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COMPLETE GUIDE TO IMPORTING FROM CHINA

Complete guide to importing from China to El Salvador

If you run a business in El Salvador and are thinking about buying products from China, this guide explains step by step how to find suppliers, compare quotes, understand shipping, prepare documents, estimate costs and avoid common import mistakes.

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In this guide

STEP 1

Review your supplier and quote

There is no single perfect source. The practical approach is to compare options, request complete information and avoid paying only because a quote looks attractive.

Where to find suppliers

Alibaba

A common starting point to compare international suppliers and request quotes.

Made-in-China

Useful for manufacturers, industrial products, machinery and specialized suppliers.

Global Sources

Another B2B platform for comparing suppliers, categories and products.

1688

A Chinese wholesale marketplace, usually more focused on the domestic market; it may require an agent, Chinese language support or an intermediary.

Yiwugo

Useful for consumer products, small items, accessories, home goods, toys and Yiwu market products.

Trade fairs and direct contacts

Useful when buying volume or building a more serious relationship with a factory.

Referrals from other importers

Sometimes the best source, but documents, terms and costs still need to be reviewed.

Practical tip

No platform removes all risk. A platform helps you find options, but you still need to compare suppliers, request documents, review terms and avoid paying blindly.

How to check a supplier before buying

This does not guarantee a supplier is perfect, but it reduces risk before you pay. LTA can advise on the logistics and import-document side, but the commercial decision about the supplier remains with the buyer.

Look for suppliers with several years of activity, ideally 3+ years.

Check whether the profile is verified or audited.

Compare at least 3 suppliers before deciding.

Ask for real photos and videos of the product.

Ask for a technical sheet, catalog or specifications.

Request a sample before production if the order value justifies it.

Check whether they have a website or commercial presence outside the platform.

Ask whether they have exported to Latin America or similar markets before.

Ask for references, cases or previous clients when possible.

Confirm MOQ, production times, packaging and warranty.

Confirm whether payment terms are protected or clearly written.

Check whether certificates shown actually correspond to the product.

What to ask before paying

Before sending money, request enough information to understand product, packaging, weight, volume, origin, terms and documents.

Proforma invoice or formal quote

Complete product description

Quantity

Unit price and total price

MOQ

Production time

Real photos or videos

Packaging type

Package dimensions

Gross weight and net weight

Total volume / CBM

Port or city of origin

Proposed Incoterm

What the price includes and does not include

If shipping is included, exactly how far it goes

Documents available for export

Certificates or reports if applicable

If a supplier says 'shipping included' or 'all included,' do not accept it blindly. Ask what is included, where responsibility ends and what costs may still appear in El Salvador.

STEP 2

Understand the Incoterm

Incoterms define responsibilities, costs and risk transfer between buyer and seller. They do not replace a clear quote: they help you know what to ask before paying.

Incoterms for any mode of transport

EXW Ex Works

The supplier makes the goods available at the factory. The buyer usually coordinates almost everything: pickup, export, international freight, import and delivery.

Check: It gives control, but also more responsibility. Check who can pick up and export from China.

FCA Free Carrier

The supplier delivers the goods to a carrier or agreed place. From there, the buyer usually coordinates the main transport.

Check: Confirm the exact delivery point, export documents and who pays each leg.

CPT Carriage Paid To

The supplier pays transport to an agreed destination, but risk may transfer earlier when the goods are handed to the carrier.

Check: Do not assume everything is covered to El Salvador. Check destination, risk and local charges.

CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid To

Similar to CPT, but with insurance arranged by the seller to the agreed destination.

Check: Confirm insurance coverage, exact destination and what costs remain pending.

DAP Delivered At Place

The supplier delivers to an agreed place, usually without unloading and without paying import duties.

Check: Check who handles customs clearance, who pays taxes and whether unloading or storage charges apply.

DPU Delivered at Place Unloaded

The supplier delivers the goods unloaded at an agreed place.

Check: Confirm whether the unloading place is realistic and who handles customs, taxes and further delivery.

DDP Delivered Duty Paid

The supplier promises delivery with duties paid. It can sound easy, but it needs careful review.

Check: Check who legally imports, who declares, how taxes are paid and what happens if problems appear.

Incoterms mainly for sea and inland waterway transport

FAS Free Alongside Ship

The supplier delivers the goods alongside the vessel at the port of origin.

Check: Confirm port, port charges and who coordinates loading onto the vessel.

FOB Free On Board

The supplier delivers the goods on board the vessel at the origin port. From that point, the buyer normally coordinates international freight, insurance if applicable, customs and delivery.

Check: It can provide good control, but freight, documents and destination coordination need to be planned early.

CFR Cost and Freight

The supplier pays cost and freight to the destination port, but insurance is not necessarily included.

Check: Review destination charges, insurance, customs, taxes and local delivery.

CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight

The supplier pays cost, insurance and freight to the destination port, but this does not mean all costs in El Salvador are included.

Check: Destination charges, customs clearance, import duties and local delivery still need to be reviewed.

STEP 3

Prepare the documents

Documents should be clear before shipping, not only when the cargo has arrived. Vague descriptions or missing data can delay customs and create extra costs.

Commercial invoice

Packing list

Bill of Lading / Air Waybill depending on shipment

Product description

Supplier/exporter details

Buyer/importer details

HS code / tariff classification if available

Gross weight / net weight

Volume / CBM

Country of origin

Certificates, permits or registrations if applicable

Photos/specifications if the product is hard to classify

Insurance documents if applicable

Why it matters

Bad descriptions, missing packing lists, unclear weights or wrong documents can delay customs clearance and create extra costs.

STEP 4

Coordinate international shipping

Chinese suppliers often offer included shipping or send a freight quote. That is not always bad, but it can become a problem if the price does not clearly explain what it covers.

What should be clear

  • How far the shipping goes
  • Which Incoterm is being used
  • Whether destination charges are included
  • Whether the correct documents are included
  • Whether insurance is included
  • Whether customs clearance is included
  • Whether local delivery in El Salvador is included
  • Who responds if delays or extra costs appear

Why accepting supplier shipping blindly can be risky

  • The supplier may not explain all charges.
  • The quote may only go to a port or warehouse, not your final destination.
  • You may end up paying destination charges you did not expect.
  • Communication can break between supplier, carrier, warehouse, customs and local transport.
  • If shipping and customs are not coordinated from the beginning, delays can appear.

STEP 5

Calculate customs duties and taxes

The cheapest product is not always the cheapest import. The real number is the cost to have the goods released and delivered in El Salvador.

Real import cost =
ProductInland transport in ChinaInternational freightInsurance if applicableDestination chargesImport duties and taxesCustoms clearanceStorage if delays occurLocal delivery
Tip

If you already have product price, weight, volume and a shipping quote, we can help review the logistics side and the next import steps.

STEP 6

Arrange local delivery

Once you have a supplier, product and quote, LTA can help coordinate the logistics side so you do not have to chase several companies.

Shipping from China

  • Review shipping terms
  • Coordinate with supplier or forwarder
  • Help clarify what the quote includes

Customs in El Salvador

  • Review documents for the process
  • Coordinate customs clearance
  • Estimate steps and costs related to import entry

Local delivery

  • Coordinate cargo release
  • Organize local transport
  • Help you receive at warehouse or business location

If you want to understand customs clearance, DUCA-D and documents, also read our customs broker page for El Salvador. If you already have an invoice or quote, you can also review customs broker support in El Salvador.

COMMON MISTAKES

Common mistakes when importing from China

Many problems are not just bad luck. They come from incomplete information or decisions made too late.

Paying without understanding the Incoterm
Accepting 'shipping included' without details
Not requesting a packing list
Not confirming weight and volume
Not asking whether certificates or permits apply
Waiting until cargo arrives to find a customs broker
Not estimating import duties and taxes before buying
Comparing only product price
Not separating product, shipping, customs and delivery
Not saving screenshots, quotes and documents

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about importing from China

Where can I find suppliers in China?

You can start on platforms such as Alibaba, Made-in-China, Global Sources, 1688, Yiwugo, trade fairs, direct contacts or referrals from other importers. No source removes all risk, so compare options and request complete information.

Is Alibaba safe for importing to El Salvador?

Alibaba can be a useful starting point, but it does not guarantee every supplier is right for your purchase. Check years of activity, profile, documents, real photos, samples, payment terms, Incoterm and export experience before paying.

How do I know if a Chinese supplier is reliable?

There is no single signal. Compare suppliers, review years of activity, request technical sheets, photos, videos, samples if applicable, relevant certificates and clear terms. This reduces risk, but the commercial decision remains with the buyer.

Can LTA verify if a supplier is legitimate?

LTA does not certify suppliers or audit factories. We can advise on logistics, import documents, shipping terms, customs and delivery in El Salvador.

What should I ask before paying?

Ask for a proforma invoice or formal quote, full description, quantity, unit and total price, MOQ, production time, photos or videos, packaging, dimensions, weight, volume, origin city or port, Incoterm, documents and certificates if applicable.

What is an Incoterm?

An Incoterm defines responsibilities, costs and risk transfer between buyer and seller. It helps clarify who pays and coordinates each part of the process.

What are the Incoterms 2020?

The 11 Incoterms 2020 are EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU, DDP, FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF. They do not apply the same way to every shipment, so review the term used in your quote.

What documents do I need to import from China?

Usually you need a commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, product description, supplier and buyer details, weight, volume, country of origin, tariff classification if available and certificates or permits if applicable.

Should I accept the shipping offered by the supplier?

It can work if the quote is clear. Before accepting, confirm how far it goes, which Incoterm applies, whether destination charges, insurance, customs clearance and local delivery are included, and who responds for delays or extra costs.

Can LTA help coordinate shipping, customs and delivery?

Yes. Once you have a supplier, product and quote, LTA can help review the logistics side and coordinate shipping, documents, customs clearance, cargo release and local delivery in El Salvador.

Can I try with one shipment?

Yes. You can try with one import and compare clarity, coordination and follow-up before moving more cargo with LTA.

WHEN YOU WANT HELP COORDINATING THE PROCESS

Want help importing without handling everything yourself?

We can help with shipping, customs clearance, and local delivery in El Salvador.

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