What Is DDP Shipping? Why I Always Import from China with DDP

When you start importing from China, you'll see three letters everywhere: DDP.

Every time I import, I choose DDP shipping. Every single time.

In this post, I'll explain what DDP means in plain words, how it compares with DAP and EXW, and why I always use it as a private individual importing into Portugal.

What is DDP shipping?

DDP stands for Delivered Duty Paid.

In simple terms, it means:

• The goods are delivered to your door.
• Taxes and duties are already paid as part of the shipping.
• Customs is handled for you.

So when the package arrives, you don't get a tax bill at the door. You just receive your goods.

DDP vs DAP vs EXW

These are three common shipping terms. The big difference is who pays the taxes and who deals with customs.

Term	What it means	Who pays import taxes and duties	Who deals with customs
EXW (Ex Works)	You collect the goods at the seller's place	You	You (or someone you hire)
DAP (Delivered At Place)	The goods are delivered to you	You, when they arrive	You, when they arrive
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)	The goods are delivered to you	Already included	Handled for you

In one line each:

• EXW: the price only covers the goods at the seller's place. Everything after that is your job.
• DAP: the goods come to you, but taxes and customs are still your problem when they arrive.
• DDP: the goods come to you with taxes and duties already paid. No surprises at the door.

Why I always choose DDP

The honest answer is simple. DDP gives me zero problems.

With DDP, I avoid two risks:

1. Not being able to sort things out at customs. I don't want my goods stuck because something wasn't done right.
2. Getting a surprise. I don't want an unexpected bill when my order arrives.

I import as a private individual. I don't have a company or a customs team. DDP means I don't have to become a customs expert to get my order home.

How I use DDP in practice

Here's the part that confuses some beginners. I actually use two terms in the same order:

• I buy from the supplier on EXW terms.
• My shipping agent then ships the goods to me on DDP terms.

So the supplier only has to get the goods ready. My agent takes care of the rest, including the taxes and customs.

Here's my process, step by step:

1. I buy from the supplier on EXW terms.
2. Production takes 3–4 days.
3. The supplier ships the order to my agent's warehouse in China.
4. The agent opens the order, takes photos and waits for my OK.
5. Once I say OK, the agent ships it by container (sea) on DDP terms.
6. The agent gives me a tracking code.
7. The order is delivered to my home, about a month and a half after the agent ships it by sea.

And me? I just wait.

I explain the full process in How I Import from China as a Private Individual (Step by Step). If you want to know more about working with an agent, read How I Ship My Alibaba Orders with My Own Shipping Agent. And if you live in Portugal like me, I show the whole route, sea vs air cost and timing in Alibaba Shipping to Portugal: How My Orders Get from China to My Door.

What DDP cost me on my last order

Here are the real numbers from my last order, which weighed 32 kg:

• Sea shipping, DDP: 2.73 €/kg × 32 kg = 87.36 €
• Remote-area fee: 14.77 €
• Agent commission: 24 €
• Total: 126.13 €

Because it was DDP, the taxes were already part of the shipping price. There was no extra bill waiting for me at the door.

My first order: air, with taxes included

My very first import was 50 iPhone chargers. That time, I didn't have an agent. The supplier shipped them by air, with taxes and duties already included. The full story, with the costs, is in I Imported iPhone Chargers from China: Costs, Profit and Mistakes.

Air cost about 7–8 €/kg. That's much more per kilo than sea. But the chargers were light, so the total ended up similar.

The lesson for me: the price per kilo is only half the story. Weight matters just as much.

When DDP makes the most sense

From my experience, DDP is a good fit if:

• You're a beginner and don't know how customs works yet.
• You import as a private individual, without a company.
• You want to know your full cost before the goods arrive.
• You don't want to risk your order getting stuck at customs.

What to check before you choose DDP

DDP is simple, but don't assume everything is included. Before you agree to a price, ask:

1. Are taxes and duties included? That's the whole point of DDP, so confirm it.
2. Is delivery to my home included? Or does it stop somewhere else?
3. Are there extra fees? On my last order, there was a remote-area fee on top of the shipping price.
4. Is there a commission? My agent charges a fixed fee, so I add it to my costs.
5. Will I get a tracking code? You want to follow your order.

Then add everything up. That total is what you'll really pay to get your goods home.

Conclusion: DDP keeps importing simple

If you're new to importing from China, DDP is the easiest way to start.

Here's the short version:

• EXW: you handle everything after the seller's door.
• DAP: it comes to you, but taxes and customs are on you.
• DDP: it comes to you with taxes and duties paid.

I always choose DDP because it gives me zero problems. No customs headaches. No surprises at the door.

My advice: before your next order, ask for a DDP quote, check what's included, and add every fee to your numbers. Then you'll know exactly what you're paying before your goods leave China.