China-warehouse fulfilment, chargeable weight, lane cost and exception ownership — for brands that source in China.
Black Friday is 27 November 2026 and Cyber Monday 30 November. This is the first sale season with both the EU €3 low-value duty and the new €2 handling fee, and the second without US de minimis. Here is what each change costs on a typical order, the peak surcharge, stock and order dates, and a checklist to finish before the sale.
China-direct parcels to the United States are billed on actual weight: a freight rate per kilogram plus a per-parcel fee. On the economy lane a 0.25 kg parcel costs about USD 8, 1 kg about USD 20 and 5 kg about USD 88. Here are the reference prices by weight, what they leave out, the size limits, and when a US warehouse is cheaper.
China-direct parcels to the United Kingdom are billed on actual weight: a freight rate per kilogram plus a per-parcel fee of about GBP 2.15. On the economy lane a 0.25 kg parcel costs about GBP 3.53, 1 kg about GBP 8 and 5 kg about GBP 34. Here are the reference prices by weight, what they leave out, and when the UK warehouse is cheaper.
China-direct parcels to Canada are billed on actual weight: a freight rate per kilogram plus a per-parcel fee of about CAD 5.30 to 5.75. On the economy lane a 0.25 kg parcel costs about CAD 9, 1 kg about CAD 21 and 5 kg about CAD 90. Here are the reference prices by weight, the CAD 20 duty threshold that matters for parcels from China, and the size limits.
China-direct parcels to Germany are billed on actual weight: about EUR 7.19 per kilogram plus EUR 3.46 per parcel on the economy lane above 0.3 kg. A 0.25 kg parcel costs about EUR 5.26, 1 kg about EUR 10.65 and 5 kg about EUR 39. Here are the reference prices by weight, the EU small-parcel duty and handling fee on top, and when the Germany warehouse is cheaper.
A returned piece of clothing only becomes sales again if someone receives it, matches it, decides what to do with it and puts it back on the shelf. Here is how that works in ShopRest's Sydney warehouse, how long it takes, what we charge brands in AUD, and the one habit that saves the most time and money.
Since 1 November 2026 the EU has charged a €2 Union handling fee on goods sold from outside the EU to EU consumers, on top of the €3 temporary duty that has applied since July. For a typical low-value garment shipped direct from China, fees now exceed the freight. Here is how the fee is counted, what changes on the declaration, and when moving best-sellers into a German warehouse makes sense.
Wefulfil Australia is a strong choice for Australian DTC brands that want China-direct shipping, low-MOQ branding and duties handled for the customer. If you need a public rate card, stock in your own US, UK or EU warehouse, or a self-serve app, these are the alternatives worth checking, with what each one publishes and who it suits.
Some China fulfilment providers publish their fees; others quote after a call. We compared what Honest FulPhilment, NextSmartShip, ChinaDivision, Wefulfil, an Australian 3PL and ShopRest put on their own websites in October 2026, and what to ask for when a number is missing.
We read the published shipping policies of 48 Australian brands across swimwear, activewear, kidswear, homewares, jewellery and footwear and bags. Only nine say duties are paid at checkout; the rest leave the customer to pay on delivery. Standard rates to the US cluster between about USD 5 and 25, flat international rates between AUD 16 and 50, and most international orders still leave from Australia by express courier or Australia Post.
We checked 24 Australian swimwear labels: 20 ship overseas orders from Australia, typically about USD 15 to the US and GBP 15 to the UK; 11 publish no international price and only 3 include duties at checkout.
For delivery before 25 December 2026, China-direct parcels to the US should reach our Shanghai warehouse by 14 December (20 December at the very latest), to Australia by 11 December on the standard lane, and to Germany by 8 December. Orders from Sydney and US warehouse stock can be placed until 22 December. Here are the dates for every lane, the peak surcharge and what happens over Chinese New Year.
An Australian brand that manufactures in China has six realistic ways to fulfil orders: an Australian 3PL, an Australia-focused China 3PL such as Wefulfil, a global China 3PL, a sourcing agent with a warehouse, a dropshipping platform, or a China hub plus local warehouses like ShopRest. Here is who each one suits, what each publishes about price, and where ShopRest is not the right choice.
China-direct parcels to Australia are priced per kilogram plus a per-parcel fee, so a 0.2 kg parcel costs about AUD 7 and a 5 kg parcel about AUD 51. Sydney local delivery is cheaper from roughly 0.4 kg up. Here are the reference prices by weight, what they include, and the size limits.
If your products are made in China, your Shopify orders can ship from a China warehouse without the stock ever coming to Australia first. Here is how the setup works step by step: connecting the store, sending stock in, routing rules, the trial order, what the customer sees, and where GST and returns fit.
Most Australian swimwear and apparel brands pay AUD 15–50 to send an international order out of Melbourne or Sydney. If the product is made in China, the same 0.25 kg parcel can ship from a China warehouse for about USD 7.80 to the US or GBP 3.50 to the UK. How it works, what duties change, and how to split a production run.
The questions brands ask us most before moving fulfilment to China, what a good answer looks like, and how ShopRest answers each one.
Goods of £135 or less sold to UK customers still use seller-collected VAT, and the £135 customs-duty relief still applies. The UK government has confirmed that relief will be removed, with new arrangements by October 2028 at the latest.
Since 29 August 2025, low-value parcels into the United States no longer enter duty-free under de minimis. Duty can apply to every parcel and is quoted separately from logistics. Here is how to plan China direct and US warehouse shipping.
The seller or marketplace collects 10% GST at checkout on goods up to AUD 1,000 into Australia, and 15% on goods up to NZD 1,000 into New Zealand. Who collects it, and what it changes for China-direct orders.
Ship from China when a SKU is new, slow or sold in several countries. Ship from Sydney when it sells steadily in Australia and the customer expects fast local delivery. The two prices answer different questions, so compare them on the same basis.
China direct bills apparel on actual weight, so a light garment in a bulky mailer is not charged for air. Sydney standard and express switch to volumetric weight above 3 kg, which matters for multi-unit orders.
A route page shows the logistics price for one parcel. The formal quote adds warehouse handling, tax and the charges that apply only when a shipment uses them. Read both layers before comparing providers.
A trial shipment checks the label, the actual weight and the tracking handoff on the lane you will use. Here is what to prepare, what happens in each step and what to check before you move more stock.
Exceptions and returns are recorded separately and each has a named owner. A returned unit can be restocked, held, disposed of or claimed. Here is how each case is handled and what to agree before you start.
Vision QC, path suggestions, and exception flags — AI speeds warehouse decisions without replacing the warehouse.
AMRs, sortation, and goods-to-person are moving from pilots to capacity tools — if the use case and ROI match.
Since 1 July 2026, EU parcels of €150 or less pay a temporary €3 duty per item category on IOSS and postal shipments, plus a €2 handling fee from 1 November. VAT is separate. Here is how it is calculated and what it changes for a China-direct order.
The point is not a prettier dashboard — it is earlier, explainable replenishment and reservation decisions.
Get a quote and we'll map fulfilment setup — products, markets, and timelines.