Preparing Your Shipment for Portless Inbounds

Know what to send, label, and submit before your shipment leaves

June 15, 2026

Things to keep in mind

• Non-bonded inbounds do not require export documents. If you need an export declaration, contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to explore bonded warehouse options.

• For bonded inbounds, do not use DHL or UPS for international shipments. Use an ocean or air freight forwarder experienced with Chinese Special Free Trade Zones.

• Wooden pallets without an IPPC stamp will be held outside the bonded zone and transferred to an intermediary warehouse for re-palletizing. This causes delays.

• Product information on your packing list and labels must exactly match your original bonded registration. Any mismatch can prevent inventory allocation.

• Allow a one to two-business-day buffer after delivery before inventory is visible in your portal.

Requirements for all shipments

Every item in every shipment must have a scannable product barcode (UPC or SKU) on the item itself. Without it, inventory cannot be received or allocated in the system. See Understanding Barcode and SKU Requirements for more information.

Requirements by shipment type

The steps required to submit an inbound shipment depend on your warehouse type and fulfillment model. Follow the instructions below for whichever applies to you.

Non-bonded inbounds

• Label each carton with the corresponding SKU(s).
• Fill out the Packing List Template. Use one row per unique SKU and fill in all bolded columns.
• Email the completed packing list, your delivery date, and tracking number to inbounding@portless.com.
• Allow three working days from receipt of the packing list for the inventory to become available.

See Submitting Inbound Goods to a Non-Bonded Warehouse for more in-depth information.

Bonded inbounds

• Do not create your own carton labels. Portless sends you approved PDF carton labels after your documents are approved.
• Affix the Portless-provided labels to your cartons.
• Send photos of the labeled cartons back to Portless for confirmation before shipping.
• For pallets, use IPPC-certified wooden pallets with a visible stamp, or plastic pallets as an alternative.
  • Pallet dimensions: 48" × 40"
  • Maximum stacking height: 71"
• Clearly mark all outer cartons with either Bonded Warehouse or 保税仓.
• Include all required documentation with the shipment:
  • Product Declaration Form
  • Exporter Declaration Form
  • Commercial Invoice
  • Packing List
  • Sales Contract

For more in-depth instruction, see:

• Submitting Inbound Goods to a Bonded Warehouse
• Complying with IPPC Certification for Bonded Warehouse Inbounds

Bonded wholesale (B2B)

• Label every outer box with the warehouse entry number, SKU, and quantity.
• Ensure the packing list exactly matches the box labels and the actual items inside. Any mismatch can delay customs processing or block inventory allocation.

See Processing Wholesale Orders through China Bonded Warehouses for further information.