Door to Door Shipping from the UK and China to Kenya: Costs, Process and Timelines

What Door to Door Shipping Really Means

Door to door shipping means one partner takes responsibility for your cargo from the supplier door in the UK or China to your door in Kenya. You do not book a truck here, a forwarder there, and a clearing agent somewhere else. You hand over the supplier contact and receive the goods at your shop, warehouse, or home.

For many Kenyan importers, especially those buying from 1688, Alibaba, or UK wholesalers for the first time, door to door is the difference between a stressful maze and a single phone call.

This guide explains how door to door works step by step, how long it takes by sea and air, what it costs including the lines most quotes hide, which documents you need, and how to get an exact quote for your next shipment.

Door to Door Versus Port to Port in Plain Terms

Three service levels exist on the UK to Kenya and China to Kenya lanes. They sound similar but feel very different.

Port to port: the forwarder moves your cargo from origin port to Mombasa port. You handle supplier delivery to the port, all Kenyan clearance, and transport upcountry yourself. Cheapest freight line, most work for you, most risk of port delays.

Door to port: the forwarder collects from your supplier and ships to Mombasa. You handle clearance and final delivery. Better than port to port, but you still need a clearing agent and a truck.

Door to door: the forwarder collects from the supplier, handles export, ships, clears through KRA customs, pays port charges on your behalf where agreed, and delivers to your stated address in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, or elsewhere. One invoice, one contact, full tracking.

If you are new to importing, run a small business without a logistics team, or simply value predictability, door to door is almost always the right choice. The freight line looks slightly higher because it includes services you would otherwise pay for separately, often at higher spot prices at the port.

How Door to Door Works Step by Step

Here is the exact journey of a typical door to door shipment with Heights Cargo, whether it starts in Birmingham or Guangzhou.

Step 1: Supplier handover and collection

You share your supplier name, address, contact person, and ready date. We book collection from the supplier warehouse or factory. If you bought from multiple suppliers, we collect each parcel and consolidate them into one shipment at our origin warehouse. This is where door to door starts saving money, because three small parcels become one efficient consignment.

Step 2: Measuring, weighing, and packing check

At the origin warehouse we weigh and measure every carton, check quantities against your purchase order, and flag damage or short packing. For air cargo we calculate chargeable weight. For sea LCL we calculate CBM. You receive confirmation of billable volume before anything sails or flies, so there are no surprises later.

Step 3: Export handling and loading

We complete export declarations in the UK or China, load your goods into a consolidated container for sea or prepare pallets for air, and issue your bill of lading for sea or airway bill for air. Regulated goods receive any needed export checks at this stage.

Step 4: International freight

Sea: consolidated containers sail from UK ports to Mombasa in about 45 days port to door, or from Chinese ports to Mombasa in 30 to 40 days door to door. Air: cargo flies to Nairobi in about 7 days from the UK or 7 to 12 days from China, door to door including handling both ends.

Step 5: Kenyan customs clearance

This is the step where door to door earns its fee. Our licensed clearing team lodges the KRA entry, processes the IDF where applicable, handles PVoC compliance for regulated goods, computes duty and VAT, and pays on your behalf where agreed. Because we received your documents before the vessel sailed, most clean entries target release within 48 to 72 hours of lodgement.

Step 6: Port handling and transfer

After release, cargo is pulled from the port, transferred through the Inland Container Depot or de consolidation centre where needed, and sorted for final delivery. Nairobi bound consolidated cargo benefits directly from recent cost relief, including the reduced ICD to Bomaline transfer charge.

Step 7: Final delivery to your door

We deliver to your shop, home, or warehouse and collect proof of delivery. You pay one landed figure agreed upfront: freight plus clearance plus duty plus delivery, with each line shown separately on your quote.

Timelines You Can Plan Around

Use these planning ranges for door to door service, including collection, freight, clearance, and delivery.

From the UK:

* Air door to door: about 7 days * Sea door to door: about 45 days

From China:

* Air door to door: 7 to 12 days * Sea door to door: 30 to 40 days

Treat these as midpoints for planning, not guaranteed dates. Sailing schedules, airline capacity, port congestion, and inspection selections all add variability. Order sea freight at least two months before you need the stock on shelves. Use air for top ups, urgent orders, and high value goods where stockout costs more than freight.

What Door to Door Costs: The Full Breakdown

A proper door to door quote has four building blocks. If any are missing, ask where they are.

1. International freight

* UK air: from GBP 8.00 per chargeable kg plus GBP 25 handling per shipment * UK sea consolidated: GBP 3.25 per kg plus GBP 25 handling * China air: USD 15.00 per chargeable kg * China sea LCL: KES 62,000 per CBM for general goods, KES 66,000 per CBM for sensitive goods, minimum 0.20 CBM

Freight is driven by chargeable weight for air and by CBM or weight for sea. Send packed dimensions for an exact figure.

2. Kenyan clearance and port charges

Covers customs entry lodgement, agency fees, port handling, and transfers. Varies by shipment size and port path. We itemise this so you can see what goes to KRA, what goes to the port, and what is agency service.

3. Duty and taxes

Import duty depends on HS code and declared value. VAT, Import Declaration Fee, and Railway Development Levy may also apply. Duty is payable by you as importer of record, even when we process payment on your behalf. Honest values and correct HS codes keep this predictable. Under declaration almost always costs more in revaluation and penalties than it saves.

4. Final delivery

Depends on destination and size, from Nairobi metro drop offs to upcountry delivery. Confirm the delivery town before quoting, because Mombasa self collection versus Eldoret delivery are very different costs.

The power of door to door is that all four lines appear on one quote before you pay your supplier balance. Compare that against buying freight only and discovering clearance and delivery later at spot prices.

Documents You Need for Door to Door

You do not need to be an expert. You just need to provide these, and we handle the rest.

1. Commercial invoice from your supplier with honest values and item descriptions 2. Packing list with quantities, weights, and carton dimensions 3. Your KRA PIN matching the importer of record exactly 4. Bill of lading or airway bill, which we issue 5. PVoC certificate for regulated goods like electronics, cosmetics, and food related items, arranged before export 6. MSDS for chemicals, cosmetics, or anything flammable or sensitive 7. IDF lodged before arrival, which we process with your documents

Send photos or PDFs of supplier documents before goods leave origin. Our team reviews HS codes, values, and permits while cargo is still at the supplier, which is how 48 hour releases happen.

Who Door to Door Suits Best

Online sellers and retailers. You buy in small mixed batches from several suppliers. We consolidate into one shipment, which cuts per unit freight dramatically compared to shipping each parcel separately.

First time importers. You have never cleared at Mombasa and do not want to learn under pressure. Door to door removes the need to coordinate agents, trucks, and KRA entries yourself.

Busy traders. You want to focus on selling, not chasing paperwork. One WhatsApp thread covers collection, freight, clearance, and delivery updates.

Relocators and personal effects shippers. You are moving household goods from the UK to Kenya. We collect boxes from your UK address, ship consolidated by sea, clear, and deliver to your Kenyan home.

Businesses with repeat lanes. Monthly auto parts from Birmingham or monthly electronics from Shenzhen become a rhythm: supplier to warehouse to shelf, with predictable landed cost per unit you can price against.

How Consolidation Makes Door to Door Cheaper

Consolidation is the quiet engine behind affordable door to door rates. Instead of paying for a full container you do not need, your cartons share container space with other importers and you pay only for your CBM or kilograms.

Three suppliers in Guangzhou each sending two cartons become one six carton consignment. One handling process, one entry where eligible, one delivery. Per unit cost falls because fixed costs are shared.

This is also why sending supplier documents early matters. When we know all your cartons in advance, we plan container space efficiently and avoid split shipments that double handling.

Five Mistakes That Make Door to Door More Expensive

Confirming your supplier order before asking for freight. Always get the landed quote first. A product that looks profitable at supplier price can lose margin after volumetric air freight and duty. Send the proforma before you pay the deposit.

Giving the wrong delivery town. Nairobi and Mombasa delivery are routine. Upcountry delivery needs planning and trucking. A quote for Mombasa self collection will not hold for Nakuru delivery.

Mismatched PIN and names. If the booking name, invoice name, and KRA PIN do not match exactly, clearance stops. Check spelling, limited versus Ltd, and PIN digits before shipment.

Skipping PVoC for regulated goods. Electronics, electricals, tyres, cosmetics, and many household goods need pre export verification. Arriving without it means costly destination inspection or delays.

Sending air sized expectations with sea sized budgets. If you need goods in two weeks, sea cannot help no matter how cheap it is. If goods are heavy and patient, air will burn margin for no reason. Match mode to need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is door to door really all inclusive

It covers collection, export, international freight, Kenyan clearance processing, and delivery to your address. Import duty and taxes are shown separately because they belong to KRA and depend on your goods, though we process them for you. A proper quote lists every line so nothing hides.

Can you collect from multiple suppliers

Yes. This is one of the main reasons importers choose door to door. We collect from each supplier in the UK or China, consolidate at our origin warehouse, and ship as one consignment. Share all supplier contacts and ready dates upfront so we can plan one efficient pickup cycle.

Do I need to come to Mombasa or Nairobi to clear

No. As importer of record you provide documents and PIN, and our licensed agents clear on your behalf. You receive updates and the final delivery without visiting the port.

What is the minimum shipment for door to door

Very small shipments are welcome. China sea has a 0.20 CBM minimum charge. UK sea and air have a per shipment handling fee plus per kg freight. Air has a 1 kg minimum billable weight. Even a single carton can go door to door.

How do I track a door to door shipment

You receive milestone updates: collected, departed origin, in transit, arrived Kenya, in clearance, released, out for delivery, delivered. For live status, message us on WhatsApp with your booking reference or use the tracking page.

How to Get an Exact Door to Door Quote

Send these four items and we will return a full landed quote, not just freight.

1. Supplier city and your delivery town in Kenya 2. Packing list with weights and carton dimensions, or product links plus quantities 3. Commodity descriptions, so we can check duty lines 4. Preferred mode: sea or air, or ask us to quote both

Use the rate calculator on this site for an instant estimate, then send your packing list on WhatsApp for the exact door to door figure with freight, clearance, duty estimate, and delivery shown separately.

Heights Cargo operates in Kenya, the UK, and China with partner agents worldwide. From supplier pickup to your doorstep, you deal with one accountable team. Message us today and let us plan your next shipment door to door.