Importing from China for the first time: the full walkthrough
Fourteen weeks, six stages, one map — every decision from product idea to stock in a UK warehouse, in the order they arrive.
Read the guideImport guides
Practical guides for importing from China to the UK.
Duty, VAT, landed cost, shipping routes and supplier checks — explained with worked examples from real shipments, so the numbers are visible before the deposit is paid.
LCL vs FCL: which container option fits the order?
The crossover maths, the hidden destination fees and the situations where sharing a container beats booking one.
Read the guideThe Alibaba supplier verification checklist
Seven checks, in order, that separate real factories from expensive mistakes — with the red flags that end the conversation.
Read the guideHS codes: the ten digits that price your import
How UK commodity codes are built, how to classify correctly on the UK tariff, and what wrong codes cost.
Read the guideUK import duty and VAT on goods from China, explained
Commodity codes, customs value, duty rates and a worked example showing how HMRC's charges are calculated — plus how postponed VAT accounting protects cash flow.
Read the guideLanded cost: the real price of importing from China
All eight cost components between a Chinese factory and a UK warehouse, with a worked example showing how £4.00 per unit becomes £5.95.
Read the guideBeyond the guides
Numbers checked against a real shipment beat any guide.
Send the supplier quote, carton details and UK destination for a practical first review.