Shipping from China to the UK: A Brief Guide.

Whether you’re shipping for a business or for personal matters, it’s a regular occurrence for people to buy from China as many suppliers are located there. Shipping from China to the UK has its own ins and outs and here, I will give you a brief guide on how to go about it.

Due to the general effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the growing economic recessions and more, of late it hasn’t been easy to ship goods from one place to another. In part due to the growing cost of fuel throughout the whole world, this has affected supply chains.

Here I will explain to you how to send your goods from China to the UK at a cost you can afford.

Different ways to ship from China to the UK.

It should be known that there are five ways to move your goods from China to the UK. These options include:

1. Express Shipping
2. Air Freight
3. Road Freight
4. Rail Freight
5. Sea Freight

From the above options, it’s noticeable that the first is the fastest option, followed by air freight. Road, rail, and sea freight take a bit more time. But depending on the time you’re willing to take or the cost, you can choose which method benefits you the most. Below I will explain each method in detail.

1.   Express Shipping.

As the name suggests, express shipping is the fastest method to transport your goods from China to the UK.  This option utilizes air freight in that the good are delivered over the air in a very fast manner. It is however the most expensive of all the methods. You can have express shipping through carriers like DHL, UPS, and FedEx among others. It is typically the best method if you are stripped for time and need your goods delivered in a timely manner. It takes no more than 5-7 days to have your product delivered this way.

However, as stated above, this is the most expensive option available and should be used only when you really need it, for example when your goods are in short supply and you need to restock hurriedly or if you don’t mind the high cost.

The pros and cons of express shipping are listed below.

Pros

1. Very fast delivery period for your goods from China to the UK.
2. If the selling price of your goods is high, it can offset the price of transportation.

Cons

1. High cost associated with shipping goods within a short time frame.
2. Limitations of air travel as you cannot ship large items through this option.

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2. Air Freight.

This is the second option available for the transportation of your goods. In this option, goods are still transported through the air. However, unlike express shipping, the transportation of goods will not be in a fast manner, otherwise they are basically the same method. Because of the lack of the need for goods to be delivered in a very short time period, this makes it much cheaper and more economical than express shipping. This is one of the best methods to ship your goods from China to the UK because you get a fairly fast delivery time and affordable pricing.

However, air freight is still subject to the rules of air travel meaning you can’t transport just anything through this option and you need to be aware of that before choosing it. The pros and cons are explained below.

Pros.

1. It’s a good bargain in terms of the time taken to deliver goods and the cost associated with it.
2. It is much preferable if you still need your goods delivered in a timely manner.

Cons.

1. As it is limited by the rules of air travel, you can’t ship very heavy or large items through this option.
2. Certain products are prohibited from being transported through this option.
3. Cost may increase for specific items.

3. Road Freight.

As the name suggests, in this option, goods are delivered through roads from China to the UK. This method takes advantage of the extensive road network that is nations between China and the UK to transport your goods. This method is next preferred because taking advantage of these established road networks, goods can be securely and firmly transported from one region to another. Although the distance between the two countries is large, this method only takes about two to three wakes for goods to be delivered. This makes it faster than rail and sea freight while being much cheaper than air freight. Its pros and cons are explained below.

Pros.

1. Much cheaper than express and air freight shipping methods.
2. It’s possible to transport extremely large and heavy goods through this method.

Cons.

1. It takes much longer than the first two methods since the vehicles used have to deal with customs for most countries along the way.

4. Rail Freight.

In this option, goods are transported along the rail networks of several countries, making their way from China to the UK by trains. This method utilizes the common Yiwu-London railway line which is one of the longest railway freight lines in the world, passing through many cities in Asia and Europe on its way to London. This option is available to those who are not in a hurry to have their goods delivered and want a cheaper method of transportation. Because of the distance between the two areas, it may take some time before the goods are delivered, between three weeks to a month in order for goods to reach their destination. The pros and cons of this option are explained below.

Pros

1. It is a cheaper transportation option compared to the movement of goods by air or by road.
2. Trains can carry extremely heavy or large goods without restrictions.
3. It is the option least affected by weather conditions as trains will move regardless of rain, snow, or heavy winds.
4. It is one of the safest methods of transport with fewer accidents which will mean fewer delays in delivery.

Cons

1. It takes a much longer time as compared to previous options for goods to be delivered.
2. It is not flexible and deliveries can’t be adjusted to the needs of the person transporting their goods.

5. Sea Freight.

In this option, goods are shipped from China to the UK via the sea. As China has many seaports along its coast, this is a good option and reaches just about anywhere in the world. This option is even more excellent when dealing with extremely heavy goods that can’t be transported by another option. However, this option is affected by a number of factors. First off is if you’re shipping your products alone or with another person. If it’s through a carrier this may affect delivery time and take even longer compared to if you’re shipping your own products exclusively. Secondly, the conditions on the seas can affect delivery with risks like loss of entire shipments through ships capsizing due to extreme weather conditions, to capture by pirates. However, if you don’t mind a bit of wait time associated with this option and you have heavy goods to transport, this would be the perfect option to use. The pros and cons of sea freight shipping are explained below.

Pros.

1. Arguably the cheapest method of transport for large numbers of goods especially over long distances
2. Best method to move very heavy goods.

Cons.

1. Takes the most amount of time among all available options with goods being delivered between one to one and a half months.
2. Pricy if you are transporting a small amount of goods.
3. Subject to risks like bad weather conditions and sea piracy.

Tracking your goods.

In the transportation of goods from one location to another, it’s important to keep on top of things by tracking how your goods are moving as this will save you both time and worry.

Depending on the carrier used, you will be provided with a tracking number or code to internationally track the movement of your goods. With a variety of websites on the web that provide tracking services, all you need to do to track your goods is enter your tracking number or code. Additionally, most international carriers also provide websites to track the movement of your goods from one point to another.

It is advisable to track the movement of goods in order to be aware of any situation as it arises and to avoid losses.

Conclusion:  What is the best option to transfer your goods from China to the UK?

The best option for any buyer to transport their goods from China to the UK depends on a number of things; price, time, and convenience.

If you are pressed for time and don’t mind the high cost, the best option would be to use express shipping or air freight as goods are typically delivered within a week. It’s important to remember that not all goods can be delivered by this option.

If you want a relatively inexpensive method to transport your goods, you are better off choosing either road or rail freight because these methods are much cheaper than transporting by air, although they have a bit of wait time.

Finally, if you don’t mind the long wait time and have a very large number of goods, or heavy goods to transport, the best option to choose would be by sea freight as it can work out well cost wise especially when transporting a lot of goods. Although it has some risks, this method would work best.

In Conclusion, choosing the best method of transporting your goods from China to the UK depends on how much you’re willing to spend, if you need help NextSmartShip shipping fulfilment service can facilitate the process for the goods to be delivered.