WELCOME to our ultimate one-stop guide for using Alibaba shipping services! 

MOST business owners want to reduce Alibaba shipping costs. But they don’t know HOW or if it’s possible at all. 

Our experts crafted this article to help YOU import business products from Alibaba. Without HIGH shipping fees. 

You’ll know how to calculate freight costs. And the best shipping method for your cargo. We also teach you WHEN it’s best to use a freight forwarder.  

KEEP reading to massively improve your business gains!

Why are Alibaba Shipping costs so expensive?

Alibaba HOUSES the cheapest WHOLESALE products in the world. But shipping from this platform can be pretty EXPENSIVE. 

Here are the top 4 reasons why this happens:

#1: Long-distance delivery.

Most business owners who order from Alibaba are from the UNITED STATES. These countries are thousands of miles away from each other. 

This VAST distance results in MUCH HIGHER transportation costs. Especially if the product you’re buying is HEAVY or oversized.

#2: Air express is costly. 

MANY suppliers from Alibaba offer EXPRESS SHIPPING. This is GREAT at speeding up your waiting time. YOU also have to pay high shipping costs. 

Note: AIR EXPRESS is the most expensive shipment method. 

#3: Thousands of active suppliers.

There are over 150,000 suppliers in Alibaba. It’s effortless to ORDER different products from SEVERAL manufacturers.

However, buying from different suppliers also means PAYING for multiple shipping fees. 

Each SELLER packs and delivers your products differently. YOUR total shipping costs add up over time because of this. 

#4: Free shipping comes at a price.

Some sellers require YOU to buy products worth at least $500 to get free shipping. MOST business owners don’t spend this much. As a result, they can’t use the free shipping service. 

They just pay DOZENS and hundreds of dollars for Alibaba’s shipping fees.

How much does Alibaba Shipping cost?

Your Alibaba shipping fee depends on different factors, such as:

• The market price of the products you buy.
• YOUR preferred shipping method.
• The weight of your cargo. 
• Your supplier or shipping company’s average freight cost rates. 

For the MOST part though, your products’ weight tells you how much you have to pay for your shipping services. 

Here’s a chart YOU can use as a reference:

Weight of your cargo	How much you have to pay
0.5 kg – 10 kg	$20 – $100
11 kg – 20 kg	$101 – $200
21 kg – 100 kg	$201 – $500

How does Alibaba Shipping work?

ALIBABA’s shipping works similarly to B2B platforms like Amazon or eBay. 

But let me SHOW you specific steps of the entire SHIPPING process from Alibaba. 

Step 1: You place an order. 

Here’s the ACTION that jumpstarts the ENTIRE shipment journey of your products. As mentioned earlier, HOW MUCH YOU PAY depends heavily on the goods you’re shipping. 

Hence, YOU immediately get the estimated shipping fee rates at this step.

Step 2: Your supplier packs your products.

Your goods are mostly packed inside boxes. Some suppliers use PALLETISE fragile products as well. 

Note: ENSURE your supplier controls the quality of your goods. Ask them to put EXTRA CARE for your cargo. 

Step 3: Choose your preferred shipping method/courier. 

YOU get to decide how to ship your product after placing an order. 

A reliable supplier helps you accomplish this step. But it’s BEST to conduct market research yourself. YOU KNOW the cheapest shipping modes for Alibaba orders this way.  

Note: Some Alibaba suppliers REQUIRE YOU to pick up your orders from their factory. Because they don’t ship products themselves. 

Contacting a FREIGHT FORWARDING COMPANY is the BEST path to take in this situation. They take care of ALL THE ASPECTS of your Alibaba shipping. Including picking up your CARGO from your Alibaba supplier. 

Step 4: Receive your products 

It takes DAYS or WEEKS for you to receive your order. 

But don’t worry. Usually, you don’t have to process any documents when receiving your Alibaba order. Most Alibaba suppliers handle your cargo’s IMPORT documents. 

5 Alibaba Shipping Methods

#1: Express shipping

Here’s the MOST EXPENSIVE shipping service you can choose. 

Express shipping lets YOU receive your Alibaba products in JUST DAYS. Your COURIER ships your products immediately. And your PACKAGE fets faster customs clearance at the border. 

Pros: 

• VERY short waiting time (less than 3 days). 
• Door-2-door service (NO NEED to pick up your products from the Airport).

Cons: 

• STRICT size and weight constraints. PACKAGES that are heavier than 30 KG or bigger than 175 aren’t accepted. 
• VERY expensive. Expect to pay up to 50% more for your shipping fee. COMPARED to Air freight or Sea freight services. 

#2: Air freight shipping 

AIR freight is similar to express shipping. 

BOTH shipment methods use AIR TRANSPORT. 

However, air freight REQUIRES you to pick up your cargo from the Airport yourself. YOU won’t get a door-to-door delivery. 

Air freight also needs more IMPORT documentation than express shipments. 

It’s cheaper but more TIME-CONSUMING. 

Pros: 

• FASTER than sea freight. YOU receive your products within a week or 2.
• YOU may ship heavier packages. Air freight allows cargo that is up to 100 Kg. Depending on your courier. 

Cons:

• More EXPENSIVE than sea freight. 
• YOU must pick up your packages from the port personally. You might also need to process import documents.

#3: Sea freight 

Here’s the MOST cost-effective way to ship from China. Sea freight ALLOWS you to ship ENTIRE container loads with very low fees. 

Fun fact: Most Alibaba orders use this shipping method by default. 

Here are the 2 common types of sea freight delivery:

#1: LCL (Less than Container Load)

 YOUR package is shipped with other people’s products within the SAME container. ALL small parcel deliveries fall under this type of sea freight. 

#2: FCL (Full Container Load) 

This is for SHIPPING goods that fill an entire shipping container that’s at least 20 feet tall. FCL is the BEST sea freight method for BIG business owners. Because YOU save the most money per KG that you ship.

Pros:

• EXTREMELY CHEAP. You cut your shipping costs by up to 60%. 
• EASILY ship oversized or overweight cargo. YOU can even ship cars or heavy machinery.

Cons: 

• Long waiting time. Your order may take MONTHS to reach you. 

#4: Railway freight 

YOUR Alibaba goods are shipped through the National Railways in China. And they’re TRANSFERRED to International rail lines to REACH greater distances. 

This inland transportation METHOD is faster than Sea freight if you live in Europe. YOU only need to wait 2 weeks instead of a month. 

Pros:

• Cheaper than Air freight. Only pay about 25% of air freight costs. 
• FASTER than sea freight. Get your products faster and PLEASE your customers. 

Cons: 

• For limited locations only. This option isn’t available in the US. 
• More expensive shipping price than sea freight. It’s almost double the cost if you’re from Europe. 

#5:  Door-to-door shipping

Alibaba suppliers that don’t want to ship products will ask you to use door-to-door shipping.

YOU must arrange to PICK UP your package from the supplier’s warehouse. And contact couriers yourself to SHIP your products. 

Freight forwarding companies are ESSENTIAL for this shipping method. Especially if you want to minimize stress and LOWER shipping costs. 

3 Tips to Save on Alibaba Shipping Costs

#1: Be patient. 

FASTER deliveries are always MORE EXPENSIVE than shipments that take WEEKS to arrive. So use sea freight for MOST, if not all, of your Alibaba orders.

ORDER your products in advance, so you NEVER run out of stock. 

Buy in BULK if possible. This way, you’ll LESSEN the frequency of your orders. PLUS, you also get DISCOUNTS because couriers CHARGE lower per Kg for heavier cargo. 

#2: Compare shipping costs of suppliers.

SOME suppliers offer free shipping. While others CHARGE hundreds for the same product.

It’s CRUCIAL to always compare and contrast Alibaba sellers. You’ll FIND cheaper shipping options the more you research.

#3: Use consolidating shipping.

Consolidated shipping MEANS grouping all of your small deliveries together. So they FORM an entire shipping container. 

This shipping strategy is very effective in lowering your shipping costs. Because you get to USE the FCL discounts for ocean shipments. 

Note 1: YOU need a freight forwarding company for this money-saving tip. Your orders from different suppliers should be packed in the same container. 

Note 2: This is ONLY available for Sea freight. 

FAQ about Alibaba Shipping

What’s Next

YOU don’t need to BREAK THE BANK to ship from Alibaba. 

Just keep the tips and tricks I mentioned above in mind. And YOUR products will reach their final destination SAFELY for a very low price. 

If you need further help shipping from Alibaba, our AGENTS are always happy to help. Contact us and get a shipping QUOTATION FOR FREE!