Importing from China for the first time: a step-by-step guide

1. Set up as an importer of record

Your business needs an importer of record number, usually its IRS EIN, registered with CBP. This identifies you on every entry.

2. Get a customs bond

Formal entries and ocean ISF filings need a bond. A continuous bond usually makes sense if you will import several times a year.

3. Classify your products

Find the correct ten-digit HTS code for each product. It sets your duty rate and tells you which tariffs and agency rules apply.

4. Work out landed cost

Add product cost, freight, duty, tariffs, fees, and delivery to get a real cost per unit. Our landed cost planning does this before you order.

5. Verify the supplier and inspect the goods

Verify the factory before paying a deposit, and inspect the goods before paying the balance.

6. Agree on terms and documents

Agree on Incoterms, such as FOB or EXW, and make sure the supplier will provide an accurate commercial invoice and packing list.

7. Book freight and file the ISF

Choose sea or air. For ocean freight, the ISF must be filed at least 24 hours before loading.

8. Clear customs and deliver

The entry is filed, duties are paid, and the goods are released and delivered. With door-to-door service, one team handles all of it.

Built for businesses that import on a schedule

We work with businesses that move physical goods: importers and distributors, wholesalers and retailers, Amazon and FBA sellers, e-commerce and private-label brands, furniture and home decor companies, apparel and fashion labels, construction-material suppliers, manufacturers bringing in components or raw materials, and industrial and automotive-parts companies. Any product category works, as long as it is physical commercial goods. That is where our door-to-door service pays off: we plan the freight, clear customs, and deliver, shipment after shipment. See who we work with.