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Shipping from China to the United States: what it actually costs.

Freight per kilo, transit time, the duty threshold and the paperwork — for US specifically, not a generic rate card.

Every destination has its own arithmetic. A parcel that clears the United States in a week at one price can sit in customs for a fortnight and cost twice as much if the paperwork is wrong. This page is the US version: the numbers we quote today, and the rules that decide what you pay at the door.

Freight: what a parcel costs to US

Air express, door to door, billed on the packed weight. Rates below include our handling; the service fee is separate and shown on the fees page.

Packed weightAir expressTransit
0.5 kgUS$4.125–9 days
1 kgUS$8.255–9 days
2 kgUS$16.505–9 days
5 kgUS$41.255–9 days
10 kgUS$82.505–9 days

Sea consolidation is about a third of the air price on parcels above 20 kg, with 30–45 days transit. For a single pair of shoes or a phone case, air is almost always the right choice.

Customs: the line that surprises people

Threshold. US$800 de minimis — but since May 2025 China-origin parcels no longer qualify automatically; expect duty on most commercial shipments.

Tax. Sales tax varies by state (0–10%).

What this means in practice. A US$300 order of sneakers, phones and accessories, home goods, car parts, hobby electronics usually lands under the threshold and pays tax only — but the tax is calculated on the goods plus the freight, which is the part buyers forget.

Our position. We declare the real value, every time. Under-declaring is fraud in every market we serve, and a seized parcel costs more than the tax saved. If a route cannot legally carry your item, we say so before you pay.

What we check before it leaves Guangzhou

Every parcel is opened, counted, weighed and photographed on our floor. For US we also check: CBP requires a named importer for commercial volumes; we ship with full documentation and can split consumer orders under the postal channel where legal.

Popular categories to US

What our customers ship most: sneakers, phones and accessories, home goods, car parts, hobby electronics. If your item is not on that list it does not mean we cannot send it — send the link and we will tell you in writing.

Common questions

How much does shipping from China to the United States cost? Air express runs about US$8.25 per kg on our current rate card, so a 2 kg parcel is around US$16.50 in freight. Sea consolidation is roughly a third of that on heavy goods. Every quote shows the freight line separately from the service fee.

Do I pay duty and VAT in the United States? US$800 de minimis — but since May 2025 China-origin parcels no longer qualify automatically; expect duty on most commercial shipments. Sales tax varies by state (0–10%). We show the estimated tax in the written quote so the landed cost is known before you approve.

What can't you send to the United States? Batteries above the carrier limit, liquids over 1 litre, aerosols, counterfeit goods, and anything on the destination's restricted list. Send the product link and we confirm in writing before you buy.

Get a US price now

Send the product link and your postcode. You get every line in writing, valid 48 hours.

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We buy from Chinese shops that will not sell or ship to you directly — Taobao, Tmall, 1688, Xianyu, JD and Pinduoduo — and forward the parcel from our Guangzhou warehouse.

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