must meet the safety requirements of China’s Compulsory Certificate of Compliance (CCC).
2. Toys exported to countries that have signed the CCC Marking Agreement shall be marked with the CCC mark.
3. Toys exported to countries that are not parties to the CCC Marking Agreement shall include the following information:
(1) Name and location of manufacturer
(2) Country of origin
(3) The words “Warning: Choking Hazard – Small parts. Not for children under three years” (or the equivalent warning in the language of the destination country).
Toys that are exported to countries that have signed the CCC Marking Agreement but do not have CCC Marking requirements must be labeled with the following information:
(1) Name and location of manufacturer
(2) Country of origin
(3) The words “Warning: Choking Hazard – Small parts. Not for children under three years” (or the equivalent warning in the language of the destination country).
Toys that are exported to countries that have not signed the CCC Marking Agreement and do not have CCC Marking requirements must be labeled with the following information:
(1) Name and location of manufacturer
(2) Country of origin
(3) The words “Warning: Choking Hazard – Small parts. Not for children under three years” (or the equivalent warning in the language of the destination country).
It is challenging to ship wholesale toys from China, but it is possible if done systematically. By following these steps, you can deliver your toys safely and smoothly.
7 Shipping Methods from China to the US
Express Shipping
Whether Fedex, UPS or DHL, these express companies give the agency (your supplier or shipper) a variety of discounts (usually 20% to 50%) according to the annual shipping volume of each agent, which further affects the price.
If your Chinese supplier doesn’t use Fedex to ship wholesale toys from China to the US much, he can look for a cheaper express carrier and ask that company to ship the goods to the US. This has the advantage of lower shipping costs.
Not only are the discounts offered by each agency different, but seasonal effects, flight availability, and more will affect the price of the express. For example, during peak seasons, such as the month before Christmas or Thanksgiving, prices can rise sharply and drop considerably towards the end of the season.
As a result, the shipping costs are quite variable and can vary from week to week. Ask your supplier or carrier for real-time pricing and choose the cheapest one.
Though shipping fees change frequently, Fedex prices are within a certain range.
Fedex offers international priority delivery and international economic delivery called IP or IE. The transition time of IP is faster than IE. IP usually takes 2-3 business days and IE 4-6 business days.
Delivery over IP is more expensive than delivery over IE. In general, Fedex IP is the best choice for sending samples. However, we recommend that you choose Fedex IE when it comes to cargos over 21kg.
Please note that items containing lithium batteries, powders, and liquids cannot be shipped using Fedex’s official service. If you want to send these items by express, you will need to find an express agent that can ship them to Hong Kong and ship them to the US via Fedex or DHL from Hong Kong. Of course, the shipping costs for these delicate products are higher, typically around $10 /kg or more.
Air Shipping
Both air shipping and express shipping are transported by plane. Read more about the difference between express and air shipping and when to choose express or air shipping.
The Difference between Air freight and Express Freight
Express shipping is relatively simple and easy, while air transportation is a bit complicated and requires the same import and export procedures as traditional sea shipping. It consists of the following three steps.
1. Local logistics in China and export process.
2. Air shipping from Chinese airport to American airport.
3. Local logistics in USA and import process.
In general, air shipping is more cost-effective for cargo larger than 500kg. However, if the weight of the package is less than 300kg, express shippign is better. But what if the weight of the wholesale toys from China weighing 300kg to 500kg?
The price of both shipping fluctuates constantly in real time, so at this time it is not possible to say exactly which shipping is cheaper. For example, if there are many empty seats on a plane, or if there are occasional discounts, Fedex is cheaper than air freight.
What Is All-Included Air Freight Cost to the US?
When shipping wholesale toys by air shipping, whether consult a freight forwarder or working with an Alibaba supplier, be sure to request the price of the entire delivery process, i.e. the all-included price. This covers the shipping costs from the airport in China to your home, so it is important to decide in advance whether the goods will be delivered to the airport in that country or directly to your home.
Sometimes, freight forwarders or suppliers may only offer prices from Chinese airports to your destination airports for the sake of attraction. This price may seem cheap at first glance, but it does not include customs clearance and land delivery costs, so you will have to pay separately.
Sea Shipping
As for sea shipping, wholesale toys from China are transported in containers. There are two types, LCL and FLC.
If the quantity of the goods is small and less than 15CBM, a transport company will help you with the LCL transport. This means that you will share your container with other importers as your cargo is smaller than the container size.
LCL calculates freight in CBM (cubic meters). For example, if you have a product of 12 CBM, then shipping cost = the price per CBM ×12 CBM.
FCL is used when your wholesale toys from China is able to fill one or more containers. In this case, the freight is calculated based on the total amount of containers. For example, when two containers is filled by your cargo, then the freight = the price of a full container ×2.
Containers can be divided into three main types: 20” GP: 28 CBM, 40” GP, 58 CBM, 40” HQ: 68CBM.
SFUC—Sea Freight UPS Combined Shipping
The delivery time by sea is usually 30 to 45 days. Not only the transportation time, but also the local logistics in the United States takes a lot of time. There is a way to transport faster and cheaper than traditional sea freight, and I prefer to call it Sea Freight UPS Combined– –SFUC. However, not all freight forwarders offer this service, and there is no general name in English.
First, a Chinese freight forwarding company will help you send your wholesale toys from China to the nearest port by traditional ocean shipping. UPS will be responsible for local logistics in the US. This means that as soon as the goods arrive at the port, they will be shipped to your address immediately. This can shorten the time by at least 10 days.
SFUC is a top-class direct delivery method from China to Amazon FBA because of its fast delivery time and efficient customs clearance.
Please note that SFUC shipping costs are charged per kilogram, not per CBM or container, as with traditional sea shipping. This is because, unlike traditional transportation, which is delivered by truck after the goods arrive at the US port, UPS is responsible for delivery and express transportation is charged in pounds.
AFUC—Air Freight UPS Combined Shipping
Air Freight UPS Combined means that your cargo is firstly transported by air, and then UPS is responsible for delivery wholesale toys from China within the US. It is cheaper than Express, but it takes less time than Express. Express transport takes 3 to 5 working days, air transport takes 4 to 7 days, AFUC takes 11 to 15 days.
AFUC is not a popular delivery method, but on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon FBA, AFUC is more cost-effective than express and faster than sae shipping.
Epacket Shipping
For small packages of about 2kg, using FedEx IP will cost $45. If you want to keep costs down, it is best to use China Postal Express & logistics service “ePacket”.
If you have ever shopped on eBay or Aliexpress, you should know that many Chinese sellers use ePacket to deliver cheap Chinese products directly.
Generally, it takes about 8 to 14 days for the wholesale toys from China to arrive in the US. However, in exceptional cases, it may arrive within 1-2 months.
With ePacket customs clearance, goods are cleared in bulk, so they usually leave the port in one to two days, enabling rapid customs clearance. However, during peak hours, a lot of baggage stays at the airport for a long time. In this case, the shipping time may be accelerated and delayed by 1 to 2 months. As a result, the delivery times of eParcels are very unstable.
If the barcode on a package is damaged during transport, it will remain stuck at the airport and will not be tracked in time. In addition, it is common to lose your luggage on the way because you do not know where it is.
According to ePackage officials, the average delivery time is 7-10 business days, and China post does not compensate for delays beyond this time.
Dangerous goods such as powder, liquid, flammable, explosive, alcohol, tobacco, money, securities, and crimes can not be transported under international air transport regulations.
Despite its shortcomings, ePacket offers a cost-effective transportation service, and many people take risks to save money. For example, shippers of couriers generally adopt this shipping method.
China Post
This shipping method must be metioned, even if the delivery time is quite unstable. And if you do not have insurance, China Post will not compensate you even if the package is lost. Also, it is not the most popular shipping method in China, and few online sellers use it.
For example, if you are American and want to buy 50 pcs puzzle books on Aliexpress. The total weight of your package is about 2 kg. You are not in a hurry to get the goods and think that express shipping is expensive. In this case, postal packages are a good choice.
In this case, even if the package is lost after 1 or 2 months, you will not lose much because the value of the goods was not high.
As for the delivery time, it is about 1-2 months by sea, one month by air + ship and 15 days by air. Not all shipping times cover the time spent in customs, and China Post does not guarantee the delivery time.
If you have low-value parcel and ask me what is the cheapest shipping way from China to USA, I will reply Epacket and China Post Parcel. However, you must accept the risk of lost items and long waiting times.
Conclusion
Hope you could get new information from this post and have clearer idea on choose which way to import wholesale toys from China. If you want to learn more about import wholesale toys from China, please click here for more information.
