Shipping and Incoterms — who does what
We quote EXW Dongguan by default. Not because it’s the cheapest thing to say, but because it’s the only term where nothing is buried in the freight line.
Four terms cover almost every order we ship. Here’s exactly where our responsibility ends on each.
The four terms
| Term | We handle | You handle | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW Dongguan | Packing, and handing the goods over at our floor | Export declaration, pickup, freight, import clearance, duty | You already have a forwarder in China |
| FOB Shenzhen / Yantian | Export declaration, trucking to port, loading | Ocean or air freight, insurance, import clearance, duty | Most first orders — the cleanest split |
| DAP your address | Everything to your door, except import clearance and duty | Import clearance, duty and VAT under your own number | EU and UK companies with a VAT number |
| DDP your address, duty paid | Everything, including duty — one number, no surprises at customs | Give us the correct address, and your EORI/bond details if we ask | US orders under about US$2,500; UK shipments |
Incoterms 2020. The term we quote is printed on the proforma invoice, and it doesn’t change after you’ve paid the deposit.
The honest note on DDP into Europe
Under EU rules, a DDP shipment makes the seller the importer of record — which legally means we’d need an EU VAT registration. Most Chinese shops offering DDP to Europe are quietly shipping on a forwarder’s VAT number. That is where the stories about double-charged VAT and containers sitting in Rotterdam come from.
So: if you’re in the EU, DAP is usually the better term. You clear it on your own VAT number and reclaim the VAT, which you can’t do if a forwarder pays it for you. We’ll still quote DDP if you want one number — we’ll just tell you which forwarder is carrying it, so you know who to chase if it goes wrong.
Packing
- Standard: each part bagged, bubble wrapped, carton with desiccant. Cosmetic faces get foam.
- Heavy or tight-tolerance: export crate, parts separated so they can’t touch in transit.
- Labels: part number, drawing revision, quantity, PO number on every carton — so your goods-in team doesn’t have to guess.
- Photos: of the packed cartons before we seal them, on request. Free, and worth asking for on a first order.
Documents that travel with the goods
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Dimensional report — every batch, not on request
- Mill certificate (EN 10204 3.1) — on request, when the mill supplies one
- RoHS / REACH declaration for the finish — on request
- Fumigation certificate, if the crate is timber
Typical transit times from Dongguan
| Mode | Door to door | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Express (DHL / FedEx / UPS) | 3–5 working days | Under 50 kg, or when the line is waiting |
| Air freight | 5–8 days | 50–300 kg, better rate than express |
| Sea LCL | 28–45 days | Over 1 cbm and no deadline pressure |
| Sea FCL | 25–35 days plus port handling | Full container, production runs |
These are typical, not promises. The number that matters is the one on your quote, and it’s calculated for your actual weight, volume and destination.
What can go wrong, and what we do about it
- Finishing queue. Anodising and plating are the least predictable days on any job. If the date moves, you hear it from us before the promised date, not after.
- Customs inspection. Random, adds 2–5 days, nobody can prevent it. We send the documents ahead so it’s cleared the same day it’s released.
- Peak season. October to January, book space earlier or accept the queue.
- Rework. If we catch a defect before shipping, we fix it and tell you. A day late with a phone call is cheaper for both of us than a container of parts that fail incoming inspection.
Questions we get asked
- Can you ship on our DHL account?
- Yes. Send the account number and we’ll book it, or hand the goods to your forwarder at our door.
- Who pays the duty?
- Whoever the Incoterm says. On EXW, FOB and DAP it’s you. On DDP it’s us, and it’s already inside the price you were quoted.
- Can you split a shipment?
- Yes, and it’s often the cheapest way to protect a deadline — 50 pieces by air to keep your line running, the rest by sea. We’ll quote both legs separately.
- Do you drop-ship to our customer?
- Yes, with neutral packing and no GY branding, if that’s what you need. Tell us before we pack, not after.
- What HS code do you use?
- Depends on the part — 7326.90, 7616.99 and 8466.93 cover most of what we make. We’ll put our code on the invoice and change it if your broker specifies one.
Need a delivered price?
Send the part, the quantity and your full address. We’ll come back with EXW and delivered numbers side by side, so you can see what the freight and duty actually add — usually less than people expect on air, more than they expect on sea.
1@gymachining.com · WhatsApp +86 137 9012 4916