The term “drop shipping” refers to the practice of sending products directly from a manufacturer to a retailer. To avoid the overhead costs associated with warehousing and storing products, retailers who don’t keep stock should opt for this shipping method.
The retailer only makes purchases from the vendor in order to fulfill customer orders. Given the growth of e-commerce, retailers now have better drop shipping options than ever before.
The use of ePacket and Special Line shipping is currently on the rise. The question is, which one is the most advantageous for your company?
This article explains the ins and outs of various shipping options. Read on.
ePacket: How it Works
China Postal Express & Logistics, in conjunction with its international post office partners, offers the ePacket service, which allows for the economical international express delivery of small, light items purchased online and sent across international borders. More than 35 countries now accept ePacket deliveries.
Basically, it functions like this.
Tracking
To monitor the progress of your ePacket shipment, start to finish, you can do so at no cost to you. It enables buyers and sellers to track packages on official postal services like USPS. However, third-party sites do provide shipping status updates.
Packages that are unable to be delivered will have their return shipping paid for by the sending country. Keep in mind that the Postal Service’s return policies may vary from country to country, so you may not receive the same level of service internationally. This policy was established so that customers who don’t receive their packages can get their money back from the sellers.
Sites like eBay, Amazon, and AliExpress regularly use ePacket delivery. However, anyone in China can use it so long as their packages meet the criteria for ePacket deliveries.
Requirements
Even though ePacket shipping is fast and easy, not all packages will fit within the size requirements. Smaller packages are better suited for this mode of shipment.
The maximum length for an ePacket shipment is 24 inches. No package is allowed to be more than 36 inches in height or depth.
No more than 4.4 pounds in weight, please.
To conclude, shipments must originate in either China or the United States. For this offer to apply, the final delivery address must be located within one of the supported countries.
Arrival Time
Shipping times may change from country to country and may be impacted by holidays and customs inspections. When compared to other shipping options from China, this one is noticeably quicker.
Shipping to the United States typically takes between 10 and 20 days. International customers can anticipate their packages to arrive within the same time frames, but they should keep in mind that shipping performance is dependent on the Postal system on both the country of origin and the country of destination.
Fees
The price of an ePacket depends on how much it weighs and how much it costs to register it. The rates vary from country to country.
The Ins and Outs of Special Line Shipping
China’s Special Line delivery is another choice for online retailers shipping packages internationally from China. When compared to ePacket, Special Line uses air cargo to get packages to their destination and then partners with a local express shipping company or the post office to complete the final leg of the journey.
This method of shipping is preferred because it is cost-effective and quick.
Tracking
Online tracking information is readily available for packages sent via Special Line. From the moment they leave the retailer until they arrive at the customer’s doorstep, customers have full visibility into the whereabouts of their packages.
This is included at no extra cost in all Special Line plans.
Size Requirements
Special Line shipping has a greater weight range than ePacket. A maximum of 66.1 pounds is permitted for Special Line packages (30 kilograms).
Arrival Time
Using Special Line services, packages sent from China can arrive at their destination anywhere in the world in just 5-12 days. In most cases, the Special Line service will get your package to its destination much sooner than ePacket will. Naturally, just like with other shipping methods, delays can occur during the holidays.
Fees
Like ePacket, the Special Line charge is country-specific and calculated based on the package’s weight and the registered fee.
Shipping Locations
If you’ve ever used Special Line shipping, you know that there’s a specific breakdown of locations in place to make things run more efficiently. All special line shipments originate in China, but their final destinations are completely flexible. Special Line is constantly adding new countries to its service repertoire in response to rising demand for expedited shipping. At present, the routes of the shipping lines cover:
Austria AT \sLuxembourg LU
The Netherlands, abbreviated as NL
Sweden SE
States of America US
Greece GR
Romania RO
Croatia HR
Estonia EE
Hungary HU
Lithuania LT
Slovenia Italeria Germanica (SI) Belgium, Dutch East BE
France FR
Information Technology in Italy
Spain ES
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland GB
Denmark DK
State of the Czech Republic CZ
Poland PL
Portugal PT
Ireland IE
Bulgaria BG
In the language of Cyprus: CY
Finland FI
LV Latvia
Malta MT
The Slovak National Team SK
Canada CA
This country is known as Australia (AU).