BUYER KNOWLEDGE / CHINA-SIDE COORDINATION
FOB vs DDP When Importing Planters from China
Compare the delivery responsibilities as well as the quoted amount. Xiamen Green offers FOB and DDP arrangements according to the buyer's preference and the agreed shipment scope.
Name the delivery point
Xiamen Green offers both FOB and DDP arrangements according to the customer's preference. For an agreed DDP program, we coordinate the responsibility and operations through to the customer's local warehouse. The destination and receiving scope still need to be confirmed for the particular quotation.
Write the selected rule, named port or place and applicable Incoterms edition into the agreement. “FOB China” or “DDP delivery” leaves important details unstated. The named location helps establish where delivery occurs and which parts of the journey the quotation covers.
The comparison below concerns Incoterms® 2020 responsibilities. It does not determine payment terms, product acceptance criteria or every contractual remedy; those matters also need agreement.
Compare the responsibilities
| Question | FOB | DDP |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery and risk transfer | When goods are on board the buyer-designated vessel at the named shipment port. | At the agreed destination, at the buyer's disposal on the arriving vehicle, ready for unloading. |
| Main transport | The buyer arranges the main carriage. | The seller arranges carriage to the agreed destination. |
| Clearance | The seller handles export clearance; the buyer handles import clearance and applicable transit formalities. | The seller handles export, transit and import clearance, including applicable import duties and taxes. |
| Final unloading | Destination arrangements belong in the buyer's transport scope. | The buyer unloads the arriving vehicle. Clarify whether unloading charges are already covered by the seller's carriage contract. |
Compare quotations on the same product, quantity, packing and delivery basis. A higher quoted amount may include work and transport that another quotation leaves to the buyer; it does not by itself establish a higher product cost.
Responsibility references: ICC Academy's FAS or FOB?, DAP or DDP? and EXW or DDP? These are explanatory guides; confirm the rule and shipment agreement for your transaction.
Check whether FOB fits the handover
FOB should not be selected automatically for every container shipment. ICC Academy explains that when the seller hands a container to a terminal before it is loaded aboard the vessel, FCA can be the more appropriate rule.
Ask where the actual handover occurs and discuss the suitable rule with the parties arranging the shipment. The purpose is to align the contract with the operation, rather than choose a familiar abbreviation that leaves a gap in responsibilities.
Also describe the packing and handling route. Agreeing a transport term does not, by itself, confirm the protective packing required for a later individual courier shipment.
Clarify the warehouse delivery scope
For a DDP discussion, provide the complete receiving address and operational requirements. Import arrangements can depend on the destination; do not assume that the same setup is available everywhere. Confirm feasibility and responsibilities before the order is finalized.
- What is the exact warehouse and agreed delivery point?
- Who will complete the required import formalities, and what information must the buyer provide?
- Are appointments, unloading equipment or pallet restrictions relevant?
- Which unloading charges are included, and who performs the unloading?
- How will storage, waiting time or a changed delivery instruction be handled if they arise?
No universal duty rate or fixed landed-cost promise follows from the DDP label. The quotation and agreement should identify the included responsibilities and resolve destination-specific questions. We review those details as part of China-side sourcing and export coordination.