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Separate costs
Product price and delivery cost answer different questions
Keep the supplier's product quote, domestic transport, consolidation, international freight, customs-related charges, taxes and final delivery as separate lines. Do not call the lowest visible number “landed cost” when one of those responsibilities is unknown.
A delivery term is meaningful only when the named place and responsible parties are clear.
Input sheet
Collect the facts before requesting a quote
- Origin city or handoff warehouse.
- Destination country, city and postcode.
- Product description and quantity.
- Number of cartons.
- Gross packed weight per carton.
- Outer dimensions per carton.
- Battery, liquid, magnet or other restricted-content status.
- Desired delivery speed and whether tracking is required.
- Requested delivery term and included services.
- Target ship date and quote date.
Evidence quality
Measured, stated and estimated are not interchangeable
| Label | Meaning | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Measured | A responsible party weighed or measured the packed shipment. | Record who measured it, when and at what packing stage. |
| Supplier-stated | The value came from a message, page or packing list. | Keep the source and ask whether it is net or gross. |
| Estimated | The value was calculated before final packing. | Use a range and preserve the assumptions. |
| Billed | The carrier or service applied its own chargeable-weight rules. | Reconcile it with the final invoice and package record. |
Shape matters
Large light cartons can cost more than their scale weight suggests
Many services compare actual mass with a dimensional or volumetric calculation. The divisor and rules vary by carrier, route and service, so do not present one formula as universal.
Record outer carton dimensions after final packing, and ask which chargeable-weight rule the quote uses. A product-only weight cannot represent a boxed shipment.
Comparable quote
Preserve the service basis with each amount
Compare quotes only when they use the same shipment inputs and service promise. Record the carrier or service, route, estimated transit window, tracking, delivery term, included handling, excluded charges, validity and responsible quote source.
Estimates are not delivery guarantees
Acceptance, customs handling, inspection, delays, final billing and delivery outcome are controlled by the relevant carriers, authorities and service providers.
