What is ePacket shipping and how does it work?
Last updated: 14 Feburary 2025
Are you considering ePacket shipping for your business? Learn everything you should know about ePackets before making a commitment
Key takeaways
- ePacket shipping offers affordable and fast delivery from China and Hong Kong, with tracking available in over 39 countries
- Shipments of up to 2kg can be sent and the average delivery time is 7-30 days
- ePacket provides door-to-door tracking
- Limitations include the 2kg weight cap and a $400 package value limit, with no compensation for lost or damaged items
Introduction
ePacket shipping is one of the most popular shipping methods offered by suppliers based in China and Hong Kong. Majorly introduced to decrease costs and delivery times, ePacket supports over 39+ countries, including Australia. Goods sent through ePacket have tracking numbers that can be monitored through China Post.
Australian e-commerce businesses can use ePacket to source products from China. They can also use ePacket for dropshipping since the shipping service allows suppliers in China to send goods to customers directly.
Let’s take a look at everything you should know about ePacket
Table of Contents
What is an ePacket?
ePacket shipping allows you to receive online purchases from suppliers based in China and Hong Kong. ePacket is a very popular shipping option among AliExpress and eBay sellers, as it supports shipping to over 39 countries across the globe.
The ePacket service was especially introduced by China Post to provide a fast and affordable shipping option for small and low-cost e-commerce orders. In fact, the ‘e’ in ePacket stands for e-commerce.
ePackets are also preferred by various dropshipping businesses, allowing them to maintain good relationships with customers while protecting profit margins.
Note that the ePacket delivery service is only available for suppliers based in China and Hong Kong. If your supplier is based in the US or Europe, you won’t be able to use the service.
ePackets shouldn’t be confused with China EMS (Express Mail service), which is faster and more expensive. While ePackets only support packages of up to 2kg, EMS can be used for packages of up to 30 kg.
How do ePackets work?
Here’s the process that is usually followed with ePacket delivery:
- A customer places an order on your online store or on an e-commerce website where you list your products
- You send the order details to your dropshipping supplier based in China or Hong Kong
- The package is collected by China Post’s ePacket service from the supplier and then transferred to China’s border, where it is dispatched to the destination country of the customer (Note: While the package is sent through China Post, it is shipped to Australia through an international carrier which is usually EMS but it may not always be the case)
- When the package arrives in the destination country, it is then assigned to a local courier for last-mile delivery
- The package finally gets delivered to the recipient
Key benefits of ePacket shipping
Short delivery times
Compared to traditional delivery methods like ocean freight, ePacket shipping is much faster. Your packages get delivered in 7-30 days at the most. The exact time can depend on the destination, the weight of the package and the time of the year. For instance, getting packages during the Black Friday/ Christmas season will definitely take a lot longer.
Cost-effective
Suppliers usually offer free or low-cost shipping with ePacket. Considering the low prices of ePacket shipping, it’s easy for suppliers to absorb it into their wholesale costs.
Ability to track
You get door-to-door tracking ability for all the shipments that are sent from China to customers. It builds trust among customers, improves transparency and reduces the number of ‘where is my order’ queries you get.
Free and convenient returns
Any deliverable or returned packages get sent to the sender without extra charges.
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Cons of using ePacket for shipping
Limited support: If your package gets delayed, lost, or damaged in any way, you cannot claim compensation for it.
Limitations on weight: It’s only possible to ship packages of up to 2kg through ePacket. The package size should not exceed 90 cm or 35.4 inches–including the sum of the length, height and width of the package. It should also not be less than 14 cm in length and 11 cm in width. In case your package is bigger, you’ll have to consider other shipping options.
Limitations on package value: You cannot send goods that have a value of over $400. It’s also not advisable to try to ship anything too expensive, even if the weight limit is fulfilled. Since there is no compensation available, you could suffer a hefty loss if your packages get damaged or lost during transit.
Limitations on product type: Since ePackets are shipped by air, you can’t ship any products that are hazardous or inflammable, like liquids, chemicals, or lithium batteries
Which countries are supported by ePacket
ePacket shipping is available in over 39+ countries are supported by ePacket, including:
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Brazil
- Russia
- South Korea
- Singapore
- Israel
- Turkey
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Vietnam
How long does it take for an ePacket to be delivered?
The time it takes for an ePacket to get delivered depends on the destination country. The average estimated delivery time for most countries is 7-30 working days.
In the case of Mexico, it’s around 30 working days. For Russia, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia, it’s 7-20 working days.
Of course, these are just estimates. ePackets can get delayed due to bad weather, local festivals and other reasons.
ePacket Fees Australia: What to expect?
As mentioned above, the fees for ePacket are comparatively lower than other shipping methods. Here’s the comparison of prices for a 500gm packet across the different air shipping methods:
ePacket tracking: How to track ePacket from China?
You’ll get tracking details for your ePacket as soon as it is shipped. There are a couple of ways to track your ePacket.
- You can go to China Post’s official EMS website to track your package when its on its way to Australia
- After the package arrives in Australia, you can track it through Australia Post’s website
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Disclaimer: The information contained is general only and largely our views. Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and it may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions, estimates, mentioned products/services and referenced material constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the briefing and are subject to change without notice. WorldFirst shall not be responsible for any losses or damages arising from your reliance of such information.
What is ePacket shipping and how does it work?
ePacket shipping is one of the most popular shipping methods offered by suppliers based in China and Hong Kong.
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