Step 1: Tell us what you are shipping, the origin port, approximate volume in CBM or carton count, and your target delivery date. We come back with FCL and LCL rate options within 24 hours on most lanes. Step 2: Once you approve a quote, we coordinate with the origin shipper or your supplier's freight contact. We handle the booking confirmation, shipping instructions, and any required export documentation. Step 3: Your container or LCL shipment departs. We provide you with the booking number and vessel tracking details so you can monitor progress. If there are delays at origin, transshipment port issues, or schedule changes, we notify you within the same business day. Step 4: Cargo arrives at the US port. MeisterPrep coordinates customs clearance (or works with your existing customs broker if you prefer), arranges drayage from port to our warehouse, and receives the goods into our WMS. For our Long Beach warehouse, drayage from the port typically takes 1 to 2 days. Charleston port to our Charleston facility runs same-day or next-day. Step 5: Once product is received and checked in, it moves directly into storage, FBA prep, retail prep, or pick-and-pack depending on your instructions. There is no dead time between freight arrival and fulfillment readiness. We handle the paperwork that trips up most sellers: ISF filing (must be submitted at least 24 hours before vessel loading), bill of lading review, arrival notices, and delivery orders. If you need import bonds, we connect you with our bond partners to get that sorted before your first shipment sails. <strong>Cost factors to understand:</strong> Ocean freight rates are driven by lane (origin to destination), container size, time of year, and fuel surcharges. A 40-foot container from Shanghai to Long Beach might run $2,500 to $4,500 during off-peak months and $5,000 to $8,000 or higher during peak season. LCL rates typically range from $40 to $80 per CBM on major trans-Pacific lanes, plus destination handling fees. Drayage from port to warehouse adds $300 to $800 depending on distance and chassis availability. We give you a fully landed cost estimate that includes the ocean rate, port fees, customs clearance, drayage, and warehouse receiving so you can compare apples to apples against other quotes. For Amazon FBA sellers, getting the freight-to-warehouse timing right is critical. If your inventory hits zero on Amazon while your container is still on the water, you lose ranking and organic placement that took months to build. We help sellers build reorder timelines that account for production lead time, ocean transit, port processing, and FBA prep turnaround so stock-outs become rare rather than routine.