Buyer's Guide · Shipping guide
Short answer: sea freight LCL costs roughly $50–90 per cbm from Guangzhou to EU/US ports and takes 25–40 days, FCL drops the per-unit cost at 15+ cbm, and air freight at $4–7 per kg is only worth it for launches and samples.
Last updated: · 10 min read · By the Renjie editorial team · Includes: mode comparison table, landed-cost calculator
Freight is priced by volume (sea) or weight (air), so before comparing modes you need two numbers for your actual book: gross carton weight and total cubic meters. Here is a worked example you can copy the method from.
With those two numbers, everything below is arithmetic you can do before anyone quotes you.
| LCL (groupage sea) | FCL (full container) | Air freight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priced by | per cbm | per container | per kg (chargeable weight) |
| Typical Guangzhou → EU/US range* | $50–90 per cbm + local fees | $1,500–2,500 for a 20 ft + local charges | $4–7 per kg |
| Port-to-port / transit | 25–40 days | 25–40 days | 5–8 days door options |
| Makes sense at | roughly 1–12 cbm | 15+ cbm (≈ a 20 ft holds ~28 cbm) | urgent launches, samples |
| Main risk | handling damage, consolidation delays | paying for air you don't fill | cost — 5–10× sea on heavy paper |
*Typical market ranges for planning, not a freight quote. Container and air rates swing with the market — check a live index such as the Drewry World Container Index or Freightos Baltic Index for spot rates the week you ship.
FCL only wins when the container is nearly full. A 20 ft container at $1,500–2,500 plus $600–900 in local charges works out to roughly $75–125 per cbm if you fill all ~28 usable cbm — but if you only load 10 cbm, you're effectively paying $210–340 per cbm, far above LCL rates. The practical break-even sits around 12–15 cbm. For most first-time children's book orders — 1,000–3,000 copies — that means LCL.
Books are heavy for their value, which is the worst profile for air. That worked example — 200 kg of board books — costs roughly $1,000–1,400 by air versus $100–300 all-in by LCL, to save about three weeks. Air earns its keep in exactly two cases: a hard launch date with retailer penalties, and sample or review copies needed for a sales trip. Everything else goes on the water.
We quote all three. Whichever you choose, ask one question before ordering: "What is my landed cost per copy?" — freight, duties and delivery included. On a $1.50/copy board book order, freight can add $0.20–0.45 per copy. Buyers who compute it after the press run are the ones who get surprised (see the cost guide for the full landed-cost picture).
Skip the reading
Guided quote form — itemized answer within 24 hours.