Many start-ups in the UK rely on the vast manufacturing resources available in China to secure both finished and semi-finished products. Over the course of the last few decades, the country has proven itself to be the world’s leading manufacturing nation. These days, few countries can now match it for the sheer economies of scale it can offer in numerous commodities. However, shipping goods from China is not always easy, especially for start-up enterprises that may have never dealt with importation paperwork or Chinese officialdom before.
That said, there is help available from freight forwarding firms in the UK. Look for one that can also offer in-house customs clearance agents to help you deal with importation paperwork compliance if you are new to importing. Even so, you’ll need to make a decision on the best way to get your goods to the UK from China. To put it simply, you have three main options.
Dropshipping Arrangements
Many online retailers now import goods from Chinese suppliers to the UK but never even handle the items when they get to the British Isles. Instead, they are sent directly to the customers who have ordered them. This doesn’t suit every business model, of course, but it means not having to hold stock and doing away with warehousing costs altogether. When dropshipping from China, make sure your supplier is reliable and has experience working in this field. All orders should be sent from China in a groupage consignment to lower the cost per item. On arrival in the UK, the goods will be split up into their individual orders and sent on to your customers. Confirm whether individual tracking of orders is possible so you can keep your clients up-to-date with progress before booking this sort of service.
Container Shipments
For larger shipments – anything from a pallet upwards – container shipments are the most cost-effective way of getting freight from China to the UK. Many containers sent from China make landfall in the UK at Harwich, so you’ll need to arrange for your one to be collected from the port and to make its way to you. Some Chinese suppliers will offer to arrange container shipments but, according to an Essex-based freight forwarder, Barrington Freight, it is often preferable to do so from the UK instead. You will often get a faster and less costly service when shipping freight from China if you go through a specialist. Indeed, this way, you can also insure your goods at a reasonable rate against both theft and damage.
Air Freight
Obviously, air freight is the quickest option and often significantly faster than the average of six or seven weeks it takes for ocean-going vessels to arrive in British waters from China. However, it is also much more costly. In fact, air freight is only really economically viable when importing from China if the items being sent are of a high value and also relatively light. Nevertheless, commercial air operators provide frequent freight services between the two countries and this is the ‘go-to’ option when time is of the essence.
