Picking the wrong shipping route from 1688 does not just mean paying more per kilogram. It can mean a confiscated batch at the origin airport, a border hold that wipes out your peak season window, or working capital frozen for three extra weeks while your competitor restocks. The right question is not which route is cheapest. It is which route fits your product category. Pick the wrong one and you are looking at a real loss, not just a cost overrun.
Quick Comparison: Cost, Transit Time, and Limits by Route
| | Road (Cross-border) | Sea (LCL) | Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost reference (2025) | 18,000–35,000 VND/kg | 1,800,000–3,300,000 VND/m³ | 40,000–80,000 VND/kg |
| Transit (CN to VN warehouse) | 3–7 days | 12–18 days | 3–5 days |
| Billed by | Kilogram | Cubic meter | kg or volumetric weight |
| Primary risk | Border congestion | Capital locked longer | Long prohibited goods list |
Actual rates depend on forwarder and total shipment volume. For a full breakdown of how shipping feeds into your landed cost, see how to calculate 1688 import costs as a new operator.
Road Freight: Most Flexible for Standard Goods
Most Shopee and TikTok Shop sellers default to road freight, and for most product categories that default is correct.
2025 rate tiers:
- Under 10 kg: 25,000–35,000 VND/kg
- 10–50 kg: 22,000–28,000 VND/kg
- Over 50 kg: 18,000–25,000 VND/kg
Works for: clothing, footwear, fashion accessories, small household goods, and general merchandise that does not require formal import documentation.
Does not work for: goods requiring a Certificate of Origin for customs duty declaration, high-value inventory that needs full cargo insurance, or large volumes from 5 m³ up where sea freight is cheaper per unit.
Main risks: border slowdowns around Tet and peak sale events like 11.11. Bulky items re-billed at volumetric weight instead of actual weight. No official customs paperwork if you need it later for accounting or compliance.
Sea Freight: Cheapest Per m³, but Plan for the Wait
LCL (less-than-container load) rates run 1,800,000–3,300,000 VND/m³ in 2025, which works out to roughly 7,000–15,000 VND/kg for bulky, lightweight goods. A full 20-foot FCL costs 35–45 million VND per shipment and makes sense from about 5 m³ onward.
Works for: furniture, large appliances, high-volume non-urgent orders, year-round staple SKUs, and anything that needs formal import documentation through the official channel.
The cash flow problem for fast-moving shops: 12–18 days transit means your working capital is frozen significantly longer than road freight. If your inventory turnover on 1688 products is short, sea freight stretches your cash cycle past the point where the per-kg saving compensates.
Extra charges to include in your landed cost: THC (terminal handling charge), customs declaration fees, and demurrage if clearance runs slow. These are not part of the freight quote. Before committing to sea on a new product, run the full landed cost calculation for 1688 imports with all port-side fees included.
When sea is the wrong call: seasonal time-sensitive goods, new SKUs you are still validating, or shipments under 1 m³ where road freight is cheaper all-in.
Air Freight: Fastest, but the Prohibited Goods List Is Longer Than You Think
Air freight runs 40,000–80,000 VND/kg with 3–5 day transit. The rate makes sense when your margin per kilogram is wide enough, or when being early on a trend is the actual priority.
Works for: small test orders (under 5 kg, result needed within a week), urgent seasonal restocks, lightweight high-margin accessories, and fashion items that need to hit shelves before a trend fades.
Goods that CANNOT ship by air from 1688 (2025–2026):
- Loose lithium batteries, power banks charged above 30% capacity
- Flammable liquids: perfume, alcohol-based products, paint
- Pressurized containers: hair spray, mosquito repellent, mini gas canisters
- Liquid cosmetics in large quantities
- Strong magnets
If your shipment contains any of the above and is flagged at the origin airport, the goods are confiscated. You do not get them back. No refund from the carrier.
Electronics with built-in batteries (wireless earbuds, smartwatches, torches): allowed, but you must declare correctly, confirm batteries are under 100Wh, and not assume your forwarder will flag this automatically.
Most common mistake: sending liquid skincare or loose power banks by air because it feels faster, then losing the entire batch at origin with no advance warning.
Decision Matrix: Which Product Goes on Which Route?
| Product type | Route | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing, footwear, accessories (10 kg+, not urgent) | Road | Cost-efficient, fast enough, no documentation complications |
| Furniture, large appliances, 2 m³+ | Sea LCL | Lowest cost per unit volume |
| Electronics with loose or removable batteries | Road or Sea, NOT Air | Air prohibition applies regardless of battery size |
| Liquid cosmetics without aviation safety certification | Road, NOT Air | Carrier rejection at origin |
| New SKU test, under 5 kg, 7-day result needed | Air | Speed justifies the premium |
Route choice directly affects your margin per SKU. See how shipping cost moves the breakeven point on 1688 fashion for TikTok Shop for a worked example across three common product types.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shipping Goods from 1688
How much does road freight from 1688 cost per kilogram in 2025?
Cross-border road freight runs 18,000–35,000 VND/kg as a reference rate. Shipments under 10 kg pay toward the high end. Volumes above 50 kg typically negotiate down to 18,000–25,000 VND/kg depending on the forwarder and specific border crossing used.
Should I choose air freight or sea freight for 1688 goods?
Air freight fits small test orders and urgent seasonal restocks where the margin supports the premium. Sea freight fits large-volume bulky goods with flexible timelines. Most general merchandise is a road freight decision rather than an air-versus-sea choice.
Which goods are banned from air freight when shipping from 1688?
Loose lithium batteries, power banks above 30% charge, flammable liquids (perfume, alcohol, paint), pressurized aerosol containers, large-volume liquid cosmetics, and strong magnets. Electronics with built-in batteries are allowed with proper declaration, but loose battery cells are not.
Is road or sea cheaper for a 3 m³ order from 1688?
At 3 m³, the two routes are competitive. Sea wins for high-volume, low-density goods where the per-m³ rate saves substantially over road. Road wins for denser goods where per-kg cost is lower or faster transit matters. Run the volumetric weight calculation for both before committing.
What happens if I send prohibited goods by air from 1688?
The shipment is flagged at the origin airport or during transit screening. Goods are confiscated and not returned. You lose the full batch value with no carrier compensation. Many freight forwarders do not pre-screen shipments before acceptance, so liability sits entirely with the operator.
Ordinex Scout tracks supplier quotes and product data from 1688 so you can make the route decision before placing the order, not after it is already in transit. The Orders module handles the full import workflow from purchase order through to warehouse receipt. Both are in private beta. If you are sourcing from 1688 at volume, join the waitlist at ordinex.cc.