FAQ

Step-by-Step Guide to Importing from China to India
  • Step 1: Finalize a deal with your supplier, including the agreed-upon rates. Ask them to deliver the goods to our Guangzhou warehouse.
  • Step 2: Make the payment to the supplier through alibaba.com’s secure payment link using your debit card. Alternatively, we can assist you with the payment process.
  • Step 3: We receive the delivery from your supplier, conduct a quality inspection, and share pictures with you. We then ship the goods by sea or air, according to your preference.
  • Step 4: We handle the Indian customs clearance process using our company’s Import Export Code (IEC) and pay the applicable duties.
  • Step 5: You pay our charges for freight, duty, and customs clearance. Once the payment is received, we deliver the goods to your doorstep.
The typical shipping time by sea is 35-50 days, depending on your city’s location. By air, it takes 7-12 days, also depending on your city.
No, you don’t need an IEC or import license. We can import the goods using our IEC and deliver them to you as a local sale within India, complete with a GST bill.
We act as your payment agent. You can pay us locally in India, and we ensure your supplier receives secure payment in USD or CNY, according to their requirements.
Yes, it is 100% safe. Just like Amazon and Flipkart, Alibaba is safe for online payments, especially with Alibaba Trade Assurance.
What is Alibaba Trade Assurance?

Alibaba Trade Assurance is a service that protects your payment and provides buyer protection when paying suppliers in China. Alibaba acts as a trusted intermediary between you and the seller. You transfer the funds to a designated Alibaba account held with Singapore City Bank. Alibaba releases the funds to the supplier only after the goods have passed a quality check and been shipped on time.


Your money is refunded if:
  • The shipment is delayed beyond the agreed-upon shipping date.
  • The goods do not meet the specified quality standards.

How does Alibaba Trade Assurance protect buyers?
When you send money directly to a supplier’s bank account, there’s typically no refund or chargeback mechanism. Alibaba Trade Assurance bridges this gap by holding your payment until you confirm the goods are satisfactory.
  • We are a Gold Supplier on alibaba.com with many years of experience.
  • Our company, established in 2004, is a leading brand in door-to-door import services from China to India, with over 15 years of experience.
  • We serve top importers in India across various industries, including furniture, shoes, gift items, cosmetics, and electronics. You can find testimonials from our clients on our website.
  • We have offices and a strong network of clients in almost all major cities in India.
  • Our domain registration date of 2002, verifiable on the who.is website, demonstrates our long-standing presence in the China-India trade sector.
  • You are welcome to visit our head office in Delhi.
Freight charges are variable depending on market prices. You may contact us for the current freight charges.
Freight charges are variable depending on market prices. You may contact us for the current freight charges.
  • We provide a guarantee in advance for your duty amount and customs clearance costs.
  • We will bear any extra charges due to customs delays or increases in duty.
  • With over 15 years of experience dealing with the Indian customs department, we have the expertise to handle these matters efficiently.
  • You make the payment to the Chinese supplier according to their requirements and timeline.
  • Our service charges for duty, freight, and customs clearance are payable after the goods arrive at our India warehouse and before we dispatch them to you.
We ship every day by sea and air, operating a dedicated transport line from China to India.
  • Yes, After receiving your products at our China warehouse, we conduct a random quality and quantity check of 5-10% of the goods.
  • We inform you of the results and assist in raising a complaint with the supplier if any discrepancies are found.
  • While 100% examination is not always feasible, it can be arranged at an additional cost depending on the volume of goods.
This is a misconception. China manufactures and sells goods of all quality levels. In recent years, Chinese products have significantly improved in quality and often meet international standards.
You can potentially save more than 40% by buying directly from China. Moreover, you’ll have a much wider selection of products to choose from.
  • Obtain a proforma invoice from your chosen vendor and send us a copy.
  • We’ll provide you with a landed cost estimate, including all expenses up to your doorstep.
  • We’ll manage the payment to your vendor, handle inspection, shipping, and deliver the product to you.
  • FCL stands for Full Container Load, and LCL stands for Less than Container Load. These are common terms in international shipping.
  • FCL is generally the most cost-effective option for large shipments.
  • However, even if you don’t have enough goods for a full container, we may still recommend FCL as it can be more efficient and convenient than LCL.
Sea shipments typically take a bit longer time for door-to-door delivery, while air shipments take 7-8 days.
Yes, we can. Our local offices will coordinate with your vendors, collect the goods, and consolidate them for shipping.
Most items fall under the Open General License (OGL). However, certain goods require specific permissions or licenses, such as cosmetics (ADC permission), wireless equipment (WPC certificate), and edible items (FSSAI permission). When you import through us, we handle obtaining the necessary permissions and licenses on your behalf.
Yes, we have a strict privacy policy and do not share your information with any third parties.
Under limited liability, damaged or lost cargo is assessed by weight, not value. That is to say, there is no guarantee of recovery against a carrier for the full amount of the loss and damage and your compensation may be dramatically less than the commercial value of the goods. However, we recommend goods are adequately covered by insurance. We can buy your freight insurance easily with big discount.
With over 15 years of experience and a proven track record, we are a highly experienced and professional logistics partner. We have served many importers in India with a complaint rate of less than 0.5%. Our eight partners in China and India ensure easy communication and comprehensive support throughout the import process.
You can use Chinese suppliers for sourcing, but it’s advisable to use our logistics services. Chinese suppliers may not have the expertise or resources to handle Indian customs clearance and navigate complex Indian laws effectively.
We can source any product, having worked with almost every industry over the past 15 years.
No, there’s no MOQ. We have daily shipments from China to India, allowing us to consolidate your goods with our bulk shipments and pass on the benefits of bulk buying to you.
We are flexible and can tailor our services to your specific needs. You can opt for our full service, from sourcing to door delivery, or engage us only for the logistics part if you prefer to handle sourcing yourself.
Lecong town in Foshan city has a large wholesale furniture market where you can find furniture for your home, villa, office, or hotel at significant savings. We have an partners in Foshan and can assist you with sourcing the best furniture at reasonable prices.
Yes, we provide warehouse facilities in both China and India.
Suppliers usually take 5-15 days for delivery, depending on the order quantity. For smaller retail quantities, they often have ready stock available.
We can help you plan your sourcing trip to China, starting with visa assistance and itinerary planning based on your buying requirements. Our team in China will take care of your transportation, accommodation, and market or factory visits, with English translation support available 24/7.
Yes it’s very normal , We act as an importer as well as a logistic partner as well who delivers your goods in India as if you are making a local buying within India, just like you buy anything from Amazon India, Glipkart and /or any other e-commerce platform in India
The cost of importing by sea is generally between 25% to 45% of the product value, depending on the applicable duty and freight charges at the time of import. Importing by air typically adds ₹350-400 per kg to the overall cost.
There are no general restrictions on importing from China to India. Both countries are members of the WTO, and trade has been ongoing for many years. Some specific items that could harm Indian industries might be restricted, but generally, imports are allowed.
Importing electronics is similar to importing other items. There are a few compliance requirements for Bluetooth and battery-powered products, but we can easily manage those as your logistics partner.
Yes, we assist you in obtaining all the required approvals and certifications for your product imports. You focus on placing the order in China, and we’ll handle the rest, ensuring a smooth import process.
The weather in China is generally comparable to India, with regional variations.
Since 2019 it has been noticed that china government has been cracking down on money laundering and freezing bank accounts of Chinese suppliers due to unknown source of funds.
Foreign buyers who arrange money to their chinese suppliers by cash or unregistered money agents have been facing harassment when RMB account is freezed and supplier refuses to deliver.
How to save your self from this harassment?

Whenever you deal with any Chinese supplier through facebook, wechat or any other offline/online mode please make sure you get :
1. Performa invoice
2. 1688.com/Alibaba.com/GlobalSources Shop URL / Web link
99% Suppliers have 1688.com Shop


with above two things IFC china office makes sure that what ever wrong happen with the supplier you shall get your goods delivered 100% and a option to return back the goods if any mismatch of quality or quantity found out at inspection at IFC China warehouse. (1688.com offers 15 Days return policy without any questions asked inside china and gives back the money back to IFC Account)
For more details on buying from 1688.com click here