Importing from China
in Business, Accounting & Taxes ·
Hey there.
I’m looking for some guidance on importing stuff from China. I’ll be honest, I’m a complete amateur at this...
We’re talking about a massive volume of small items—roughly 800,000 units. Total weight is about 56,000 lbs, with each piece topping out at around 0.07 lbs. Given the scale, shipping by sea is the only way to go.
I’ve already hammered out a deal with the manufacturer on the Unit Price (FOB Los Angeles), which is a steal. But now I’m stuck wondering what the actual logistics and extra fees will look like once it reaches its final destination in Washington, D.C.
The thing is, I haven't even figured out how they’d package this—like, would it be in crates? And do I even ask them about the transport to the port in Los Angeles? My assumption is that a container arrives at the Port of New York City, and that's where things get complicated... or maybe even before that. What am I supposed to do with a container once it lands? My first thought was just trucking it all, but I have zero clue how you’d even load something like that. Rail seems more realistic, though I'm stuck on the transfer process—how do you move goods from a ship to a train car? I heard Amtrak has certain standards, like maybe 22,000 lbs per car, so we'd be looking at about five cars total... and then how does it get from the station to the final warehouse via truck?
Full disclosure: I know absolutely nothing about customs or the legal/economic headache that comes with it...
Any help would be appreciated. 🙂
I’m looking for some guidance on importing stuff from China. I’ll be honest, I’m a complete amateur at this...
We’re talking about a massive volume of small items—roughly 800,000 units. Total weight is about 56,000 lbs, with each piece topping out at around 0.07 lbs. Given the scale, shipping by sea is the only way to go.
I’ve already hammered out a deal with the manufacturer on the Unit Price (FOB Los Angeles), which is a steal. But now I’m stuck wondering what the actual logistics and extra fees will look like once it reaches its final destination in Washington, D.C.
The thing is, I haven't even figured out how they’d package this—like, would it be in crates? And do I even ask them about the transport to the port in Los Angeles? My assumption is that a container arrives at the Port of New York City, and that's where things get complicated... or maybe even before that. What am I supposed to do with a container once it lands? My first thought was just trucking it all, but I have zero clue how you’d even load something like that. Rail seems more realistic, though I'm stuck on the transfer process—how do you move goods from a ship to a train car? I heard Amtrak has certain standards, like maybe 22,000 lbs per car, so we'd be looking at about five cars total... and then how does it get from the station to the final warehouse via truck?
Full disclosure: I know absolutely nothing about customs or the legal/economic headache that comes with it...
Any help would be appreciated. 🙂