Ningbo cross-border e-commerce launches' split order mode ', sending even a small package

For many small and medium-sized Tuke sellers who are just starting out, the biggest embarrassment is: although foreign customers have already placed orders, they themselves cannot ship because the quantity is too small“can’t afford to ship”.

In order to gather enough goods for a whole truck or a whole pallet, sellers have to spend time“stockpiling”. This practice, commonly known in the industry as “order accumulating”, not only prolongs logistics time, but also puts great pressure on cash flow. If one package in the batch is randomly inspected by customs, the entire truckload has to wait, seriously affecting shipping efficiency.

Now, this pain point that troubles small and medium-sized sellers has taken the lead in being solved in Ningbo, Zhejiang.“breakthrough”.

Image source: Chao News

Ningbo’s First: From“Carpooling” to “Going Solo”

In early March 2026, as a batch of more than 11,000 parcels containing clothing, shoes, hats, and daily necessities were successfully cleared and shipped at the Ningbo International Mail Exchange Center, Zhejiang Province’s first Tuke retail export “split order model” was officially launched.

If you think“split order model” sounds too technical, let’s use a simple analogy: the traditional model is called the “master order model”, which is like “carpooling on a big bus”. You have to wait until the bus is full (with goods) before departure, and if one passenger (package) is stopped at security, everyone misses the flight together.

But now, with the “split order model” launched by Ningbo Customs, it’s like “hailing a ride”. Each package is an independent order, shipped as soon as it arrives, with no need to wait. Even if you only have a small accessory worth a few dozen yuan to sell to an overseas student, you can declare and clear it independently.

Image source: Ningbo Daily

Directly Addressing Pain Points: “Unshackling” 90% of Small and Micro Enterprises

Why implement this new model? The data gives the answer.

According to Ningbo Customs statistics, by the end of2025, over 90% of Tuke enterprises in Ningbo’s online retail exports were small and micro businesses. These “ant armies” are full of vitality, but their orders are generally characterized by “small batches, multiple shipments, and high frequency”.

For these sellers, the threshold of the original master order model was simply too high. Zhou Ziqi, head of a newly established Tuke company in Ningbo, has deep feelings about this:“The company just started, where can we get so many orders? We ship every day, but only a few orders each time.” Before the “split order model” was implemented, these “fragmented” orders were difficult to export efficiently.

Under the new model, customs directly supervises by “declaration list” as the unit. Enterprises no longer need to physically assemble goods together for declaration, but can connect lists, orders, and logistics orders with one click in the office. This not only greatly lowers the threshold for small and micro enterprises to participate in foreign trade, but also makes “buying globally, selling globally” more flexible.

Image source: Ebrun

Ningbo Speed: First Month’s Business Volume Expected to Exceed100,000 Pieces

This innovative measure has not only been praised by enterprises, but the market response has also been extremely rapid.

SinceMarch 6, when the business was officially launched, in just a few weeks, the business volume at Ningbo International Mail Exchange Center has grown rapidly. According to statistics, more than 48,000 parcels have already been shipped overseas through the “split order model”, with a value of over 1.6 million yuan, and the business volume in the first month is expected to easily exceed 100,000 pieces.

“The postal network is already global, but previously, due to ‘order accumulating’, its network advantages couldn’t be realized.” According to a person in charge of Ningbo Post International Business Branch, now with the “split order model”, even small orders from emerging markets can be sent worldwide as conveniently as domestic express delivery.

Image source: Chao News

From“order accumulating” to “single order immediate shipment”, this reform by Ningbo Customs is not only an optimization of regulatory technology, but also a profound insight into the current Tuke ecosystem. When even a small package can do Tuke, it means the “capillaries” of Made in China will be further activated, and countless small and micro enterprises will ride this new wave to go global more lightly and efficiently.