Documents, customs, and delivery planned from day one
If you are searching how FOB differs from CIF or DDP, which documents are required for export from China, how to ship to Amazon FBA or a 3PL, or what causes customs delays, this page gives you a practical answer. Orient Exports handles movement and paperwork so your goods leave on time, clear without surprises, and arrive ready for intake.
Logistics and export is where a good order becomes a good arrival. We match your lane and delivery point to the right incoterm, align bookings with production, and build a complete document set that includes commercial invoice, packing list, HS codes, country-of-origin certificates, and any conformity evidence your market expects. For programs that need it, we prepare FBA labels and carton rules or follow a retailer routing guide so receiving is smooth on arrival. Consolidation from multiple factories is common and we plan it early so cutoffs are met.
FOB gives you control after the goods reach the vessel. CIF includes the ocean leg and insurance to your named port. DDP prices the shipment to your door with duties and taxes included. There is no universal best option. If your team wants full control of carriers and inland legs, FOB is often right. If the priority is a single landed price and fewer handoffs, DDP can make sense, especially when you do not have a broker or established carrier contracts. We will outline the tradeoffs for your lane, product, and budget so finance can compare landed cost and risk clearly.
Most delays come from missing or inconsistent paperwork. A clean commercial invoice and packing list with the correct HS codes, currency, and quantities prevents countless questions. Country-of-origin certificates, test reports, and brand or license permissions matter for many categories. Carton and pallet markings need to match the documents and the labels that downstream systems expect. When shipping to FBA or a retailer, we align labels and carton limits to their rules so intake does not stall over a simple barcode.
Bookings typically firm up two to five working days before cargo is ready. We track production so space is requested before the last minute. When an order pulls parts from more than one factory, we plan a consolidation window and confirm outer-carton standards so mixed freight handles well. Ocean and air transit vary by lane and season. What matters most is that your calendar shows when cargo leaves, when it arrives at port, and when it reaches the final delivery point. We publish those dates and update them when carriers adjust schedules.
Customs is straightforward when the declaration is accurate and consistent with the physical shipment. HS code selection affects duty, admissibility, and the chance of inspection. For DDP we quote the landed cost so you know the full amount before cargo moves. For FOB or CIF you or your broker settle duties and taxes at import and we provide whatever the entry requires. If your goods fall under special programs, quotas, or anti-dumping rules, we flag that in the planning phase rather than at the pier.
Shipments can go direct to your distribution center, through a 3PL, to Amazon FBA, or to a project site. Each end point has different rules for appointments, labels, pallet patterns, and carton weight limits. We configure the pack and paperwork to that end point so receiving teams say yes on the first attempt. If a shipment is date-critical, we split modes and send an air advance while the balance moves by ocean so merchandising or installation can start.
Every lane carries risk from weather, port congestion, equipment shortages, or regulatory checks. The way to manage it is to keep documents exact, publish status as it changes, and plan buffers where the business cannot miss a date. Insurance is included on CIF and can be added to other terms. If a claim is required, clean photos, weight records, and packing details make the process faster. We keep that evidence with the file so you are not searching for it after the fact.
Shipping is easier when the factory was sourced by the same team that inspects and exports. The specification we approved in Product Development flows into the inspection checklist, then into the invoice, packing list, and labels. That continuity removes handoff friction and reduces the chance that customs or a retailer finds a mismatch between what the documents say and what the cartons contain.
Use Logistics and Export when you have a supplier selected and need predictable movement from China to your door, when you are launching with a retailer that enforces strict intake rules, or when you prefer a single partner to manage consolidation and final delivery. If you are still choosing a factory, start with Supplier Sourcing and Audits. If you need acceptance criteria and first articles before you ship, use Product Development and Samples.
Send your delivery point, target ship date, preferred incoterm, and any intake rules from your broker, 3PL, FBA account, or retailer. Include a draft invoice and packing list if you have them. We will return a booking plan, a document checklist, and a landed-cost view where relevant.
Ready to move product from China to your door without surprises. Share your details and receive a shipping plan and document set you can put on the calendar today.
Curated factory shortlists, price/terms, and on-site or remote audits before POs.
Tooling guidance and EVT/DVT samples to lock a golden standard.
DUPRO/PSI inspections, photo/video evidence, third-party testing, and CAPA.
Value-add handling so products arrive shelf-ready and compliant.
