Most "China to USA shipping cost" articles give you a $4-$8/kg air-freight range and call it a day. That's not a rate sheet - it's a shrug. Below are the real, current rates we ship our clients' goods at: door-to-door DDP sea freight priced per kilogram by US destination zone, duty-paid express consolidation, and full fulfillment out of our four self-operated US warehouses.
We move freight for importers and Amazon FBA sellers every week, and these are the numbers that actually appear on our cost sheet - converted to USD so you can plan a landed cost before you commit a dollar. They cover the leg most sellers get wrong: getting boxes off a factory floor in China and onto a shelf - yours or Amazon's - in the lower 48.
How these rates are calculated
Three rules decide what you pay, and they catch almost every first-time importer. Get them right and the tables below will match your invoice.
- You're billed per kilogram (1 kg ≈ 2.2 lb), on the greater of actual vs. volumetric weight. Volumetric weight = L×W×H (cm) ÷ 6000. Bulky-but-light cargo pays on volume, not the scale.
- Sea freight has a 21 kg minimum per shipment and a 12 kg minimum billable per piece. Boxes under 12 kg still bill at 12 kg.
- Rates cover the 48 contiguous states only - no PO boxes, military (APO/FPO), Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam or Alaska. Non-Amazon delivery addresses add roughly $0.15/kg.
1. Sea freight to Amazon FBA & your warehouse
This is the workhorse for FBA sellers and importers moving real inventory: reliable weekly sailings from Shanghai with UPS final-mile across the US, delivered door-to-door. Pick standard or express depending on how fast you need stock on the shelf - express simply jumps an earlier pickup window after arrival.
| US destination (ZIP zone) | Standard ≈ 21 days | Express ≈ 18 days |
|---|---|---|
| West - ZIP 8-9 (CA, WA, AZ...) | $1.70 - $2.70 /kg | $1.85 - $2.95 /kg |
| Central - ZIP 4-7 (TX, IL, CO...) | $2.00 - $2.80 /kg | $2.10 - $3.10 /kg |
| East - ZIP 0-3 (NY, FL, GA...) | $2.25 - $2.95 /kg | $2.40 - $3.25 /kg |
Lower end = 100 kg+ consolidated shipments; higher end = 21-100 kg. Price includes the ocean leg plus UPS final-mile to the door. General-trade customs clearance available from ≈ $50/shipment (500 kg+). Timing: Shanghai weekly cut-off → ~12-14 days to port → UPS pickup 16-19 working days after sailing.
2. Express consolidation - duty & tax included
A faster door-to-door line where duties, fuel and residential delivery are baked in - true DDP. It also accepts categories the standard line refuses: food, cosmetics and personal-use goods (excluding fatty foods). Roughly 15 days to pickup after sailing, billed in weight tiers.
| Weight tier | Estimated rate |
|---|---|
| First 2 kg | ≈ $17 |
| Each additional kg | ≈ $4.20 /kg |
| 11-20 kg | ≈ $3.50 /kg |
| 21-70 kg | ≈ $2.80 /kg |
| 71-100 kg | ≈ $2.65 /kg |
| 101 kg and above | ≈ $2.55 /kg |
| California self-pickup | ≈ $1.85 /kg |
Central (ZIP 4-7) and East (ZIP 0-3) destinations run slightly higher per tier. Remote-area surcharge ≈ $0.45/kg (min ~$22). A single shipment with multiple boxes bills at a 12 kg/box minimum; irregular, cylindrical or non-carton packaging adds ≈ $22/box.
3. Order fulfillment from our US warehouses
Store inventory in our four self-operated US warehouses - New York, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles - and we pick, pack and ship every order to your customer. It's built for FBM, Shopify/DTC, marketplace sellers and Amazon return handling: land a container once, fulfill domestically for months.
| Service | Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| Container unloading - 20 ft | $350 |
| Container unloading - 40 ft / 40 HQ | $450 |
| Container unloading - 45 HQ | $500 |
| Pallet in (≤ 120×100 cm) | $15 / pallet |
| Loose box in (≤ 30 kg) | $0.15 / box |
| Put-away to shelf - up to 5 kg | $0.50 / unit |
| Put-away - 5-9 kg / 9-22.5 kg | $1 / $2 per unit |
| Order weight | Fee per order (USD) |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 kg | $0.50 |
| 1-2 kg | $0.80 |
| 2-5 kg | $1.50 |
| 5-9 kg | $2.00 |
| 9-22.5 kg | $2.50 |
| 22.5 kg and above | $3.50 - $6 /kg |
| Service | Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| Storage - first 30 days | Free |
| Storage - 31-60 / 61-90 days | $0.80 / $1.20 per CBM·day |
| Storage - 91-180 / 181+ days | $1.50 / $2.50 per CBM·day |
| Buyer-return handling | $2 / parcel |
| Labeling (product / carton / pallet) | $0.50 / label |
| Counting (per unit, by weight) | $0.20 - $1 / unit |
| Repack - poly mailer / small / large box | $0.50 / $3 / $4 |
Final-mile via USPS, UPS Ground or FedEx - chosen per parcel for the best rate (USPS for light parcels under ~5 lb, UPS Ground at any weight, FedEx for oversized). Self-fulfilment label-out: $1 (≤5 kg) / $1.50 (5-10 kg) / $2 (10-22.5 kg) per parcel.
What we can & can't ship
US Customs rules are strict, and a mislabeled or undeclared box can be seized, fined, or destroyed - at the shipper's expense. Knowing the rules up front is the cheapest insurance there is.
Required on every shipment
All goods (outer & inner packaging, or the product itself) marked "MADE IN CHINA." Amazon cartons need correct FBA & "Team Lift" labels. Declare the real product name, quantity and value with a valid HS code - no vague descriptions.
Needs paperwork
Toys need a safety certificate and an age label (e.g. "3+ years and older"). Anything requiring FCC or FDA clearance must travel with the certificate. HDMI / SD / TF / Bluetooth products need a valid authorization letter.
Not accepted
Counterfeits, pure batteries, liquids, powders, tobacco & e-cigarettes, strong magnets, knives/weapons, adult products, seeds, pest-control chemicals, fur, hazardous or flammable goods. The standard sea line also excludes food, cosmetics, medical & baby products - route those through the express line.