Cost of Shipping Small Package From Hong Kong ?

[HTSS_TR]

There are some sellers from Hong Kong on Amazon selling small LED flashlight for $3.xx with free shipping.

They have to pay Amazon selling fees, probably about 10-15% of the selling price so their remaining is less than $3. It probably costs them $1 and if they make 50 cents profit then shipping a 2-3 oz flashlight from Hong Kong to US costs them about $1.50 or less.

To ship a small package weight less than 5-6 oz within a city in US by any shipper costs more than $2-3. The distance from Hong Kong to Los Angeles is about 7,000 miles(plus 3000 miles to New York if buyer is there), how the cost of mailing/shipping so low ? Is it heavily subsidy by the Hong Kong government ?

 

[Lead Shoes]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Is it heavily subsidy by the Hong Kong government ?


I've wondered that for years, does anybody know exactly why their shipping is garbage cheap for 5x the distance compared to ours???

 

[NMBurb02]

Getting it from Hong Kong to LA is the cheap part. It is only a few ounces out of the tons of product it is sharing the boat with. Paying US wages for handling it once it gets off the boat, sorting, and getting it from the port to your front door is probably where most of the cost comes in.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Getting it from Hong Kong to LA is the cheap part. It is only a few ounces out of the tons of product it is sharing the boat with. Paying US wages for handling it once it gets off the boat, sorting, and getting it from the port to your front door is probably where most of the cost comes in.


But most everything I order from Hong Kong or China comes here via Air. It least I think so, doubt I could get 1 week service being shipped via boat.

 

[RoGuE]

I believe I read somewhere that USPS actually has a special deal set up with China/HK Post just for these items. Also, like NMBurb mentioned:

http://www.worldslargestship.com/

 

[NHGUY]

I always thought that those selling in China were either company insiders selling overstock,or employees stealing the stuff.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: RoGuE
I believe I read somewhere that USPS actually has a special deal set up with China/HK Post just for these items. Also, like NMBurb mentioned:

http://www.worldslargestship.com/


This whole thing seems like dealextreme.com's business model. They sell $2 gadgets, shipped free, from across the ocean!

 

[kr_bitog]

Most of the sellers probably in HK, but the items/warehouse is in USA, they ship within USA to cut cost and shipping time.
The have shipped in bulk before to USA so cost is pretty much very low with the agreement of those DHL/UPS/Fedex.

 

[heynow]

Originally Posted By: kr_bitog
Most of the sellers probably in HK, but the items/warehouse is in USA, they ship within USA to cut cost and shipping time.
The have shipped in bulk before to USA so cost is pretty much very low with the agreement of those DHL/UPS/Fedex.


I've ordered many small inexpensive item like this, and most of them come directly from Hong Kong or China. Add me to the list of people amazed that I can buy something and have it shipped to my door from the other side of the plant cheaper than just the US shipping cost would be. Why does the USPS agree to deliver these items so inexpensively? Especially considering they are bankrupt?

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: heynow
I've ordered many small inexpensive item like this, and most of them come directly from Hong Kong or China. Add me to the list of people amazed that I can buy something and have it shipped to my door from the other side of the plant cheaper than just the US shipping cost would be.


Or... getting it quicker from overseas, as compared to the US Postal Service trying to deliver a package from some far off land called 'New York' or 'New Jersey'.

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
I always thought that those selling in China were either company insiders selling overstock,or employees stealing the stuff.


Why would you even think that?

Just because something is low priced you consider it stolen?

 

[01rangerxl]

I ordered a 1:43 scale model Bronco II off eBay that had to come from the manufacturer in Hong Kong. Shipping was the same as buying in the US. It didn't even take that long to get here, about a week if I remember right.

My truck has a front bumper and valance from Taiwan. That was pretty cheap to ship too.

Same for some lip spoiler I ordered for a C230, came from Taiwan or China.

Shipping from most of Asia doesn't cost much. I think getting it across the ocean is cheap.

 

[UncleS2]

Whatever the reason, you can get some small things delivered dirt cheap. A couple of years ago I bought a small, bare bones pillow speaker(plugs into radio/mp3 headphone/earphone jack) on an Evilbay Buy It Now for $1 shipped. As of a week ago you could still get the same pillow speaker from some sellers for as little as $1.65 shipped, from Hong Kong/China. Mine still works well afte more than 2 years. I've been tempted by some of those small 1xAA and 1xAAA high-output flashlights, but haven't ordered.

 

[Errtt]

Just today received a Amazon purchased item (among many other items) from HK and expected delivery earliest 11 April
Shipping was dirt cheap, items received way ahead that was expected, and noticed it had air ship on the label.
Don't make sense but I'm not going to question the cheap shipping rate, or the cheap item price.
Some of the other items received where I had to pay shipping, the shipping from within the states was more.
Other items were free shipping so for sure I won't question that.
I'm just a happy customer so far using Amazon.

add - never had a damaged item from Amazon yet although some packages were a little on the weak side on bubble wrapping