- Where the shipment is built
- Our own warehouse in Guangzhou
- Shipment weight
- We accept from 50 kg, from 150 kg it pays better to consolidate
- Storage while the shipment is being built
- Free, there is no paid storage at all
- Calculation threshold
- Road: measured-density rows, below 100 kg/m³ priced by cubic metres; air: 167 kg/m³ (1:6)
- Routes
- Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Europe
What consolidation is and how it differs from grouping parcels
Grouping parcels is when boxes are put into one vehicle and carried together. Consolidation is when the shipment is rebuilt: places are counted, the cargo is restacked for dense loading, marking is brought to one format, and the output is a single packing list.
The difference shows up in two places. Volume: boxes from different suppliers take up more room than the same goods after restacking. Documents: grouped parcels leave you with five sets of data, a shipment with one.
- Grouping: boxes travel as they are, with their own marking
- Consolidation: the cargo is rebuilt for volume, the marking is unified
- Grouping: discrepancies come to light at goods receipt on your side
- Consolidation: discrepancies are recorded in Guangzhou, before dispatch
Every consignment is received under the standard procedure: piece count, SKU verification, photo report. Once the last item has arrived, the assembled shipment is packed and handed to the carrier on the selected route's schedule. From that point it is one cargo movement: one calculation, one dispatch and one transit time. The order is described on the page warehouse in China.
Why five dispatches cost more than one
Every dispatch carries its own set of fixed costs, and they do not scale with weight. A small dispatch pays under the worst logic: minimum chargeable weight, separate handling and separate paperwork.
- The minimum chargeable weight is applied to each dispatch separately
- Inland delivery within China is paid for by each supplier separately
- Handling and paperwork are charged per dispatch, not per kilogram
- Small places stack worse, so road pricing can move to a lighter-density row and air volumetric weight can grow
- Every dispatch runs to its own schedule and needs to be monitored
Five dispatches give five arrival dates. The goods start selling only when the last part arrives, and the receiving warehouse gets five goods receipts instead of one.
| Criterion | Separate dispatches | Consolidation |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum chargeable weight | Applied to each dispatch | Applied once to the shipment |
| Charge for occupied space | Road: a lighter-density row or cubic-metre basis; air: higher volumetric weight | Dense stacking reduces measured volume and can improve the applicable basis |
| Documents | A set for each dispatch | One set for the shipment |
| Arrival dates | As many dates as dispatches | One date |
| Control of discrepancies | After arrival, at your end | Before dispatch, in Guangzhou |
| Flexibility on timing | Each leaves when it is ready | The shipment waits for readiness or leaves in part |
| Marking | Different for each supplier | A single format across the whole shipment |
Cargo density and volumetric weight
Volumetric weight is the weight calculated from the dimensions of the place rather than on the scales. Cargo density is a different measure: actual weight divided by measured volume at goods receipt. On road routes density selects the rate-card row or cubic-metre basis; volumetric weight is not added. On air, chargeable weight is calculated at 167 kg/m³ (1:6).
On road routes the rate card has density rows down to 100 kg/m³. A shipment below that threshold is priced by cubic metres; road routes do not use volumetric weight on top of the density rows. On air express there is no density threshold: chargeable weight is calculated at 167 kg/m³, which is the 1:6 conversion.
We calculate density on the actual shipment from actual measurements of the places at goods receipt, not from the supplier's figures. So before the shipment is closed it is clear which parameter it will be charged on.
- High density: fasteners, spare parts, tools, liquids, ceramics
- Low density: textiles, packaging, plastics, large boxes
- Mixed shipment: density is calculated across the whole shipment
How consolidation affects density and chargeable volume
Consolidation and repacking can sometimes reduce unused space and make the shipment more compact. Boxes can be rearranged to fit the pallet footprint and excess air removed from the packaging; if the volume falls, the shipment's density rises.
- We measure and weigh every place at goods receipt
- We calculate the actual density of the shipment from the sum of the places
- We show how repacking changes measured volume, the road density row or the air chargeable weight
- We build the shipment the way that works out better overall, not by the per-kg rate
| Indicator | Three separate dispatches | One shipment after consolidation |
|---|---|---|
| Actual weight | 40 + 90 + 20 = 150 kg | 150 kg |
| Volume of the places | 0.9 + 0.3 + 0.5 = 1.7 m³ | 1.1 m³ after restacking |
| Density | 44, 300 and 40 kg/m³ by dispatch | 136 kg/m³ across the whole shipment |
| Which weight it is charged on | Two dispatches fall below the 100 kg/m³ road threshold and are priced by cubic metres; one is priced by kilograms | Priced by kilograms: measured density is above 100 kg/m³ |
| Number of separate price calculations | 3 | 1 |
| Goods receipts at your warehouse | 3 | 1 |
| Arrival dates | 3 | 1 |
| Sets of documents | 3 | 1 |
The difference does not come from a second volumetric-weight calculation on the road route. Light places have been combined with dense ones, unused volume has been removed and the assembled shipment has crossed the 100 kg/m³ density threshold. Road price rows illustrate the effect: a dense cargo is around $1.10 per kilogram at 1000 kg/m³, while a light cargo starts from $4 at 100 kg/m³. On top of that, 150 kg is priced as a shipment rather than as three 50 kg dispatches.
On air express the same example works out differently: there is no density threshold, and a place is paid for on volumetric weight at 167 kg/m³, the 1:6 conversion. There the effect comes from the direct reduction of volume by 0.6 m³, not from crossing a density threshold. A coefficient for an individual place can change by agreement, but the changed value and its reason must be recorded in the quote.
Light goods are cheaper to carry together with dense ones: density is calculated across the whole shipment.
Shipment weight: 50 kg is the minimum, 150 kg is the benchmark
We accept a shipment from 50 kg. But it pays better to build it from 150 kg: at 50 kg the price per kilogram is noticeably higher, because the fixed costs of a dispatch are divided by a smaller weight.
That is the main argument in favour of consolidation for smaller purchases. Three suppliers of 50 kg each, dispatched separately, all land in the worst zone for price per kilogram. The same three consignments, brought together into one shipment of 150 kg, are charged as a shipment.
- 50 kg: we accept the dispatch, but the price per kilogram is noticeably higher
- 150 kg: the benchmark from which building one shipment is noticeably better value
- Building up to 150 kg costs nothing: there is no paid storage at all
- While the shipment is being built you see the weight, volume and density collected so far
- If the volume builds up faster than the weight, we warn you before the shipment is closed
We have no paid storage at all, so the cargo from the first supplier sits at the warehouse while the rest of the shipment arrives. Building up to 150 kg does not add a warehouse line to the quote, which means the wait affects only the lead time, not the cost.
How to synchronise suppliers with different readiness dates
Synchronisation is built not on a common dispatch day but on the shipment closing date. You name the date on which the shipment is assembled, and suppliers ship at any point before it.
For each supplier we record the contents, the number of places and the dispatch date.
This is the date after which the shipment leaves with whatever has been collected.
Every consignment goes through piece count, SKU verification and photo report.
You see who has arrived, along with the weight and volume of the part collected.
We repack, palletise, mark the places and produce the packing list.
What happens if one supplier holds up the shipment
If there is a delay, you get a choice up to the closing date. By default the rule is: the part collected leaves, the late part is moved.
- Dispatch the part collected and move the remainder to the next shipment
- Move the closing date and wait for the supplier
- Drop the item from the shipment altogether
- Split the shipment into two dispatches, if the volume justifies it
One supplier dragging on for a week holds back everyone else's volume. That is why the shipment closing date is set before the first consignment, not at the moment of the delay.
How the cost is calculated with consolidation
The cost is calculated on the assembled shipment, not on the per-kilogram rate of an individual supplier. The quote covers warehouse operations and carriage of the shipment as a whole, and the total depends on the volume after restacking.
- Goods receipt and verification for every consignment
- Storage until the shipment closing date – free, there is no paid storage
- Collection of cargo from suppliers within China: as incurred by the carrier or a surcharge of $20–50
- Repacking and palletising, if they reduce the volume
- Road freight by the applicable measured-density row or cubic-metre basis; air freight on chargeable weight at 167 kg/m³
- Clearance under the scheme selected: cargo or official import
Collection from a supplier within China is charged as incurred by the carrier or as a surcharge of $20–50 per consignment. One collection is cheaper than three, although suppliers in different provinces can use up that saving. No warehouse line appears in the quote for this: storage until the shipment closing date is free, and we have no paid storage at all.
A quote is valid for 7 days. The pricing logic is set out on the page how the cost is calculated, and a preliminary quote for your product range is produced by the calculator.
Payments to suppliers, if they go through us, are calculated separately for each invoice. The procedure is described on the page supplier payment.
Paperwork when there are several suppliers
The logistics does not become more complicated merely because there are several suppliers, but the paper side does. Each factory has its own invoice and its own packing specification, and under official import that information has to remain traceable inside the documents for the assembled shipment. The outbound packing list is consolidated; the source documents are not silently collapsed into one supplier.
The set is agreed before dispatch, not once the cargo is already at the warehouse. It depends on the import scheme, the destination country and the party with whom your contract is signed. The client remains the importer of record on a consolidated shipment: we handle logistics and preparation of the documents, while the authorised broker files the declaration in the country of import.
The order used for the first consolidated shipment
- Send the supplier list, the goods from each supplier and the approximate weight and volume
- Compare the assembled shipment with separate dispatches; if separate dispatches are cheaper, use them
- Agree whether each supplier delivers to the warehouse or DPC arranges collection
- Receive consignments as they arrive and report discrepancies immediately
- Once the shipment is complete, pack it and hand it to the carrier on the selected route's schedule
It is sensible to make the first consolidated shipment small: besides testing the route, it shows which suppliers keep their readiness dates.
Repacking, palletising and marking of places
Repacking is needed where the factory box carries air or will not take the load. We do it when it reduces the volume of the shipment or lowers the risk of damage during transhipments.
- Restacking: the goods are repacked to the pallet footprint
- Reinforcement: weak factory packaging is wrapped or replaced
- Palletising: places are assembled onto a pallet, stretch wrap, corner protection
- Separation: fragile and heavy goods are not put on the same pallet
| Operation | Price |
|---|---|
| Crated pallet | $30 per cubic metre |
| Bag and tape | $5 per place |
| Cardboard corner with a bag | $6 per place |
| Wooden crate for small boxes | $15–25 |
The quote includes only the operations your shipment actually needs: crating a pallet is charged by volume, while the bag, the corner and the crate for small boxes are charged by place. A quote is valid for 7 days, and the cost structure is set out on the page pricing.
Marking is brought to a single form, otherwise the point of consolidation is lost at goods receipt on your side. Every place carries your code, the place number out of the total and a description of the contents.
- Client code – the same on all places in the shipment
- Place number and the total number of places in the shipment
- Description of the goods or the item number from your list
- The supplier's mark, where goods receipt is done separately
- A fragility mark and the orientation of the place
If you need not only SKU verification but also measurements and tests, that is a separate operation on the page inspection of goods. Documents under official clearance are set out on the page official import.
FAQ
How many suppliers can be brought into one dispatch?
The limit is on the volume and weight of the shipment, not on the number of suppliers. The minimum dispatch weight is 50 kg, but it pays better to build a shipment from 150 kg: at 50 kg the price per kilogram is noticeably higher. Beyond that, the shipment takes as many consignments as you manage to collect before the closing date.
How does consolidation reduce the cost of delivery?
It removes repeated costs and reduces the volume of the shipment. Minimum chargeable weight, handling and paperwork are counted once per shipment, while restacking can improve the measured-density row on a road route or lower volumetric weight on air. Road rate rows illustrate the difference: around $1.10 per kilogram at 1000 kg/m³ versus from $4 at 100 kg/m³. Weight from 150 kg is priced as a shipment, and storage while it is being built is free.
What is volumetric weight and why am I paying for air?
Volumetric weight is weight taken from the dimensions of the place rather than on the scales. It is not applied on the road route to Kazakhstan: its rate card already uses density rows down to 100 kg/m³, and lighter cargo is priced by cubic metres. On air express there is no density threshold; chargeable weight is calculated at 167 kg/m³, the 1:6 conversion. A different coefficient for an individual place is used only by agreement and is recorded with its reason.
What happens if one supplier delays its consignment by a week?
By default the part already collected leaves on schedule and the late item is moved to the next shipment. Instead of that, the closing date can be moved. We set the closing date before the first consignment so that the decision is not taken in a rush.
Do the goods have to be repacked, and can it be skipped?
Repacking is not compulsory; we do it where it reduces the volume or where the box will not take transhipments. Prices as at 20 August 2026: crated pallet – $30 per cubic metre, bag and tape – $5 per place, cardboard corner with a bag – $6 per place, wooden crate for small boxes – $15–25. The decision is taken from the measurements of the places at goods receipt, and the full list is on the page pricing.
Can I build the shipment with you but carry it with my own carrier?
Yes, consolidation works without changing carrier. We build the shipment at the warehouse in Guangzhou, and your carrier collects it on your route and at your rate. More detail on the page switching from your current provider.
How much does storage cost while I build a shipment from several suppliers?
Nothing: we have no paid storage at all, and the cargo sits at the warehouse in Guangzhou until the shipment closing date free of charge. So building up to 150 kg does not increase the cost of the supply, it affects only the dispatch date. Long-term accumulation for a specific task is discussed case by case.
Are separate documents needed for each supplier?
Each factory has its own invoice and packing specification, and under official import those source documents remain traceable in the assembled shipment. The exact set depends on the import scheme, destination country and contract, so it is agreed before dispatch. The shipment itself leaves with a consolidated packing list.
Who is the importer on a consolidated shipment?
The client remains the importer of record; consolidation does not change that. We receive and assemble the cargo, prepare the shipment data and documents, and coordinate carriage. An authorised customs broker files the declaration in the country of import.
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