DHL · Air · Sea · FOB · CIF · DDP
A US$3,200 laser leaving Shenzhen has three realistic routes: express courier in under a week, air freight in one to two, or sea freight in a month at a third of the cost. The right answer depends on the machine weight, your cash flow and whether you can wait. Below are the numbers we actually quote, and the customs mistakes that cost buyers the most.
| Route | Transit | Indicative cost | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express courier (DHL/FedEx) | 4–7 days door to door | US$180–420 for a 60–70 kg machine | One unit, urgent, buyer can clear customs |
| Air freight | 7–12 days plus clearance | US$5.5–8 per kg, minimum 45 kg | Two to five units, or a spare handpiece bundle |
| Sea LCL | 25–40 days plus clearance | US$120–220 per CBM plus destination charges | Three or more machines, or palletised consumables |
| Sea FCL 20ft | 25–40 days | US$1,400–2,600 port to port | A full clinic fit-out — 12+ machines |
The Incoterm decides where your responsibility starts. Suppliers quote FOB because it is the cheapest number on the page, not because it is best for you — with FOB the freight and the customs clearance are yours to arrange, and a first-time importer discovers the destination charges after the goods have shipped.
| Term | Seller pays | You pay | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Nothing beyond the factory | Everything, including export clearance | Buyers with their own forwarder — rare |
| FOB Shenzhen | Export clearance, loading | Freight, insurance, duty, destination charges | Experienced importers |
| CIF | Freight and insurance to your port | Duty, clearance, inland delivery | Buyers who want one less contract to manage |
| DDP | Everything to your door, duty included | Nothing until delivery | First orders, small clinics, no customs account |
Aesthetic lasers are classified under HS 8543.70 or 9018.90 depending on the customs authority's reading and the device's claimed function. The classification decides the duty rate, so it is worth confirming before the first shipment rather than arguing about it afterwards.
| Market | Typical duty | VAT/GST | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | 0% under 9018.90 (medical) or up to 3.7% under 8543.70 | 19–27% import VAT, recoverable | MDR registration before first sale; VAT is payable at import even when recoverable |
| United Kingdom | 0% (medical) or 3.7% | 20% VAT, recoverable | MHRA registration; UKCA/CE documentation |
| United States | 0–2.6% depending on classification | No VAT; state sales tax on resale | FDA establishment registration and 510(k) if applicable |
| UAE | 5% | 5% VAT | MOHAP device registration; Arabic labelling |
| Saudi Arabia | 5–15% | 15% VAT | SFDA registration is slow — start early |
| Australia | 0–5% | 10% GST | TGA listing if making therapeutic claims |
It looks like a saving until the shipment is detained and the fine is calculated on the retail price. Customs authorities see the same machine every week and they know what it costs.
A 60 kg crate is not a sample. Detention, reclassification, or a demand for a valuation — and your freight forwarder stops taking your calls.
With FOB or CIF, terminal handling, documentation and delivery order fees arrive separately and can add 15–25% to the freight line. Ask for an all-in quote before you compare suppliers on price.
A machine held at customs because the declaration of conformity is a scanned photo of a different model is a machine you cannot bill for. Documents travel in the crate and by email before dispatch.
Machines ship in a foam-lined flight case inside a double-wall carton; sea freight adds a wooden crate. Every shipment is photographed before sealing, and the photos go to you — not because we expect a claim, but because a claim without photos of the packing is a claim that gets argued for six weeks.
Insurance is included on CIF and DDP terms at 110% of invoice value. On FOB you insure it yourself, and we recommend you do: a laser that arrives with a cracked sapphire is a US$360 part, but one that arrives with a bent chassis is a write-off.
Yes, to the EU, UK, US, UAE, Australia and most of Southeast Asia. DDP means we pay the duty and the customs clearance, and you receive a delivery note rather than a customs invoice. It costs 8–12% more than CIF but removes every surprise.
Stock machine: 3–7 days to dispatch, then 4–7 days by courier — about two weeks door to door. OEM with your branding: 20–25 days production, then shipping. The step that delays most first orders is the buyer's own import registration, not our production.
Photograph the crate before opening, then the machine, then the damage. Send us those three sets within 48 hours and we replace or repair at our cost, including freight. Without the crate photos, the claim becomes a conversation with the insurer rather than with us.
Diode and IPL aesthetic devices at these power levels are not dual-use controlled in most destinations, so no export licence is required from China. Higher-power Nd:YAG and some military-adjacent wavelengths are controlled — we will tell you if your model falls into that category.
Yes, and it usually saves 30–40% on freight. One crate, one set of documents, one customs entry, one delivery. If you are fitting out a clinic, place the order as one shipment even if the machines come from different production runs.
LadyWW Beauty Tech · aesthetic equipment wholesale
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