China to Malaysia Air Freight Process | What Happens After Your Parcel Arrives at Our Warehouse?
Many customers receive a notification saying:
"Your parcel has arrived at the warehouse."
But what happens next?
Why can’t the parcel be shipped immediately after it arrives?
Why does it sometimes take a few days before the shipment is dispatched?
The truth is that international air freight involves much more than simply receiving a parcel and sending it to the airport.
Before your shipment is ready for export, it goes through a series of operational procedures, inspections and documentation checks to ensure that everything complies with airline and customs requirements.
This guide explains the complete air freight process, from the moment your parcel arrives at our warehouse in China until it is delivered to your address in Malaysia.
Step 1 – Your Parcel Arrives at Our China Warehouse
Every day, our warehouse receives parcels from various suppliers and courier companies across China, including orders from Taobao, 1688, Pinduoduo, JD.com and many other online platforms.
When a parcel arrives, our warehouse team first checks the external packaging to ensure there are no obvious signs of damage during domestic transportation.
Receiving a parcel from the courier is only the beginning.
The actual logistics process starts after the parcel enters the warehouse.
Step 2 – Barcode Scanning and Parcel Registration
Each parcel is individually scanned using its courier tracking barcode.
The warehouse system automatically identifies and records information such as:
Once the parcel has been successfully scanned, it is automatically registered under the customer’s account.
Customers will usually receive an arrival notification shortly after the parcel has been processed.
This automated process helps minimise manual errors and improves inventory accuracy.
Step 3 – Parcel Photography
After registration, our warehouse team photographs every parcel.
These photos allow customers to verify:
If a supplier sends the wrong parcel or the packaging appears damaged upon arrival, it can often be identified at this stage.
Step 4 – Weight and Dimension Measurement
Every parcel is weighed using calibrated electronic scales.
The warehouse also measures:
These measurements are recorded in the warehouse system.
For international air freight, freight charges may be calculated based on either actual weight or volumetric weight.
Accurate weight and dimension data are essential for determining the correct chargeable weight.
Step 5 – Waiting for All Parcels to Arrive
Many customers purchase products from multiple suppliers.
Instead of shipping each parcel separately, our warehouse will normally wait until all parcels have arrived before preparing the shipment.
This allows customers to consolidate multiple purchases into one international shipment, helping to reduce overall shipping costs.
Step 6 – Customer Submits the Shipping Order
Once all parcels have arrived, the customer can submit a shipping order.
This is one of the most important steps in the entire shipping process.
Customers are required to confirm information such as:
Providing accurate cargo information helps reduce the risk of customs delays and ensures compliance with import and export regulations.
Step 7 – Shipment Collection and Order Verification
After the shipping order has been confirmed, warehouse staff locate every parcel belonging to that shipment.
Each parcel is scanned again to verify:
If there is any discrepancy between the warehouse system and the physical parcels, the shipment will not proceed until the issue has been resolved.
This additional verification helps prevent missing parcels and shipping errors.
Step 8 – Repacking and Packaging Optimisation
This is one of the services that many customers appreciate.
Many suppliers in China use oversized cartons or excessive packaging materials to protect their products.
While this provides additional protection, it also increases the parcel volume and may result in higher air freight charges.
Where appropriate, our warehouse team may:
The objective is to reduce unnecessary packaging volume while maintaining adequate protection for the goods.
For fragile, high-value or delicate products, transportation safety remains the priority.
Where necessary, we may recommend retaining the original packaging or adding additional protection such as wooden crating.
Step 9 – Professional Repacking
After the shipment has been optimised, the cargo is repacked according to its size, weight and transport requirements.
Depending on the shipment, packaging materials may include:
Different types of cargo require different packing methods.
The objective is to ensure that the shipment can withstand international transportation safely.
Step 10 – Final Scanning and Quality Verification
Before export, every parcel is scanned once again.
Warehouse staff verify:
Only after all information has been successfully verified will the shipment proceed to the export staging area.
Step 11 – Preparing for Airport Transportation
Completed export shipments are grouped according to their scheduled flight arrangements.
They are then placed in the dispatch area while waiting for collection by airport transport vehicles.
Many customers ask:
"If I submit my shipment today, why doesn’t it fly today?"
International air freight involves much more than transporting cargo to the airport.
Before departure, several procedures must be completed, including:
Each shipment must follow the operating procedures established by the airline, airport cargo terminal and customs authorities.
It is also important to understand that while airports operate every day, export customs clearance generally follows normal government operating schedules.
Although customs officers may still be on duty during weekends, export declaration and customs release services are generally processed on working days.
For this reason, air freight transit times are normally calculated in working days rather than calendar days.
Step 12 – Airline Cargo Acceptance
After the shipment arrives at the airport cargo terminal, the airline conducts its own cargo acceptance procedures.
Depending on airline requirements, cargo may undergo additional security screening, document verification and operational checks before being accepted for loading.
Only after the shipment has been formally accepted by the airline will it be scheduled for departure on the assigned flight.
Step 13 – Flight Departure
Once all export procedures have been completed, the shipment is loaded onto the aircraft.
During transportation, shipment status is monitored through the logistics tracking system.
Tracking updates may not always appear in real time while the cargo is in transit between airports or awaiting operational processing.
What About Sensitive Cargo?
Customers often ask whether sensitive cargo is always transported by road to Hong Kong before being exported by air.
The answer is not necessarily.
The export route depends on several operational factors, including:
Depending on the shipment, sensitive cargo may be exported directly from airports in Mainland China, through designated export gateways, via Hong Kong, or through other approved logistics routes.
Different logistics providers operate different shipping channels.
For operational and regulatory reasons, the export route cannot be guaranteed to be the same for every shipment.
Step 14 – Arrival in Malaysia
After landing in Malaysia, the shipment is transferred to the airport cargo terminal.
Before the goods can be released, they must complete the import customs clearance process.
Depending on the cargo category and customs requirements, customs authorities may review shipping documents, verify declarations or conduct physical inspections where necessary.
The duration of customs clearance depends entirely on the relevant authorities and cannot be influenced by the logistics provider.
Step 15 – Release from Customs
Once customs clearance has been completed, the shipment is officially released for local distribution.
The cargo is then collected by the appointed local delivery partner for onward transportation.
Step 16 – Transfer to the Courier Distribution Hub
The shipment is transported to the courier’s main distribution hub.
At the hub, automated sorting systems separate parcels according to destination states, cities and postal codes.
This sorting process ensures that every parcel is routed to the correct regional distribution centre.
Step 17 – Regional Distribution
After leaving the central hub, parcels are transported to local distribution centres serving different regions throughout Malaysia.
From there, they are assigned to the final delivery station responsible for the recipient’s delivery address.
Step 18 – Final-Mile Delivery
Once the parcel reaches the local delivery station, it is assigned to a delivery driver.
Depending on the shipment size and destination, delivery may be carried out using courier vans, delivery vehicles or other suitable transport.
The parcel is then delivered directly to the recipient’s address.
Step 19 – Before Opening Your Parcel
When your shipment arrives, we strongly recommend not opening the parcel immediately.
Before unboxing, record a continuous video that clearly shows:
If there is any issue such as transport damage, missing items or packaging abnormalities, a complete unboxing video will serve as important supporting evidence during any investigation, insurance claim or after-sales assistance.
This is a standard practice widely recommended throughout the international logistics industry.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why hasn’t my shipment been dispatched after arriving at the China warehouse?
When your parcel arrives at our warehouse, it does not go directly to the airport.
Our warehouse team will first complete the receiving process, including barcode scanning, parcel photography, weight measurement, dimension measurement and member account verification.
If you have multiple parcels arriving from different suppliers, they will normally be held until all shipments have arrived. Once you submit your shipping order and confirm your cargo details together with the delivery address in Malaysia, the warehouse will begin consolidation and shipment preparation.
Why do I need to declare the product description and cargo value?
International shipments must be declared to customs authorities before export and import.
The product description and declared value are essential information required for customs clearance.
Generic descriptions such as ''Gift'', ''Accessories'', ''General Goods'' or ''Others'' may result in customs enquiries or requests for additional information.
We recommend using accurate product descriptions, such as:
Mobile Phone Case
Plastic Storage Box
LED Light
Kitchenware
Clothing
Providing accurate information helps reduce unnecessary delays during customs clearance.
Why does the warehouse repack my parcels?
Many online sellers in China use oversized cartons or excessive protective packaging.
Although this provides additional protection, it may also increase the parcel dimensions and result in higher volumetric weight.
Where appropriate, our warehouse team will remove unnecessary outer packaging, reorganise the contents and repack the shipment to reduce unnecessary shipping volume.
For fragile, high-value or easily damaged products, sufficient protective packaging will always be retained to ensure transportation safety.
Why aren’t all parcels unpacked?
The purpose of unpacking is to optimise packaging, not to remove every protective material.
For fragile items such as glass products, electronics, marble furniture, ceramics or mirrors, the original packaging may be retained to minimise the risk of damage during transportation.
Where necessary, additional protection such as wooden crating or reinforced packaging may be recommended.
Why is volumetric weight used for air freight?
Aircraft cargo capacity is limited by both weight and available cargo space.
A lightweight but bulky parcel may occupy the same amount of aircraft space as a much heavier shipment.
For this reason, airlines compare the actual weight with the volumetric weight and use whichever is greater as the chargeable weight.
This is a standard practice throughout the international air freight industry.
What does the 20kg Volumetric Weight Waiver mean?
The 20kg Volumetric Weight Waiver is available on selected shipping channels.
Eligible shipments may receive a partial reduction in volumetric weight charges, helping to lower freight costs for lightweight but bulky cargo.
However, not every shipment or parcel automatically qualifies for this arrangement.
Eligibility depends on the cargo dimensions, packaging, shipment category, airline requirements and the applicable shipping channel at the time of shipment.
Why is 2.1kg charged as 2.5kg instead of 3kg?
Our air freight service is charged in 0.5kg increments after the first kilogram.
For example:
2.1kg is charged as 2.5kg.
2.6kg is charged as 3.0kg.
Compared with full-kilogram rounding, charging in half-kilogram increments is generally fairer for smaller shipments and helps reduce unnecessary freight costs.
Why is the transit time stated as 3 to 7 working days instead of calendar days?
International freight transit times are normally calculated in working days.
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are generally excluded from the estimated transit time.
This is because export customs clearance, airline operations, import customs clearance and local delivery processes are primarily handled during normal business working days.
Why are export shipments generally not processed over weekends?
Many customers notice that airports continue operating throughout the weekend.
While airport operations continue, international air freight also involves export customs clearance, cargo acceptance, airline documentation and other regulatory procedures.
These processes are generally carried out during normal working days.
As a result, shipments prepared over the weekend may be processed on the next available working day.
Why hasn’t my tracking information been updated for several days?
International freight tracking differs from domestic courier services.
During air transportation, customs clearance or cargo transfer between logistics facilities, tracking updates may not appear immediately.
This is a normal part of the international shipping process.
Tracking information will usually resume once the shipment reaches the next operational milestone.
If there has been no movement for an extended period, our customer service team will assist in checking with the relevant logistics partners.
Why hasn’t my parcel been delivered after arriving in Malaysia?
Arrival in Malaysia does not mean the shipment is ready for immediate delivery.
The shipment must still complete several procedures, including:
Airport cargo unloading
Import customs clearance
Customs release
Collection by the local courier
Transfer to the courier sorting hub
Final-mile delivery
Only after these procedures have been completed will the parcel be delivered to the recipient.
Why is a different courier company used for different deliveries?
The local delivery partner is selected according to several factors, including:
Delivery postcode
Parcel dimensions
Shipment weight
Operational capacity
Delivery route
For this reason, different shipments may be delivered by different courier companies.
Depending on the shipment, delivery may be arranged through GDEX, DHL, ABX or other appointed local courier partners.
Why do deliveries to remote areas usually take longer?
Remote locations are generally served on scheduled delivery routes rather than daily delivery services.
As a result, deliveries to rural areas, islands or locations outside standard courier coverage may require additional transit time.
Will my shipment be inspected by customs?
Any international shipment may be selected for customs inspection.
Customs authorities conduct inspections based on regulatory requirements, risk assessment procedures and random selection.
An inspection does not necessarily indicate that there is a problem with the shipment.
As long as the declared information is accurate, the shipment will normally continue once the inspection process has been completed.
Why do sensitive cargo shipments sometimes require a longer transit time?
Sensitive cargo must comply with additional airline and regulatory requirements.
Depending on the product category, the shipment may require a designated shipping channel, special documentation or additional operational procedures.
As a result, sensitive cargo may require a slightly longer transit time than general cargo.
The actual arrangement depends on the product type, airline requirements and the available shipping channel at the time of shipment.
Why should I record an unboxing video before opening the parcel?
A complete unboxing video is one of the most important forms of evidence when investigating shipping-related issues.
Before opening the parcel, we recommend recording a continuous video showing:
The shipping label and tracking number
The condition of the parcel before opening
The entire unboxing process
All items inside the package
If there is any sign of damage, missing items or other shipping-related issues, a complete unboxing video will greatly assist the logistics provider, carrier or insurance company during the investigation and claims process.
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