China 3PL order fulfillment covers the full journey from your factory to your customer’s door. It includes receiving goods, checking quality, adding labels or bundles, storing products, clearing customs for export, shipping by air or sea, clearing customs at the destination, and completing last-mile delivery.
Each step matters because delays or mistakes at one point can slow everything down. A China 3PL provider helps brands manage all of these steps efficiently within one connected system.
- Air shipping usually takes 5 to 10 days door to door (Freightos). It costs more but works best for product launches or urgent stock replenishment.
- Ocean shipping usually takes 20 to 45 days depending on port and route (Freightos). It is slower but cheaper, which makes it ideal for bulk replenishment.
As a simple guide:
- If air adds less than 15% of your retail price, it can be worth it.
- If ocean saves 20-30% on costs and still keeps you in stock, it is the better choice.
Most growing ecommerce brands use both methods through their China 3PL fulfillment partner, flying urgent SKUs and sending bulk shipments by sea to balance speed and profit.
What Is China 3PL
A China 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) provider manages warehousing, fulfillment, packaging, and shipping directly inside China. Instead of moving inventory to another country, ecommerce sellers store it in a China 3PL warehouse where orders are processed, packed, and shipped globally.
Key Benefits of Using a China 3PL
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Lower Costs | Reduce logistics and handling costs by fulfilling directly from China |
| Faster Shipping | Shorter lead times with integrated courier networks |
| Tech Integration | Connects easily with Shopify, Amazon, and WooCommerce |
| In-House Quality Control | Products are inspected before export |
| Scalability | Scale order volume easily during peak seasons |
By partnering with a China 3PL provider, ecommerce brands gain control, visibility, and reliability throughout their supply chain.
Planning Anchors: China 3PL Costs and Timelines
Before requesting quotes, most ecommerce brands rely on benchmarks from logistics indexes such as Freightos, Xeneta, and Drewry.
| Mode | Cost Benchmark | Typical Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Freight (China → U.S.) | $4 to $5 per kilogram | 5 to 10 days | Ideal for launches, stockouts, or high-margin SKUs |
| Ocean Freight (FCL) | Around $2,000 per 40-ft container | 3 to 9 weeks | Best for bulk replenishment; add origin and destination fees |
These estimates help ecommerce brands working with China 3PL partners model landed costs before getting live quotes.
Benefits of Fulfillment Directly from China
China fulfillment centers give you a key advantage: inventory stays close to your factory. That means fewer handling steps, faster turnaround, and less chance of damage before goods even ship.
- Lower costs: Packaging, inserts, and bundling happen at source. You avoid paying twice for prep and cut volumetric waste with right-size cartons.
- Faster scaling: When orders spike, China 3PLs can add shifts, docks, and carrier capacity more easily than small domestic warehouses.
- Tech integrations: Native links with Shopify, Amazon, and major WMS tools give real-time stock and order tracking.
- Balanced inventory: You can split goods between China and the US. Urgent items fly, bulk items sail.
- Built-in quality control: Issues are caught at source, reducing returns and customer support headaches.
The result: cleaner landed costs per unit and more predictable delivery promises.
How China 3PL Fulfillment Works
- Factory handoff: Supplier finishes production, books pickup, and sends goods to the fulfillment center with invoice and packing list.
- Receiving and checks: Cartons are counted, samples inspected, and barcodes confirmed before export.
- SKU setup and prep: Products are labeled, bundled, or kitted. Packaging is adjusted to minimize chargeable weight.
- Storage and sync: Inventory is put away. The 3PL connects to your store so orders flow automatically.
- Order routing: Rules decide if an order ships from China or from your US warehouse. Preorders and wholesale POs can go by ocean.
- Pick and pack: Items are picked, inserts added, and cartons sealed with compliant paperwork.
- Export and linehaul: Forwarder books air or ocean, files export, and tracks milestones like departed, arrived, and cleared.
- Import and last mile: Goods clear customs, then move into US nodes for 2–4 day domestic delivery or direct-to-consumer where viable.
- Returns and refurbishment: Returned items can be inspected, repacked, or recycled per your policy.
Review cost per order, lead times, and on-time performance. Adjust packaging or routing for the next cycle.
Costs and How to Model Them
Think of costs in clear buckets:
- Origin: pickup, receiving, QC, storage, packaging, pick and pack.
- Linehaul: air (per kilogram) or ocean (FCL or LCL).
- Destination: customs, duties, brokerage, drayage, warehouse inbound.
- Last mile: carrier fees, surcharges, and returns handling.
As an anchor, a 40-ft container at ~2,044 USD carrying 10,000 kg works out to ~0.20 per kg before local charges (Drewry). Air averages 4–5 per kg on China → US lanes (Xeneta). A simple rule helps:
- If air freight per kilogram is under 10–15% of retail per kilogram, it can work.
- If it climbs above 20–25%, move bulk by ocean and reserve air for launches or urgent stock.
DDP vs DAP from China After De Minimis Shifts
US de minimis rules have tightened in 2025. Many shipments under 800 USD now require more data, and some face duties or taxes.
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): Seller covers duties, taxes, and entry fees. Smooth for customers, but higher compliance load for you.
- DAP (Delivered at Place): Buyer pays duties and taxes on delivery. Lower seller exposure, but adds friction at checkout.
The best move is to confirm HS codes, product values, and compliance data with your broker to avoid clearance delays (CBP).
Choosing the Right China 3PL Partner
A dependable China 3PL provider offers efficiency, visibility, and growth support.
| Area | What to Expect | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | One system covering receiving, QC, prep, export | Who manages each fulfillment step? |
| Technology | Full integration with major ecommerce platforms | Can you show your dashboard? |
| Compliance | Correct HS codes and restricted item validation | How do you handle batteries or liquids? |
| Pricing | Transparent cost breakdown | Can you share a landed-cost worksheet? |
| Network | China hub plus international nodes | Where are your warehouses located? |
| Support | English-speaking account managers | What response time does your team guarantee? |
The best China 3PL companies offer one plan covering air and sea shipping with transparent pricing and inventory control across regions.
FAQs
China 3PL order fulfillment manages warehousing, packaging, shipping, and customs from inside China. It covers everything from factory pickup to final delivery, helping ecommerce brands streamline logistics and reduce costs.
Air shipping usually takes 5 to 10 days door to door. Ocean freight generally takes 3 to 9 weeks depending on route, destination, and season.
Yes. China 3PL services are flexible and affordable, making them ideal for small and mid-size brands that want to scale efficiently.
With DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), the seller covers import duties and taxes, giving customers a smooth experience. DAP (Delivered at Place) means the buyer pays duties and taxes upon delivery.
Look for a 3PL provider with strong experience in ecommerce, transparent pricing, in-house quality control, and tech integration with platforms like Shopify or Amazon. It’s best to choose one that offers both China and U.S. fulfillment options for smoother global operations.
Avoid working with providers that lack transparency in pricing or don’t perform quality checks before shipping. Always confirm warehouse locations, communication support, and delivery timelines before signing a contract.
How Lansil Global Makes China 3PL Fulfillment Simple
At Lansil Global, we bridge the gap between your factory in China and your customers around the world. Our China 3PL hub and U.S. warehouses work together as one connected system — giving you complete visibility, faster delivery, and smarter cost control.
Our China 3PL hub in Shenzhen manages the global side of fulfillment. Products are received directly from your factory, inspected for quality, labeled, packed, and shipped worldwide. Urgent SKUs are sent by air, while larger restocks move by sea to protect your margins. This setup reduces handling steps, speeds up turnaround, and keeps inventory close to production.
In the United States, our dual warehouses in Nevada and Pennsylvania handle domestic fulfillment. Once bulk inventory arrives from China, our U.S. team takes care of receiving, Amazon FBA prep, pick and pack, 2–4 day shipping, and returns. This structure allows you to store products closer to your U.S. customers, lower tariffs, and deliver orders faster without compromising quality.
By connecting China for global fulfillment and the U.S. for domestic distribution, Lansil Global gives ecommerce brands the flexibility to manage both international and local orders through one unified platform. Every order, shipment, and return is fully tracked, and our in-house quality control ensures your brand reputation stays strong.
With more than 15 million packages delivered to over 200 countries, Lansil Global has become a trusted partner for ecommerce brands that want to scale efficiently without logistical headaches. Whether you’re expanding globally or speeding up domestic delivery, our hybrid China–U.S. fulfillment model helps you do both with confidence.
Contact us to learn how Lansil Global’s China 3PL and U.S. fulfillment services can help you cut costs, improve delivery times, and simplify your entire supply chain.
