Bearing Import Cost
Add FOB price, freight, insurance, duty, VAT or GST and local charges to work out landed cost per piece and per model. All figures are yours to fill in.
Landed cost is the FOB price plus everything added between the factory and your warehouse. Fill in your own figures for each line — nothing here is pre-filled, because every line depends on your destination and your forwarder’s quote.
Landed cost worksheet
| Line item | Your figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FOB price per piece | _____ | From your quotation, by model |
| Freight (sea or air) | _____ | Allocate across the shipment by weight or value, per your freight invoice |
| Insurance | _____ | Required under CIF; optional and separately quoted under FOB |
| = CIF value | _____ | FOB + freight + insurance |
| Import duty | _____ | Usually a percentage of the CIF value — confirm the rate for your tariff classification |
| VAT or GST at import | _____ | Usually a percentage of CIF value + duty — confirm whether it is recoverable for your business |
| Customs clearance and broker fee | _____ | Per shipment, from your broker’s quote |
| Port and local handling charges | _____ | Per shipment, from your forwarder’s quote |
| Inland freight to your warehouse | _____ | From the port or airport to your door |
| = Landed cost (total) | _____ | Sum of all lines above |
| ÷ Quantity | _____ | Pieces in the shipment |
| = Landed cost per piece | _____ | Compare this to your FOB price per piece to see the full markup |
Where to get each figure
The FOB price comes from your quotation — see request a quote for a model-by-model price. Freight and insurance come from your forwarder once the trade term and port are agreed; see FOB vs CIF and shipping terms for choosing between the two. Duty rate, VAT or GST rate and local charges are set by your own country’s customs rules and your broker’s quote, not by the supplier, so confirm them with your customs broker before finalising a landed cost comparison.
Using the result
Per-piece landed cost is the number to compare against a local supplier’s price, not the FOB price alone, since freight and duty can add a meaningful share of cost on a small or light order and a smaller share on a large, heavy one. See the factory-direct vs local stock cost comparison for weighing landed cost against the cost of buying from local stock.
FAQ
Why doesn't this page just give a landed cost figure?
Freight rate, duty rate, VAT or GST and local handling charges are specific to your destination port, your import classification and your forwarder's quote, so a figure pre-filled here would not match your actual cost. The worksheet below lists the line items to fill in with your own figures.
Should duty be calculated on the FOB price or the CIF price?
Most customs regimes calculate duty on the CIF value (goods plus freight and insurance to the destination port), not the FOB value alone. Confirm the exact base your customs authority uses, since this changes the duty amount.
Is VAT or GST paid at import always recoverable?
In many countries import VAT or GST is a credit against output tax for a VAT-registered business, which changes the real landed cost compared with a non-recoverable duty. Check this with your own accountant or customs broker, since it depends on your business's registration status, not on the supplier.