Importing from China

[dicky113]

I want to import a package from China approx 24x24x24" and weighing 50lb. The manufacturer is only quoting FOB. How do I arrange the shipping and what is the cheapest way to bring it into the UK? UPS quoted something like �350 which is way more than I am paying for the goods themselves! I am not worried about fast delivery and up to 6 weeks would be fine.

[dicky113]

The inches sign doesnt seem to show up on my post. The measurements are in inches.

[Ethel]

FedEx maybe.

Don't forget to add any import duty, if applicable.

[buildersmate]

Don't know the complete answer, but the cheapest way will be by sea container. Which takes about 6 weeks and you pay (by and large) by VOLUME. All the commervcial carriers will operate by AIR FREIGHT, where you pay (by and large) by weight. You need to find a way of gewtting a bit of space inside a sea container - not sure how.

[dicky113]

hmm i just rated your answer 2 stars but only one came up, sorry about that and thx for you answer.

[Trotbot]

FOB is Free on Board, which suggests that the supplier will get the parcel to a point of export (a good start). UPS and Fedex cannot do things slowly, so are comparatively expensive. One option is below (purely from Google, there must be lots of options).

http://www.express-luggage-moving.com/formulaire-GB.html

The import duty and VAT issues are significant. Duty tends to be between 0% and 14% (average about 2%) depending on the item. VAT into the UK is 17.5%. Duty is charged on the FOB + Freight (to the EU border) + Insurance, VAT on the customs value plus customs duty. If you need an agent in the UK to clear it, it will be another chunk of money. You can self clear, but need to be present and need to fill in a C88 with all the lovely codes for isoteric stuff such as Customs Procedure Code (400000 for your import)

[hydrogoose]

the cheapest way wil be by sea and it will take about 20 days. I have purchased from suppliers in China many times and most if not all have a shipping section to their company, they dont usually mention it because they are usually dealing with large companies that have there own shipping contracts.

Just ask the person your buying from to send it by sea to your address, and in 2 weeks or so , the shipping company will contact you to arrnage the delivery

thats the easy part

you wil need a vat number

a document called the bill of lading

and the price the chinese will charge you for shipping is just to the port in the UK. The shippping company will charge you extra fees for customs clearance and delivey to your door.

vat number - you can get a temp one from HM customs and excise

bill of lading, the supplier should send it to you by dhl/fedex letter air mail

[KARL]

The answers so far are all useful. Importing something of low to moderate value personally (as opposed to commercially where you can recoup any and all costs) is very rarely a viable financial proposition unless you have very low transport costs and are in effect free from formal import formalities. With ordinary people this would in practice mean that you are shipping personal effects when returning to your home country whereby pre-owned household and similar items are excise duty free. Freight will either be cheap because you found a good route before you left or else someone else is paying anyway. To get involved in anything else and making arrangements long distance across non-treaty borders (e.g. from outside to inside the EU) is mostly only worth it if you save a very substantial amount over buying already bulk imported goods in the destination country or are acquiring something unobtainable there. Paperwork is in this case a good bit more complicated also as compared to the personal effects scenario. In any case, forget converting the metric units quoted by the foreign source into imperial ones (unless you are involving or discussing with the Americans) because all freight quotes will be based on the metric system.

[yolana]

Hi, since your shipment is not time-sensitive, you can feel free to select ocean shipping from China. So why not hand over your shipment to a China Freight forwarder? You just tell all those factors in detail, they arrange reasonably. Thus you won't consider the extra fees that would be charged after arrival!
China Sea Freight http://www.mychinafreight.com/sea-freight.html
Wish you good luck!

[Sirodroer]

For finding the cheapest way and not need quick delivery I will recommend you to choose ocean shipping. And if you are worried about the extra fee you can find a cargo forwarder service provider company in China to help you solve or transporting problems. Here recommend Goway Logistics: http://www.gowaylogistics.com