Exporting Toys From India: A Complete Guide

Sanidhya Negi / October 22, 2024

Exporting toys from India is essential for both individuals and businesses, whether for selling or sending gifts. Toys often carry sentimental or business value, so ensuring their safe delivery is crucial. 

Understanding international shipping for toys can be tricky, with customs rules, packaging needs, and reliable courier partners to consider. That’s where a courier aggregator like Bigship plays a role, simplifying the process by offering cost-effective and reliable options for how to ship toys internationally. 

This guide will walk you through how to ship toys from India and ensure your shipment reaches its destination smoothly and on time.

Key Factors When Choosing Right Shipping Partner

If you have a question about how to export toys from India? The answer is by selecting the right shipping partner. The wrong choice could lead to delays, damage, or high shipping costs, which can further negatively impact your business or personal shipment. Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing a courier partner to ship toys internationally from India.

Destination Requirements: Different countries have specific customs regulations and shipping restrictions. Ensure the shipping service you choose understands and follows these requirements to avoid delays. Here are some of the country-specific regulations: 

1. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA): In the US, toys must comply with CPSIA. If you’re importing toys, you’ll need a certificate that confirms they meet safety requirements, including materials and paint regulations.
2. European Union Toy Safety Directive: In the EU, toys must pass safety inspections as outlined by the Toy Safety Directive before they can be sold.
3. International Organization for Standardization (ISO): ISO provides global toy safety guidelines. Many countries require toys to meet these standards, so ensure your supplier follows ISO regulations.

Delivery Time: Depending on how urgent the shipment is, you might need to balance speed and cost. Look for a courier service that provides an optimal balance for how to ship toys quickly and safely.

Cost Efficiency: International shipping can be expensive, so compare different couriers for the most affordable rates while still ensuring safe and timely delivery. 

Tracking and Insurance: Opt for a shipping service that offers tracking features and insurance options, especially when sending valuable or delicate toys.

Packaging Support: Make sure the service provider offers proper packaging solutions to protect toys during transit.

Packing Toys For International Shipping

When exporting toys from India, proper packaging is key to ensure safe delivery. Here’s how different types of toys should be packed for secure transport.

Stuffed Toys: Plush toys are soft and need protection from moisture and stains. You must place each stuffed animal in a plastic bag, wrap it with bubble wrap to maintain its shape, and pack it in a sturdy box to avoid movement.

Board Games: For board games and puzzles, disassemble the pieces and place them in plastic bags. Then use padding to prevent shifting inside the box.

Action Figures and Collectibles: Action figures, due to their fragile nature, should be individually wrapped in bubble wrap. Place each in separate compartments within a box to prevent scratching or damage during transit.

Remote-Controlled Toys: In such toys, you must remove batteries and secure them separately. Protect delicate parts like propellers with foam or bubble wrap. Then place everything in a sturdy box by using padding to reduce movement and shock.

Oversized Toys: Custom-made boxes or crates may be required for accommodating oversized toys. Use ample padding materials and secure the packaging with strong tape. Also, label the box for careful handling to ensure safe delivery.

Challenges of Exporting Toys From India

There are several challenges when Shipping toys internationally which need careful attention. Here are the main hurdles and how they can impact the safe delivery of toys worldwide.

Handling Fragile Toys and Different Materials: Toys vary in materials, from delicate porcelain to durable wood. Fragile toys need extra protection to avoid breakage, while heavier toys require sturdy packaging to support their weight and ensure safety during transit.

Dealing with International Shipping Regulations: Shipping toys abroad requires knowledge of each country’s regulations, particularly for items like battery-operated toys. For example in Saudi Arabia, due to cultural considerations, there are specific restrictions on toys featuring human or animal figures.

Managing Varied Shapes and Sizes: Toys come in all sorts of shapes and sizes which creates packaging challenges. While a standard box may fit small toys, larger items like oversized stuffed animals demand custom packaging to ensure they remain undamaged.

Top Indian Cities For Exporting Toys

There are several cities in India that are known for manufacturing toys for export. These cities have a strong presence of toy manufacturers, exporters, and related industries. Here are the top cities for toy export from India:

New Delhi: The capital city is a major hub for toy production and exports. It caters to both domestic and international toy markets.

Jaipur: The pink city is famous for its wooden toys and traditional crafts. It is a leading city for toy exports, especially in the handicraft segment.

Ahmedabad: An emerging player, Ahmedabad is seeing growth in the wooden toy sector, with an increasing number of manufacturers and exporters.

Kolkata: Known for its tradition of toy manufacturing, Kolkata specializes in dolls and soft toys. It is a vibrant toy export center.

Calculating the International Shipping Cost of Toys

When you are calculating the international shipping cost of toys, several factors come into play. Understanding these factors is key to optimizing the shipping cost. One of the most effective ways to manage these costs is by using a courier aggregator like Bigship. Courier aggregators help streamline the process by comparing rates from different carriers and allows you to select the most cost-effective and reliable option. This can be especially useful for shipping toys internationally, where factors like destination, package weight, and size can significantly affect the price.

In addition Bigship also offers a rate calculator for estimating the shipping expense of exporting toys abroad. This calculator takes into account various aspects, such as the destination country, weight, dimensions, and the chosen shipping method (air freight or sea freight). It provides real-time comparisons to help you find best options available for internationally shipping of toys and games.

Documents Needed For Exporting Toys From India

When exporting toys, certain documents are essential to ensure a smooth process. Here’s a simplified list of key documents required to shipping toys internationally from India.

Pro Forma Invoice: This document outlines details about the goods being exported, such as quantity, price, type, and weight.

Packing List: This list contains crucial details like the invoice number, importer’s information, shipment weight, packaging markings, and measurements. It’s vital for customs clearance.

Commercial Invoice: It is a legal document that shows the details of the items sold and the price the importer has to pay.

Air Waybill: It is another legal document that accompanies goods shipped by air, helping with shipment tracking and containing all shipment details.

Import Export Code (IEC): It is a unique ten-digit code assigned to exporters and importers, issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. It’s mandatory for export and import activities and requires documents like PAN and bank account details.

Conclusion

Shipping toys internationally requires careful planning, from packaging to choosing the right courier. By partnering with Bigship, which offers 19+ logistics partners and a global reach to 220+ countries, you can streamline the entire shipping process and ensure safe, timely deliveries of toys. With Bigship’s vast network, competitive rates, and efficient shipping solutions, exploring the complexities of international toy shipping becomes hassle-free.

To use Bigship’s reliable and worldwide shipping service for all your toy shipping needs, you can simply sign up here.