Shipping and delivery
Four channels out of Shenzhen, FOB as the default Incoterm, and we will ship on your own DHL or FedEx account if you would rather pay the freight directly.
The four channels
| Channel | Typical load | Transit from Shenzhen | Freight paid by |
|---|---|---|---|
| International courier DHL / FedEx / UPS |
Samples, a few reels, under ~50 kg | 3–5 business days to most of Europe and North America | Prepaid and added to the invoice, or your own account |
| Air freight | ~50–500 kg | 5–8 days door to door incl. clearance | Quoted per shipment |
| Sea LCL | Above ~0.5 CBM | 25–35 days port to port | Quoted per shipment |
| Sea FCL | Full container | 25–35 days port to port | Quoted per shipment |
Reels are light and freight is charged on volumetric weight, so a single 3,000-piece SMC reel is almost always cheapest by courier — it is too small to consolidate into an air or sea shipment, and we will say so in the quotation rather than let you find out at the airport.
Incoterms we quote
| Incoterm | What it means for you | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| EXW Shenzhen | Goods ready at our premises; you arrange and pay collection, export clearance and everything after. | You already have a forwarder in Shenzhen. |
| FOB Shenzhen (default) | We deliver cleared for export onto your forwarder's vessel or into the courier's hands; risk passes there. | You have your own freight contract. This is what our catalogue prices assume. |
| DDP destination | We carry the freight, the import clearance and the duty; you receive the goods at your door with nothing left to arrange. | You want a landed cost, or your entity cannot easily import. |
DDP is quoted only against a destination country, postcode and the HS code your broker will use — duty rates and de-minimis thresholds differ enough between EU member states and between the EU, UK and US that a generic DDP number would be a guess. Give us those three things on the RFQ and the landed cost comes back with the quotation.
Freight on your own account
If you have a DHL, FedEx or UPS account, put the number in the RFQ and we ship freight collect — you pay the carrier directly on your own rates, which are usually better than the retail rate we would pass through. The invoice then carries parts only.
We can also ship against a forwarder you nominate in Shenzhen. Send the contact and we will coordinate the handover directly.
Packing
- Standard factory pack quantities are shown on each part page and in the quote list — SMC and SMB 3,000 pcs/reel, SMA 5,000, TO-252 2,500, TO-263 800 per box, TO-220 1,000 per box. Quote in whole multiples where you can; cut tape is available on request.
- 13-inch reels as standard; 7-inch on request for small quantities.
- SMD reels ship in an ESD bag with a moisture-barrier bag and desiccant; axial parts are taped and boxed.
- Cartons are palletised for air and sea; we photograph the packed carton before it leaves so there is a record of the label and the count.
Export clearance and documents
Under FOB and DDP we handle the China export declaration ourselves. Under EXW it is yours. The shipment travels with:
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Air waybill or bill of lading
- China export declaration copy — on request, and usually required by your broker when claiming preferential treatment or checking origin
- Certificate of origin (CO), RoHS and REACH declarations — on request, see export compliance
Tracking and what to expect on arrival
You get the tracking number the day the goods leave Shenzhen, and we watch the shipment with you rather than handing you an AWB and disappearing. If a reel arrives with a crushed carton, photograph it before opening and send it the same day — the carrier's claim window is short and we will file it with you.
Questions we get on every first shipment
Can you ship on our freight account and still invoice FOB?
Yes. FOB with freight collect is normal — the invoice covers parts, the carrier bills you separately.
Do you drop-ship to our customer?
Yes, with neutral packing on request. Tell us at quotation stage; customs paperwork still names the shipper and consignee, so the neutral part is the inner packing, not the documents.
What if we need it faster than 3 days?
Courier express is already the fastest realistic option from Shenzhen. The constraint is usually our own handling time on built-to-order parts, not transit — so ask about stock availability first, and the answer decides whether an express upgrade helps at all.