For the vast majority of ecommerce businesses, China has been central stage when it comes to sourcing. And for those adopting a dropship model, the word on everyone’s mind is “ePacket.”
What is ePacket Shipping?
ePacket (or EUB) is an affordable postal shipping service for light packages offered by third-party logistics providers (or 3PLs) in China and Hong Kong.
Before this, the only affordable eCommerce shipping option for consumer products was China EMS (Express Mail Service). Sourcing consumer products and shipping from China to US, therefore, meant a delivery time of one month at the very least. Any other faster shipping option was far too expensive, especially for cheaper consumer products, so ePacket became a great alternative for local merchants looking to reduce logistics costs.
Benefits of ePacket Shipping
To provide a faster and affordable shipping option from China and Hong Kong to the United States that is also trackable, the United States Postal Service (USPS) signed an agreement with eBay China and Hongkong Post in 2011 allowing packages from China and Hong Kong to receive USPS First Class Service, as well as delivery confirmation service.
Countries that Offer ePacket Shipping
Since that 2011 agreement, this particular shipping method has expanded to around 30 countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom. Here’s a complete list for your reference:
| Australia | France | Italy | Norway | Sweden |
| Austria | Germany | Luxembourg | Poland | Switzerland |
| Belgium | Hong Kong | Malaysia | Portugal | Turkey |
| Canada | Hungary | Mexico | Russia | Ukraine |
| Denmark | Ireland | The Netherlands | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
| Finland | Israel | New Zealand | Singapore | United States |
Shipping Requirements
A. Size Restriction
Max. Size a+b+c <= 90cm, Any 1 side <= 60cm |
Max. Size a <= 90CM b x 2 <=104 cm |
B. Weight Restriction
Each package cannot exceed 2 kg (4.4 lbs) to qualify for ePacket delivery.
C. Value Restriction
The merchandise value of each package cannot exceed USD 400.
Delivery
Lead time (the sum of all processing time, transit time and time spent as inventory) varies depending on the destination of the package and holidays.
In general, the lead time for ePacket is 7-10 business days.
During Peak Season (November to January) and other holidays with high volumes of ecommerce sales, the official lead time is extended to 10-14 business days. Since ePacket is a postal service, however, delays in delivery and tracking information updates are very common during these periods.
Tracking
Head to 17track.net and simply input the relevant tracking number to find out where your package is.
Ready to ship by ePacket?
We here at ZhenHub can get you started! Feel free to contact us through our web form or shoot us an email at enquiry@zhenhub.com for a quote.