Import guides & shipping tips
Practical, no-nonsense guides to importing from China to the Philippines — written by the team that actually clears the shipments.
Angkat RewardsRefer a Friend, Earn 1,000 Points
Every importer you bring on board is ₱1,000 off your next shipment, up to three per account. How the referral program works, who qualifies, and how to get your code.
China LaneTop Products to Import from China (2026 Guide)
The products Filipino importers actually make money on from China — where to buy them, how they ship, and the customs rules to watch per category.
Vietnam LaneTop Products to Import from Vietnam (2026 Guide)
What to source from Vietnam beyond coffee — the categories with real margin here, plus the Form D advantage that can take your duty to zero.
Korea LaneTop Products to Import from South Korea (2026 Guide)
K-beauty, food and beyond — the Korean products that sell reliably in the Philippines, and the FDA rules that come with each category.
Taiwan LaneTop Products to Import from Taiwan (2026 Guide)
Machinery, F&B equipment and quality goods — what Taiwan does better than anywhere else, and what it costs you at customs.
Hong Kong LaneTop Products to Import from Hong Kong (2026 Guide)
Electronics, gadgets and fast-moving goods through a free port — plus the origin rule that decides whether you actually save on duty.
Vietnam LaneShipping from Vietnam to the Philippines
The fastest-growing sourcing market for Filipino importers, and the only one with an ASEAN advantage China cannot match — done right, your duty is zero.
Customs & DutyForm D: The ASEAN Document That Takes Your Duty to Zero
One certificate decides whether you pay full duty or none on goods from Vietnam and the rest of ASEAN. Most importers learn about it after the bill arrives.
Sourcing StrategyVietnam vs China — Where Should You Source?
"China plus one" in practical terms: price, supplier choice, minimums, transit, and the duty difference that decides more orders than people realise.
Food ImportsImporting Vietnamese Coffee and Food Products
Robusta, cashew and dried goods have a real market here. The FDA sequence that stops most people, and why agricultural goods are the easiest Form D you'll ever get.
Beauty & CosmeticsHow to Import Korean Skincare and Cosmetics
K-beauty sells reliably and is heavily regulated. The LTO and notification sequence, the claims that get a product reclassified as a drug, and the two duty routes.
Food ImportsImporting Korean Food to the Philippines
Ramyeon, snacks and frozen goods are three different businesses for customs and FDA. Where to start, and the meat and seafood rules that stop shipments.
IndustrialImporting Machinery, Tools and Auto Parts from Taiwan
Where you go when the cheapest option already failed you once. What Taiwan does well, and why this is the one lane with no duty shortcut at all.
F&B SupplyImporting Bubble Tea Supplies and F&B Equipment from Taiwan
Pearls, powders, sealers and cups from where the category was invented. The FDA split between what you consume and what you use, and why cups dominate your freight.
ElectronicsImporting Electronics and Gadgets from Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a free port, so people assume their import is duty-free. It isn't. The origin rule, the battery problem, and the NTC requirement most sellers miss.
Customs & DutyThe ASEAN–Hong Kong FTA: When It Actually Helps
In force since 2019, and misunderstood more than any other agreement — usually in a way that costs importers the Form E they could have had.
Customs & DutyForm E: The Document That Cuts Your China Duty to Zero
One certificate can take your import duty from 15% to nothing. Most Filipino importers have never asked their supplier for it — plus the 2026 BOC audit crackdown.
Korea LaneShipping from Korea to the Philippines
Not a balikbayan box — a business guide. Warehouse addresses, transit, where to buy, and the FDA rules that catch new importers.
Taiwan LaneShipping from Taiwan to the Philippines
One of the closest sourcing markets to the Philippines and one of the least used. What Taiwan is genuinely good for, and what it costs you in duty.
Hong Kong LaneShipping from Hong Kong to the Philippines
A free port with fast Manila sailings. When routing through Hong Kong genuinely wins — and when it just adds cost.
Sourcing StrategyChina, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan or Hong Kong — Where Should You Source?
A straight comparison across price, quality, duty treatment and transit time — including the one lane that can take your duty to zero, and the comparison most importers skip.
CostingHow to Compute Landed Cost (The Formula That Matters)
Pricing off the supplier invoice is how you end up busy, growing and quietly making nothing. The full formula with a worked example in pesos.
Getting StartedCustoms Broker or Freight Forwarder — Which Do You Need?
They get used interchangeably and they are not the same thing. What each does, and the one question that makes quotes comparable.
Getting StartedBalikbayan Box vs Commercial Cargo
Balikbayan boxes are for gifts, not stock. If you're selling what you ship, here's why commercial cargo is cheaper, safer and the right route.
Business GuideStarting a Reselling Business with Imported Stock
The hard part isn't finding products. It's finding out which ones sell before you've spent your capital on the wrong ones.
TroubleshootingWhy Your Shipment Is Stuck at Customs
The real reasons customs holds a shipment, in order of how often they happen — and what genuinely gets it released.
CustomsPhilippine Import Duties and Taxes: What You Actually Pay
How the ₱10,000 de minimis threshold works, the consolidation rule that catches most importers out, and a worked example of what you'll owe.
Complete GuideHow to Import from China to the Philippines
The full process from finding a supplier to claiming your goods — plus the five mistakes that cost first-time importers money.
SourcingHow to Order from 1688 to the Philippines
1688 is 30–50% cheaper than Alibaba but ships domestically only. Here's how Filipino importers order, pay and consolidate.
SourcingDoes Taobao Ship to the Philippines?
Not directly — here's the workaround, plus when Taobao beats 1688 and when it doesn't.
Shipping TimesHow Long Does Sea Freight from China Take?
15–25 days warehouse to warehouse. The full timeline, what causes delays, and how to set your reorder point.
CostsHow Much Does Shipping from China Cost?
How LCL is actually priced, what "all-in" should include, and why two quotes for the same shipment can differ so much.
ComparisonSea Freight vs Air Freight: Which Should You Use?
A straight decision framework — cost, speed, minimums, and the sampling mistake that costs the most.
ComplianceWhat You Can't Import from China to the Philippines
The full prohibited list, the grey areas that need permits, and what to check before you pay a supplier deposit.
PlanningChinese New Year Shipping: Plan Now or Pay Later
It's a 4–6 week disruption, not two. Here's the week-by-week ordering timeline to avoid a stockout.
PaymentsHow to Pay Chinese Suppliers in RMB
Why bank wires quietly cost more than you think, and how RMB remittance saves up to 10%.
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