Shipping electronics from China to the USA: cost and delivery time
Prices from our live rate card, updated
A carton of phone accessories (5 kg) costs $111.52 to ship from China to a US address by air, door to door, in 6 to 12 working days, with US customs and import duty included in that price. A single gadget sample is $13.30.
Electronics ship on a separate channel at a higher per-kg rate than general goods. From 100 kg sea freight is the cheaper route: an 8-carton electronics restock is $476.10 by sea (30 to 40 days, duty included) against $752.99 by air plus duty.
What it costs to ship electronics from China
All-in prices from our China warehouse to a US address. Billed weight is the actual weight or the carton volume (length x width x height in cm, divided by 6,000), whichever is higher. Sea is only offered from 100 kg.
| Shipment | Billed weight | Air | Sea (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One gadget sample0.5 kg · electronics channel | 0.5 kg | $13.306 to 12 working days, duty included | from 100 kg |
| Phone accessories, 1 carton5 kg, 40 x 30 x 25 cm · electronics channel | 5 kg | $111.526 to 12 working days, duty included | from 100 kg |
| Smart home devices, 2 cartons20 kg, 2 x 50 x 40 x 35 cm · electronics channel | 23.3 kg | $460.7210 to 14 days, plus US duty at import | from 100 kg |
| Electronics restock, 8 cartons120 kg, 8 x 50 x 40 x 35 cm · electronics channel | 120 kg | $752.9910 to 14 days, plus US duty at import | $476.1030 to 40 days, duty included |
Real electronics requests, priced today
Shipments people recently asked us to price, with names removed, re-run through today's rates. Where no carton size was given, the price uses actual weight, so bulky cartons would cost more.
| Shipment | Billed weight | Air |
|---|---|---|
| LED display from Guangdong3.8 kg · electronics channel | 3.8 kg | $85.326 to 12 working days, duty included |
| 10 heating elements from Zhongshan0.5 kg · electronics channel | 0.5 kg | $13.306 to 12 working days, duty included |
How long it takes
Air, door to door
6 to 12
working days from dispatch, up to 100 kg, duty included
Air consolidation
10 to 14
days, for heavier air loads, duty paid at import
Sea, door to door
30 to 40
days, from 100 kg, duty included
Add the time your supplier needs to get the cartons to our China warehouse by domestic courier, usually a few days. Full shipping time breakdown ›
What changes the price for electronics
A circuit board is enough
Anything containing electronics rides our electronics channel, with or without a battery. Taking the battery out does not move a device to the cheaper general rate, because the circuit board is what counts. That is why electronics cost more per kg: $22.30 per kg on a 5 kg carton.
Lithium batteries get a human check
Devices with a built-in lithium battery, like earbuds, power banks or smartwatches, are checked by a person before we confirm a firm offer. Spare or loose batteries shipped on their own are restricted and not something we can move.
Bigger loads switch service
Around 20 kg and up, air consolidation often beats door-to-door air: 2 cartons of smart home devices bill as 23.3 kg and cost $460.72, with duty paid at import rather than included. From 100 kg, sea is cheapest at $3.97 per kg.
Retail boxes add volume
You pay for actual weight or carton volume, whichever is higher. Gadgets in bulky retail packaging bill on volume. Shipping in plain inner boxes, or asking the supplier for compact master cartons, lowers the billed weight.
US rules for importing electronics
Many electronics from China carry Section 301 tariffs on top of the normal duty rate, and the exact rate depends on the HS code. On our door-to-door air service up to 100 kg and on sea, that duty is inside the price. Section 301 explained.
Devices that emit radio frequency, which covers almost anything with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or a processor, must meet FCC rules before they are sold in the US, through an FCC ID or a supplier's declaration of conformity. Ask your supplier for the FCC paperwork before you order. Electronics import guide.
- Batteries: lithium cells must be tested to UN38.3 for transport; ask the supplier for the test summary, as we may need it before a firm offer.
- UL and safety listings: customs does not require UL, but Amazon and most US retailers do for chargers, adapters and plug-in devices.
- Brands: devices or accessories that look like a well-known brand (earbuds and chargers especially) are checked by a person, because US customs seizes counterfeits.
- Labels: each device or its retail packaging should be marked "Made in China" and show the FCC information where required.
Packing electronics for the trip
- Keep devices in their inner boxes or anti-static bags, then pack them firmly in a master carton with no room to shift.
- Switch battery devices off and protect buttons and terminals so nothing turns on in transit.
- Do not add spare batteries to the carton; ship only batteries installed in or packed with the device.
- Our warehouse measures cartons as they arrive and that measured size is what bills, so avoid oversized cartons with loose filler.
Get your exact price
Tell us what you are shipping, the weight and carton size. The instant offer uses the same rates as the tables above.
Common questions
How much does it cost to ship electronics from China to the USA?
A 5 kg carton is $111.52 by air, door to door with duty included. A 0.5 kg sample is $13.30. Electronics use a separate channel, so they cost more per kg than clothes or tools of the same weight.
Can I ship electronics with batteries?
Devices with the battery built in or packed with the device, yes, after a person checks them. Loose spare batteries on their own are restricted. Tell us the battery type when you ask for a quote.
If I remove the battery, is it cheaper?
No. Anything with a circuit board ships on the electronics channel whether the battery is in or not, so removing it does not change the rate.
Is sea freight an option for electronics?
From 100 kg of billed weight, yes: $476.10 for a 120 kg restock, 30 to 40 days, duty included. Sea prices are indicative until the shipment is confirmed.
When do I pay?
After your cartons arrive at our China warehouse and are counted and weighed. The invoice uses the measured numbers, you pay by ACH from any US bank account with no fee, and nothing is due at delivery.