Chapter 19: How To Reduce The Shipping Cost Of Customized Socks

The main portion of the costs for shipping from China to the USA is freight charges. But many other factors also affect the shipping including capacity, season, fuel costs, season, and other environmental and commercial factors. The nature of products, size of shipment, and mode of transport will dictate the rates you will pay. But we can provide some general guidelines to compare the cost and time of different freight shipping modes.
For example, a Full Container Load is the best if your shipment is large and can fill a container. You will be charged flat rates for each container. This is the cheapest international shipping method.
But if the container is partially filled, Full Container Load is not the right option. If your shipment can not occupy the full container go for Less than Container Load. Then Less than Container Load (LCL) is the most cost-effective method for you.
For large shipments, shippers don't use air freight unless they want urgent shipments. For example, 100 kg of air freight costs only a little more than sea freight. So if your shipment is around 100 kg go for air freight.
If your shipment weight is less than 35 kg you can not find a freight forwarder. So it is better to find a suitable international courier company. They will send your products by air at affordable rates. Let's discuss it further with the help of an example:

Air Freight vs ocean freight from China to the USA

Air Freight Rates from China to the US
Standard air freight is the cheapest option if your shipment weight is about 150 kg to 500 kg. Only a little shipment is charged for dimensional weight instead of actual weight. They may charge as little as $3 per kilo.
Airfreight is the fastest way for shipment. Express air freight is more expensive than air freight. Prices change regularly so try to stay updated.

Sea Freight Rates from China to the US
Sea Freight is the cheapest way if your shipment weight is more than 500 kg.
Some of the freight forwarders from China to the USA give a premium service to their clients called expedited freight. But this is a little more expensive than normal freight. Sea freight rates vary over time.

FCL and LCL are the cheapest international shipping methods.
So from my experience, it is concluded that if your shipment is less than 500 kg (100 kg to 500 kg) air freight is the best shipping method for you. For 100 kg to 500 kg, air freight rates are only a few dollars higher than sea freight.
But if you have a large shipment go for Less than Container Load (LCL). they will charge you according to dimensional weight rather than the actual weight.
But if your shipment is big enough to fill a container go for Full Container Load (FCL). It is the most cost-effective and cheapest international shipping method of shipment.


Custom Socks FAQ: 1. Process | 2. Manufacturing | 3. Shipment | 4. Timing | 5. Designs | 6. Size | 7. Accessories | 8. Maintainance | 9. Fold | 10. Carton | 11. Cost | 12. Samples | 13. Payment | 14. Volume | 15. HS Code | 16. Taxes | 17. DTD | 18. Freight | 19. Save | 20. Addition | 21. Courier | 22. Incoterm | 23. Track | 24. Import | 25. Insurance | 26. Clearance | 27. Why