FOB, CIF, and Container Loading: What Furniture Importers Need to Know About Shipping from China
Category: Logistics & Sourcing · By Vashone Technology Co., Ltd.
The product is only half the job — getting it to your warehouse intact and on budget is the other half. Here is what EU and US buyers should know about shipping custom furniture from China before they sign.
Vashone Technology Co., Ltd. is a custom furniture manufacturer in Dongguan, shipping from FOB Shenzhen as standard, with CIF or DDP available on request. Because we sit inside the Houjie "Furniture Avenue" cluster, we are close to both factories and the port, which shortens the pre-shipment leg.
FOB vs CIF: who controls the freight
FOB (Free On Board): we deliver goods onto the vessel at Shenzhen; you (the buyer) book and pay the ocean freight and insurance. Best when you have a freight forwarder you trust.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): we arrange and pay ocean freight and insurance to your destination port. Simpler for first-time importers, though the freight rate is built into our quote.
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): available on request — we handle freight, insurance, and import duty to your door. Highest predictability, highest admin on our side.
Container loading: FCL vs LCL
A full 40ft container (FCL) is almost always cheaper per cubic meter than sharing one (LCL). For furniture — which is bulky and low-density — consolidating orders to fill a container is the single biggest lever on landed cost. We provide a carton list and loading plan so you can verify the cube before booking.
Protecting the goods in transit
Packaging: corner guards, foam, and double-wall cartons sized to the piece — not generic boxes.
Palletizing: optional, recommended for LCL and for fragile casegoods.
Photos: we send loading photos (container number, seal, and fill level) with each shipment.
What we hand you at shipment
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of compliance, and material declarations — the paperwork your broker needs to clear customs. Tell us your destination port and Incoterm up front so the quote already matches your logistics plan.
Planning a shipment? Send us your port and preferred Incoterm, and we will return a landed-cost estimate, not just an ex-works price.