Going Door to Door

The December Newsletter is now out at: https://www.mgtrading.com/Newsletter-December-2011-China-Business.htm.  Here’s the main article:

Going Door to Door

In the past we’ve provided our quotes CIF (cost, insurance and freight) to the major customs port nearest to our customer (i.e. CIF Los Angeles to a customer in Southern California).

Once the shipment is received at the port, there are additional costs involved with importing. To obtain a quote for these, you would find a customs broker in the U.S., get set up with them by filling out forms that included a power of attorney, have them research the duty rate for your product, and provide a quote for the port fees. (These charges vary from port to port, for example, there is forklift fee at the port of L.A. but not at others.)

In general, this is a list of the additional costs involved with importing:

* The duty tax that U.S. Customs charges, which is a percentage that varies according to product classification.

* The customs broker’s entry fee

* Document turnover fee

* The bond required by the U.S. government for all shipments.

* ISF single entry and bond fee

* AMS fee

* DDC (destination delivery charges) which apply to LCL (less than full container load) shipments.

* Delivery from the port to your door.

* Other miscellaneous small fees that might occur, depending on the port.

* Inspection charges should U.S. Customs decide to stop the shipment for one of their random exams.

In essence, we get the shipment from China to the customs port nearest to you, and your customs broker will clear the shipment through U.S. Customs and get the shipment from the port to your door.

We have now partnered with a customs broker who is connected with a nationwide network of brokers. This partnership gives us the ability to give you a door to door quote, inclusive of all fees. Their rates are competitive and their service is prompt.

Please let me know if you’d like a door to door quote. We need to know purchase quantities to calculate the volume, which is needed to estimate DDC charges.