Did you just end up with a consignment demanding cases, tubes, bottles, and jars in bulk to enclose their beauty products? Unsure about the freight options for cosmetic packaging? We have you covered with all the choices. If you are an ecommerce seller, you can weigh the pros and cons of each from this guide and land up with the best freight shipment method. So, without losing any time, let’s proceed.
Shipping Modes
Cosmetic packing exporters in China and beyond have three viable international shipping options before them – air express, air freight, and sea freight. Wondering which is ideal for you to deliver your orders overseas? Let’s define each of them first before delving into their pros and cons.
- Air express– Alternatively recognized as an air courier, it’s a door-to-door shipping solution for lightweight packages, delivered overnight or within 3-5 business days.
- Air freight– Also known as air cargo, it’s a preferred method for transporting goods by plane. It’s ideal for small, delicate, and expensive packages.
- Sea freight– It’s a method of transporting goods through carrier ships after packing them into containers and loading them onto vessels.
Now that you have a rough idea about the three cosmetic packaging shipping options let’s elaborately discuss their upsides and downsides in the upcoming section.
Pros & Cons of Cosmetic Packaging Shipping Options
Wisdom never lies in taking a decision in haste but examining the advantages and disadvantages of each freight mode. We have taken a similar route on behalf of you. So, let’s get going: –
- Express Freight
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of express freight shipping: –
Upsides:
- Fastest delivery within 3-5 business days
- Door-to-door deliveries
- Prompt customs clearance
- There is flexibility in global shipping
- Legalities are not much demanding
Downsides:
- You may face restrictions in courier weight and size, despite the recent size relaxations to attract more customers.
- Air Freight
Air freight may sound similar to air express, but the two are entirely different from a consumer and professional point of view.
Upsides:
- Handles packages, both big and small
- Faster than sea freight
- Highly reliable
- You can ship your parcels anywhere you like, even to remote destinations
- It’s safer to transport high-value cosmetic consignments as they undergo minimal handling
- Easy to track
Downsides:
- Not as prompt as air express. It takes 5-7 business days to deliver packages
- The delivery service is between two airports, unlike door-to-door
- Documentation is a lengthy process
- Not sound when the matter concerns reducing of ecological footprint
- Sea Freight
Likewise, sea freight shares both advantages and disadvantages. Enlisted are all of them: –
Upsides:
- Since it’s the most cost-effective mode, anyone can afford it
- It’s safer as compared to the other shipping modes
- It’s suitable for all types of cosmetics packaging
- Maneuvering bulky packages are hassle-free
- Quite affordable over long distances
- Most carbon-efficient
Downsides:
- Cosmetic packaging importsare prone to delays from poor weather conditions, port congestion, etc.
- Least reliable
- Slowest mode to move packages
- The expense to move cosmetic packages, in smaller amounts is unsustainable
Now, let’s move into the variables in freight
Factors to Keep in Mind to Determine the Best Freight Option for Cosmetic Packaging
The key variables that might impact your decision are as follows: –
- Speed versus Cost versus Risk
Air express is by far the fastest mode, taking a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 business days to transport cosmetic packaging with international shipping. It is also the cheapest if the tubes, jars, and everything comprising your consignment weigh less than 50 kg. There is zero risk involved in the process, unlike sea freights, which take a lot of time (25-40 days) to reach the destination.
Any mode of air transport, be it express or freight, is expensive. It’s mostly due to higher fuel expenses and operational costs. Delivering cargoes via ship is more favorable since it can carry more at once. For instance, the cost ranges between $3000 – $3900 per container for a cosmetic packaging exporter to send sea freights from China to the US. Now, imagine paying through your nose any amount between $5 and $9 per kilo for air express, and within a range of $4-$8 per kilo for air freights!
Coming to the size and weight of cosmetic consignments, air express suffers from certain constraints. Packages weighing over 150 kg and measuring more than 1 cbm are rejected. Air freight, on the contrary, is comparatively flexible, allowing 100-3000 kg of cosmetic consignments on board. You can even transfer cargoes whose volume exceeds 1 cbm with ease. Of course, there is no such restriction faced by sea freights. If yours is less than 15 cbm, you are good to go. Over and above the stated volume may require you to choose FCL.
The biggest advantage of sea freights from an environmental point of view is that it generates minuscule CO2 emissions. So, it’s eco-friendly shipping from this perspective. However, it’s silly to expect the same for any air transport mode, whether it’s air express or air freight.
Final Thoughts:
Of all three cosmetic packaging shipping options, air express is the fastest, but sea freight is the cheapest, and the most carbon-efficient. Even the volume and weight restrictions are minimum in the latter shipping mode. However, it’s better to avoid transport by sea if you are pressed for time. We leave the rest to you. Take a well-informed decision that would best benefit your cosmetics packaging business.
