Updated
The short answer
From the day your shipment leaves our Guangzhou warehouse to the day it reaches your door: about 4–5 working days by air, 2–3 weeks by Sea LCL and 3–4 weeks by Sea by kg. Before that comes the seller's own delivery inside China, and however long you let your parcels wait for each other.
| Leg | Who carries it | How long |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Seller → our Guangzhou warehouse | A China courier the seller picks | Depends on each seller. Your shopping app shows the courier and the tracking |
| 2. At our warehouse | Us | Your choice: parcels wait free for up to 45 days until you send your order list |
| 3. Guangzhou → your door, by air | Us, then a local courier | est. 4–5 working days |
| 3. Guangzhou → your door, Sea LCL | Us, then a local courier | est. 2–3 weeks |
| 3. Guangzhou → your door, Sea by kg | Us, then a local courier | est. 3–4 weeks |
Every time on this page is an estimate, not a promise. The last step is a local courier who sets the delivery day and time, so we can't promise a delivery date.
Leg 1: the seller's delivery to Guangzhou
When you check out on Taobao, 1688, JD or Pinduoduo with our warehouse address, the seller hands the parcel to a China courier. How fast it moves is up to the seller and that courier, not us, so this leg is different for every order.
- Where to see it: open the order in your shopping app and tap 查看物流. It shows the courier, the tracking number and each update.
- Made-to-order items take longer. Furniture made after you order can take a while to leave the factory. Tell us early if one of your orders may be slow.
- A wrong address slows it down. Without your PT code at the end of the address, the warehouse has to match the parcel by name, which is slower. With your own phone number instead of the warehouse number, the courier can't deliver and the parcel stalls.
The address set-up is in Taobao shipping to Singapore and 1688 and wholesale orders.
Leg 2: time at our warehouse
This leg is mostly in your hands. Nothing ships until you send your order list, and you send it when everything has arrived.
- Storage is free for up to 45 days from the day each parcel arrives, so early parcels can wait for late ones. We can't keep parcels past 45 days.
- Check arrivals yourself. We don't send arrival messages. Paste your China tracking numbers into Track Parcel.
- Send your order list once everything is in. We weigh and measure, and invoices go out in a daily evening batch.
- Pay within 24 hours. We dispatch after payment, and that is when you get your tracking number for the trip to Singapore.
- We dispatch Monday to Saturday. The warehouse rests on Sundays, so nothing leaves that day.
- Sea shipments go out weekly. The cut-off day varies, so WhatsApp us if you're aiming for a particular sailing.
One late parcel? You can wait and ship everything together, or ship what has arrived now and send the rest next time. Shipping together usually costs less, because the first kg is charged once. The steps are in how to ship from China to Singapore.
Leg 3: Guangzhou to your door in Singapore
| Method | Door to door | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air | est. 4–5 working days | S$13.00 for 1 kg, S$21.80 for 2 kg; S$8.80/kg from 5 kg; S$8.50/kg from 31 kg | Small, urgent or valuable parcels |
| Sea by kg | est. 3–4 weeks | S$8.00 first kg + S$2.50 per extra kg | Smaller loads, up to about 33 kg |
| Sea LCL | est. 2–3 weeks | S$90.00 up to 0.4 m³; then by volume | Furniture, bulky items, many boxes |
These estimates are door to door. They already include:
- the flight or the sailing from China,
- customs clearance in Singapore, which we handle,
- the local courier's delivery to your address.
So there's nothing to add on top for customs or for the last mile. Sea LCL is usually the quicker of the two sea options and is priced by volume; Sea by kg is priced by weight and suits smaller loads. Rates and rules for each are in air freight and sea freight.
We can't speed up a shipment once it is with Singapore customs. More on clearance in import tax on goods from China.
Time against cost: three example parcels
Faster costs more, and the gap grows with size. Air and Sea by kg charge the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight (length × width × height in cm ÷ 5,000), each rounded up to a whole kg. Sea LCL charges by volume, rounded up to the next 0.1 m³.
| Parcel | Charged as | Air · est. 4–5 working days | Sea by kg · est. 3–4 weeks | Sea LCL · est. 2–3 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small box 30 × 20 × 15 cm, 2 kg | 2 kg | S$21.80 | S$10.50 | Not a fit: LCL starts at S$90.00 |
| Large carton 60 × 40 × 40 cm, 12 kg | 20 kg, or 0.1 m³ | S$176.00 | S$55.50 | S$90.00, more than by kg |
| Packed sofa-sized piece 200 × 90 × 80 cm, 45 kg | 288 kg, or 1.5 m³ | S$2,508.00, with the long and heavy fee | Ships as Sea LCL | S$207.00 |
Freight only; add 9% import tax on the value of your goods. From 34 kg, Sea by kg would pass S$90.00, so the shipment goes by Sea LCL instead.
Worked example: the large carton
60 × 40 × 40 cm ÷ 5,000 = 20 kg volumetric. The carton weighs 12 kg, so it's charged as 20 kg. The goods inside are worth S$300.00, so import tax is S$27.00.
By air, est. 4–5 working days: S$176.00 + S$27.00 = S$203.00.
By sea, by kg, est. 3–4 weeks: S$55.50 + S$27.00 = S$82.50.
Waiting the extra weeks saves S$120.50 on this carton.
Worked example: the sofa-sized piece
200 × 90 × 80 cm ÷ 5,000 = 288 kg volumetric, far above its 45 kg on the scale. By air that is S$2,448.00, plus S$60.00 because it's over 140 cm long: S$2,508.00. By Sea LCL it's 1.44 m³, rounded up to 1.5 m³: S$207.00, est. 2–3 weeks.
Try your own sizes in the calculator, the volumetric weight calculator or the CBM calculator. For a parcel of a kilo or two, see small parcel shipping.
The last step: local delivery in Singapore
After customs, a local courier brings your shipment to your door. This is part of the estimate above, not extra time.
- The courier sets the day and time. We can't book a slot or promise a date. On a busy day, whatever isn't delivered rolls over to the next working day.
- A message before delivery: for Sea LCL the courier messages you first. For air you will most likely hear from them. For Sea by kg they may not, so keep an eye on your tracking and stay contactable.
- Saturday deliveries happen sometimes, but we can't promise one.
- A call from an unknown number is most likely the driver. Pick up and arrange with them, and don't pay anyone who asks for money: check with us first.
- Bulky items go to your door when they fit your lift as packed. Malls and buildings with fixed delivery hours need a specific time. See Delivery conditions before you ship furniture.
What slows a shipment down
| Cause | What happens | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| 11.11 and the year-end peak | Shipping lines and airports are overloaded right after the sale. In past years, sea shipments in November and December have taken up to 3 to 5 weeks longer. | Shop early, get your parcels to the warehouse, and send your order list before the rush. Need it by a date? Pick air, and still leave room. |
| Chinese New Year | Our China warehouse closes for the holiday: no packing, no shipping. The first shipment usually leaves in the first or second week after we reopen. | Dispatch well before the closure. WhatsApp us for this year's dates. |
| Typhoons and bad weather | The warehouse may close early, and flights and vessels can be cancelled or rescheduled. | Nothing to do; we keep you posted. |
| Sensitive goods | They can take a day or two longer than Normal goods. | Allow for it, and declare them correctly. |
| A wrong declaration | The parcel has to be resent, which costs S$10.00 per parcel and adds time. | Check what you can ship before you buy. |
| A goods value that is too low | If customs questions the value, it can hold up your shipment and the others travelling with it. | Declare what you paid, and keep your order screenshots. |
| Appliances that need NEA registration | Air-cons, fridges, TVs and a few others must be registered before they ship. Approval usually takes about 7 working days. | Register before the seller ships. |
| Late payment | We dispatch after the invoice is paid. | Pay within 24 hours of the invoice. |
How to track each leg
- Leg 1, inside China: the order in your shopping app. When it says 已签收 (signed for), it has usually reached us.
- Leg 2, at our warehouse: paste the China tracking number into Track Parcel. No login. It shows Arrived once the parcel is with us.
- Leg 3, to Singapore: the same Track Parcel box shows Dispatched, with dates and places along the way.
The Chinese status words, and what to do when a number doesn't work, are in how to track a parcel from China. For the status of one particular shipment, WhatsApp us and our team checks it.
Questions people ask
How long does shipping from China to Singapore take?
From dispatch at our Guangzhou warehouse to your door: about 4–5 working days by air, 2–3 weeks by Sea LCL and 3–4 weeks by Sea by kg. These are estimates. Add the time your sellers take to deliver to the warehouse inside China.
How long does Taobao shipping to Singapore take in total?
Three parts: the seller's delivery to Guangzhou (your Taobao order shows it), the time your parcels wait for each other at the warehouse, then about 4–5 working days by air or 2–4 weeks by sea (est.) to your door.
How long does sea shipping from China to Singapore take?
About 2–3 weeks for Sea LCL, which is charged by volume, and about 3–4 weeks for Sea by kg. Both are door-to-door estimates and can run longer at peak times.
Is customs clearance included in the shipping time?
Yes. The estimates cover the trip from China, customs clearance in Singapore and the local courier's delivery. We can't speed up a shipment once it is with customs.
Can I choose my delivery date or time?
No. The local courier sets the day and time, and we can't book a slot or promise a date. Stay contactable once your tracking shows the shipment is in Singapore.
Does 11.11 delay shipping from China?
Yes. Shipping lines and airports are overloaded right after the sale. In past years sea shipments in November and December have taken up to 3 to 5 weeks longer. Shop early and send your order list before the rush.
Do you ship during Chinese New Year?
Our China warehouse closes for the holiday, so nothing is packed or shipped then. The first shipment usually leaves in the first or second week after we reopen. WhatsApp us for this year's dates.
Do you dispatch on weekends?
We dispatch Monday to Saturday. The warehouse rests on Sundays, and dispatch resumes on Monday.