EXW
The buyer commonly takes responsibility from the seller’s premises, including pickup and export arrangements.
Commercial Responsibility
Incoterms for Shipping from China
Compare EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and DDP responsibilities before agreeing pickup, freight, customs and delivery scope.
Start with the essentials →Essential framework
A trade term is not a complete freight quotation
Incoterms allocate cost and risk responsibilities between seller and buyer. They do not define every carrier charge, customs requirement, insurance condition or delivery exception, so the written freight scope still matters.
FOB
The seller delivers under the agreed ocean-port responsibility; the buyer arranges main freight onward.
CIF
The seller arranges named-port ocean freight and minimum insurance, while destination obligations remain important.
DAP / DDP
Both can involve delivery to a named place, but import-duty and customs responsibility differ materially.
Planning checklist
Information to confirm before the shipment moves
Requirements still depend on the actual product, route, commercial arrangement and destination authority.
Named place
State the exact factory, port, airport or destination
Export clearance
Confirm who provides exporter records and declarations
Main freight
Identify who books and pays the international movement
Insurance
Confirm whether cargo cover is arranged and on what basis
Import clearance
Identify the importer and customs-responsible party
Final delivery
Define unloading, appointments, access and exceptions
Related resources
Continue with the governing page
Use the complete guide, service or evidence page when you need more than a general definition.
Common questions
Important boundaries to understand
Open each answer for general planning guidance, then confirm shipment-specific requirements.
01Does door-to-door always mean DDP?+
No. Door-to-door describes physical movement. The buyer may still be responsible for import duty, tax or importer obligations.
02Is DDU a current Incoterm?+
No. DDU is an older term still used commercially. The written scope should explain the actual duties-unpaid arrangement.
03Does DDP include every destination cost?+
Not automatically. Inspections, storage, reassessment, remote delivery, failed delivery and specialist unloading may be excluded or conditional.
04Which Incoterm is best?+
There is no universal best term. The practical choice depends on supplier capability, importer readiness, product rules and each party’s logistics capacity.
Apply the knowledge
Ask QIFLY to review the actual cargo
Share the product, packing, value, origin, destination, delivery responsibility and ready date.