Last month a client showed me a quote: 3.5 RMB/kg for Dubai. I told him to avoid it. Normal air freight plus clearance costs 8-11 RMB. Anything under 6 has a catch. Low price often means under-declared duties. When ZATCA audits, fines will eat your season's profit.
My rule for vetting forwarders: check international licenses, local customs teams in Saudi or UAE, and written lost-parcel compensation. Miss any, skip.
Ask for real clearance records from the last 30 days. Some forwarders show edited timetables claiming 5-day delivery. In Egypt, 7-10 days is decent. Iraq can get stuck in document exchange for three days.
Also confirm peak-season capacity. After Saudi's e-invoice crackdown in July, unprepared forwarders leave your cargo held. A local compliance team saves you trouble.
Do you still trust that 3.5 RMB quote?