Why I finally decided to get the Coach Empire Carryall 40 from the US and how I skipped the China markup

April 03, 2026

The Coach Empire Carryall 40 hype in 2026

I honestly didn't think I'd be buying another big bag this year, but my TikTok feed had other plans. Everyone is calling the Coach Empire Carryall 40 the 'new Birkin' because of that slouchy, oversized aesthetic that looks better the more you beat it up. By April 2026, it has become nearly impossible to find one in stock at a decent price here in China. I noticed that while luxury retailers in the UK and Asia are marking these up like crazy, the US stores still have the best availability and much lower base prices.

Why I finally decided to get the Coach Empire Carryall 40 from the US and how I skipped the China markup
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Why I buy from US stores instead of local malls

When I compared the prices, the difference was enough to fund another small haul. I realized that if I wanted to save a few thousand RMB, I had to shop US store websites directly. The problem is that many US sites don't ship directly to my house, or if they do, the shipping fees are astronomical. That is why I started using a tax-free us address provided by comGateway. It allows me to shop like a local in the US, specifically targeting stores in sales-tax-free states so I don't pay that extra 7-10% at the checkout.

You might also like to check our guide on... Read more: Coach Empire Carryall 40 vs China’s Retail Prices: A 2026 Savings Breakdown to see just how much I actually saved by going this route.

My shipping estimates for the Empire Carryall 40

Since the Coach Empire Carryall 40 is a substantial piece of leather, I had to be smart about my logistics. I used the shipping calculator to get a rough idea of what I'd be paying before I hit the 'buy' button. Here is my breakdown of what to expect when shipping this specific bag:

  • Box Weight: Approx. 3.8 lbs (1.7 kg). The bag itself is heavy leather, plus the dust bag and protective cardboard.
  • Box Dimensions: Expect a bulky box. Most retailers ship this in a box around 18 x 14 x 10 inches to ensure the leather isn't crushed.
  • Volumetric Warning: Because this bag is large and holds its shape, it takes up a lot of space. Even if the leather isn't extremely heavy, the size of the box means you might be charged based on the space it takes up in the airplane. I always recommend checking the volumetric weight if your retailer uses an oversized box.
  • Battery Check: This item is 100% leather and metal hardware. It does not contain lithium batteries, so we don't have to worry about the extra 'dangerous goods' paperwork or shipping restrictions that come with electronics.

The lazy person way to handle package forwarding

I am the first to admit that I hate filling out customs forms. When I first started looking into a freight forwarder, I was worried it would be a second job. However, I found a bit of a shortcut. I used a package forwarding service that handles the consolidation for me. If I'm buying the bag plus a few charms or a wallet, they put them all in one box to save me money.

If you really want to do the least amount of work possible, I suggest using the BuyForMe service. This is basically proxy shopping where you just send them the link to the Coach bag, and they buy it for you. It’s perfect if your credit card keeps getting declined by US websites that are picky about international billing addresses.

My experience with import tax and China delivery

Getting my China delivery was surprisingly smooth. Once the bag arrived at my US suite, I just clicked a button to ship to China. I've learned that being proactive about import duties is the best way to avoid surprises. I usually set aside a bit of my budget for the customs tax so that when the package hits the border, I'm ready. You can find a lot of helpful info on how to manage these costs on the import tax blog section.

By using a dedicated service to buy from US ship to China, I avoided the middleman markups in the luxury malls in Shanghai. My bag arrived safely, and it’s every bit as beautiful as the TikToks promised. If you are looking for that perfect 'big bag' energy for 2026, going through a parcel forwarding service is honestly the most painless way to do it.

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