Handoff five: the parcel is weighed, quoted and paid for
The second bill arrives here, priced on the box the warehouse actually packed. Pick the line, read the quote, then pay.
The freight handoff at a glance
- Who holds the item
- Still the Anji warehouse, now as a sealed and measured carton waiting for your choice of line.
- Your move
- Choose a shipping channel, check the quote and address, and pay the freight.
- Money at this point
- The second payment: freight at the carrier's published rate plus any carrier surcharges, converted from yuan to US dollars for Stripe.
- Status on screen
- Pending Payment, with the action Pay Shipping.
- Where it snags
- A volumetric surprise, a destination with no online quote, or an item a route will not carry.
Express or Economy: the two SF International lines
GuaBase's integrated shipping method is SF International, and its help pages describe a direct partnership with the carrier. You get two lines and one alternative:
| Option | GuaBase estimate | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| SF International Express (国际标快), marked Recommended | 5 to 10 business days | Speed and priority handling |
| SF International Economy (国际特惠) | 7 to 20 business days | Lower cost when you can wait |
| Your own freight forwarder | Set by your provider | Buyers who already use one, or cargo the SF lines will not take |
Business days here leave out the pickup day, weekends and public holidays, and GuaBase calls its delivery estimates historical averages for major destinations. Remote areas, holidays and customs checks all add days. The one thing the table cannot give you is a price; that depends on your box and your postcode.
Getting a number from GuaBase's price estimator
GuaBase's shipping estimator, at /shipping/calculator, is the nearest thing to a freight price list it publishes. It asks for the item price in yuan, the destination and an estimated weight, all required; a postal code, which it recommends because some channels need one; an estimated shipping date; and dimensions, which it marks optional.
Treat the dimensions as anything but optional. Leave them blank and the estimate can only go on weight, which flatters any bulky order. A rough carton size, even a guess like 40 × 30 × 20 cm, gives you the volumetric weight the warehouse will use later. For some destinations the estimator returns no online quote at all; GuaBase asks you to contact support for those.
The second payment, line by line
When the parcel reaches Pending Payment, the quote rests on the measured box, not on your estimate. It is built from the carrier's published rate for the chargeable weight and destination, plus any carrier surcharges, which GuaBase lists as fuel, remote area and destination local charges where they apply. GuaBase says it adds no markup to carrier rates.
Like the first payment, the amount is worked out in yuan and charged in US dollars through Stripe Checkout, at the rate GuaBase records for the payment. Your bank may add its own card fee. What the quote never includes is import duty or tax: those are set by your country's customs, may be collected from you on delivery, and GuaBase does not guarantee customs outcomes. If customs needs extra documents, GuaBase says it will contact you. Its guide is also clear that customs declarations must reflect the required shipment information, so do not ask for a lower declared value.
Your own forwarder, the third route
After the items reach the warehouse, GuaBase lets you hand them to a freight forwarder or third-party shipper of your choosing. The handover, pickup or onward shipping is arranged then, and the cost, transit time and customs handling are whatever your provider offers.
That route suits two kinds of buyer: people who already ship through a forwarder at home, and people with goods the SF lines turn down. The estimator lists it as Not quoted, so GuaBase gives no price. Use the Ask about handover option on the shipping page and agree the details before you pay anything to the forwarder.
Questions people bring to the freight stage
Why did the quote differ from the estimator?
The estimator works from your guesses; the quote works from the packed carton. Packaging, rounding to the next centimetre and surcharges can all move the number.
Can I switch from Express to Economy after paying?
GuaBase's pages do not describe switching after payment. Choose before you pay; after dispatch, international shipping is generally not refundable.
Are duties included anywhere?
No. Duties, taxes and government fees are separate and may be charged by customs on delivery.