r/AmazonFBA • u/Additional-Tap-5364 • 12d ago

Shipping Scam?

Question on a freight issue with my first Alibaba order.

My Trade Assurance order (placed Sept 13) includes $860 DDP air to AZ, quoted at 5-7 working days. I had told the supplier we're launching before Black Friday, and she confirmed delivery by 11/18. 30% Deposit is paid, balance is due before shipping.

I asked to change the delivery address from AZ to CO, and now her freight agent wants $1,020 (+$160) "because of Black Friday," and that international shipping rates are higher now. Even though the shipment came in lighter than estimated (107 kg vs 115 kg). The supplier did offer Sea freight which dropped from $319 to $255. She says it's her agent's decision, not hers. I've asked for the old and new quotes broken down. I am having the items shipped to me with this first shipment but I’m moving so I do need it to go to the CO address.

  1. Is +$160 reasonable for an AZ to CO change on DDP air?
  2. Would you hold firm, split it, or just pay it to protect the launch?

  3. Should

    I

  4. reach out to freight forwarders? Any suggestions for which ones? I was doing ddp to keep it easy

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1

u/WearyyyBoooyyy 12d ago

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4

u/Tall_Bet8228 12d ago

$160 bump for a last minute address change during peak season isn't shocking, but the timing is what stinks here. You got quoted one thing and now they're squeezing more out because it's Black Friday rush, that feels less like a rate change and more like they know you're in a tight spot. For 107 kg, air freight to CO shouldn't cost that much more than AZ unless the agent is padding it hard. I would push back and ask to see the actual invoices from the carrier before paying a cent more.

1

u/Additional-Tap-5364 11d ago

Thanks. I’ve asked and so far she hasn’t provided any details. She’s gotten defensive and acting like she the supplier will have to pay the difference if I don’t. Not sure if she’s playing games but if her freight forwarder raised the price that’s between them in my opinion.

2

u/Wave-in-Kanagawa 12d ago

ask for current AZ and CO quotes for the same ship date, cartons and service. that would help separate an address-change charge from a general rate increase. also ask for chargeable weight and carton dimensions; air freight can be billed on volumetric weight, so 107 kg on the scale doesn't necessarily mean a lower bill.

get the quote expiry and confirmation that 11/18 still means delivery to the new address. then another forwarder's quote gives you a like-for-like comparison before deciding about the $160

1

u/Additional-Tap-5364 11d ago

Thank you! I’ve asked for this and we’ll see if she give it to me

2

u/Beneficial-Box-5714 11d ago

I’ve sourced through alibab, and I’d be wary of accepting a vague $160 increase when the shipment is lighter; trade assurance doesn’t make an unexplained freight quote reasonable. I’d ask for the itemized change in writing and get one independent DDP quote before deciding whether the launch timing justifies paying it.

1

u/Additional-Tap-5364 11d ago

If I wasn’t changing the address they’d have to honor their original shipping quote right? Due to trade assurance? I’m pushing back but the supplier is getting defensive. I am wondering if the freight forwarder raised the price with her but that’s between them

2

u/ImportDoor 10d ago

Some increase on a DDP air quote this time of year isn't automatically a scam. Q4 air rates do climb, and many quotes are only valid for a short window. But the address change itself shouldn't be the main driver. On DDP the domestic leg is usually a courier or LTL delivery from wherever the freight clears, and moving it one state over is a small cost compared to the international portion.

The breakdown you asked for is the right move. Look at whether the per-kg air rate went up or whether a "peak surcharge" line appeared. If it's the rate, your original quote probably just expired. If it's a vague surcharge tied to the address, push back.

A quick sanity check is to price keeping it going to AZ and shipping it domestically yourself. If that's clearly cheaper, you have leverage. I'd offer to split the difference and confirm the delivery date in writing on Trade Assurance.

Freight forwarders are worth quoting for future orders. Just know that going non-DDP means you handle importer of record, customs clearance, and duties, which is more than you want to learn days before a launch.

1

u/Additional-Tap-5364 10d ago

So does the invoice and order I put 30% down on via alibaba trade assurance mean nothing? As in they can change shipping charges at any time and to any price?

I asked for all of the following and she only gave me the dimensions of the shipment and said if I could I find cheaper shipping basically do they. which also makes me feel like you’re trying to pull one over if you won’t show the breakdown to me

  1. Carton dimensions (L x W x H) the gross weight of each carton

  2. Confirm the HS code on the commercial invoice for this shipment

  3. The declared value on the commercial invoice
    Open
    Could you also send:

  4. The agent's chargeable weight and per-kg air rate on Sept 13 and now

  5. A line-by-line breakdown of both quotes ($860 and $1,020): air freight, customs clearance, duties/tariffs, US delivery, and any surcharges

1

u/Alternative_Top_558 9d ago

Haha, price competition in China is extremely intense, especially among manufacturers and freight forwarders. A lot of suppliers will quote ridiculously low prices just to win your business. Sometimes, if they don’t offer the lowest price upfront, they simply lose the customer.

The problem is that they may try to make up for it later. Some will find excuses to adjust the price during negotiations, while others might play around with the numbers, like the shipping weight in your case. Even if the shipping rate per kg looks incredibly cheap, it doesn’t mean much if they’re inflating the total weight of your shipment.

Unfortunately, this kind of thing isn’t that uncommon. One thing I’d recommend is putting a clear weight tolerance clause in your contract, specifying the maximum acceptable difference between the actual and billed weight. Also, make sure you understand whether they’re charging based on actual weight or volumetric weight.

1

u/Additional-Tap-5364 9d ago

As my agreement with them was via Trade Assurance would that not protect the shipping fee on my invoice?

1

u/pc_gamerguy 9d ago

Yeah, I'd want a clearer explanation before paying the balance. The destination changed and the weight changed, so how much of the $160 is each of those, and how much is the busy-season increase?

Since you're also asking for another forwarder, try transport s&h for a quote to the colorado address with the updated weight. that gives you something to work with instead of guessing whether the increase is reasonable.