Choose EXW only when your China-side team can collect the goods and manage the origin chain. The buyer normally takes cost and risk from the named pickup point, including loading and export arrangements. A 1688 listing price alone does not establish EXW: write the named place and Incoterms® 2020 into the contract.
FCA is often the cleaner rule when your forwarder receives containerized, air, courier or multimodal cargo in China. The seller clears export and delivers to your nominated carrier at the named place; you arrange the main carriage. The precise handoff matters, so state the terminal, warehouse or other location rather than writing FCA alone.
FAS is a specialist sea or inland-waterway rule. The seller clears export and places the goods alongside the vessel at the named origin port; the buyer takes the loading, main carriage and later costs. It is usually a poor fit for ordinary 1688 parcels or container handoffs, where FCA is more likely to match the operation.
FOB means the seller clears export and places suitable sea cargo on board at the named origin port. The buyer then carries the main freight, destination charges, import and final delivery, and risk has already transferred. FOB is not an air-freight rule; for container delivery to a terminal, compare FCA with the actual handoff.
CFR can match suitable sea cargo when the seller pays freight to the named destination port but does not arrange insurance under the rule. Risk transfers on board at origin, earlier than the paid freight ends. Confirm destination terminal charges, cargo cover, import clearance and final delivery instead of treating a CFR port price as landed cost.
CIF adds seller-arranged cargo cover to a seller-paid sea-freight move, but risk still transfers when the goods are on board at origin. The buyer normally handles destination charges, import and final delivery. Ask for the insurance certificate, coverage level, exclusions and claims route; do not read CIF as guaranteed door delivery or complete protection.
CPT works across transport modes when the seller pays carriage to a named destination. Risk usually transfers earlier, when the seller hands the goods to the first carrier, and seller-arranged insurance is not required by the rule. Confirm the first-carrier handoff, destination charges, import responsibility and any cargo cover before comparing the quote.
CIP combines seller-paid carriage with seller-arranged insurance and can be used for container, air or multimodal cargo. Risk still transfers at the first-carrier handoff, not at destination. Ask for the policy details, insured value and exclusions, then separate import clearance, duty, tax and last-mile responsibilities from the seller's paid-carriage endpoint.
DAP often fits a quote where the supplier carries the goods to your named address but you remain responsible for import clearance, duty and tax. The seller bears transit risk until the goods are ready for unloading at destination. Confirm who handles the customs broker, who unloads, and which destination or remote-area charges remain outside the quote.
DPU extends seller delivery through unloading at the named destination. The buyer normally still handles import clearance, duty and tax, so an unloaded delivery promise is not automatically duty paid. Confirm that the destination can receive and unload safely, and write the exact terminal, warehouse or site rather than relying on a broad city name.
DDP places the broadest delivery obligation on the seller, including import formalities and related charges as between the parties. It does not by itself prove who customs will recognize as importer of record in your market. Verify tax registrations, declared value, broker authority, documents and exclusions before treating a marketplace 'DDP' label as compliant all-in delivery.
