Importing from China for Etsy and eBay sellers
A $300 order of craft supplies only works if it lands at a predictable cost. We quote one all-in price with duties and customs inside, sized for exactly the small restocking orders big forwarders will not pick up the phone for.
We know what a small-lot import needs
No lot too small
From 100 g up, a 5 kg box of fabric or beads is a normal shipment here. Air express keeps it at roughly $30 to $50 of freight, quoted all-in on screen in seconds.
Margins survive the duty line
Duties on craft and home goods usually run 10 to 30%, and some apparel exceeds 45%. We put your category's real rate into the quote before you order, so the margin math happens before the money leaves, not after.
One price, not five invoices
Freight, US clearance, broker fees, duties, and door delivery in one DDP number. The $200 shipment that arrives with a $150 broker bill is the exact failure mode this service was built against.
Paperwork handled like it matters
Commercial invoice and packing list reviewed before pickup, honest declared values (under-declaring is fraud and we will say so), and the HS code confirmed so your goods do not sit at the border.
How a small-lot import works with us
Tell us about the lot
What it is, rough weight, supplier city, your zip. The instant offer shows the all-in price immediately.
We check your category's duty rate
Craft supplies, ceramics, apparel, and jewelry all carry different rates. Yours goes into the quote at the real number.
You approve one number
A real invoice from a registered US business after you have seen the exact price. No deposits, no blind wire.
The box shows up, that's it
Delivered to your door with duties and clearance already settled. Restock listed, margin intact.
What Etsy and eBay sellers should know before ordering
Duty rates differ sharply across the categories small shops import. Craft supplies like fabric, yarn, and beads usually combine to 10 to 25%. Ceramics run 15 to 25%, home decor and giftware 20 to 30%. Books, prints, and paper goods are often the cheapest to import, with some entering near zero. The expensive surprise is apparel: some clothing categories carry combined effective rates above 45%. We look up your product's 10-digit HTS code at the quote stage so the rate in your price is the real one.
For order sizes typical on Etsy and eBay, air express is usually the only method that makes sense: under 30 kg, 5 to 7 days door to door, $6 to $10 per kg all-in. Consolidated air starts paying off above 30 kg, and sea freight only becomes cost-effective above 100 to 200 kg, volume most individual shops rarely reach. Add your supplier's production time on top when planning around a busy season.
Two paperwork rules protect your margin. First, declare the real transaction value: CBP cross-references declared values against market prices, and a caught under-declaration can mean seized goods and penalties for you as importer of record. Second, make sure your supplier can produce a proper commercial invoice and packing list before you place the first order; a supplier who cannot will cost you more in customs delays than the goods are worth.
What it costs
Typical all-in bands for Etsy and eBay restocks; most orders under 30 kg ride air express.
Air express
$6 to $10 / kg all-in
5 to 7 days door to door
Urgent restocks and anything under 30 kg
Air freight
$3 to $6 / kg all-in
7 to 12 days door to door
30 to 300 kg when you can plan 2 weeks out
Sea LCL
lowest cost per kg
18 to 28 days port to door
Steady, heavier restocks above roughly 200 kg
Plain Freight is a small US company with a real, reachable founder. Quotes and updates run around the clock, and when your shipment needs a judgment call, a person makes it. Who we are ›
Common questions
Is a 3 to 5 kg order of craft supplies worth shipping properly?
Yes, and it is our normal order size. Air express runs $6 to $10 per kg all-in, so a 5 kg lot ships for roughly $30 to $50 with customs and duties already handled. What is not worth it is shipping it informally and eating a surprise broker bill.
How much duty will my products pay?
It depends on the category: craft supplies often 10 to 25%, ceramics 15 to 25%, home decor 20 to 30%, and some apparel above 45%. We confirm your product's HTS code and put the real rate into the quote before you commit to the supplier order.
My supplier offered to declare a lower value. Should I accept?
No. Under-declaring is customs fraud; CBP cross-checks declared values against market prices, and a caught misdeclaration can mean seized goods and penalties for you as the importer of record. We only ship honestly declared values, and our pricing works with the real number.
How long does a restock take?
Air express is 5 to 7 days door to door from supplier dispatch, consolidated air 7 to 12 days. Add your supplier's production time on top when planning around a shop's busy season.
Do I need to find a customs broker myself?
No. Since the de-minimis exemption ended, every commercial import from China needs a formal customs entry, and our all-in price includes a licensed US broker handling yours. One quote, one contact, one delivery.