BUYER GUIDES · FROM THE FACTORY

Shipping furniture from China, explained simply

The part that scares first-time buyers most is the part that actually requires the least from them. Here is how it works, from a factory that loads containers for the Middle East, Europe and the USA every month.

The one person who handles everything: the freight forwarder

A freight forwarder is a company that books vessel space, prepares export documents, clears customs on both sides and arranges delivery. As a buyer you do not talk to shipping lines or customs. You talk to one forwarder. If you do not have one, an exporting factory can connect you with forwarders it works with, and you may always choose your own.

Full container or shared container

A full container (FCL) is yours alone: typically the choice for shops, hotels and projects. A shared container (LCL) carries goods from several buyers and makes single pieces and small orders affordable: you pay for the volume your furniture occupies. Neither requires a minimum order from a factory that genuinely accepts small orders.

What packaging survives the sea

Weeks at sea mean vibration, stacking and handling at both ports. The packaging ladder runs from reinforced cardboard, through wood-frame reinforcement, to a full wooden crate for fragile or premium pieces. The right level depends on the piece and the route, and it should be decided by the factory, stated before you pay.

What you actually have to do

Three things: give your delivery address, receive the documents your forwarder asks you to keep, and pay import duties in your country when the goods arrive. Everything else happens between the factory and the forwarder. Buyers with zero import experience order from China every day precisely because this chain exists.

How long it takes

After production, sea freight typically adds three to six weeks depending on your port. Your forwarder gives you the current transit time when booking; treat any factory's shipping estimate as secondary to the forwarder's.