Importing from China to Europe, from a real importer.
Practical lessons from my own Alibaba orders: finding suppliers, working out the real landed cost, shipping, and the mistakes I made along the way.
Written by a real importer who imports from China to Portugal. Latest articles
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How Long Does Sea Shipping from China Take? My Real Door-to-Door Timeline
How long sea freight from China takes on my real Alibaba orders: each stage from payment to my door, sea vs air, and what affects sea times to UK ports.
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Do You Need an EORI Number to Import from China as an Individual? (UK)
Do you need an EORI number as an individual in the UK? What GOV.UK says about personal use vs reselling, how to apply, and how DDP shipping fits in.
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Why DHL or UPS Sends You a Customs Bill for Alibaba Orders (and How DDP Avoided It for Me)
Alibaba customs fees in the UK explained: why DHL or UPS sends a bill for VAT, duty and fees, how to challenge an overcharge, and how DDP avoided it for me.
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Importing from China to the UK: A Beginner's Guide for Small Buyers
Importing from China to the UK as a small buyer: the Alibaba process I follow step by step, real costs per kg, and the UK VAT, £135 and duty rules explained.
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Alibaba Shipping to Portugal: How My Orders Get from China to My Door
Alibaba shipping to Portugal from my own orders: sea vs air cost per kg, how long it takes, and why I always ship DDP to avoid surprise VAT at the door.
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What Is DDP Shipping? Why I Always Import from China with DDP
What is DDP shipping? A simple explanation from a real importer: how it compares with DAP and EXW, and why I always import from China with DDP.
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How I Import from China as a Private Individual (Step by Step)
How to import from China without a company: the exact steps I follow, from paying the supplier to receiving the goods at home with no surprises.
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How I Ship My Alibaba Orders with My Own Shipping Agent
Alibaba shipping from my own orders: why I stopped letting the supplier ship, and how my own shipping agent made it simple and stress-free.
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Landed Cost: How I Calculate If an Alibaba Product Is Worth Importing
How I work out the real landed cost of an Alibaba product before I pay, using my own charger order: unit price, shipping, VAT and margin.
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I Imported iPhone Chargers from China: Costs, Profit and Mistakes
50 chargers at $1.70 each became about $3.68 each after fees, shipping and VAT. My real costs, where I listed them, and what I'd do differently.
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How to Message Suppliers on Alibaba: What to Write and What to Ask
What to say in your first message, what to ask, and how to spot serious replies before you pay anyone.
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How to Search on Alibaba and Find Better Suppliers
A simple search process for beginners, so you understand the market before you pick anyone.
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Alibaba Badges Explained: Verified vs Gold Supplier vs Trade Assurance
Some matter. Some don't. Here's how to tell them apart.
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What Is Alibaba, and Is It Safe? What I Learned From My Orders
A simple explanation for beginners, from someone who buys there
Free checklist: First Import from China
The step-by-step checklist I follow on every Alibaba order, from the first search to DDP delivery at my door. 3 pages, free. Enter your email and the download link appears right here. We'll also send you one email when the community opens. No spam.
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