Freight
The ocean, air, or rail leg from origin to destination, including origin handling and export clearance.
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Solutions · DDP shipping
DDP shipping from China, with the duty line written down before you agree to it.
Delivered Duty Paid means one number covers freight, customs entry, duty, taxes, and delivery to your door. It only works honestly when every one of those components is named — so we itemise them rather than hiding a thin margin inside a round figure.
All-induty and taxes included
Itemisedcomponents named
US · EU · UK · AUcore markets
24hquote turnaround
What DDP covers
Five things inside one number.
A DDP quote that will not break these out is asking you to trust a round figure. Ours names each component so you can compare it against a FOB quote properly.
Customs entry
Classification, the import entry, and the broker work at destination.
Duty and taxes
Import duty at your product's classification, plus VAT, GST, or the destination's equivalent, and market-specific fees.
Final-mile delivery
Drayage and delivery to the door, distribution centre, or fulfilment centre appointment.
Where DDP goes wrong
The DDP quotes you should walk away from.
A round number with no breakdown
If duty is not itemised, you cannot tell whether it was calculated from your classification or guessed. Guessed duty becomes a supplementary invoice later, or a misdeclaration.
Nobody named as importer of record
Someone has to be legally responsible for the entry. If the quote does not say who, the answer is usually nobody — which is a problem discovered at the border.
Under-declared value
Cheap DDP is sometimes cheap because the declared value is wrong. That exposure sits with the importer, not the forwarder who quoted it.
Incoterms compared
DDP against the terms you are probably comparing it with.
The difference is where responsibility transfers and who carries the customs risk. There is no universally correct choice, only the one that matches your capability at the destination.
| Term | You are responsible for | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| EXW | Everything from the supplier's door onward | You have a forwarder and full control at origin |
| FOB | Freight, insurance, and destination import | You have a customs broker and an import entity |
| DAP | Import duty, taxes, and clearance at destination | You want freight handled but will file your own entry |
| DDP | Nothing until the cargo reaches your door | You have no import entity or want a fixed landed cost |
How it works
Classify, quote, move, deliver.
01 — Classify
Get the HS code right
Duty is calculated from classification, so the code is settled first. A DDP number built on a wrong code is wrong in whichever direction you find out later.
02 — Quote
Itemise the landed cost
Freight, entry, duty, taxes, and delivery are shown separately and totalled, along with who is importer of record.
03 — Move
Ship and file
Cargo moves on the agreed mode while the entry documents are prepared to the destination's deadlines.
04 — Deliver
Cleared, paid, delivered
Duty and taxes are settled by us and the cargo is delivered to the agreed address. No release invoice reaches you.
FAQ
DDP shipping FAQ
What DDP covers, how it compares with DAP and FOB, and who carries the risk.
What does DDP shipping mean?
Delivered Duty Paid is an Incoterm where the seller or forwarder bears all cost and risk until goods reach the named destination, including import duty, taxes, and clearance. In practice it means one number covers everything and nothing is billed to you on delivery. It is the simplest term for an importer without a customs broker or import entity at destination.
What is the difference between DDP and DAP?
Under DAP the cargo is delivered to your address but import duty, taxes, and clearance remain yours to arrange and pay. Under DDP those are included. DAP suits importers with their own broker and entity who want the freight handled; DDP suits importers who want a fixed landed cost and no customs work at all.
Is DDP shipping cheaper than FOB?
Usually not, and it is not meant to be. DDP bundles duty, taxes, brokerage, and delivery that you would otherwise pay separately under FOB, plus the cost of carrying that risk. It is worth paying for when it removes work you cannot do well, and worth avoiding when you already have a broker and can file entries more cheaply yourself. Compare a DDP quote against FOB plus your own realistic duty and clearance costs, not against the FOB freight line alone.
Who is the importer of record on a DDP shipment?
It must be established before booking, and any forwarder who cannot answer it clearly is one to avoid. Depending on the market and product, it may be us, a designated import entity, or you. The answer determines who carries the compliance exposure if the entry is later questioned, which is why we put it in writing on the quote rather than leaving it implied.
Can you ship DDP to Amazon FBA?
Yes, where the product, importer arrangement, and destination qualify. FBA is a common DDP use case because Amazon will not act as importer of record, so the alternative is arranging your own entry. We spell out the duty, tax, brokerage, and delivery responsibilities so DDP into FBA is an operating decision rather than a vague assurance.
DDP quote
Get an itemised landed cost, not a round number.
Send the product, value, volume, and destination. One agent replies with freight, entry, duty, taxes, and delivery shown separately — and names the importer of record.
Get an itemised landed cost, not a round number.
Send the product, value, volume, and destination. One agent replies with freight, entry, duty, taxes, and delivery shown separately — and names the importer of record.