[Mr. Scumbag]

For those of you doing business or trying to do business exporting goods out of China, who is your primary shipper?

I'm thinking of starting a small-time business. I've read China Post is unreliable, and shipping goods in large quantities will get my packages searched or they'll just 'mysteriously' disappear. I assume DHL, FedEx will be similar?

Also, how about crossing the border into HK to ship things since it's cheaper there?

[GlobalMan]

Where are you shipping to? One place consistently or all over? Are we talking containers worth?

Or do you mean shipping direct to consumer small merchandise you're selling online?

[Sooth]

We import about $5000 worth of parts a month from China and I DHL everything where possible. DHL have proven to be the best for us at getting the packages here reliably and on time. They also have the best tracking. I've never had anything damaged either.

China post is easily the worst.

It's going to depend whether you're shipping direct to customer or to an agent. If you're shipping direct to the customer it's going to be difficult because different countries and states have different shipping structures.

For example DHL is so good here because they went 50:50 in a joint venture with our state owned postal system. If I get something in on Fedex it ends up being delivered by some hick guy in a 90s Toyota Corolla station wagon with a magnetic Fedex sticker on the side of it about a week late.

If you're shipping to agents in different countries then you can use what ever the best one is in that region.

[Ski pro]

I just ordered something from China, only about 600usd worth and it's being shipped via dhl to Switzerland.

I'll update how I get on.