What does shipping actually cost?
The question every buyer asks after the unit price. Pick a product, a quantity and a destination, and see roughly what freight adds per unit on the routes we actually run: air and sea to North America, and air, road, rail and sea to Europe and the UK. All three are delivered duty paid, so the number below is what it costs to get product from our floor in Guangzhou to your door. Treat it as a ceiling for budgeting. We quote on the cautious side here, and the booked rate usually comes in under it.
How the estimate is built
Unit weight from the product spec, multiplied by a 25% packing factor for cartons and void fill, then the lane rate for that weight band, plus the surcharge for liquids, creams and fragrance, plus origin customs and handling. A minimum chargeable weight applies on small shipments, which is why 100 units costs more per unit than 1,000.
Duty and clearance included
The rates above are delivered duty paid on the lanes we book. Customs clearance, duty and final delivery are inside the number. You are not asked to become the importer of record or to pay a broker separately.
Why the estimate runs high
We would rather quote cautiously and come in under it than surprise you two weeks before shipment. The figures here carry a buffer for peak season, residential delivery and remote postcodes. If none of those apply to your shipment, the booked rate is lower and that is what you pay.
Why we do not publish a rate card
Ocean and air rates change monthly, and a lane that takes lotion this month may not take perfume next month. We would rather give you a number we can stand behind than a table that goes stale. Ask for the quote and you get the current figure in writing.
What changes it
Glass is the big one: a 50 ml perfume or a glass serum dropper weighs several times a plastic tube of lip balm. If freight is over budget, switching glass to PET or a jar to a tube usually saves more than anything in the formula.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the price I will be charged?
No, and we have deliberately set it on the high side. Treat every number here as a ceiling for budgeting. Rates move monthly, lanes change what they accept, and your real chargeable weight depends on the finished cartons — in practice the booked rate usually comes in below these figures. We confirm it in writing before you commit.
What does DDP mean here?
Delivered duty paid. On the sea lanes we use, the rate already includes customs clearance and duty into the destination country, and delivery to your address, 3PL or Amazon FBA warehouse. You do not act as importer of record on those lanes.
Why is sea freight so much cheaper per unit?
Air is charged on a chargeable weight close to your gross weight, and the plane is expensive. Sea spreads a container cost over tonnes. For a 100-unit first order the absolute difference is small, which is why most first orders fly. Above about 300 units, sea is worth the wait.
What routes do you use to Europe?
Four, all delivered duty paid: air into Germany or Belgium (about 10–14 days, or 5–7 days on the express service), road by China–Europe truck (about 22–28 days), China–Europe rail (about 28–40 days), and sea into Rotterdam or Antwerp (about 48–60 days). The UK runs the same way with DPD delivery and a 5-day express air option. We book whichever fits your launch date and your budget.
Do cosmetics ship on normal lanes?
Carriers class most cosmetics as liquids, creams or powders, and fragrance as a flammable liquid. Some express lanes refuse them outright and the rest charge a surcharge, which is already included in the estimates on this page. We confirm an accepted lane for your exact product before booking — shampoo, lip balm and perfume do not always travel the same way.
What is not included?
Destination storage, FBA prep and labelling at a US warehouse, returns, and destination-side fees your 3PL charges. Lithium batteries, aerosols and alcohol are not accepted on these lanes at all.
Can you ship to Amazon FBA directly?
Yes. The sea lanes we use deliver into FBA warehouses in the US and Canada on appointment, with the carton and pallet labelling FBA requires. Tell us the warehouse code and we quote that lane.
Which is right for a first order?
The fastest one, almost always. At 100 units the freight difference between the fastest and cheapest route is usually a few hundred dollars, and you reach the market three to five weeks sooner. Switch to the slow route on the repeat order once the product sells.
Get the real number in your quote
Send us the product and quantity. The quote itemises product, label, packaging, testing and freight as separate lines — within 24 hours.