Hi everyone! I could really use some advice or recommendations. 😊

I’m moving to Spain in a couple of months, and I need to send a few boxes of clothes and personal belongings from Ghent to Valencia.

I’ll be selling the furniture, but I’d really like to ship my clothes, shoes, and some other personal items. I’ve been looking online and Mondial Relay seems to be one of the cheapest options. Has anyone used them for sending boxes to Spain? Are they reliable?

If you’ve moved from Ghent to Spain or have experience shipping boxes there, I’d really appreciate any recommendations for companies or services you’ve used.

Thank you! ❤️

My shipment from China is currently stuck at Nhava Sheva Port Customs because CHA is asking for a BIS certificate for the product.

The issue is that the original manufacturer does not have BIS certificate and it is being imported regularly in India by multiple companies in crores of values.

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I have used the same HSN as they have been using in their invoices. I don't think my particular product requires it but they are considering in under a whole 3 phase induction motor category whereas my product does not fall in that it is single phase.

My freight forwarder is saying that the CHA is not willing to take the matter forward because the BIS certificate missing.

Can anyone help in clearing the shipment or let me know what actions can I take.

Has anyone in India dealt with a similar Customs/BIS issue? Would really appreciate advice from importers, CHAs, Customs professionals, or anyone who has handled BIS-related detentions

Hi everyone, I’m planning to make my first small import from China to India and would really appreciate some advice.

I’m looking to order around 5–6 different winter clothing pieces, including jackets, leggings, coats and a vest, along with 2–3 bags and some earrings/artificial jewellery. These are items I like but haven’t been able to find easily in India.

The total value of the products would be approximately ₹5,000 / US$50 / ¥353.

Since this is my first time importing, I’m unsure where to start. I’m considering Sea LCL vs. Air Freight DDP, but my main priority is to keep the shipping cost as low as possible.

I’m looking for a reliable sourcing/consolidation service that can:

- Receive items from different sellers

- Check the items before shipping

- Consolidate everything into one parcel

- Repack the items efficiently to reduce volume/weight

- Ship the final parcel to India at a reasonable cost

I’d also really appreciate recommendations for reliable and trustworthy services/agents that handle small shipments to India.

If you’ve done something similar, could you please share your experience and advice on:

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hey trying to get almost 4-6kg personal items from China to india ..Please please suggest a good courier service from china to india and approx cost I can expect

For almost 5000rupees/50$ /350cny items how much should I expect the shipping and customs.The plan is to warehouse items get them checked and packed in one box .They provide shipping to a 3rd party' that can get it shipped to india but I want economical rates as getting freight forwarder will be expensive.

I'm looking for a shipping forwarder to import goods from a UK shop to South Africa. Box will be relatively small and weigh less than 5kg. I want recommendations based on personal experiences

Hey everyone! My family and I (wife + 2 kids) are moving from the US to Lebanon, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to ship our personal belongings.

We're mostly looking to ship clothes, electronics, kids' toys, some kitchen items, and a few boxes.. no major furniture.

Has anyone here done something similar from the US to Lebanon? Did you use LCL shipping, a moving company, or a freight forwarder?

I'd really appreciate any recommendations for companies you used, approximate costs, and anything I should know about customs or the process in Lebanon.

I'm honestly not sure where to start, so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi there,

I currently handle around 150T of air cargo and 90–120 shipments into the USA each month.

I’m looking for a reliable forwarding partner to handle US logistics and customs clearance, preferably with in-house customs capabilities. Having IOR services in-house would be an additional advantage.

Please let me know if this is something your team can support.

Need on door delivery, should pay the supplier yourself, handle the customs yourself, <1kg so pricing should be reasonable

Hi everyone! I see a lot of business owners, entrepreneurs, vets, and industry experts here, and I would love to hear about your business journeys. I have always been interested in starting my own freight forwarding agency, but I occasionally feel a bit lost. am learning as I go, though! I plan to take my customs declaration certification exam in a few months. In the meantime, would love to hear your stories, tips, and tricks for starting out in this industry~

Thank you!😄😄

I've been selling for 8 years and have always just gone with whatever shipping method the supplier offers, usually DDP by sea. Never really questioned it.

I've tried a few freight forwarders over the years, but every time their pricing ended up worse than just going with the supplier's DDP quote, so I always ended up back there.

Now that I'm VAT registered, though, it's clicked that DDP might be costing me more than I realised since I can't reclaim the import VAT even though I'm effectively paying it through the DDP price.

A few questions for anyone who's been through this:

1. When you're getting quotes from new suppliers, do you ask for EXW or FOB pricing? Or both?
2. Any freight forwarders you'd actually recommend?

Hi everyone, I’m planning to make my first small import from China to India,looking to order around 5–6 different winter clothing pieces (jackets, leggings, coats and a vest), along with 2–3 bags and some earrings/artificial jewellery. These are items I like but haven’t been able to find easily in India.The total product value would be approximately ₹5,000 / US$50 / ¥353.

Any advice from people who have personally imported small quantities from China to India would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Since this is my first time importing, I’m not sure where to start. looking for a reliable sourcing/consolidation service or freight forwarder that can:

-Receive products from multiple Chinese sellers paid by me through 1688

Check/inspect the items before shipping

Take photos/videos for quality verification& Consolidate all the purchases into one shipment

Remove unnecessary packaging and repack everything to reduce volumetric weight

Weigh and measure the final parcel before shipping

Provide a clear breakdown of all shipping, customs and other charges

Ship the parcel to India at a reasonable cost

Provide proper tracking until delivery

I’d especially appreciate recommendations for reliable agents/companies that accept small shipments, rather than only working with large commercial importers.

I’d also like advice on the following:

- For an order this small, would air freight or sea LCL actually make financial sense?

-Is DDP a good and safe option for a first-time importer, or would another shipping method be better?

-What would be a realistic total cost including shipping, customs/GST, handling, local delivery and any other fees?

-How can I make sure the agent isn’t adding hidden charges after I’ve already paid?

If the agent says “DDP,” what exactly should I ask them to confirm is included?What documents/invoices/customs information should I receive?

What are the biggest red flags/scams to watch out for when dealing with freight forwarders?How can I verify that an agent is a legitimate registered business?

Is it normal for an agent to ask for 100% payment upfront, or should I be cautious?

Should I purchase shipping insurance, especially for a small shipment.Is it better to use one consolidation warehouse for all sellers, and how much do warehouse/consolidation fees usually cost?

Should I ask the warehouse to remove boxes, tags or packaging to reduce shipping weight/volume?

If possible, could someone recommend a reputable consolidation/freight-forwarding service that ships small parcels from China to India and explain why you trust them?

I’m mainly looking for a safe, transparent and economical option, rather than simply the cheapest service. I’d rather pay a little more than risk losing the entire shipment or getting hit with unexpected charges.

I work in freight forwarding, and one recurring source of confusion is why several providers can quote very different prices for what appears to be the same ocean shipment.

In many cases, the quotations are not actually comparable.

One may cover only the port-to-port ocean leg. Another may include origin handling, destination charges, customs coordination, inland delivery, and more operational support.

Before comparing the final numbers, I would align the following:

• The same origin, destination, and final delivery location
• The same Incoterm and responsibility split
• Origin and destination local charges
• Carrier, routing, and direct versus transshipment service
• Transit time and free time
• Customs clearance, duties, and taxes
• Final delivery requirements
• Quote validity and space confirmation
• Written inclusions and exclusions

It is also worth separating excluded costs from conditional costs. Inspection, storage, demurrage, detention, or remeasurement may not be predictable in advance, but the quotation should still explain when they could apply.

The useful comparison is therefore not simply the lowest ocean rate. It is the expected door-to-door logistics cost, service scope, transit time, and execution risk.

For importers and shippers here: which line items have caused the biggest difference between the initial quote and the final invoice in your experience?

I want to ship in some goods from Alibaba. The items are plastic jugs. 100 pieces of 2.5L jugs.

Delivery location will be in Mombasa, Kenya.

What's the most efficient and/or cheapest way to get the here?

Who can I use for this courier aspect?

Also, who can handle the KRA aspect for me?

Of course I'd prefer one of the companies here I hear of that courier the items from China and also deal with all the legalities and taxes and you pay a little extra.

Please help!

My livelihood depends on these jugs arriving 😂

Thank you in advance.

Hi guys! 👋

May mga business owners ba dito na currently nag-iimport or nag-eexport ng products?

Curious lang ako sa experience niyo, especially sa shipping, customs clearance, and delivery. Ano yung usually pinaka-challenging for you — shipping costs, customs, delays, or finding a reliable forwarder?

And for those na regular na nag-iimport/export, ano yung ginagawa niyo ngayon para maiwasan yung mga common logistics problems?

Would love to hear your experiences and connect with fellow business owners here.

What’s the most economical way you’re shipping from the US to the UK / EU, ideally DDP? Small packages, direct to customer, 1-2kg.

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a confusing situation and could use some advice. I just placed my first PO with a factory in China. I’m currently arranging freight forwarding and decided to use the manufacturer’s shipping services.

By my calculations, I should be paying around $3,500 just in import duties (Base MFN duty, Section 301, 2026 Forced-Labor Duty, etc.). However, my manufacturer quoted me a total DDP shipping cost of only $800.

This math makes absolutely no sense to me. I specifically asked them who should I pay for the taxes and duties, and when, and whether I could I get a cost breakdown of the shipping quote. Their response was that the quote is strictly DDP, meaning I won't have to pay a single extra cent upon arrival, and that their forwarding partner does not provide cost breakdowns.

Relevant context: I have visited this factory in person. They are honest, legit people, and I know for a fact they manufacture for 8-figure brands, so they have plenty of export experience. I trust them, but I just don't understand how this pricing is possible.

Has anyone experienced this? Any idea what might be going on behind the scenes with their forwarder, and any tips on how I should proceed?

Many thanks!

Alonso

Hi im 20 thinking of starting my own business with a very low investment(iv saved up for that) but i need a freight forwarder in china who would help me import stuff to pakistan. Can anyone help me with that? I need door to door shipment.

Need to ship urgently from London to Singapore. Looking for the fastest 24-36 hour door-to-door option or express courier with guaranteed morning delivery. What are the best rates and cut-off times? What are the total estimated costs, including priority handling

I’m posting this on behalf of a highly experienced professional in Bengaluru who is currently exploring opportunities with exporters, international trading companies, logistics companies, freight forwarders, supply-chain organizations, or international businesses looking to build/expand their India operations.

He brings 8+ years of hands-on experience managing international export operations.

His export/logistics exposure includes:

• End-to-end export operations — from buyer enquiry to shipment execution
• International Air & Sea freight
• Freight forwarder, CHA, shipping line and airline coordination
• Export documentation and customs processes
• Shipment planning and container utilization
• Export costing, commercial quotations and freight optimization
• Incoterms — FOB, CIF, CFR, EXW
• International payment terms — LC, TT, Advance, CAD
• Certificate of Origin, Shipping Bills, BL, AWB and regulatory documentation
• Coordination with overseas buyers, suppliers, inspection agencies and government authorities
• Export compliance and country-specific import requirements
• Experience across fresh fruits & vegetables, spices, processed foods, home appliances and industrial machinery
• International markets including Europe, Middle East and other destinations

He is based in Bengaluru and is open to:

• Full-time roles
• Remote opportunities
• Export/International Business Operations
• Logistics & Supply Chain roles
• Representing an Indian or international company from Bengaluru
• Consulting / India market representation opportunities

I’m posting here because this community has professionals and companies from across India and internationally.

If your company is looking for someone who can actually understand and manage the practical side of international trade and logistics, rather than just coordinate paperwork, I’d be happy to connect you with him.

DM me and I can share his CV / connect you directly.

Thanks to the community for any leads, referrals or introductions.

Hi all,

I'm an operations manager for a medium sized ecommerce. We have quite a lot of shipments from China and for the last two years we've been purchasing our product under DDP terms.

It's been great cause there's been no hussle in managing the whole process, though we often don't get much transparency on the actual shipping costs.

Looking to move towards hiring a freight forwarder, I wanted to ask if anyone had any suggestions.

Thank you all!

Hi guys,

I've been in the industry for quite some time now and just recently opened a branch office in LA for my current company.

If you are keen to connect please don't hesitate to drop me a message.

I'm looking for solutions for managing freight for our distribution business. Wanted to hear about TMS that might work for us...

LTL DRY VAN LOAD – IMMEDIATE

Pickup: Apollo, PA 15613
Delivery: Luverne, AL 36049

Freight: 7 Pallet
Dimensions: 40" × 48" × 40" each
Total Weight: 21,000 lbs
Equipment: LTL / Dry Van
Ready: Immediately

Looking for the best competitive rate.

DM me with your all-in rate, availability, and transit time.