I'm looking for the cheapest shipping method to send 1 package a month
that weights about 10 pounds from the US to China and back from China
to the US. Each way, I'm willing to wait up to 3 weeks for the package
to be delivered. In other words, I'm willing to wait a few weeks to
get my package, but I'd like a low price.
Specifically, I'd like to send approximately 100 printed circuit
boards (PCBs) and components from the US to China each month. In China
a small company will solder the components onto the PCBs for me. Then
the company in China will send me back the PCBs with the components.
Each shipment will weigh about 10 pounds. I have sent samples to China
so far using both the US Postal Service Global Priority Mail and FedEx
International. US Postal Service Global Priority Mail is much cheaper.
I was thinking I might divide the shipment up into 3 separate US
Postal Service Large Global Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelopes
http://pe.usps.gov/text/Imm/immicl/immiclcd_009.html for $9 each ($27
for all 3 envelopes). Each Global Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelope has
a weight limitation of 4 pounds. The PCBs and components are small.
Thirty three PCBs will fit into a Large Global Priority Mail Flat-Rate
Envelope. Therefore I can send about 10 pounds (3 envelopes with
approx. 3.3 pounds each) for $27 with the US Postal Service Large
Global Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelope. To send merely 1 pound FedEx
charged me about $36! Therefore, I'd really like to stick with the US
Postal Service Large Global Priority Mail Flat-Rate Envelope because
it's much cheaper than FedEx.
By the way, am I worried about tracking numbers? Not really. I know I
can't really track US Postal Service Global Priority Mail Flat-Rate
Envelopes. However, the boards (with components) are worth about $10
each so if one of the envelopes were lost a shipment I would be out
$330 ($10/board X 33 boards per envelope). That's a risk I'm willing
to take.
So far I've only considered the method of shipping from the US to
China. I have no idea how best to ship from China to the US. I know
that DHL is a popular shipper of small parcels from China to the US. I
have received international shipments from DHL, UPS, and FedEx from
various suppliers I've dealt with abroad. But I expect they are likely
to be fairly expensive. I'm wondering if the best way would be for me
to have the company in China ship via the Chinese Post Office to me
here in the US.
However, I deal with a supplier in Malaysia who is able to send 1
pound via FedEx from Malaysia to the US in 3-4 days for 12 USD. They
do not put multiple packages into one shipment and then have the
shipment "broken" up here in the US. Instead an individual FedEx
package is sent from Malaysia to the US in 3-4 days for 12 USD. How do
I know this? I have gone to FedEx.com and tracked the actual package
with a particular tracking number. It's remarkably cheap! For each
additional pound they only charge 8 USD. However, I expect they get a
big discount because I think they probably ship at least a hundred
packages a day internationally via FedEx.
In addition to finding the least expensive shipping methods I'm also
concerned about clearing customs in both China (when I ship the PCBs
and components from the US to China) and in the US when the assembled
PCBs (the PCBs with the components soldered to them) are shipped back
from China to the US. I've already had 1 sample I sent via FedEx tied
up in customs in China. It's been a hassle trying to get it out. And
that's just one sample!
Therefore, I'm worried that a customs official in China and/or the US
may take a look at 100 printed circuit boards and decide to put a duty
on them.
To avoid this I'm hoping there's some simple form I can fill out in
which I state (or perhaps "declare") that just as in the case of items
being sent out to be repaired, these PCBs and components are being
sent to China for assembly only and therefore should not be dutiable
except on the labor. Similarly I'm hoping that there is similar form
the company I'm dealing with in China can fill out so they don?t have
to pay duty either. |
