Fourteen weeks, six stages, one map. Every decision on the route from product idea to stock in a UK warehouse — in the order the decisions actually arrive.
The first import from China feels like a wall of jargon — incoterms, CBM, commodity codes, deconsolidation — but underneath it is a sequence of decisions that thousands of UK businesses work through every month. This walkthrough covers the whole route in order, with links to the deeper guides at each stage, so a first order can be planned end to end before any money moves.
Before contacting any supplier, three numbers frame everything: the target landed cost per unit (work backwards from the selling price — the landed cost guide shows the full calculation), the realistic order quantity, and the date stock is genuinely needed in the UK. Add the product's commodity code at this stage too — the duty rate belongs in the maths before the first quote, not after the goods ship.
Administratively, only two things are needed to import commercially: a GB EORI number (free from GOV.UK, usually issued within a week) and, ideally, VAT registration so import VAT can be reclaimed or postponed rather than absorbed as a cost.
Shortlist three to five candidates and grade their responses to one identical, specific enquiry. Then verify before paying anything: licence checks, matching bank details, a sample order, staged payment terms and a pre-shipment inspection agreed in writing. The full sequence is in the supplier verification checklist — it is the single highest-value half day in the whole process.
During production, ask for dated photos at milestones. The decisive moment is the pre-shipment inspection before the balance payment — once the balance is paid and the goods ship, every problem changes owner. Carton markings, barcodes and packaging compliance get checked here too; fixing labels in China costs pennies, fixing them in a UK warehouse costs pounds per carton.
Under ~12 CBM usually means LCL; past ~15 CBM a 20ft container often wins — the crossover maths and the hidden destination fees are covered in the LCL vs FCL guide. Sea freight from main Chinese ports to the UK runs roughly four to five weeks port to port; air freight compresses that to days at a multiple of the cost. Marine insurance at 0.2–0.5% of value is not the corner to cut.
Before arrival, the commercial invoice, packing list and commodity codes go to the clearing agent; duty and import VAT are calculated as in the duty & VAT guide (VAT-registered businesses should use postponed VAT accounting). After clearance, delivery needs a booked slot — warehouses and fulfilment centres rarely accept unannounced containers. Then the most useful habit in importing: a one-page debrief. What did landed cost actually come to per unit? Which assumptions were off? The second order is where the real margin appears — reorders skip sampling, negotiate better prices against a track record, and ship with fewer surprises.
Where Bridgeway fits: any single stage — sourcing, negotiation, freight, customs, delivery — or the whole route coordinated as one file. First-time importers usually get the most value from a quote review before the deposit: twenty minutes that regularly saves the order.
Common questions
As a planning shape: goods cost plus roughly 35–60% on top for freight, duty, VAT and delivery on typical sea shipments, plus a cash buffer for the weeks between deposit and selling the stock. Many first orders land in the £3,000–£10,000 range all-in, but the maths matters more than the number — price the landed cost per unit before committing.
Yes, and this guide is the map. An agent earns their fee where mistakes are expensive: verifying the supplier, catching quote gaps, timing the inspection and getting the customs entry right first time. Many importers run their second order more independently than their first.
Sea for anything heavy, bulky or unhurried — it is the default for stock. Air suits light, high-value or deadline-critical goods. If the launch date forces air freight, the launch date is usually the thing to renegotiate.
Paying the balance before inspecting the goods. Second place: pricing the product from the factory quote instead of the landed cost. Both are avoidable with the sequence in this guide.
Get a real figure
Send the supplier quote, carton details and destination. Bridgeway will reply with a practical route and cost view.