Will Ups Add Multiple Surcharges to Chinese Parcels?

Recently, UPS announced a series of surcharges for parcels shipped from mainland China, Hong Kong, China and Macau, which undoubtedly brought new challenges to many companies that rely on UPS logistics services. In order to help everyone better understand and respond to this change, this article will detail the latest information on UPS's surcharges for Chinese parcels and provide solutions from the perspective of third-party logistics fulfillment service providers.

Logistics pain points for B2B and cross-border e-commerce sellers

Frequent fluctuations in freight rates: fuel surcharges and temporary surcharges make costs unpredictable;

Hidden costs surge: surcharges such as address changes, remote area delivery, and return processing are superimposed, and profit margins are compressed;

Costs of large items are out of control: overlong and overweight goods face multiple charges, and may even be rejected due to packaging problems;

Tariff prepayment disputes: tax fees and rejection risks increase cash flow pressure.

These pain points directly affect sellers' pricing strategies and customer experience. UPS's recent adjustment of several surcharges for parcels originating from China has undoubtedly further exacerbated sellers' cost anxiety.

Latest information on UPS's surcharges for parcels from China

From March 16 to March 29, 2025, UPS has implemented a new surcharge policy for parcels shipped from mainland China, Hong Kong, China and Macau, China:

Peak surcharges:

Mainland China: RMB 4.80 per kilogram for parcels shipped to the United States and the Americas; RMB 3.70 per kilogram for parcels shipped to Europe, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Africa.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: HKD 5.10 per kilogram for parcels shipped to the United States and the Americas; HKD 4.00 per kilogram for parcels shipped to Europe, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Africa.

Macao Special Administrative Region: The charging standards are the same as those in Hong Kong.

Other common surcharges:

Address change fee: RMB 100 per piece, up to RMB 291 per ticket.

Surcharge for remote areas: 5.2 yuan/kg, with a minimum charge of 256 yuan per ticket, plus the fuel surcharge for the month.

Extra-long, extra-heavy and irregular surcharge: For irregularly packaged goods, with the longest side ≥120cm, the second longest side ≥75cm, and a single piece weight ≥24.01kg, 125 yuan per piece will be charged, plus a fuel surcharge.

Extra-large surcharge: For extra-large packages with a girth exceeding 295cm and a minimum billable weight of 40kg/piece, an additional 500 yuan/piece will be charged, plus a fuel surcharge.

Extra-large surcharge: 2050 yuan/piece will be charged, plus a fuel surcharge.

Undeliverable fee: When the recipient refuses to accept or other reasons make it impossible to deliver, the sender needs to pay a surcharge of 75 yuan per ticket.

Additionally, effective September 15, 2024, UPS will impose a "Business Surge Fee" of $0.50 per pound, based on the billable weight, on imports shipped from China and 12 other countries or regions to the United States by air.

How Third-Party Delivery Can Help Reduce UPS Shipping Costs

To avoid excessive surcharges and keep shipping costs efficient, working with a professional third-party logistics (3PL) provider like ChinaDivision can make a world of difference. Here's how:

Optimize Package Weight and Size

3PL providers use strategic packaging techniques to minimize dimensional weight, thereby reducing surcharges associated with oversized and irregularly shaped packages.

Consolidate Shipments to Save Costs

By combining multiple orders into fewer, larger shipments, businesses can reduce costs per package and avoid excessive fees.

Use Alternative Carriers to Reduce Rates

Instead of relying solely on UPS, ChinaDivision offers multiple carrier options (DHL, FedEx, and the Postal Service) to find the most cost-effective solution for each shipment.

Leverage warehousing and domestic delivery

By storing inventory at ChinaDivision’s fulfillment centers, businesses can avoid high per-package fees by shipping in bulk to the U.S. or other destinations.

Reduce remote area surcharges

3PL providers like ChinaDivision have local delivery networks that help businesses avoid remote area and residential delivery surcharges by using alternative shipping methods.

Seamless returns and customer support

Efficiently handling returns can avoid high undeliverable package fees. Fulfillment partners offer return management and local customer service solutions to minimize unnecessary costs.

With UPS surcharges on China packages rising, e-commerce and B2B sellers must find cost-saving alternatives. By working with ChinaDivision, businesses can optimize packaging, consolidate shipments, and use flexible carrier options to reduce shipping expenses and improve efficiency.