Shipping from China for Shopify brands
You own the storefront and the margin, so a customs surprise hits your bottom line directly. We give you one all-in landed cost before pickup: freight, clearance, duties, and delivery to your warehouse or 3PL in a single number.
We know how DTC supply chains actually run
A landed cost you can price from
Your margin math only works with the real landed cost, not the factory price plus a guess. Our DDP quote collapses freight, clearance, duties at your HTS rate, and US delivery into one number, fixed before the shipment leaves China.
Launch by air, scale by sea
Test orders go air express to validate sell-through in days. Once a SKU proves out, regular restocks move to sea LCL at the lowest cost per kg with an air buffer in the pipeline. We quote both so switching is a decision, not a project.
No Amazon buffer, so no borderline paperwork
A customs hold lands directly on your customers. Commercial invoice, packing list, and HS code get reviewed before pickup, and regulated goods (CPSC categories, batteries, food contact) are flagged at the quote stage.
Small brand, first-class treatment
From a 20 kg test order to two pallets of a bestseller, sub-container freight is our core business, not the annoying small ticket at a container desk.
How a Shopify restock works with us
Describe the order
Product, weight, supplier city, destination zip. Real air and sea all-in prices appear in seconds.
We verify the customs side
HTS code and duty rate confirmed, supplier documents checked, certifications flagged if your category needs them.
You approve one number
A real invoice after the exact all-in price is on the table. Your landed cost per unit is now a fact, not a forecast.
Inventory lands at your warehouse
Door delivery to your warehouse, office, or 3PL, with updates pushed to you at every stage. Nothing extra to pay on arrival.
What Shopify brands should know before ordering
A real landed cost has seven parts: factory price, China trucking to port, the freight leg, US duties at your HTS rate, broker and ISF fees (typically $150 to $275 for a straightforward shipment), US delivery, and any pre-shipment inspection. Freight-only quotes show one of the seven. A true DDP quote collapses everything after the factory price into a single number, which is the only figure worth comparing between forwarders, including against ours.
Not all DDP is equal, so ask the specific question: does the price include customs broker fees and all Section 301 import duties? Some forwarders sell DDP that quietly excludes duties and bills them at destination. Most consumer goods from China carry a combined 20 to 30% duty in 2026; on a $5,000 order that is not a rounding error, it is the difference between the quote you compared and the cost you paid.
The launch-then-scale pattern works because the methods complement each other. Test orders go air express, 5 to 7 days at $6 to $10 per kg, fast enough to validate sell-through before a big commitment. Once a SKU proves out, regular restocks move to sea LCL over 18 to 28 days at the lowest cost per unit, with an air shipment in the pipeline as a buffer. If your product is CPSC-covered or contains batteries, plan for certifications early: since July 2026 some certificates are filed electronically at entry.
What it costs
Typical all-in bands for DTC orders; your exact price shows in the instant offer below.
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
Do you deliver to 3PLs and fulfillment centers?
Yes. We deliver to any US address: your own warehouse, a 3PL, or your garage if that is where the brand lives right now. Delivery is inside the all-in price.
How do I know my real landed cost per unit?
Divide our DDP quote by your unit count and add your factory price. The quote already contains freight, US clearance, import duties at your product's HTS rate, and delivery, which is exactly the set of costs that usually surprises Shopify importers after the fact.
Does your DDP price really include the duties?
Yes, explicitly: US customs clearance, broker fees, and Section 301 import duties are in the number you approve. Some forwarders sell 'DDP' that excludes duties and bills them at destination; asking that question is the single best filter for comparing quotes, including ours.
What is the right method for a first test order?
Usually air express: 5 to 7 days door to door at $6 to $10 per kg, so a 20 kg launch order ships for roughly $120 to $200 all-in. Fast enough to validate the product before you commit to a sea-sized reorder.
Can you handle regulated products?
Yes, with eyes open. CPSC-covered goods, lithium batteries, and food-contact products carry extra requirements, and since July 2026 some certificates must be filed electronically at entry. We flag all of it at the quote stage so it never becomes a border problem.