Cargo delivery for Kaspi sellers: how to import goods profitably and quickly

This is an expanded practical guide to cargo delivery (cargo, kargo) for marketplace sellers in Kazakhstan in 2026. The material is based on the experience of dozens of Kaspi.kz sellers: the real sequence of actions, figures for quick cost calculations and examples based on the current supply chain between the PRC and Kazakhstan.

1. Understanding the basics: what is cargo and what services exist

The term cargo is simple: cargo = freight. In the context of trade with China and Turkey, cargo usually refers to international freight transportation for commercial lots. Services are divided by type and format:

• Air cargo (авиа карго) — fast, expensive; practical for high-value items or express restocking.
• Sea cargo (морское/контейнерное) — FCL (full container load) and LCL (less-than-container/load, consolidated). FCL becomes economical at 1–2+ tonnes; LCL is suitable for shipments from ~25–30 kg up to several hundred kilograms.
• Rail cargo (железная дорога) — China–Kazakhstan via Dostyk/Ala-kol; a balance between speed and price, in 2026 often 10–20 days faster than sea.
• Door-to-door/door-to-port/port-to-port — different service levels: from pickup at the supplier to delivery to a warehouse in Almaty or to a Kaspi postamat.

Many sellers confuse "cargo" with courier delivery. Cargo works with commercial documents, declarations by HS code (TN VED) and Ukrainian/Russian/Kazakh regulations. For integration with Kaspi it's important to understand whether you need an FBO (Fulfillment by Operator) warehouse or you operate under FBS. See more on FBS delivery and FBO Kaspi in the sections FBS доставка and FBO Kaspi.

2. Price structures and how to calculate "price per kg"

Pricing in cargo consists of many line items. A seller must understand which of them affect the landed cost — the full cost after delivery and customs clearance — including freight, insurance, customs duties, handling, local delivery and additional fees. See the detailed landed cost checklist in related guide.

Main components of cost

• FOB price of the product (price at the manufacturer)
• Transport from the manufacturer to the port/airport
• The cargo itself: tariff per kg (or for FCL — fixed container tariff)
• Terminal charges and THC (terminal handling charge)
• Customs payments: customs duty (percentage of CIF) and VAT (in Kazakhstan in 2026 the VAT rate is 12%)
• Broker/customs agent services
• Domestic delivery within Kazakhstan (last mile, Kaspi Postamat, warehouse)
• Insurance, packaging, labeling

Price per kg vs dimensional weight

Cargo and courier companies calculate weight in two ways: actual weight and dimensional (volumetric) weight. For air and express shipments the dimensional weight formula is used: length×width×height (cm) / 6000 (or 5000 with some providers). Example: a box 40×30×20 cm — dimensional weight = 40×30×20/6000 = 4 kg. If the actual weight is 2 kg, you pay for 4.

Example calculation of "price per kg" (LCL from Guangzhou to Almaty)

In 2026 approximate LCL rates from Guangzhou to Almaty (port Novorossiysk + customs in Almaty / rail hub) for small sellers are in the range 0.9–2.5 USD/kg depending on volume, with a minimum batch of 20–30 kg. A concrete example:

• Batch 200 kg; LCL rate 1.2 USD/kg = 240 USD
• Terminals and dock charges = 80 USD
• Customs clearance + broker = 120 USD
• Domestic delivery to Almaty warehouse = 50 USD
• Total logistics = 490 USD → 2.45 USD/kg

Add import duty and VAT to get the "landed cost".

3. Top companies and providers: who to consider

I'll name groups of providers that Kaspi sellers and small businesses in Kazakhstan work with in 2026.

International forwarders

• DHL Global Forwarding, Kuehne+Nagel, DB Schenker — for regular volumes and insurance coverage.
• Cainiao/SF Express/2B Cargo — strong in China, offer consolidated routes, warehousing in Guangzhou.
• Turkish Cargo — useful for Turkey–Kazakhstan routes and as an operator of large air shipments.

Chinese local providers

• Cargo operators in Guangzhou and Shenzhen ("cargo Guangzhou", "cargo China") — convenient for consolidating small shipments.
• LCL and consolidation aggregators: 2 B Cargo, Cargo DC, cargo sites of local agents.

Kazakhstan and regional providers

• Local brokers and 3PL: companies offering warehouse in Almaty, acceptance for Kaspi and return handling.
• Rail operators and terminals at Dostyk/Khorgos — important for rail cargo.

When choosing, look not only at price: check for API or export for tracking, experience in customs clearance, insurance and claims handling. AWW as an automation tool helps combine repricer and analytics data with logistics costs when calculating product price and profitability. More on sales automation and the repricer in AWW — Reprajser and Sales automation.

4. International routes: sea, air, rail — advantages and transit times

Sea shipping (FCL / LCL)

Pros: the lowest cost per kg for large volumes; cons: long transit times and dependence on the port. Transit times from China (Guangzhou/Shanghai) to ports in Europe/Russia — 20–45 days, plus inland transshipments. Kaspi sellers often use multimodal routes: sea to the Caucasus/Black Sea + rail/truck to Kazakhstan.

Air cargo

Transit 3–7 days to Almaty/Astana. Prices in 2026 — 3–8 USD/kg depending on route, seasonality and availability of air capacity. To reduce costs, optimize box volume and control dimensional weight.

Rail (China–Kazakhstan)

Rail has become a regular choice: transit 10–18 days from dispatch in China to the terminal at Dostyk/Almaty. Cost is higher than sea, lower than air. For sellers who want stable transit times and don’t want to wait 30–45 days, rail is the optimal balance.

5. Customs and documents: a checklist for the seller

Customs clearance is an area of risk. Document errors increase lead time and can lead to fines. A short list of documents:

• Commercial Invoice — price, currencies, delivery terms (Incoterms).
• Packing List — dimensions, weight by pallets and boxes.
• Transport document: bill of lading (B/L) or air waybill (AWB).
• Certificates of conformity or origin (COO), if required.
• Sales contract, Proforma invoice for payment.
• Power of attorney for the broker (if the broker acts on your behalf).

About duties and VAT: duties depend on the HS code. For calculations use the basic formula: CIF (cost+freight+insurance) → duty is applied to it (if any), then VAT 12% is applied to (CIF + duty). For Kaspi sellers it’s important to include the cost of customs clearance in the final price on the product card. A convenient customs checklist is in the AWW glossary.

6. How to choose a cargo service for a Kaspi Store

Selection criteria:

1. Cost and tariff transparency — the provider should show all fees in detail (THC, AMS, consolidation)
2. Transit times and stability — look at SLA and on-time percentage
3. Customs support — experience in your product category
4. Integration with systems — ability to export tracks/statuses via API or CSV
5. Warehouse and reverse logistics — ability to receive at a warehouse in Almaty / delivery into the Kaspi network (Kaspi Delivery, Kaspi Postamat)
6. Insurance and claims process — how quickly they compensate for damages

If integration with Kaspi is important, ask the provider about experience working with Kaspi Store and the format of data transfer. Useful materials on Kaspi Delivery — AWW journal: Overview of delivery methods and the instruction for receiving goods into a Kaspi store — AWW journal: How to add a product.

7. Operational part: from an order at the factory to Kaspi Delivery

Sequence of a standard door-to-door delivery for a Kaspi seller:

1. Purchase from the factory — control MOQ and packaging
2. Preparation of export documents in China
3. Consolidation at a warehouse in Guangzhou/Shenzhen (often called "cargo Guangzhou")
4. Shipment by sea/train/air — receiving B/L or AWB
5. Customs in Kazakhstan, payment of duties and VAT
6. Delivery to the seller's warehouse or to fulfillment (including Kaspi Postamat/FBO)
7. Uploading product cards to Kaspi Store and configuring delivery for the buyer

For mass operations I recommend automating the landed cost calculation: factor in repricing, taxes and logistics. AWW helps link repricer data, sales analytics and delivery calculation — this speeds up pricing decisions when a batch arrives at the warehouse.

8. Practical calculation examples (2026, real cases)

Case 1. Import of 1,000 accessories (cases) — air vs sea

Input parameters: unit price at the manufacturer FOB = 2.00 USD, weight 0.2 kg/pcs → total weight 200 kg.

Option A: air (air cargo CDEK / express via SF Express)

• Rate 5 USD/kg → 200×5 = 1,000 USD
• Terminals and handling 120 USD
• Customs and broker 150 USD
• Total logistics = 1,270 USD → 1.27 USD/pc
• Land cost per unit = 2.00 + 1.27 + duty/VAT

Option B: LCL by sea

• LCL 1.2 USD/kg → 240 USD
• Documentation and terminals 200 USD
• Broker 120 USD
• Total logistics = 560 USD → 0.56 USD/pc

Conclusion: for this SKU sea LCL saves ~0.7 USD/pc, but transit increases to 30–45 days. If the SKU is fast-moving and you need turnover, choose air to replenish stock; otherwise — LCL.

Case 2. Calculation of duties and VAT (example)

Suppose CIF = 1,000 USD, duty 5% → 50 USD; VAT 12% on (CIF + duty) = 12% × 1,050 = 126 USD. Total import taxes = 176 USD.

Total with logistics 560 USD + taxes 176 USD = 736 USD expenses for the batch, which affects margin and the Kaspi price.

9. KPIs and quality control

Key metrics for cargo shipments:

• Cost per kg and landed cost per unit
• Lead time (days) — planned/actual
• On-time delivery (%)
• Claim rate (percentage of damaged/lost items)
• Document accuracy — time for re-issuance/correction

Collect statistics for at least 6–12 months to identify seasonal fluctuations in cost and time. For inventory forecasting use inventory forecasting and ABC analysis.

10. Short checklist before shipping

• Check Incoterms and who pays the duty
• Confirm packaging and labeling to Kaspi requirements (barcodes, dimensions)
• Clarify dimensional weight and optimize boxes
• Agree on the contact details of the broker and provider in Kazakhstan
• Calculate the landed cost and the price in the product card in advance
• Prepare a returns plan and reverse logistics

Glossary and useful materials

I recommend going through AWW guides that help with specific issues:

• Customs clearance — documents, formulas and examples of duty calculation
• FBS delivery — if you ship the product directly to the buyer
• FBO Kaspi — if you use Kaspi fulfillment
• Supply chain optimization — reduce inventory and capital tied in warehouses

From AWW journal articles for practitioners I recommend:

• Cargo shipping: a complete guide for marketplace sellers — basic theory and examples
• Overview of delivery methods for Kaspi sellers — local scenarios and service comparison
• Goods from China for Kaspi — supplier selection and risk minimization

Note on terminology and finding a provider: in Kazakhstan people often use hashtags and keys like карго 5872, карго 008, 2b cargo, cargo dc — these are local brands and aggregators. When choosing, pay attention to sellers' reviews and cases in your product category.

Tips for a Kaspi seller in 2026

• If you have seasonal peaks (Kaspi Juma, sales) — plan replenishment at least 45–60 days in advance for sea shipments.
• For a quick test of a new SKU take a batch of 20–100 kg and use LCL/air cargo. For stable sales move to FCL.
• Control dimensional weight of packaging — you can reduce costs by 10–30% by optimizing dimensions.
• Integration of logistics data into the pricing model will help avoid pricing errors — see how to integrate the repricer and analytics reports via AWW.

Finally, cargo shipping is not just a tariff per kg. For a Kaspi seller speed of turnover, quality control at dispatch and predictability of costs are important. Set KPIs, keep analytics and compare providers by real cases: price, transit time, damage rate, customs clearance speed and integration with your warehouse or Kaspi Fulfillment.

If needed, I can prepare an Excel template for landed cost calculation and a list of questions for negotiations with 5 providers for your SKU.