Caribbean importers
Importing from China to the Caribbean
Do you import from China by the container for your stores or clients in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Curaçao, Aruba, the Bahamas, Jamaica, St Lucia or the French West Indies?
Who it is for
One partner from the factory to your port
Asiaction, a European-managed purchasing office in China since 2008, manages your purchasing from the factory to your port: sourcing, factory audits, inspection of every production, consolidation in Guangzhou and shipping.
We already work for importers in the Caribbean, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
We defend your interests, not the factory’s.
This service is for companies that import by the container or on recurring programmes, every season.
We work with owners, CEOs and heads of purchasing of importers, distributors and retailers, often family-run, with several stores or sites, in any category:
- furniture, home and bedding;
- DIY, building materials and hardware;
- appliances and air conditioning;
- auto parts;
- hotel and restaurant supply;
- packaging, solar and technical products.
It is not a fit for individuals, small one-off purchases or dropshipping.
Before you order
What to plan for
- Duties and taxes: each country sets its own. Check the tariff code of your products with your customs broker before you order.
- Standards: requirements differ between markets (EU rules in the French West Indies, national standards elsewhere). We check certificates and markings before shipping.
- Wood packaging: pallets and crates should meet ISPM 15. We check this at loading.
- Hurricane season: June to November in the Atlantic. Avoid landing key stock at the peak of the season.
- Chinese New Year: factories stop for several weeks between January and February. For year-end sales, order early.
Example: see how we helped a Caribbean client import furniture from China
How it works
From the factory to your port
Your brief
You send us your products, specifications, yearly volumes, destination port and the date you need the goods in store.
Sourcing and supplier checks
We contact many factories and shortlist 3 to 5 suppliers per product, after legal checks and an on-site audit when needed. Many do not pass our checks.
Samples and order
We handle samples and prototypes, then the order: 30-50% deposit, balance after our final inspection.
Production follow-up and inspection
We inspect every production we follow, to AQL Level II (0 critical, 2.5 major, 4.0 minor), with a photo and video report sent the next day.
Consolidation in Guangzhou
Goods from your different suppliers are gathered in our dedicated space in a partner warehouse with 24-hour security, then loaded into one container under our supervision.
Shipping and documents to your Caribbean port
We ship to any port, choosing the routing with our forwarding partners. Freight booking, bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, documents for your customs broker, and container tracking in your client portal until arrival.
Destinations
Ports and islands
Barbados: Port of Bridgetown
Bridgetown is the island's only major commercial seaport, run by Barbados Port Inc.
Containers from China usually arrive after transhipment. We compare routings with our forwarding partners on time and cost.
Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain and Point Lisas
Trinidad has two container ports, Port of Spain and Point Lisas. Tell us which one suits your warehouse: it affects the booking.
Jamaica, the Bahamas, Curaçao and Aruba
Kingston is one of the main transhipment hubs of the Caribbean. Freeport in the Bahamas and Willemstad in Curaçao also handle transhipment.
For Aruba, Curaçao and the Bahamas, we prepare documents for the local customs broker you work with.
St Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean
Smaller islands are usually served by feeder vessels from a regional hub. Fewer sailings mean you should group your purchases and keep buffers in your schedule.
French West Indies
Martinique (Fort-de-France) and Guadeloupe (Pointe-à-Pitre) apply EU rules, including CE marking, plus a local tax called octroi de mer.
Our French team can work with you in French: see our page for the French West Indies
Our service
What we handle
Not our business
What we don't handle
How we are paid
We defend your interests, not the factory's
Our fee is paid by you, never by the factory: factory price plus our fee, agreed before the order, with no hidden margin.
Two modes, your choice. Quality and production follow-up agency: you pay the factory directly and pay our fee separately. Purchasing office: we pay the factory for you and invoice the factory price plus our fee.
In both cases, the deposit is 30-50% at order and the balance is paid after our final inspection.
Let’s talk about your next container
Send us your product brief, your yearly volumes and your destination port (for example Bridgetown, Port of Spain or Kingston).
We come back with a first approach: supplier types, production schedule and how we would ship.
Real sourcing operations carried out in China
How our team in China helps importers verify suppliers, secure their orders and avoid costly mistakes.
SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
You want us to validate a potential supplier ?
We do off-site and on-site audits of Chinese companies
PURCHASING MANAGEMENT
You need quality control on your on-going orders ?
We can operate quality control & loading supervision
SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
You need a reliable supplier in China now ?
We can find a supplier in China for you
PURCHASING MANAGEMENT
You want us to manage your procurement ?
We offer a complete management solution
FREQUENTLY ASKED questions on
importing to island markets
How do Caribbean importers buy from China safely?
For regular volumes, the safest way is a purchasing office based in China that checks factories, inspects production, consolidates your suppliers into one container and ships to your port. Asiaction has done this since 2008.
Can I combine several Chinese suppliers in one container to Barbados or Trinidad?
Yes. We consolidate your goods in Guangzhou and load one container, after inspecting each production.
Do you ship to the smaller Caribbean islands?
Yes. Smaller islands are usually reached by feeder from a regional hub. We plan the routing with our forwarding partners and prepare the documents your broker needs.
Who pays Asiaction?
The buyer, never the factory. Our fee is agreed before the order, with no hidden margin.
Do you handle samples?
Yes. We handle samples and prototypes before the order. We do not do dropshipping.
Does Asiaction work with small importers?
No. We work with companies that import by the container or place recurring orders.
When should I order for the Christmas season?
Allow for the Chinese New Year shutdown, production time and transhipment to the Caribbean. We build the schedule with you from the brief.