The world is gradually moving to the “online side,” many people are now buying online and outside their country. Buying items from China has become a lot easier, all because of ePacket delivery. It’s not uncommon to hear, “what is ePacket shipping?” To be at an advantage over China merchants, it’s necessary to know what ePacket dropshipping is and why it keeps growing popular as a shipping method from Hong Kong and China.
If you source products from AliExpress (using a dropshipping plugin) and dropship to customers, then you can’t fail to miss reading this article. You’ll get to learn about ePacket shipping time and ePacket from China.
Table of Contents
- What is ePacket?
- What is ePacket shipping?
- What is ePacket tracking?
- What is ePacket delivery?
- Which countries have ePacket shipping available?
- How long does ePacket take to deliver from China to the US?
- How to track an ePacket
- How do I know if my shipment is an ePacket delivery?
- Will the customer have to pay customs/duties/taxes with ePacket shipping?
- How does ePacket work on AliExpress? What’s about Dropshipping?
- Ultimately, what’s the benefit of the ePacket service?
- ePacket Shipping in 2020
What is ePacket?
ePacket is a faster shipping option offered by 3PL (Third-Party Logistics Providers) in Hong Kong and China. The benefits of using ePacket include its affordability and swiftness for light packages.Before now, China EMS was popular among dropshippers as it was the only reasonable and affordable shipping option for customers abroad. But then, it takes more than a month in some cases before buyers receive their orders.The United States Postal Service introduced ePacket in 2011. It’s a shipping service and agreement with eBay China and Hongkong Post to allow packages from Hong Kong and China to get USPS First Class Mail service with confirmation of delivery. It means the ePacket delivery is actual if you dropship on eBay as well.
What is ePacket shipping?
You need to know:
This shipping option was made for ecommerce, allowing buyers to get their orders faster and affordably. Merchants who sell online on websites like AliExpress and eBay often offer an epacket shipping option if the parcel to be delivered meets the shipping requirements.
When it comes to epacket china to USA shipping, the USPS has its requirements. The maximum length of the parcel that can be shipped via epacket shipping is 24 inches (60cm), whereas the height, thickness, and length cannot be over 36 inches (90cm). Also, the package to be shipped should weigh more than 4.4 pounds (2kg) or cost more than $400 in value.Likewise, the package must be shipped from Hong Kong or China to any of the eligible epacket countries.
What is ePacket tracking?
ePacket tracking allows customers to track their packages without hassle. With an improved end-to-end tracking feature, customers can monitor their packages on official websites like USPs, China Post, or EMS. Mails that didn’t go through are returned for free, allowing merchants to refund buyers who don’t get their purchase.
Remember: ePacket tracking reduces the hassle on the customer support team, as well as lets customers self-serve themselves.
What is ePacket delivery?
ePacket delivery started as an affordable and quick shipping option for merchants selling from China and Hong kong to ship items to the USA. Carriers who operate within the country where the delivery will be made ensure the package gets to the recipient. However, each local carrier has its terms, processes, and package requirements.
The carrier in Hong Kong and China brings the item to the border, where it’s forwarded to the destination country through an international carrier. When it gets to the destination country, a local carrier picks it and delivers it to the customer.
It would be nice to know that epacket delivery doesn’t cover deliveries done by destination carriers. The latter determines if a parcel gets to the recipient’s doorstep. Technically, ePacket caters to the journey to customs.
Which countries have ePacket shipping available?
Before you ask, “how long does ePacket take?” It’s best to know if your country is eligible for ePacket shipment. Here’s a list of countries that are available for ePacket shipping.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Canada
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Gibraltar
- Great Britain
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Russia
- Singapore
- Spain
- South Korea
- Sweden
- Switzerland
How long does ePacket take to deliver from China to the US?
E-packet shipping is quite affordable and fast. On average, it can take about 10-20 days for an item traveling to the USA to get to its destination country. Other countries eligible for ePacket shipping might have similar shipping time.
About half of that time is spent getting the item to its destination country. The remaining half of that time is spent reaching the proper facilities before the parcel is delivered to the recipients. It’s important to note that factors like customs, holidays and even the actual destination can make shipping times vary.
ePacket shipping is pretty fast, considering the number of packages being processed simultaneously daily. The best part is that customers can track their packages easily.
How to track an ePacket
Buyers can perform ePacket tracking in the USA or any other eligible country in any of these ways:
Firstly, they can track their parcels on any of the official websites. This largely depends on where the shipment is in transit. If the package is in the US, you can use USPS. EMS becomes handy if the package is still in China.
If you can’t use any of the official websites, you can use any third-party tracking services, and these include:
Is my Shipment an ePacket delivery?
If you order via AliExpress dropshipping, check under Orders, click View Detail and check Logistic Information. Under International Shipping Company, the shipping method used will be clearly indicated. If the parcel was sent using ePacket, it should show “ePacket” with its unique tracking number.
It’s good to note that ePacket tracking numbers often start with “L.” So, if there is no ePacket tracking number that starts with “L,” then it’s clear another shipping method was used.
Will the customer have to pay customs/duties/taxes with ePacket shipping?
ePacket deliveries, just like many other shipping methods, undergo traditional custom clearances. These import duties on dropshipping products may require customers to make additional fees upon arrival of their parcel.
Ask the seller about any upfront taxes or fees they might have experienced when sending items to your country in the past. Likewise, check your local laws to be informed about the possible taxes you might pay for certain types of items.
How does ePacket work on AliExpress? What’s about Dropshipping?
If you use Ali2Woo and dropship from AliExpress, then you should be conversant with ePacket shipping. ePacket shipping allows your customers to get their orders within a short timeframe, as well as track it while it’s on transit.
For many merchants and customers, ePacket AliExpress shipping is the most consistent owing to its affordability and swiftness. Since ePacket shipping is inexpensive, you can offer your buyers free shipping on certain orders, this will boost your numbers.
Nothing beats providing your customers with a real-time update on their orders. As a dropshipper, users on your site should be able to receive their tracking codes by email or see them on the account page. You might want to add a special page in your store where customers can see their tracking codes too. There’s an easy way to make this happen – install our tracking shipment plugin.
Ultimately, what’s the benefit of the ePacket service?
With ePacket shipping service, you’ll have a competitive advantage of speedy delivery. For customers who might not be patient enough to wait for a longer delivery time, an ePacket shipping option will help you fulfill their orders.
Competition isn’t slowing down. If you figure what your customers really want and can give it to them, you can stand out with your offers and results.
ePacket Shipping in 2020
According to the United States, there are plans to exit the UPU (Universal Postal Union) treaty. This is raising questions about its potential on ePacket shipping. While the withdrawal is not very certain yet, the US says it will focus on negotiating better rates. The new rates might mean increased shipping fee from China to the US.
Comments open