How the marketplace works

Importers request. Forwarders quote. Both decide with the same shipment context.

importing.ph is a quotation marketplace for China-to-Philippines shipments. Importers post what they need. Forwarders respond privately with the service they can provide.

Choose your role

The difference is simple: one side needs a quote; the other provides it.

I need shipment quotations

Importer

A Philippine business owner, buyer, or operator arranging cargo from a supplier or pickup point in China.

  • Post the shipment details once.
  • Receive private quotations from forwarders.
  • Compare pricing, transit, inclusions, and coverage.
  • Ask follow-up questions after a forwarder quotes.
  • Select the quotation that fits the shipment.

Your responsibility

Provide accurate cargo information, confirm product and customs requirements, and perform due diligence before selecting a provider.

Post a shipment request

I provide logistics services

Forwarder

A logistics provider that wants to find relevant shipment requests and compete through clear, private quotations.

  • Set up the forwarding company profile.
  • Browse open shipment requests the company can serve.
  • Submit pricing and service details privately.
  • Keep competitor quotation details hidden.
  • Continue the conversation after submitting a quote.

Your responsibility

Quote truthfully, disclose scope and exclusions, protect importer information, and deliver the service agreed with the importer.

Join as a forwarder

Role comparison

Same marketplace. Different responsibilities and visibility.

Primary goal

Importer

Find and compare shipment quotations.

Forwarder

Quote shipment requests the company can serve.

Starts by

Importer

Posting cargo, route, size, timing, and delivery needs.

Forwarder

Completing a company profile and reviewing open requests.

Submits

Importer

One shipment request shared with eligible forwarders.

Forwarder

A private quotation with price, transit, coverage, and notes.

Can see

Importer

Quotations submitted for the importer’s own request.

Forwarder

The shipment request and its own company’s quotation.

Cannot see

Importer

Private forwarder operations outside the submitted quote.

Forwarder

Competitors’ prices, notes, inclusions, or transit details.

Messaging

Importer

Available with a forwarder after that forwarder submits a quote.

Forwarder

Available with the importer after the company submits a quote.

Final action

Importer

Select the quotation that best fits the shipment.

Forwarder

Deliver the agreed service if the quotation is selected.

One shared process

A clear path from request to selected quotation.

The shipment request is the common reference. Quotations and conversations stay attached to it so both roles work from the same facts.

  1. 01

    Importer

    Post one shipment request

    Describe the cargo, China origin, Philippine destination, measurements, timing, and delivery preference.

  2. 02

    Forwarder

    Review the request

    Forwarders decide whether the route, cargo, schedule, and service scope match what their company can handle.

  3. 03

    Forwarder

    Submit a private quotation

    Each forwarder sends its own price, transit range, inclusions, coverage, and notes without seeing competitor details.

  4. 04

    Importer

    Compare and clarify

    The importer compares quotations and continues the conversation with forwarders that have quoted the shipment.

  5. 05

    Both

    Continue with the selected quote

    The importer chooses. The selected forwarder provides the shipping service under the agreed quotation and terms.

Clear boundaries

What both roles should understand before joining.

The platform is not a forwarder

importing.ph organizes requests, quotations, and conversations. The forwarder provides the actual logistics service.

Quotations stay private

An importer can compare quotations for its request. Forwarders cannot inspect competitor pricing or terms.

Messaging follows a quotation

A forwarder must submit a quotation before a shipment conversation becomes available.

Both sides still perform due diligence

The marketplace improves comparison. It does not guarantee customs outcomes, service quality, pricing, or delivery results.

Coming next

Practical improvements for importers and forwarders—not a bloated logistics suite.

The current release stays focused.

Request → private quotes → compare → message → select. The items below are planned directions, not available features or committed release dates.

Reusable shipment and quote templates

Make repeat requests and quotations faster without removing the details each shipment needs.

Importer

Save common cargo, route, and delivery details as a starting point for the next request.

Forwarder

Reuse company quote defaults, then adjust pricing, coverage, and exclusions for each shipment.

Better request discovery

Reduce noise by helping each shipment reach providers that are more likely to serve it.

Importer

Get clearer guidance on the details forwarders use to decide whether a request is a fit.

Forwarder

Filter opportunities by route, transport mode, cargo type, and service coverage.

Decision and handoff tools

Carry the important context from quotation comparison into the selected service.

Importer

Shortlist quotations, keep decision notes, and create a clear selected-quote summary.

Forwarder

Receive a structured handoff that confirms the selected scope and outstanding questions.

Marketplace reputation signals

Build useful trust signals from real activity completed through the marketplace.

Importer

See transaction-based context that supports—not replaces—provider due diligence.

Forwarder

Build a visible service history from completed marketplace engagements.

Shared shipment milestones

Keep both sides aligned after a quotation is selected with lightweight status updates.

Importer

See key handoff and shipment checkpoints without chasing updates across channels.

Forwarder

Post concise milestones without turning importing.ph into a full freight-management system.

Document readiness checklists

Make missing shipment information and requested documents easier to spot early.

Importer

Track what has been provided and what the selected forwarder still needs.

Forwarder

Request required details consistently without implying a customs or compliance guarantee.

Common questions

Before you choose a role

Can a forwarder see another forwarder’s quote?

No. A forwarder can see the shipment request and its own company’s quotation. Competitor prices, notes, transit details, and inclusions remain private.

Can an importer message a forwarder before receiving a quote?

No. Messaging is tied to a shipment and becomes available with a forwarder after that forwarder submits a quotation.

Does importing.ph provide the shipping service?

No. importing.ph is the quotation marketplace. The forwarder you choose is responsible for the logistics service described in its quotation and terms.

Does joining the platform guarantee shipments or quotations?

No. Importers still need a clear, quote-ready request, and forwarders decide which requests they can serve. The platform organizes the opportunity and comparison; it does not guarantee a commercial result.

For importers

Ready to request shipment quotes?

Post one complete shipment request and compare private forwarder quotations in one place.

Post a shipment request

For forwarders

Ready to compete through clearer quotes?

Build your company profile, review relevant requests, and submit private quotations.

Join as a forwarder