Ocean freight from China should depart by mid-November and air freight by early December for Christmas inventory

SHENZHEN, China – November 7, 2026 – FCLGO today published its recommended China departure windows for Amazon inventory intended for Christmas sales: ocean freight should leave China by mid-November, and air freight by the first week of December, to reach US fulfillment centers with time to spare before holiday demand peaks.

The guidance extends the company’s Q4 deadline series, which opened in October with departure dates for Black Friday and Cyber Monday inventory. Transit arithmetic drives the windows: ocean shipments from Shenzhen and Ningbo typically require 25 to 40 days door to door, including US customs clearance and delivery appointments at fulfillment centers, while air freight moves in five to ten days.

“Christmas inventory that leaves China late stops being inventory and starts being a gamble,” said David Chen, Director of Operations at FCLGO. “We publish these windows so sellers can work backward from the sales calendar instead of discovering the math after their container sails. Each year, a slice of holiday stock arrives in January, when it is only useful for next Christmas.”

The recommended windows include buffer for peak-season conditions: port congestion, tightened delivery appointment availability at fulfillment centers, and customs examinations, all of which become more frequent from late October through December. Sellers combining modes — an ocean tranche for volume with an air tranche for early cover — should treat the ocean leg as the deadline driver, the company said.

Duty planning also remains part of the timeline. Since the suspension of the de minimis exemption, US commercial imports require formal duty assessment, and sellers using DDP shipping arrangements should factor HS classification and customs entry filing into their departure schedules, the company said.

About FCLGO:
Founded in 2021, FCLGO is a Shenzhen-based freight forwarder serving Amazon and e-commerce sellers shipping from China to the United States, providing ocean and air freight, customs brokerage, warehousing, and fulfillment-center delivery preparation. The company supports more than 500 e-commerce brands worldwide.

More information about Christmas shipping deadlines and Q4 freight options is available at fclgo.com.

Disclaimer
This press release is intended for media, brand communication, and general informational purposes only. Departure windows are operational recommendations based on typical transit times and do not constitute a guarantee of delivery dates, which remain subject to carrier schedules, customs processing, and peak-season conditions.

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Company: FCLGO
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Website: fclgo.com
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