Hi all,
It's a small business idea I'm looking into: sending quality ethical Cambodian product to be resold in Germany. We are talking handmade bags, bracelets etc and no cheap Chinese shit. And no cosmetics as apparently the EU has just implemented new rules.
Question is: besides DHL what other options are there for sending product? DHL quote $419 for 10kg or $819 for 30kg. Rates come down about 25% if a registered company that can produce a tax patent. That might be for the future but at the moment I am just considering testing the waters.
Anyone else? I think Cambodia Post might not be sending presently due to the lack of flights etc.

The post office should have no problem sending to Germany. Not sure if they do 30kg. Another option is a freight forwarding agent and send LCL cargo or air freight if you need quickly.

The DHL quote you have received is aboslutely a rip off and sounds like a rack rate. You should re-negotiate a corporate rate based on your future yearly shipping costs. You could also "group" your shipments with another DHL customer using his account to benefit from much lower rates. Difficult (needs 100% trust in you and your business) but not impossible.

I have a DHL account in Italy and I would pay 80 Euro for 10kg and 186 Euro for 30kg (based on 15`000 Euro yearly expense with DHL). This is airfreight Express NON documents without any custom fees or additional services. Cambodia is area 9. Shpping to door-door to Europe takes 3-4 days MAX.

truffledog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:56 pm The DHL quote you have received is aboslutely a rip off and sounds like a rack rate. You should re-negotiate a corporate rate based on your future yearly shipping costs. You could also "group" your shipments with another DHL customer using his account to benefit from much lower rates. Difficult (needs 100% trust in you and your business) but not impossible.

I have a DHL account in Italy and I would pay 80 Euro for 10kg and 186 Euro for 30kg (based on 15`000 Euro yearly expense with DHL). This is airfreight Express NON documents without any custom fees or additional services. Cambodia is area 9. Shpping to door-door to Europe takes 3-4 days MAX.

From A to B isn't necessarily the same price as from B to A. Shipping from Cambodia strangely is more expensive than shipping to it.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 4:12 pm

truffledog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:56 pm The DHL quote you have received is aboslutely a rip off and sounds like a rack rate. You should re-negotiate a corporate rate based on your future yearly shipping costs. You could also "group" your shipments with another DHL customer using his account to benefit from much lower rates. Difficult (needs 100% trust in you and your business) but not impossible.

I have a DHL account in Italy and I would pay 80 Euro for 10kg and 186 Euro for 30kg (based on 15`000 Euro yearly expense with DHL). This is airfreight Express NON documents without any custom fees or additional services. Cambodia is area 9. Shpping to door-door to Europe takes 3-4 days MAX.

From A to B isn't necessarily the same price as from B to A. Shipping from Cambodia strangely is more expensive than shipping to it.

Interesting, I found the opposite with FedEX. $40 to the UK, £50 from the UK. That's for minimum weight. The packages to the UK always go via Koln btw.

I tried to send some things to Germany a couple of years ago. It was $60+ /kg for under 3kg if I remember. It never got sent.

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 4:12 pm

truffledog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:56 pm The DHL quote you have received is aboslutely a rip off and sounds like a rack rate. You should re-negotiate a corporate rate based on your future yearly shipping costs. You could also "group" your shipments with another DHL customer using his account to benefit from much lower rates. Difficult (needs 100% trust in you and your business) but not impossible.

I have a DHL account in Italy and I would pay 80 Euro for 10kg and 186 Euro for 30kg (based on 15`000 Euro yearly expense with DHL). This is airfreight Express NON documents without any custom fees or additional services. Cambodia is area 9. Shpping to door-door to Europe takes 3-4 days MAX.

From A to B isn't necessarily the same price as from B to A. Shipping from Cambodia strangely is more expensive than shipping to it.

In my case it is the same. Instead of "sending to Italy" I will book a "pickup from Cambodia" at the rates of my contract.

truffledog wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 2:51 am

Kammekor wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 4:12 pm

truffledog wrote: ↑Sun Feb 14, 2021 3:56 pm The DHL quote you have received is aboslutely a rip off and sounds like a rack rate. You should re-negotiate a corporate rate based on your future yearly shipping costs. You could also "group" your shipments with another DHL customer using his account to benefit from much lower rates. Difficult (needs 100% trust in you and your business) but not impossible.

I have a DHL account in Italy and I would pay 80 Euro for 10kg and 186 Euro for 30kg (based on 15`000 Euro yearly expense with DHL). This is airfreight Express NON documents without any custom fees or additional services. Cambodia is area 9. Shpping to door-door to Europe takes 3-4 days MAX.

From A to B isn't necessarily the same price as from B to A. Shipping from Cambodia strangely is more expensive than shipping to it.

In my case it is the same. Instead of "sending to Italy" I will book a "pickup from Cambodia" at the rates of my contract.

The rates offered by DHL on collect/third party business accounts in Europe are always a lot better than can be obtained locally. Going by a freight forwarder will bump up costs because that will generally require a full Customs clearance.