I have a question about shipping and customs.
I've got a prototype of a product being shipped to me from China. I've asked for the first real order container sizes and how far they will handle shipping assuming I need to take over once it hits my designated port. They've responded with a cost of $159 by sea and $1859 by air from them to New York for an example. This is for 9 total cartons at about 2'x2'x3' each with a combined total weight of 350kg.
My question is; once it's here, what other costs and logistics are neccessary to move it? I've heard of needing a customs broker and paying duties and taxes and all kinds of things but haven't found much solid info.
Thanks for this thread, it is very inspiring and crazy informative.
You will have to get a forwarder to handle customs and shipping. So let's say you pay $159 to get it to New York. Then you need to pay the following:
duties/taxes depending on what you are importing
some fees that they charge at the dock, like unloading, storage, paperwork, etc...
transport from New York to your city
delivering from your city to your home or business
A forwarding company should be able to just give you a quote for the whole thing. They make all the payments and then you pay them.
The $159 price seems too cheap. Are you sure that the $159 is not the price for them to get it from the mainland city to a port city in China?
If so, then you will also have to pay the ocean freight to get the containers to New York.
I think your most likely scenario is to pay:
mainland city to port city in China
Ocean Freight to LA
Duties and Taxes
Warehouse and Port Fees
LA to New York truck transport
New York warehouse to home delivery