Qep Express China

[Tyler Bannowsky]

Thisguide is here to answer all your questions as it relates to using express shipping from China to the US. It covers everything from its advantages and disadvantages, carrier options, and when it might be the best shipment option for you.

Express shipping companies are all very similar, and because these international companies have strong resources in virtually every country, they allow for incredibly simple solutions to move parcels, while relying on their own internal networks.

Each international courier offers its own service, and while each forwarding company has its own preferences, DHL, FedEx, and UPS offer very similar shipping services. Which you choose will depend on your product, load, and timing requirements.

With International Priority, nicknamed IP, FedEx can ship customers products from China to the US in 1-3 business days. If you are shipping over a weekend, there is a chance the days will not be counted, as FedEx only ships during Saturdays in some regions of the US, and not all. IP is the highest priced product FedEx offers.

For a slightly lower cost service, FedEx also offers its International Economy or IE service. Customers shipping via IE can have their cargo arrive in as little as three days, but at times up to 10 days, as this type of shipment is not prioritized.

DHL Express Worldwide is its standard express shipping service and the service that most forwarders will quote when customers request DHL to ship their cargo via express mail. This method is ideal for smaller shipments, and DHL tries to deliver this cargo by the next business day. When shipping from China to the USA, this usually means that it takes two days for cargo to arrive, however, results vary by 2-4 days on average.

DHL Express 12:00 is a service that allows for time-sensitive shipments to arrive the next day, before 12:00 noon, whenever possible. These shipments are usually prioritized the same way DHL Express Worldwide is prioritized, however, once the shipment arrives in the US, it is expedited to arrive at the destination before noon.

Express shipments from China should only be considered when speed is a primary factor. Because the services are much more expensive than other forms of shipments, shippers should look to express as a last resort when shipping medium to high volume. For small shipments, less than 150 kilograms, samples, and documents, express is a worthy consideration.

While we like to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various express courier services, for most shipments, any of the big three can offer a reliable service for your cargo. To assist in the decision making, we suggest avoiding the consideration of which company to use, as most freight forwarding companies will suggest the service they believe is the most ideal for your shipment. Once they offer their suggestion, the brand decision ultimately comes down to which offers the lowest rate.

When you are unsure if you should be using express or another form of shipping, it is best to compare express service as a whole with other forms of shipping, such as air freight and LCL sea freight shipments. Below, we will discuss when it would be advantageous to use this service, and when it would be preferable to use China sea freight or China air freight.

Express is not intended to move large volume cargo. Instead, it offers a streamlined service for small-sized shipments that otherwise would not be worthy of shipping via sea or air cargo. Express shipping companies focus on shipping a lot of small products, for a lot of different customers. In order for them to stay true to this service offering, they make it inconvenient and expensive for large volume shipments.

For example, DHL only allows for a maximum weight of 30 kilograms for their DHL Express 10:30 service. As a general rule, we often consider shipments greater than 150 kilograms to be too heavy to express.

Likewise, dangerous goods almost always need special compliance and safety documentation. However, when potentially dangerous cargo is shipped via air express, the compliance standards are more strict. One reason for this is that sometimes shipments are loaded into the cargo holds of commercial passenger planes. Commercial airline regulation restricts a lot of cargo that could be hazardous from being transported inside passenger airplanes.

The difficulty with express shipping companies is the rates they quote to you are significantly higher than what they would quote directly to a China freight forwarder, like Guided Imports because we have a high-volume agreement with these companies. And because our agreement was made in China, our rates are usually much more competitive than those a US-based freight forwarder would be able to offer.

For example, if a US-based freight forwarder applied for preferential rates, even if their shipping volume was significantly higher than a logistics company with offices in China, the rates would be based on the region of the account. Since the cost of labor is higher in the US than in China, freight forwarders with their operations stateside are at a huge disadvantage. And so are you, if you chose to move your products from China to the US using a US-based freight forwarder.

At Guided Imports, we take full advantage of this and rely on our registered company in China to ensure our express rates are the lowest on the market. We then pass those savings on to our customers. While we can confidently say our express rates are some of the lowest in the industry, it does not mean that shipping via express becomes a viable alternative to larger shipments.

With over 20 reliable courier companies serving customers wishing to ship goods quickly from China to the US, the best carrier is honestly the one who can meet your timeline and budget, while still getting goods to you safely.

If you have an air express shipment you need to be sent from China to the US, feel free to contact us directly to get a quote. Remember, as a China-based freight forwarder, Guided Imports will typically be able to offer better rates than you or a US-based freight forwarder can offer. Our team will respond within 24 hours, excluding weekends, and best of all, we offer a best-rate guarantee.

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