If you have gotten quotes from more than one China shipping agent, you have probably seen both terms – DDP and DDU – sitting next to very different prices. The cheaper quote is not always the better deal. Here is what each term actually means, and why the difference matters more than the number on the invoice.

DDU: Delivered Duty Unpaid

Under DDU, the agent ships your goods to your country, but customs duty, import tax, and clearance fees are not included in the price you were quoted. You pay those separately, directly to customs or a clearing agent, once the shipment arrives.

This is why a DDU quote often looks cheaper upfront. It is not actually cheaper – it is incomplete. The real cost only becomes clear when your shipment is sitting at the port and someone is asking you for an amount you did not budget for.

DDP: Delivered Duty Paid

Under DDP, the quote you receive already includes shipping, customs duty, import tax, and clearance. One number, no second invoice when the goods land. If we quote you a DDP price, that is what you pay – nothing more shows up at customs.

Why This Difference Actually Matters

Duty rates vary by product category and destination country, and they are not always small. A shipment that looked like the cheaper option under a DDU quote can end up costing more in total than a DDP quote once the unpaid duty is added – and by then, your goods are already sitting at customs, which is a difficult time to discover the real price.

There is a second cost to DDU that has nothing to do with money: time. Customs clearance under DDU often means you personally have to handle paperwork, respond to customs queries, or pay an unfamiliar local clearing agent under time pressure. Under DDP, that entire process is handled before your goods even leave China.

How We Quote

Every quote from AZ Traders is DDP – shipping, duty, and clearance included, delivered to your door. We do not send a second invoice once your shipment lands. The price we give you depends on your product, total weight, carton count, and destination, which is why we always ask for those details before quoting – a DDP price without that information is not a real price, it is a guess.

If an agent has quoted you a price that seems unusually low, ask them directly whether it is DDP or DDU. The answer tells you whether you are looking at the real cost or only part of it.