The first leg is the process of preparing goods for the warehouse. The first leg of transportation is mainly express delivery, air transport and sea transport. Customs clearance compliance is a chronic problem in the first leg. The Internet has made the window period for goods to be sold out shorter and shorter. Express delivery has the advantages of wider coverage, timely delivery and convenient delivery. The “sea transportation + door-to-door delivery” model has the advantages of fast customs clearance, stable shipping schedule and sufficient space. The whole container of goods is loaded from the seller’s designated warehouse, shipped by sea to the destination country’s terminal, and declared in full. After customs clearance, the whole container or devanned trucks are delivered to overseas warehouses. The freight is low, but the capital turnover cycle is prolonged.
The cost of freight and warehouse rental is either here or there. Ocean freight is charged according to the volume of goods, which is suitable for large and heavy goods. After arriving at the port, the trailer delivery to the warehouse is calculated by weight. Products must be palletized as required, and freight insurance must be purchased to calculate the weight of the materials. For small and medium-sized sellers or sellers who have just entered the industry, if the future sales of the store are uncertain and the capital reserves are not sufficient, “air freight + delivery to the door” is more efficient and fast, and can be the preferred method of delivery. This method can improve the inventory turnover rate of goods and prevent out-of-stock. Within the range of air freight allowed loading, there is a weight limit for air freight single piece billing. It is difficult to clear customs for goods exceeding the limit. Overweight goods must be reported to the agent in advance. The premise of ensuring timeliness is capacity guarantee. Air freight is fast and ocean freight is economical. The optimal balance point of the two modes of transportation should be found without affecting the sales plan.