12 questions to ask before choosing a China fulfilment partner
The questions brands ask us most before moving fulfilment to China, what a good answer looks like, and how ShopRest answers each one.
Why these 12 questions?
Brands that make products in China and sell in the US, Europe or Australia usually compare several fulfilment partners before they move. The same questions come up every time. Below is each question, what a good answer looks like, and how ShopRest answers it. Figures are reference ranges reviewed on 13 October 2026; the formal quote takes precedence.
1. Can one account and one contact run the whole model?
A good answer names one account manager who owns the China warehouse, the overseas warehouses, the routes and the exceptions. ShopRest: yes. One account covers the China hub, every warehouse and every route, with a named account manager as your main contact.
2. Which countries ship from local stock, and which ship direct from China?
Ask for a country-by-country list, not "worldwide". ShopRest holds stock in a China hub in Shanghai and in local warehouses in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany (serving other EU countries) and Sydney (serving New Zealand). China direct covers the US, the UK, Europe by country, Canada, Japan and Australia.
3. Do you handle both single parcels and bulk transfers?
You need both: single orders to customers, and bulk shipments that refill overseas warehouses. They should be planned and priced separately. ShopRest does both; bulk transfers go by air or sea and are quoted per shipment.
4. What are the size and weight limits?
Long or heavy products are where plans break. Ask for the warehouse limits and the limits of each lane. ShopRest's Shanghai warehouse accepts up to 100 cm on any side and 10 kg per SKU. Each lane and each local carrier has its own size rules, so send your real packed carton sizes and we confirm the lanes that fit.
5. How is weight charged?
Ask whether a lane bills on actual weight or volumetric weight, and which divisor it uses. On ShopRest's China-direct lanes the published cards bill on actual weight. Local warehouses follow their carriers: for example the US 7-day service uses length × width × height ÷ 6000 above 1 lb, and some European zonal areas use ÷ 5000.
6. What are the delivery times?
A good answer gives one set of figures per market and uses it everywhere. ShopRest reference transit for general goods, in working days from dispatch: China direct economy to the US 6–12, the UK 6–10, Germany 6–10 and Australia 7–12; from local stock, the US 2–7 by service, Germany 3, and Sydney 1–10 by service.
7. Can you ship DDP, with duties and taxes shown separately?
DDP means the customer pays nothing at the door. Ask which routes support it and how duty, tax, payer and fees appear on the quote. ShopRest coordinates duty and tax on supported routes and lists each item on its own line. Plan around current rules: US duty-free de minimis has been suspended since 29 August 2025, the EU applies a temporary EUR 3 per item duty on low-value consignments from 1 July 2026, and the UK will remove its £135 duty relief by October 2028 at the latest.
8. What exactly will I pay?
Ask for every charge, not only shipping: receiving, storage, pick and pack, packaging, value-added work, shipping, bulk transfer, and duty and tax. Each should have a unit and a currency. ShopRest's local warehouse prices are per order and already include storage, putaway, dispatch, packaging and carriage; fuel, peak season and a failed delivery are extra.
9. Are there minimum volumes or long contracts?
Get this in writing before you start. ShopRest sets no minimum order volume for a first cooperation. Standard agreements run for 12 months. If you need to stop partway through, tell us in advance: we settle the account with you and help you handle any remaining stock. The exact terms are set out in your agreement.
10. How does the Shopify integration work?
Ask what syncs, in which direction, and whether stock in several warehouses shows in one place. ShopRest's Shopify app is available to approved merchants: products and SKUs sync, orders import, tracking and fulfilment status write back to Shopify, and stock across warehouses sits in one operating view.
11. Can you quote on my real carton?
A useful sample quote uses your packed sizes and weight, and compares China direct with local stock. The difference can be large. In one recent quote for a long 6 kg carton, delivery from US stock was about USD 13 per order, against roughly USD 100 China direct. For a product like that, local stock pays for itself quickly.
12. Do you have references, and what is the simplest way to start?
Partners should keep client names confidential, share anonymised cases, and arrange a reference call with a client who has agreed. If there is no case in your category, ask for a small pilot instead. ShopRest suggests starting with one market and a few SKUs: China direct for a small test where the route allows, or one regional warehouse from launch for heavy or long products. Add markets later from the same China stock.
What to send for a quote
Packed sizes and weight per SKU, whether anything contains batteries or electronics, declared value per item, target markets and rough monthly orders. With those, we can quote China direct and local stock side by side.