Express courier
Express shipping from China for samples and small cartons
Door-to-door courier service via DHL, UPS and FedEx networks, for samples, small restocks and anything that has to be there this week.
Service levels
Three ways to send express
Counted from pickup. Remote areas take longer.
1–3 days
Priority
The fastest courier service, for samples a buyer is waiting on or parts that are holding up production.
Get a quote: Priority3–5 days
Standard
Door-to-door courier at a lower rate, suited to most small business shipments.
Get a quote: Standard7+ days
Economy
The lowest-cost courier option, for small cartons that aren't urgent.
Get a quote: Economy
Transit times are estimates. Sea times are port to port unless stated. Air is counted from departure and express from pickup. Actual times vary by route, season, carrier space and customs.
Why book through a forwarder
Why not just book the courier yourself?
- 01
Consolidate before shipping
We collect from several suppliers, then send one combined shipment instead of several separate ones.
- 02
Packing and repacking
Oversized or badly packed supplier cartons are repacked to cut volumetric weight and damage risk.
- 03
Labels done right
FBA box labels and product labels applied before pickup.
- 04
Paperwork checked
Commercial invoices with clear descriptions and realistic values, so shipments are less likely to be held at customs.
Who pays duties on express shipments?
With DDU, the courier clears customs and bills the recipient for duties, taxes and any clearance fee before or at delivery. That works for your own warehouse, but it's a poor experience for a customer, and Amazon fulfillment centers won't pay import charges.
With DDP, duties and taxes are paid before delivery, so nothing is collected at the door for the goods and values declared. Shipments to an Amazon fulfillment center or directly to your customer usually go DDP. More in DDP and door to door.
US parcels: since August 29, 2025, the US has suspended duty-free de minimis entry for all countries, so every express parcel into the US goes through customs entry and owes applicable duties, whatever its value. See shipping to the USA.
FAQ
Express courier FAQs
Question not answered here?
Message our shipping team directly, in English or Chinese.
Ask on WhatsAppAre you DHL, UPS or FedEx?
No. We're a freight forwarder that books shipments on the DHL, UPS and FedEx networks. You get the carrier's tracking number, and we deal with the carrier if anything goes wrong.
How is express priced?
By chargeable weight: the actual weight or the volumetric weight from the carton dimensions, whichever is higher. Remote delivery areas and some product types add surcharges. We include those in the quote when we know the destination postcode or ZIP.
Can I send express shipments to Amazon FBA?
Yes, for small carton counts. Each carton needs the correct FBA box label, and the shipment should go DDP so nothing is collected at delivery.
When should I switch to air freight?
As shipments get heavier or run to several pallets, air freight usually works out cheaper per kg, even with delivery added. We'll price both when it's close.
Can I ship samples from several Alibaba suppliers together?
Yes. Ask each supplier to send samples to our warehouse in China. We check what arrives, let you know, and ship everything in one parcel.
Related pages
- Air freight
Urgent, Standard and Economy air freight from China to the USA, UK, Canada and Europe. Airport or door delivery, DDP available. Send cargo details for a quote.
- Amazon FBA shipping
Amazon FBA freight forwarder in China: pickup from all your suppliers, prep and labels, customs and DDP delivery to FBA in the US, UK, Canada and EU.
- DDP and door to door
DDP door-to-door shipping from China. One price for freight, customs clearance and import duties, delivered to your address or Amazon FBA. Get a DDP quote.
- USA
Ship from China to the USA by sea, air or express, DDP or DDU, to your warehouse or Amazon FBA. Pickup, prep and US customs planned up front. Get a quote.
- Europe
Ship from China to Germany, France, the Netherlands and across the EU by rail, sea, air or express. EORI, import VAT and Amazon EU planned. Get a quote.
- China to USA Import Documents Checklist
What US customs needs when you import from China: invoices, ISF, bonds, HTS codes, Section 301 duties, the end of de minimis, and mistakes that cause delays.
Send a courier shipment
Tell us the weight, carton dimensions, pickup city and delivery postcode or ZIP. We'll quote the express options for that route.
Free quotes. We typically reply within one business day by email, WhatsApp or live chat.