In This Article
Why Book Your Freight with FlatFee Sourcing?
Traditional sourcing agents and freight forwarders often market themselves as free or cheap upfront, but they secretly pad your shipping quotes. We do the exact opposite. We pass the carrier's raw quote directly to you and charge a single, flat fee for our labor.
| Feature | Traditional Agents & Freight Forwarders | FlatFee Sourcing |
|---|---|---|
Freight Pricing | Marked-up rates. They add $0.50 to $1.50 per kg or pocket hidden rebates from carriers. | Direct Carrier Quotes. You pay the exact rate quoted by the shipping line, airline, or courier. |
Invoice Transparency | Opaque, bundled invoices. Local port fees and customs charges are hidden in one lump sum. | 100% Transparent. We hand over the original Chinese freight forwarder's quotation sheets. |
Sourcing Alignment | Conflict of interest. Higher shipping costs mean higher profits for them. | Client-First Alignment. Our $49 flat fee means we focus entirely on finding your cheapest route. |
1688 Factory Logistics | No support. They rarely help solve domestic pickup or EXW/FOB negotiation disputes. | Local Ground Control. We manage 1688 domestic logistics, factory delivery issues, and warehouse entry. |
Hidden Surcharges | Common. Unexpected "handling fees" or "documentation fees" added at the destination. | None. You only pay the pre-agreed carrier rate plus our fixed $49 service fee. |
What You Get for $49: Our Logistics Coordination Checklist
We do not own assets like ships or trucks, and we do not act as the freight forwarder. For a flat $49 coordination fee per shipment, our ground team acts as your remote shipping department inside China to introduce you to direct local freight rates.
3-Forwarder Quote Sourcing: We extract gather, volume, and commodity data from your order to gather and present real-time shipping options from 3 local Chinese freight forwarders.
Local Factory Pickup: Since 1688 suppliers quote domestic ex-factory prices, we arrange the local trucking from the factory gate to the export warehouse. (Note: Actual domestic freight is paid to the carrier at cost).
Logistics Document Review: We collect the factory's packing list and commercial invoice, reviewing them against your forwarder's requirements to help catch data discrepancies before customs filing.
Labeling Verification: We ensure the factory rDAP / DDU (Delivered At Place)eceives the correct shipping marks and Amazon FBA labels, and we request photo confirmation from the supplier prior to dispatch. (Note: For physical 100% compliant labeling checks, please use our Phase 8 FBA Prep service).
Milestone Tracking: We monitor your cargo's domestic transit from the factory floor to the forwarder's warehouse, ensuring the vessel booking is confirmed and handing over the tracking number or Bill of Lading to you.
Shipping Channels & Specialized Lines
We connect you with direct Chinese freight forwarders covering all major international shipping routes. Because we do not add markups to the freight cost, you get access to the actual local market rates for every channel.
Core Shipping Channels
Sea Freight (FCL / Full Container Load): Ideal for high-volume orders. We book standard 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft HQ containers directly with ocean carriers.
Sea Freight (LCL / Less than Container Load): Cost-effective shipping for smaller cargo volumes. Your goods share container space with other cargo, keeping costs low.
Air Freight (Standard & Economy): Fast airport-to-airport transport for high-value items, tight deadlines, or seasonal stock replenishment.
International Express (DHL / FedEx / UPS): Direct door-to-door courier services. Best for small packages, high-margin goods, or urgent inventory needs.
Specialized Lines & Customs Terms
Amazon FBA Dedicated Lines: Streamlined shipping routes tailored to Amazon's strict warehousing specifications.
DAP / DDU (Delivered At Place): The most transparent model. Freight-only booking where you pay import duties and taxes directly to customs when the cargo arrives, matching our open-book philosophy.
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): All-inclusive shipping where customs clearance and import duties are prepaid as a bundled rate in China. (Note: Because DDP uses consolidated customs clearances, individual itemized official tax receipts cannot be provided by the carriers).
How It Works
We manage the communication between your suppliers and the carriers so you do not have to double-check local Chinese shipping details.
Share Cargo Details: You send us your factory packing list, carton dimensions, total weight, and final delivery address.
Review Quotes & Choose: We fetch raw freight options from 3 local Chinese forwarders. You pick the route that fits your timeline and budget, then pay our $49 flat fee.
Track to Destination: Our team coordinates the domestic factory pickup, reviews the paperwork, and hands over your international tracking number or Bill of Lading.
Important Logistics Disclaimer
FlatFee Sourcing is a service-based coordination agent, not a freight forwarder, NVOCC, or shipping carrier.
No Carrier Liability: We do not assume financial or legal liability for cargo damage, losses, theft, or transit delays caused by shipping lines, airlines, couriers, or port authorities.
Customs & Inspections: Customs physical inspections, seizures, or unexpected duty assessments by destination country authorities are outside our control and are the sole responsibility of the importer of record (the client).
Insurance Recommended: We strongly advise all clients to purchase third-party cargo insurance through their chosen forwarder before the vessel departs China.
