The cheapest factory quote is often not the cheapest landed product.
European sellers need to calculate landing cost: the full cost of getting goods from the Chinese supplier to a European warehouse, 3PL, or FBA location.
That includes product price, local transport, inspection, packaging, consolidation, international freight, customs clearance, duties, VAT, storage, and final delivery.
If you only compare EXW or FOB prices, your margin can look better than it really is.
YoungSourcing helps sellers compare suppliers by real landed cost, not by factory quote alone. We also help consolidate goods from multiple suppliers and plan replenishment before stock runs out.
Factory price vs landed cost
| Cost item | Often missed? | Margin impact |
|---|---|---|
| China domestic transport | Yes | Medium |
| Packaging changes | Yes | Medium |
| Inspection | Sometimes | Low to medium |
| Freight | Partly | High |
| Customs clearance | Yes | Medium |
| Duties | Often calculated late | High |
| VAT cash flow | Yes | High |
| Storage and delivery | Yes | Medium |
| Stockout cost | Rarely counted | High |
Example cost comparison
| Cost | Supplier A | Supplier B |
|---|---|---|
| Factory price | EUR 4.20 | EUR 4.45 |
| China transport | EUR 0.18 | EUR 0.08 |
| Packaging fix | EUR 0.20 | EUR 0.05 |
| Freight | EUR 0.95 | EUR 0.82 |
| Customs and handling | EUR 0.22 | EUR 0.18 |
| Expected rework or loss | EUR 0.30 | EUR 0.08 |
| Landing cost | EUR 5.85 | EUR 5.66 |
Supplier A looks cheaper at first. Supplier B is cheaper after freight, packaging, and quality risk are counted.
Landing cost checklist
- Confirm the trade term: EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP, or another term.
- Collect unit weight, carton size, units per carton, and order quantity.
- Calculate pickup, consolidation, labeling, palletizing, and warehouse costs in China.
- Compare sea, rail, air, and express options.
- Estimate duty, VAT, customs clearance, and local delivery.
- Add inspection, repacking, rework, and expected loss.
- Calculate landing cost by SKU.
- Build a replenishment plan based on sales speed and lead time.
Logistics comparison
| Method | Best for | Main concern |
|---|---|---|
| Sea freight | Large and planned orders | Slow transit |
| Rail freight | Europe-bound goods needing medium speed | Route stability |
| Air freight | Urgent or high-value goods | High cost |
| Express | Samples and emergency stock | Very high unit cost |
| Consolidation | Multiple suppliers | Coordination |
| Full container | Large repeat orders | Inventory pressure |
YoungSourcing helps sellers see the real cost before they buy, then coordinates suppliers, inspection, consolidation, and shipping so replenishment is easier to control.
- Co sprawdziliśmy przed płatnością do chińskiego dostawcy?
- How Can I Ship Goods from Multiple Chinese Suppliers to Europe Together?
- How Can I Avoid Payment Risk When Buying from Chinese Suppliers?
- Should I Work With a Factory, Trading Company, or Sourcing Agent?
- What Is the Real Total Cost, and Is the Supply Chain Stable?
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