Cheaper shipping by air or sea
One of the first things to consider when buying
products from the other side of the world is how to get them to your door.
There are two main options. Air transportation or sea transportation.
The choice depends on your needs. If you are looking
for the fastest service, air travel is the best option. If you try to keep your
costs down, the sky-high air freight prices may not be for you.
There is a possibility that the products you
purchase may force your hand in one way or another. If your freight is sold at
an event within 2-3 weeks, you cannot expect ocean freight delivery. On the
other hand, if the products are large and the MSRP is relatively low, air cargo
transportation means that the cost of importing the product is higher than the
price you can sell for it.
If your decision is not very clear, I hope that our
guide will help you further:
costs
Sea transportation is usually 4-6 times cheaper than
air transportation. If you are interested in keeping your costs down, you will
like sea freight. When determining the costs for a sea freight delivery, 1 cbm
corresponds to 1000 kg, 6 cbm corresponds to 1000 kg for air traffic. If you
increase the weight of your cargo by sea, the price is unlikely to increase. If
you import heavier cargo by air, the cost difference between the two options
increases 4 to 6 times.
Time window
Time often plays a role when importing goods from
China to England. Air transportation is the best option for you if you have
urgent inventory and need your goods right away. However, if you order
inventory in advance and can wait up to 6 weeks, you may have a choice between
ocean freight. As shown in our infographics, air transportation can take up to
4 days from anywhere in China to anywhere in the UK, while ocean transportation
can be a much longer process.
Ecological damage
If your company is concerned with the carbon
footprint of your products, ocean freight is likely an option for you. While
maritime transport accounts for 3% of the total greenhouse gas emissions from
bullets, it is a much more environmentally friendly method than aviation. As
shown in our graph, maritime transport emits 15 g CO2 per ton of freight
transported, while air traffic emits a hefty 545 g per ton transported.
Customs and VAT are higher when imported by air
Sea freight is an extremely affordable option for
importing goods to the UK, not only because of the low prices in the freight
offer. Your UK customs and VAT bill will also be affected by the type of
transport you use to ship your goods.
