Landed Cost Explained: The Real Price of Importing from China
By Aaqib Inam · July 13, 2026
When importers compare supplier quotes, the number that actually matters isn't the factory's unit price — it's the landed cost: everything it takes to get that product from the factory floor to your warehouse door, ready to sell.
What's included in landed cost
A complete landed cost breaks down into four parts:
- Product cost — the negotiated factory price per unit, including any tooling or sample costs amortized in.
- Shipping & freight — sea, air, or rail freight from origin port to destination, plus local delivery.
- Duties & taxes — import duty, VAT/sales tax, and any anti-dumping or safeguard tariffs that apply to your HS code.
- Handling fees — customs brokerage, port handling, and any inspection or certification costs.
Why quotes without landed cost are misleading
A factory quote of $2.00/unit sounds better than $2.20/unit — until you learn the first supplier ships LCL from a port with higher handling fees and the second ships FCL from a port with a direct route to your country. Once freight and duty are added, the "cheaper" quote can land 15-20% higher.
This is exactly why every quote we send includes the full breakdown — product, shipping, and our commission — itemized, before you commit to anything.