Can I import small cargo from China? Yes, here's how

You don't need to fill a container to import from China. Many UK businesses, from online shops to tradespeople and start-ups, regularly bring in a few cartons or a couple of pallets. The trick is choosing the right way to ship it, because the cheapest option for 20 kilos is very different from the cheapest option for 2 cubic metres.

Here's how to import small cargo from China without overpaying.

Your four options

1. Courier (express)

International express couriers collect from your supplier and deliver to your door, handling customs along the way.

• Best for: samples, documents and parcels up to around 30–50kg
• Speed: usually a few days
• Cost: highest per kilo, but all-inclusive and simple for very small shipments
• Watch out for: duty, VAT and a handling fee billed to you on delivery

2. Consolidated air freight

Your cartons travel as air cargo with other shipments, then are cleared through customs and delivered.

• Best for: roughly 50kg to a few hundred kilos, or urgent stock
• Speed: around 5–10 days door to door
• Cost: cheaper than courier per kilo at these weights, more than sea

3. Sea freight part load (LCL)

Your goods share a container with other importers' cargo. You pay only for the space you use.

• Best for: about 1 cubic metre (around one pallet) and upwards
• Speed: several weeks, a little slower than a full container
• Cost: by far the cheapest per unit for anything bulky

4. Full container (FCL)

Once you reach around 15 cubic metres, a container of your own is usually cheaper than a part load, even if it isn't full. See our guide to choosing between full container and part load.

Which one should I choose?

How charges are worked out

Understanding how each mode charges you avoids nasty surprises.

Air and courier: volumetric weight

Air freight and couriers charge on whichever is greater: the actual weight, or the volumetric weight based on the size of the cartons. Volumetric weight is usually worked out as:

• Air freight: length × width × height in centimetres ÷ 6,000
• Courier: length × width × height in centimetres ÷ 5,000

Example: a carton measuring 60 × 50 × 50cm weighs 10kg. Its volumetric weight for air freight is 60 × 50 × 50 ÷ 6,000 = 25kg. You pay for 25kg, not 10kg.

That's why light, bulky goods such as cushions, lampshades or packaging are expensive to fly. Always give your forwarder the carton dimensions, not just the weight.

Sea part load: weight or measure

LCL is charged per revenue tonne: 1 cubic metre or 1,000kg, whichever is greater. Most goods are charged by volume. There's usually a minimum charge of 1 cubic metre, plus fixed charges at origin and destination for handling, documentation and customs. Those fixed charges are why very small sea shipments can cost almost as much as one cubic metre.

A worked comparison

Say you're importing 8 cartons, each 50 × 40 × 40cm and 12kg:

• Total actual weight: 96kg
• Total volume: 8 × 0.08 = 0.64 cubic metres
• Volumetric weight for air: 8 × (50 × 40 × 40 ÷ 6,000) = about 107kg

By air, you'd pay for about 107kg. By sea, you'd pay the 1 cubic metre minimum plus fixed charges. If you need the goods within a fortnight, air makes sense. If you can wait, sea will usually be cheaper, and the gap widens quickly as the volume grows.

Do small shipments pay duty and VAT?

• Import VAT is due on commercial shipments, usually 20%. If you're VAT registered, you can use postponed VAT accounting and avoid paying it at the border.
• Customs duty isn't charged on goods with a value of £135 or less at the moment. Above that, the normal rate for the commodity code applies. Our guide to import duty and VAT explains how it's calculated.
• The £135 relief is ending. The government has announced it will be removed by October 2028, so even small consignments will pay duty after that.

The paperwork is the same

Small shipments still need:

• A commercial invoice with a clear description and the price you actually paid
• A packing list with carton dimensions and weights
• Your GB EORI number
• The correct commodity code
• Product certificates, if the goods need them (toys, electricals and cosmetics, for example)

Under-declaring the value on a small shipment to save duty is still customs fraud, and couriers and HMRC check.

Buying EXW from a small supplier

Many small Chinese suppliers quote EXW (Ex Works), meaning the price is at the factory gate. Someone then has to collect the goods and handle export clearance in China. A forwarder can arrange both. Ask for FOB prices where you can, so the supplier delivers to the port and handles the export side.

Combine suppliers to save

Buying from several suppliers in China? We can collect from each one and consolidate everything into a single shipment. You pay for one freight charge and one customs clearance instead of several, and the combined volume often makes sea freight worthwhile.

Tips for small importers

• Order samples by courier, then the production order by sea or air
• Ask suppliers to palletise larger orders; it reduces handling damage
• Get the carton dimensions before you book, so quotes are accurate
• Plan ahead so you can use sea freight rather than paying for speed
• Check product rules before you buy, especially for toys, electricals and cosmetics

Common mistakes with small shipments

• Booking air freight by weight alone, then getting billed on volumetric weight
• Sending samples marked "gift" or "no commercial value" when they're for a business. Declare a realistic value.
• Ignoring fixed charges. On a tiny sea shipment, the origin and destination charges can be more than the freight itself. Ask for an all-in price.
• Poor packing. Part-load and air cargo is handled several times. Weak cartons arrive crushed.
• Not checking who handles export clearance in China when buying EXW
• Assuming the courier's duty bill is final. Check the commodity code and value they declared on your behalf.

Start small, grow later

Small orders are a sensible way to test products and suppliers. As your volumes grow, moving from courier to air, and from air to sea part load and eventually full containers, brings the cost per unit down sharply. We'll tell you when it's worth making the switch.

Tell us what you're shipping and we'll compare the options for you.

General information, correct as of October 2026.