FAQ

• Door-to-Door: Transportation from your doorstep to the recipient’s doorstep in the destination country. The cost includes road transport, export clearance, customs clearance, and ocean freight but does not include customs duties, overweight charges, or dimensional changes. If you require in-home pickup or delivery, additional labor fees apply (in-home pickup is only available in the Greater New York area, while in-home delivery is limited to Taiwan). Please email us for more details. (Pricing based on actual volume or weight).
• Door-to-Port: Transportation from your location to the destination port. Customers are responsible for import customs clearance and final delivery arrangements. (Pricing is based on cubic meters).
• Port-to-Port: Customers drop off their cargo at the designated port warehouse. We handle export clearance and ship it to the destination port. Import clearance can be handled personally or through a local customs broker. (Pricing is based on cubic meters).

Yes! We provide free pickup services across the U.S., regardless of city or town. If you have any concerns, please call us at 347-699-6161.

We do not provide quotes over the phone. International ocean shipping, especially door-to-door services, involves multiple cost factors that require calculation. Customers should fully pack their items, measure the box dimensions (length, width, height), and submit a quote request via email. New York customers should schedule a pickup in advance to allow for proper arrangements.

No, all shipments require upfront payment before transport. Payment options include:

• If Charlene's drivers pick up your shipment, payment must be given to the driver upon pickup. A receipt will be issued, and both parties retain a copy.
• If a third-party service (FedEx/DHL/UPS) picks up your shipment, full payment must be made via online bank transfer before collection.
• If you ship your package to Charlene, an invoice will be emailed upon arrival, and payment must be made according to the instructions in the email.
• If you deliver your cargo to our New York office in person, payment must be made at the time of drop-off.

You can use any sturdy cardboard box, but the total sum of its length, width, and height should not exceed 200 cm. Other than that, there are no strict requirements. The key is to use strong, double-walled cardboard boxes that can handle the weight without breaking. You may also use various types of containers, including old or damaged suitcases with broken wheels or handles. Recycled boxes are acceptable as well. If you plan to purchase boxes, we recommend double-walled boxes for added durability.

• Books: Boxes no larger than 13x13x17 inches.
• Clothing: 18x18x18-inch boxes, tightly packed to save space.
• For combined books and clothing: 16x16x16-inch boxes.

• You can handwrite the following information on the top right corner of one side of the box (only one side), or download our “Maitou” template, fill it out, and print it to attach:
  • The customer’s full name (written in the official language of the destination)
  • Destination address (written in the official language of the destination)
  • Destination phone number
  • Box number: For example, if you have five boxes, please label them as 1/5, 2/5, 3/5, 4/5, 5/5. If you have only one box, please label it as 1/1.
  • Each box should only have the information marked on one side of the box, not on multiple sides, to facilitate customs processing requirements.

• For customers shipping to Taiwan via sea freight, we strongly recommend using double-walled cardboard boxes. If the box is damaged or unfit for use when received at our warehouse, we will rebox it (at a cost of $10 per box).
• Customers shipping to China or other regions via sea freight must use double-walled cardboard boxes.
• Even if you have used double-walled cardboard boxes, it does not guarantee that your boxes are suitable for use. We operate on a mutual trust system with our customers. Essentially, the cost of our boxes, plus the labor fee for repacking, is a loss-making business for us. However, in order to ensure the quality of transportation, we must enforce this policy.

Absolutely not. Only destination information should be written on the outside of the box (refer to the template), and the contents should never be listed.

To protect our customers’ interests, the company strongly advises against carrying unknown items for others or combining luggage with people you don’t know, as it may violate legal regulations and lead to unintended consequences. Our company strictly follows a one-person-one-order policy, offering door-to-door service with discounts for teachers, students, and general customers. This ensures that customers do not face any risks associated with combining orders with others.

The shipping time by sea varies depending on the customs inspection process in each country. For example, it takes about two to three and a half months to Taiwan, and four to six and a half months to China (depending on Chinese customs, the time is not fixed). While our company is responsible for transportation, we cannot control the length of the transport time or the customs inspection time. Therefore, the above times are for reference only, and we are not responsible for any additional costs or legal liabilities resulting from delays in the shipment.

During the shipping process with Charlene Transport, any updates or changes to your information must be communicated via email to the New York office. When sending the email, please be sure to provide your full name, receipt, or customer number to help us retrieve your details. Please complete the update within one month after Charlene Transport receives your shipment. After one month, a $25 processing fee may apply, or changes may not be possible.