A polished showroom tells you what the supplier wants you to see. A real factory audit tells you what actually happens when an order is running. Here is what to check and why it protects your money.

A surprising share of general cargo is legally dangerous goods. Paint, perfume, power banks, pool chlorine, pesticides — all of them must move in a properly declared DG container under the IMDG Code. Misdeclare one and the shipping line can refuse the booking, impose heavy fines, or hold the container at the port. Here is how to tell when a product needs DG handling, and what paperwork the carrier will want.

EU importers may receive a CBAM questionnaire from their customs broker, but not every questionnaire requires full carbon emissions data for customs clearance. Before responding, check whether your CN code is covered by CBAM, whether your annual imports exceed the 50-tonne threshold, and whether the request is for customs clearance or CBAM reporting. This guide explains what EU importers need to check and what information they should prepare when importing CBAM goods from China.

Importing products from China to Amazon FBA in 2026 requires more than just finding a supplier. Sellers must manage product compliance, supplier verification, shipping terms, customs clearance, labeling, and last-mile delivery to Amazon warehouses. This step-by-step playbook breaks down the process into practical actions, helping sellers reduce delays, avoid costly mistakes, and build a more reliable China-to-FBA supply chain.

Rail freight sits between air and ocean: faster than sea, cheaper than air. The China-Europe Railway Express now links more than 100 cities, and many importers treat it as the sweet spot for mid-value cargo. But two things catch buyers out: not every product can move by rail, and rail clearance is not the same as ocean or air clearance.

The UK runs its own tariff schedule and VAT model. Learn CDS, commodity codes, and 2026 changes affecting China-origin goods.

A practical guide to multi-supplier consolidation, export documentation, customs clearance and international shipping.

Every October, China slows down for National Day. The two weeks before it are the opposite. Factories run at full speed, loading docks work overtime, and every exporter in the country chases the same vessels. This pre-holiday rush is the busiest shipping peak of the year — and for Chinese factories it decides whether October orders leave on time or sit in the yard for weeks.

AI tools are reshaping China sourcing in 2026 by automating supplier discovery, optimizing pricing negotiations, predicting supply chain risks, and improving quality control. Procurement teams are shifting from manual vendor research to intelligent data platforms that connect factory capabilities, order status, compliance information, and cost analysis in real time. As a result, businesses can build more resilient, transparent, and cost-efficient sourcing strategies across China’s manufacturing ecosystem.

Every year at the start of October, China stops for National Day. Factories close, truck drivers go home, and ports work with a smaller crew. The Golden Week holiday itself lasts about a week, but the effect on international logistics lasts much longer. Before the holiday everyone rushes to ship out; after it, everyone rushes to catch up. If you import from China, this is the busiest shipping peak of the year — and the one that costs unprepared buyers the most money.

You sourced a great product. The price is right. The factory is ready to ship. Then somewhere between the port, the border, and final delivery, everything slows down. Customs holds, missing documents, unexpected fees, and delayed shipments quietly turn a promising deal into an unhappy customer.

Here is a common setup. You order goods from a factory in China. The factory tells you to use their forwarder. That forwarder works for the factory, not for you. You end up paying for a middleman, and you never really know what is going on. There is a better way: talk to a China freight forwarder directly, and keep control of your own ocean shipping from day one.

Every importer knows the feeling. You wire the deposit, and for a few days your money sits in someone else's account on the other side of the world. Then the quiet worry creeps in: what if the supplier goes silent? What if the factory takes the advance and nothing ever ships?

Learn how to reduce shipping costs from China through cargo consolidation, LCL shipping, air freight and flexible shipping routes. See 4 real customer cases.

You found a great FOB quote — $4.20 a unit. Then the container landed and your real cost was $5.49. That 31% gap is not bad luck. It is the difference between a factory price and your landed cost from China: the full money you spend to move goods from a Chinese factory into your own warehouse, ready...

If you ship for the first time, you will see two words on your bill: demurrage and detention. They sound the same. They are not the same. Here is the difference, in plain English, and how to avoid paying extra in international ocean shipping.

LCL shipping from China remains a practical option for smaller shipments, but port congestion, weather disruptions and schedule changes can cause delays and unexpected costs. This guide covers six key tips for importers, including transit planning, shipment tracking, customs clearance, destination charges and choosing between LCL and FCL. By planning ahead and staying in close contact with your freight forwarder, you can reduce delays, avoid unnecessary charges and manage your LCL shipments more effectively.

Most customs holds come from wrong values, missing licenses, or mismatched paperwork. Here are the nine mistakes and the fix for each.