Freight Consolidation

To begin, you'll need to provide:

• Volume (in cubic meters or estimated number of cartons/pallets)
• Total weight (approximate)
• Estimated ready date from your factory
• Pickup location (typically your manufacturer in China)
• Destination country and fulfillment hub

Once we have your details, we can begin preparing a shipping quote. Keep in mind:

• VAT/import duties (particularly in the EU/US) are not included in the quote
• Factory pickup to our consolidation warehouse in China isn't included in the initial quote. However, if it's needed due to low shipment volume, we'll coordinate everything smoothly once you confirm.

Submitting your cargo information early improves your chances of securing space in the next container — and saving money.

CAUTION: It is very important to do an accurate projection of your cargo when you ask for a quote. You need to make sure that your pallets are packed in an optimum way, and you are not shipping empty space.

Please, read more in this article.

Also, it is very important to understand the concept of "Dead Freight". If you book space for 20CBM (10 pallets) and at the last minute you change your cargo to 16CBM (8 pallets), then you will still pay for the extra 2 pallets whether you load them or not.

You should Google the meaning of "Dead Freight", and/or read this article.

We group creators by destination and timing to fill entire containers. Once enough volume is gathered:

• We arrange pickup from your factory to our consolidation warehouse in China
• A shipping date is booked based on readiness and container availability
• You'll receive estimated timelines and costs for approval

IMPORTANT: Until the container is loaded, you can update packing lists or shipping preferences. After loading, all cargo is finalized for departure.

Expect about 15 working days from pickup to container loading. This includes waiting time while the container fills with other creators' goods.

When the shipment is confirmed:

• Your cargo is delivered to our consolidation warehouse in China
• It is loaded into a 40HQ container a few days before the scheduled departure
• The container is moved to port and then shipped by sea

Typical transit time is 45-60 days, depending on destination.

You'll receive updates as your shipment progresses — including pickup, container load, ship departure, and estimated arrival.

Once the container arrives at your destination country:

• Our team arranges final delivery to your fulfillment hub
• All customs and import coordination are handled for you
• If additional documents are required (e.g., CE certificate for the EU), our consolidation warehouse in China will work with your factory to supply them

All you need to provide is:

• Packing list
• Commercial invoice
• (Optionally) CE certificate if required in the EU

Everything else is managed on your behalf.

Freight consolidation is built for creators like you — campaigns that don't need a full container, but still want professional, reliable international shipping. You only pay for the space you use. You benefit from shared costs, simplified logistics, and clear communication throughout.

It's collaborative shipping, with the guidance and structure of a dedicated logistics partner.

Start by gathering your cargo details — and we'll take care of the rest.

If you do not have a business entity at the destination country (for example you are shipping to an EU hub and you are a US company), then we (Hive) can act as the Importer Of Record (IOR) on your behalf, and take care of all the necessary paperwork.

Below you can see how this service work using as an example the import to EU.

The scope of this service is the following:

1. Coordinate international transportation from the supplier’s facility (e.g., China) to the EU entry point (normally Germany or Greece).
2. Act as Importer of Record for customs purposes, using its Greek EORI and VAT numbers.
3. Handle customs clearance, payment of import duties, import VAT, and related fees.
4. Arrange onward delivery to fulfillment centers or warehouses as instructed by the Client.
5. Provide documentation, including customs declarations and transport proofs.

As far as the ownership of the goods is concerned, the following apply:

1. For customs and tax compliance purposes only, legal title to the goods shall be deemed to transfer to Hive at the point of export from the non-EU supplier, and shall automatically transfer back to you immediately after customs clearance in the EU.
2. Hive’s temporary ownership exists solely to enable lawful importation and shall not constitute a commercial sale of the goods.
3. You remain the beneficial owner of the goods and retain full responsibility for payment to the supplier/manufacturer.

For the EU specifically, there are the following implications as far as Import VAT is concerned.

1. Hive shall pay import VAT and customs duties to the relevant customs authority as required by law.
2. You acknowledge that:
    - Hive, as Importer of Record, is the sole entity entitled to deduct or reclaim import VAT.
   - You will have no right to reclaim import VAT paid on your behalf, unless you have a subsidiary with a valid EU VAT ID.
   - VAT and duties that cannot be reclaimed, will be included in the Service Fee or charged as pass-through costs.

CE / UKCA Certification

The Toy Safety Directive only applies to products intended for use in play by children under 14 years of age. In this case, you need to clearly display the CE logo on your box and provide the CE Certificate to the EU import authorities.

However, even if your product is for 14+ ages, your product must still comply with general EU safety legislation:

- General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR): Your game will fall under the scope of this regulation, which requires that all products placed on the EU market are safe for consumers. You cannot place a CE mark on a product covered only by the GPSR, as the mark is only for specific directives that mandate its use.

- Documentation and Compliance: You (as the manufacturer/importer) are responsible for ensuring your product's safety and preparing technical documentation to prove compliance with relevant safety standards (such as chemical safety, in the case of physical game components). These are part of a "REACH" certificate, which you need if you do not have the CE one.

- Customs Issues: While technically exempt from the CE mark, some customs officials may still stop products they mistakenly believe require the mark. Following the clear age-rating exemption can be legally sound, but some businesses find it simpler to meet the Toy Safety Directive requirements (and affix the CE mark) to avoid potential customs delays.

In short, while you do not have to have the CE logo for a 14+ game, you do have to ensure it meets all other applicable EU safety regulations and be prepared to prove it to authorities upon request.

As your Importer of Record, we will need from you either a CE certificate or a REACH certificate, which we will need to supply to the EU customs officer.

The above are also true for the UK laws and the UKCA certification.

Choking Hazard

If your product has small components, no matter what the target audience's age may be, you need to clearly display the Choking Hazard logo in English.

If you intend to sell your games in Germany, and specifically at Essen Spiel, then you need to have the same logo in German also on the box. This is important, as the authorities can shut down your booth if you are not compliant.

Importer of Record (IOR)

For the EU, you must have a European address printed on the box. If we (Hive) are acting as your IOR, then please ask us and we will give you the relevant information.

For the UK, you also need to have a UK address and a very specific wording on the box. It needs to say "Imported and distributed in the UK by: <Company Name>", followed by a UK address.

The above are needed to be compliant with the EU and UK regulations, so that you can sell your games to distributors, on Amazon and import them to those countries without issues at the border authorities.

Here is a sample of a box that shows all of the above: