What to prepare before requesting a freight quote from China

1 · Route: where from, where to

The origin is usually a city — where your supplier sits — rather than the port itself; “Shanghai” can mean a factory in Kunshan or one in Hangzhou, and the pickup differs. The destination is a port or airport plus the country. If you already know the destination port your consignee uses, say so; if not, say “nearest for importer in [city]” and the quote will show the options.

2 · Incoterm: whose job is each leg

The incoterm on your purchase order decides what the forwarder is actually asked to do. FOB means the origin side (pickup, export customs, terminal) belongs to the buyer’s forwarder — most likely why you are reading this. EXW adds the pickup responsibility; CIF or DAP add the main leg on the seller’s side. Quoting without knowing the term produces a number for the wrong scope — the most common reason a “cheap” quote gets expensive later.

3 · Cargo: what it actually is

“General merchandise” is not an answer. What the goods are determines packing, classification, and sometimes whether the shipment is ordinary at all. Name the product, and mention anything the cargo does: fragile, food-contact, battery-equipped, wooden-crated (which can require ISPM-15 heat treatment).

4 · Volume and weight

Cubic metres and kilograms. For LCL, also the per-package dimensions — consolidation charges by volume or weight, whichever is greater. For FCL, the carton count and dimensions tell the loader whether 28 cbm of cartons fits a 20’ or wants a 40’.

5 · Readiness

When the goods will actually be ready for pickup — not when you would like them to be. Quotes carry validity windows precisely because rates move; a realistic readiness date lets the quoted space match the shipment you will really ship.

6 · Special requirements, stated early

Cargo insurance (with the value to insure), documents your importer or bank requires, consular or certificate needs, delivery beyond the port of discharge. Everything mentioned at quotation is a line item; anything mentioned after loading is a negotiation.

7 · Frequency and horizon

One shipment or monthly routine? A forwarder scopes these differently — a one-off gets a clean transaction; a regular flow justifies locking a routine that survives a bad rate month. Tell us which you are.

8 · How to reach you, and where you decide

A direct email and a company name. If several people will be in the loop — importer, customs broker at destination — tell us who needs which document. Quotes stall when the answer lands with someone who cannot decide.

What happens next

With these eight details, a quotation should come back itemised — freight, origin charges, documentation, any extras — with a validity window and, where relevant, two modes side by side so you can see the trade-off instead of being sold one. If a quote arrives as one number with no lines, ask what is in it; a forwarder who will not itemise is telling you something.