China Shipping Tracking – How Long does it Take to Ship from China?

By HX Wenli
 / 
January 17, 2022
 / 

This guide will show you shipping time from China – China shipping tracking.
Including:
Shipping methods from China
Shipping delayed factors
Shipping related cost
How to faster shipping
Lots more
So if you want to do better on your shipping, this guide is for you.
Let’s move in.

Chapter 1: China Shipment Basics

What is China Shipping?

China shipping tracking refers to the whole process which deals with the inventory packing, loading, and transporting it to foreign countries. No matter you live in Western countries or Africa, you can import products from China.
As per prospect, B2B traders and retailers look for sourcing companies and purchase inventory from China. During this, they need to get the products at their location. It is what we simply call “China shipping tracking.”

Why should you consider China shipping tracking?

You might wonder why exactly you need China shipping tracking. The first factor is— Sometimes, you import products from China. What will you do? How will you get inventory at your doorstep? Hire a China shipping company, right? So, I have listed some points that might compel you to use China shipping?

  • You will get several options to import inventory, for example, ocean freight, by air, and postal packages.
  • The import process is very reliable and transparent. You can get better China shipping tracking to know the location of your inventory.
  • Are you shipping from China to USA or Canada? You will handily get multiple shipping companies.
  • China shipping is faster and effective.
  • Safe delivery of inventory is a crucial feature of shipping from China.
1 shipping company

How does China shipping tracking work?

Quite a simple process to understand. You can import the products from China to the US or any other country by following steps.

  • Find the best shipping company. Maybe you can try by air or by sea shipping from China to USA.
  • Hire and let the company pack up your inventory.
  • Follow the China shipping tracking to know where your inventory has reached.

That’s all you have to do. Wait and see until your inventory is at your doorstep.

Chapter 2: What are shipping methods in China?

There are multiple options for shipping from China to USA. Follow one piece of advice. Be specific and choose the one that fits your business goals. Business goals refer to plans, budgets, and relevant factors. Got that point, right? Alright, you are good to go.

Express Shipping

Many International companies are offering express shipping. For example, DHL, FedEx, and UPS. There can be many other companies too. So, you need to research this purpose.
Express shipping is quite simple. You need to visit the official website and check the prices for each package. You can even call customer support and let them know your concerns.

Tip: If you are hoping to purchase and ship a large volume of stocks, go for the trial shipping. This way will give you an idea about the overall cost and profitability.

2 trial shipping

By Sea Freight

Have you heard of containers? Maybe you have seen it as well if you have visited the seaports. In actuality, there are FCL (Full container load) and LCL(less than container load) containers.
FCL comprises the size of 20 feet and 40 feet containers. In the case of LCL shipments, multiple shipments are collectively added to a single container. Can you guess which one seems problematic for shipping?
Obviously, LCL containers might even cause problems in China shipping tracking.

Tip: Prefer FCL containers if you have large quantities of stocks. Here is why.

  • Faster shipping from China to USA
  • Easier China shipping tracking
  • Shipping from China to the US cost is less compared to LCL containers.
3 Faster shipping from China

By Air

Airlines offer transport of inventory to the respective locations. Some people prefer air freight, but it involves several steps. Finding the exact space for your stocks is quite crucial. Sometimes, you have to follow some rules and regulations for safety.
For example, you can’t carry flammable things, corrosive chemicals, and biochemical products that pose dangerous effects to the human body.
How do you determine the restricted products, right? National laws and international regulations for safety define this aspect effectively.

4 Faster shipping from China

Postal packages

China post shipping is a good option. It is especially crucial when you purchase products from Ali Express or similar eCommerce sites. Usually, small-sized packages and products involve China post shipping. You can decide on this option when your products are lightweight, and the quantity is small.

5 Postal packages

Railway Cargo

Railway freight is another option to go. Good for shipping substantial quantities of products. Surprisingly, it is a faster option and cheaper than air freight.
The great thing about the railway cargo is its ease to transport. No matter you need to import biochemical products or corrosive substances, just great for all of them. Better focus on B2B shipments.

6 Railway Cargo

Chapter 3: What factors you should consider before shipping from China?

Going for your first freight? Stop here and wait. Why hurry? Here are some factors you must determine before shipping from US to China.

Weight of the Package

You might be surprised how the weight of the package is vital, right? I suppose it is absolutely integral. You know, why? Because it specifies which shipping method would be best for you in every aspect. For example, if you need to import heavyweight industrial products, air freight would not work for you. You can go for sea freight or railway cargos.

Size of the package

The size of the package interprets the required space. In air cargo, you need to adjust the room for every item. If the product size exceeds the required limit, the stock will not accommodate. Seems to be a serious concern, right? Not at all. Instead, you can prefer other options such as ocean freight.
Moreover, if your package is lightweight and size is small, can you guess which shipping option would be better? Everyone knows it will be the postal package.

Shipping method

Always plan before doing anything. You know, why? Because you will have a layout to work. A step-by-step work will take you to the final destination. So, it is better to keep a distinct point for the shipping method in your scheme. Here are major shipping options for shipping from China to US.

  • China post shipping
  • Express Shipping
  • Air Cargo
  • Ocean Freight
  • Railway Shipping

Go through each of them and understand their way to ship along with price and timing. In the end, prepare the best one for your shipping from China to USA.

Shipping cost

Who wants to pay extra for nothing? I suppose no one. More specifically, a sensible businessman never does that. Everyone looks for cheap shipping to China. Remember one thing. Never compromise on the speed and safety of products for the sake of money.
First, discuss the overall cost for shipping, and come up with better decisions. If the shipping service best fits your needs, just great! You can choose it.

Time for Shipping

Some shipping options are fast, while others might be slow. During all this, what matters is the accuracy of timing. If a company follows the time frame, perfect! It can be your choice in every way.
There is one more thing here as well. Different shipping services follow different directions and timing. Set up your requirements accordingly.

Chapter 4: What is the shipping cost involved?

Shipping cost is a complex factor but an important one. You have to understand various parameters for the exact cost. For example, the weight of the cargo defines whether there is an increase in the price or decrease. So, let’s have a detailed overview of how exactly shipping from China to US cost vary.

How does shipping from China to US cost vary?

Shipping from China to US cost doesn’t remain the same every time. Instead, it depends on various factors.

Upon what factors does it depend?

Here are some factors upon which Shipping from China to US cost vary.

What is your method of shipping?

Method of shipping determines the exact shipping from China to US cost. If you use express shipping, it would cost you more, but it will be relatively fast as well. Therefore, you can find positive and negative aspects of all the shipping methods.
Ocean freight offers cheap shipping to China. You just need to understand the weight and size of your stocks. Full container load and Less than Container load will define the exact cost.
The same goes for air freight and railway freight. Can you guess the price of each? Let me help you find it. Airfreight is often expensive compared to railway cargo.

Tip: Keep a balance between price and timing if you need fast transportation of inventory to your location.

What company services are using?

Do you think prices are the same every time, right? That’s not true in every case. Some shipping companies offer different rates. For example, if you use the governmental postal service, what will be the rates? Cheaper than the private postal shipping companies, right? It is what I want you to understand.
Some shipping services offer premium services. You might find their rates quite different from others. So, adjust your shipping from China to US cost accordingly.

How fast is your service?

Note down one point— the fast the service you utilize, the expensive it will be. This fact might become null when it comes to weight, size, and shipping method as well. However, let me help you explain this fact by giving a simple example.
If you use air freight, it is relatively fast compared to sea freight. So, the shipping from China to US cost increases consequently.

What is the weight of your inventory?

Weight of inventory is another option factor contributing to the overall cost. The more weight you load, the more costly it will be. Usually, express shipping charges $5 per kilo weight of your inventory. No doubt, it seems to be expensive, but you have another option to utilize.
Sea freight is better for bulk inventory shipping. For a full container size, you have to pay $3500-$3900. Don’t you think it will be better? But, ocean freight might take some extra time as well.

What is the size of your stocks?

Size of the item refers to dimensions. For shipping to China cost, you must determine the dimensions. You might wonder what exactly dimensions include? Dimensions refer to the size. You can measure it by multiplying the length, width, and breadth.
The size of the item is of worth when it comes to express shipping. Famous shipping services such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS measure the size of the stocks before estimating shipping to China’s cost.

Where exactly your destination is?

Shipping to China cost or away depends on two basic locations. The seaport or airport from where you are sending your inventory to the destination address. If the distance is longer, it will cost you more price compared to a near destination.
When we talk about Western countries such as European countries, they are far away. Every country has its specific distance from China. In this case, you might observe the change in the overall shipping cost.
In the opposite case, from European countries to China, shipping to China costs differ.

What is the shipping cost from China to the US by different methods?

What is your destination location? Maybe the US, right? You know, why? Because the US imports almost 18.6 percent of total imports from the whole world making one-fifth of the total.
However, shipping cost from China to the US is sure of shipping methods. Here are some points regarding the overall cost you have to pay.
Express Shipping
Express shipping charges you per kilogram weight of your inventory. Express shipping charges you almost $5 per kilo. Express shipping is a cost-effective option when you need products quickly and weigh up to 150kg.
Airfreight
Airfreight involves the airports and the use of air cargo. That’s why it is a bit expensive but suitable for weight up to 500 kilograms. The price might fluctuate between $4 to $8 per kilogram. You might wonder when it is cost-effective, right? When you have to import inventory with a weight of more than 150 kilograms and less than 500 kilograms.
Train Cargo
Train cargo is the best choice when you want to keep a balance between the price and shipping speed. When your weight is above 500kgs, train cargo can cost you half of the air freight and twice the cost of sea freight. It might charge you $7000-$7500 for FCL.
Sea freight
Ocean freight has two options.
First, full load containers(FCL) that are 20 feet and 40 feet while second, Less than container load(LCL). Per container, you might pay $3500-$3900 for shipping from China to the US. It is a compatible option when your goods are above 500kgs in weight.

Chapter 5: How long does it take to ship from China?

Is time your ultimate requirement? If yes, you must select the right shipping option. By that means, shipping service that enables fast transport of your products. And what service can do it? Obviously, China shipping services. To appreciate the exact timeframe for shipping to the US, have a look below!

Regular Post

Regular post or courier service is the faster method for transporting the inventory from China to the US. But, it is not suitable when your stocks are large in number.
The regular post takes one to two weeks for shipping from China to the whole world.

Express Shipping

Express shipping refers to only urgent transport of inventory. No matter you are looking for cheap shipping to China or US, express shipping can be a good choice. Express shipping might involve air or any other fast method to transport.

Better for urgent and lightweight packages!

If your inventory has less weight and needs to be quickly transported, go for express shipping. It takes 3-5 business days for transport from China to the US or other Western countries.

By Air Freight

Most businesses choose air freight because it is safe and effective for transport. This fact is true only if you have a limited weight of up to 500kgs, and inventory doesn’t include flammable or corrosive materials.
Airfreight is faster than sea freight but not so fast as express shipping. It usually takes 8-10 days for transport by air freight. It includes loading of goods, customs clearance, and several other tasks before the transport. That’s why you can expect why air shipping takes a longer time than expected.

By Sea Freight

Sea freight is the slowest method for transporting goods, but I would say it is “perfect” for larger units of goods. The weight of thousands of kilograms of goods is no longer a problem to carry with sea shipping.
From larger quantities of goods, what do you expect? Maybe longer time to load, right? So, it will take more time. Exactly the case you are thinking. It takes almost 30 to 40 days for the transportation of merchandise from China to the US or other countries by sea freight.

Chapter 6: What factors can delay Shipping from China?

Is your delivery still not received? Don’t worry at all. Here are some reasons that might cause possible delays in your delivery.

Peak season

In human life, work runs with enjoyment in a parallel fashion. Not the whole year is for work. Instead, you get some days to celebrate happiness. That’s when everyone is on holiday. This fact delays the shipping from China to USA. No matter event is in China or USA, what matters is whether it has ended or not.
Peak seasons like Christmas Day or Black Friday involve vacations. So, there is less likely staff available for shipping. Who will ship? No one, right? So, the possibility of delay in delivery increases.

7 peak season

Custom clearance problem

There are some rules and regulations of shipping in each country. You can’t just ship products from China to the US or any other country. Legally, you have to follow the rules and submit documents for verification.
Custom clearance determines whether your products have paid legal duties and are ready to ship or not. Custom clearance problems might cause late loading and transportation of your inventory.

8 Custom clearance problem

The supplier didn’t ship the cargo.

You import products from China while being in the US, right? Who do you hire? A sourcing company or maybe the suppliers directly? Am I right? That’s quite an important aspect resulting in delay if your products have been manufactured on time but not sent yet.
A better technique to resolve your issue is to communicate directly with the supplier. Make sure your products have been loaded.

Chinese Holiday such as New Year, China national day

Official holidays apply to the whole country in China. For example, China national day is on October 1. So, they get a vacation of one week. Because the shipping staff is on vacation, your products will be only imported after the vacation. So, shipping to China might face some holds.
Similarly, Chinese New Year and other festivals might contribute to late delivery. Make sure you send either before or after the events. You will never disappoint!

9 chinese holiday

Pandemics like COVID-19

Pandemics don’t happen usually. Remember, the Spanish Flu that happened from 1918 to 1920. Two years of continued crisis and tie-up in economic growth. A similar case is when I mention the recent COVID-19 attack. Local and international transports suffered blockage. That’s why shipping to China wasn’t possible. It caused delays of months in international and domestic shipping.

10 faster shipping from China

Chapter 7: How can I do faster shipping from China?

Want to save time? If yes, better go for faster shipping. Is your shipping late? You might be making some mistakes. Why not rectify it? I have shared some tips to improve the shipping speed of your cargo and obtain it quickly.

Pick the exact channels against your timing

Shipping channels matter a lot. No doubt, there are hundreds of companies out there, can you prefer one? Doesn’t it seem hard? It really is. But why not synchronize the timing of the shipping service? That’s what can help you find the right option with faster shipping.

Tip: Get the list of the shipping companies and jot down their timing. Choose the one that fits your needs, budget, and timing.

Avoid any peak season

Remember, peak seasons are there to delay the shipment. If not held up, at least, they put a temporary hurdle. It might waste your time and money. Peak seasons like Christmas or Black Friday involve holidays of working staff. There will be no one available to load and unload the inventory.
A better way is to keep a weather eye on events. Determine whether there is any upcoming season. If yes, either go for shipping before or after the event. It will keep you away from waiting for long periods.

Tip: A better practice is to go through the yearly calendar and decide when you have to skip the shipping.

Ensure your suppliers move the cargo to your forwarder in time.

Suppliers are responsible for the product shipment. Due to their negligence, cases for unpunctual delivery often happen. How can you control it? In simple words, understand the problem and implement the solution. Since the problem is in the timing of your supplier, ask the supplier to be on time.
The supplier must forward the inventory to forwarders. Once the forwarder obtains the merchandise, what will be the next approach? Go for packing and transportation. Quite a simple process, right?

Be prepared with your arrival

Many scenarios contribute to late delivery. If you want faster delivery, follow the strict timeline. Keep an eye on China shipping tracking and get ready for the coming of merchandise. Get time to time reports where your merchandise has reached.
If it is around the corner, why not get ready? It will save time and let you manually determine the quality of inventory. As soon as products arrive, receive them. Possible delays in timing would not happen.

Chapter 8: Frequently Asked Questions

How exactly can I import inventory from China?

There are various ways to choose for shipping from China. Have a look at the list!

  • Express Shipping
  • By Air
  • By Sea
  • By railway
  • Postal Package

So many options, right? You might confuse which one is best. No worries at all. Just measure the needs of your business and determine how fast your delivery must be. Depending on budget and relevant demands, you can choose any of the above options.

Which delivery option is best for me?

I am not sure about the answer unless I understand your business needs and transportation facilities. You can land on the best delivery option only if you answer the following questions.

  • How fast shipping do you need?
  • What is the weight of your inventory?
  • Are you looking for cheap shipping to China?

Answer these questions, and you are good to go to uncover the best option. However, I have listed some points regarding this as well

  • Express shipping is a top choice when your package is lightweight and needs to be transported urgently.
  • Airfreight becomes suitable when your merchandise weight is 500kg and needs to be transported quickly.
  • Sea freight is a bit slow and the best choice for larger quantities of products.

Got the answer? I suppose yes.

Why my delivery is late?

There can be several reasons for late delivery. These problems relate to global shipping issues, no matter shipping from China or Shipping to China. Especially when there are events, every shipping company’s staff is on vacation. That’s why you might observe late shipping to China.
However, here are some points regarding the possible causes of late delivery.

  • Chinese Holidays. For example, the new year holidays. Maybe some festivals are going on. It can delay the delivery.
  • Global Events like Christmas or Black Friday. When everyone is on vacation, who will ship the products?
  • Sudden breakouts and pandemics are serious problems. Recall the recent COVID-19 that stopped the flights and halted the global economy.

Several other reasons can be there, depending on the country’s festivals and global crisis. So, you must conduct research and know the purpose of why precisely the shipping is late.

What is the cheapest way to ship to China?

Choosing an economical option is always great, right? Especially for the business progress, you need to set aside some money for it. Therefore, choose the cheapest yet reliable shipping to China or from China.
To choose the cheap shipping to China cost, you must know the exact weight of your goods. If it is below 500 kilograms, airfreight can be a good option.
In the case of above 500 kilograms, ocean freight offers cheap shipping to China. Full Container Load(FCL) container by ocean freight offers the cheapest way to ship to China. Remember, the more inventory you need to import, the less cost it will be. For example, in the case of Less than Container Load(LCL), you might expect the price to be a bit more than the FCL container.

Why is transporting from China relatively slow?

In actuality, shipping from China is not slow. You know, why? Because China shipping companies are famous around the world for their fast service. Here are some factors that might entail the speed of shipping.

  • Weight of your container
  • Mode of Shipping
  • The Shipping company you choose
  • Any festivals or pandemics going on

Choose your shipping method wisely and get the products with fast delivery.

Can I import products to all Western countries?

Yes. You can import inventory to all Western countries. It makes the B2B business better.
You can choose the shipping option and import your products accordingly. Remember, there are different rules in every country. So, adhere to relevant laws and set up your first shipping.

How can I go for cheap shipping to China?

Are you short on budget? No worries. There are hundreds of tips to reduce the overall cost.
I have listed some ways to lower the shipping to China cost.

  • Choose the sea freight if you have large quantities of products to import.
  • Select FCL instead of multiple LCL packages. It will subtract the overall shipping to China cost.
  • Regulate the product package dimensions to prevent an increase in volume.
  • Discuss the price with the freight staff and adjust for a better price.

These practices might settle the cost problem and enable cheap shipping to China.

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