Excel says import is profitable. The warehouse says otherwise. The gap is hidden costs: lines that are not in the FOB cell, yet arrive on a forwarder invoice, a bank bill or as time. Put them into landed cost in advance.
1. Wrong Incoterm
You buy “cheap EXW”, then pay:
- pickup inland China,
- export clearance,
- truck to port,
- document fees.
FOB clearly moves part of that to the seller, but only if it is really FOB, not FOB “in the name”.
2. Local port / CFS fees
Especially on LCL:
- handling,
- document fees,
- minimum charge,
- wrapping / palletising you did not ask for and still got billed.
Ask for all-in to the agreed point, in writing.
3. Demurrage, detention, storage
The container waits for papers, customs or a free ramp. Hours become days, days become a bill. Causes:
- late CO / invoice correction,
- a busy terminal,
- “arrived before we were ready”.
Buffer in the plan plus papers ready before planned sailing.
4. Duty different from the assumption
- Wrong HS.
- FTA preference refused (no valid origin / CO).
- Extra duties / anti-dumping where it applies (by category).
FTA in force from 1 July 2024, but not a blanket zero. See FTA and CO / duty.
5. VAT cash flow
Even when VAT is recoverable, it must be financed. A large import without a liquidity plan “looks cheap” until the payment hits.
6. Bank and FX
- TT fees both sides,
- middle bank,
- a bad rate on transfer day,
- LC opening and amendments.
On 50,000 EUR that is not rounding. It is a budget line. Structure: Landed cost 50,000 EUR.
7. Sample, tool or mould, “small” lines before the series
Paid samples, moulds, courier, a repeated sample after correction, often outside the “cost per piece” story. MOQ, sample, tool.
8. QC fail, rework, then a second freight
A fail after sailing is the dearest fail. Pre-shipment QC on jobs above 2,000 USD is cheaper than Belgrade rework plus a second ocean.
9. Insurance you skipped, then a wet carton
Sea is about 35–52 days. Moisture and LCL handling are not rare. Count insurance as a line, or count the claim as a line. One of them will appear.
Put a 2–5% buffer for rework and storage. If the gate price already ate margin before freight, stop. Contact with FOB, CBM and Incoterms for a structure that includes these lines.
Next step
Send the request: category, quantity, and date. You get a reply within 24 hours, with an outline of the total cost to destination where we can price it.
