Buying guides
1688 shipping to the USA
Last updated
Published by 1688 Sourcing Agent · Review method
Key takeaways
- Use external packed measurements, gross weights, product details and the US destination to compare complete route quotes.
- A parcel dimensional divisor is service-specific and is not an ocean-freight formula; confirm rounding, minimums and surcharges.
- US low-value duty-free treatment cannot be assumed; verify current entry requirements and the importer, tax and delivery scope of any DDP offer.
Use the final packed carton sizes, gross weights and US delivery ZIP code to compare routes. Ask the seller whether it can export; if not, quote a China receiving warehouse and onward shipment. Payment on 1688 does not by itself provide international delivery.
For small urgent goods, express may be practical; air cargo or sea may suit other orders. There is no universal cheapest mode or kilogram threshold. Compare the complete accepted route, including customs and delivery, against local availability.
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List each SKU, quantity, material, intended use, value and country of origin. Disclose batteries, liquids, magnets and any potentially regulated content before booking.
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Record each carton’s external length × width × height in centimetres and gross weight in kilograms, including protective packaging or pallets.
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Give the destination ZIP code, commercial or residential address type, receiving hours and whether a loading dock, liftgate or appointment is needed.
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Separate supplier ready date from required delivery date. Ask when the quoted transit clock starts and what customs or handoff delays are excluded.
In this guide
Prepare a quote-ready packing and product list
- List each SKU, quantity, material, intended use, value and country of origin. Disclose batteries, liquids, magnets and any potentially regulated content before booking.
- Record each carton’s external length × width × height in centimetres and gross weight in kilograms, including protective packaging or pallets.
- Give the destination ZIP code, commercial or residential address type, receiving hours and whether a loading dock, liftgate or appointment is needed.
- Separate supplier ready date from required delivery date. Ask when the quoted transit clock starts and what customs or handoff delays are excluded.
Compare route scopes, not headline rates
- Express parcel: obtain chargeable weight, dimension/weight limits, fuel and remote-area surcharges, brokerage, duty collection fees and delivery terms.
- Consolidated air cargo: include China pickup and handling, airport charges, clearance and US onward delivery. Airport-to-airport is not door-to-door.
- Sea LCL: ask for the freight basis, minimum charge, origin and destination handling, customs, storage exposure and inland delivery. Do not apply a parcel dimensional divisor to an ocean quote.
- Sea FCL: compare a container quote when shipment volume, handling or economics justify it; there is no single cubic-metre crossover that works for every lane.
Work out the quoted chargeable weight
DHL Express describes a centimetre-based dimensional calculation of length × width × height ÷ 5,000 and compares it with actual weight for each package. Other services can use different divisors, rounding, minima or charge bases; follow the selected quote.
Illustration only: a 60 × 40 × 40 cm carton with a gross mass of 12 kg has a dimensional weight of 19.2 kg using 5,000. If the quoted service rounds up to the next 0.5 kg, its chargeable weight is 19.5 kg. This is arithmetic, not a carrier quote or a measurement of an actual shipment.
US low-value treatment: do not budget an automatic $800 exemption
Source check: 2 October 2026. CBP’s June 2026 nonpostal rule implements an indefinite suspension of the low-value de minimis exemption for the covered commercial imports. An ordinary commercial order under $800 should not be budgeted as automatically duty-free; review the applicable exceptions and entry requirements.
Ask a US customs broker or the carrier to confirm classification, origin, customs value, applicable tariffs, entry type and fees for the date of entry. This guide does not quote a universal duty percentage; additional measures and product-specific requirements can change the result.
CBP: June 2026 nonpostal de minimis rule (Federal Register) ↗
Postal entry is a separate workflow
CBP’s July 2026 bulletin describes a new postal informal entry process effective 24 July 2026 following the regulatory suspension. Do not reuse an old postal duty formula or assume an express-courier quote follows the postal process.
What a DDP quote must explain
Under DDP Incoterms 2020, the seller takes responsibility for import clearance and the agreed delivery, with the goods ready for unloading at the named place. The buyer normally unloads. A freight product marketed as a duty-paid line still needs its contractual scope checked.
Ask who is the seller and importer of record, which broker files the entry, how duties are evidenced, which taxes and destination charges are included, and who pays examination, storage or redelivery charges. DDP availability depends on the product and route. It is not permission to understate value or avoid product rules.
Restricted does not mean every item is prohibited
Carrier acceptance depends on the exact commodity, packaging, shipper approval, origin, transit and destination. Some battery or liquid shipments can be accepted under conditions; others cannot. Obtain written acceptance and any required documentation before buying or packing.
Make the final choice
- Ask for express, air and sea options only where each is suitable and accepted. Compare total payable cost, exclusions, quote validity and a realistic arrival window.
- Approve consolidation or repacking only after reviewing protection, labels, carton limits and before/after measurements.
- Use the landed-cost calculator to organise assumptions, then send the packing list and destination through the sourcing form. If an essential cost or acceptance decision is missing, the comparison is unfinished.
Questions and answers
Common questions
- Can you quote DDP for every US order?
- No blanket availability should be assumed. Request review of the actual goods, value, route and destination, with the importer and included charges identified.
- Are liquids, powders or batteries automatically banned from air freight?
- No blanket category rule is reliable. Classification, packaging, documentation and carrier acceptance decide whether the specific shipment can travel.
- Will consolidation always make shipping cheaper?
- No. Packing fees, dimensions, minimum charges, timing and product restrictions can make separate shipments preferable.
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