FACTORY-DIRECT OEM / ODM MANUFACTURING
Shipping and Trade Terms for Custom Metal Products
Gairun is an OEM and ODM metal products manufacturer in Shenzhen, China. We supply custom medals, challenge coins, pins, badges, trophies, plaques, keychains and bottle openers to event organizers, institutions, brands and wholesale buyers.
Shipping and trade terms for custom products define where our delivery duties end and where your responsibilities begin. The transport mode defines how the order moves, such as by international express, air freight, sea freight or rail. These are separate decisions.
Gairun supports EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and DDP, subject to the shipment, route and destination review. To receive a comparable quote, identify the required Incoterm and the exact named factory, port or destination. You can then request pricing for the right delivery scope.
Choose the Delivery Term, Named Place and Transport Mode
A three-letter trade term is not enough to define a shipping quote. Each quotation must also state a named place or port. For example, an FOB quote requires a named port of shipment, while a DAP or DDP quote requires a specific destination.
Four connected details determine the delivery scope:
- Incoterm: Defines the division of cost, risk and delivery duties between seller and buyer.
- Named place or port: Identifies the exact point used to apply the selected term.
- Transport mode: States whether the goods will move by express, air, sea or rail.
- Destination: Provides the country and delivery context needed to review customs and route feasibility.
The same order can have different quote scopes. EXW may cover delivery at the named origin location. FOB covers delivery on board a vessel at a named origin port. CIF adds seller-arranged insurance and ocean freight to a named destination port. DAP and DDP extend transport to a named destination, but they divide import responsibilities differently.
| Term | Delivery point | Main transport arrangement | Import clearance and charges | Transport restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Named origin premises or location | Buyer | Buyer | Can be reviewed across modes |
| FOB | On board at named origin port | Buyer | Buyer | Sea or inland waterway |
| CIF | Risk transfers on board at origin; seller arranges freight to named destination port | Seller arranges ocean freight and insurance | Buyer | Sea or inland waterway |
| DAP | Named destination | Seller | Buyer | Reviewed by route and shipment |
| DDP | Named destination | Seller | Seller within the agreed scope | Subject to destination feasibility |
Use EXW When Your Forwarder Controls Collection from Origin
EXW, or Ex Works, places delivery at the seller’s named premises or another named origin location. Under this term, the buyer takes responsibility for collecting the goods and arranging the remaining journey.
An EXW buyer generally needs a freight provider that can manage pickup, origin handling, export procedures, main carriage, import clearance and delivery at destination. The quotation should state the precise collection location so the forwarder can assess the work and charges outside the seller’s EXW scope.
EXW does not automatically mean the lowest landed cost. A factory-level price may exclude several logistics costs that appear later. Buyers should compare the full route, including collection and origin export handling, rather than comparing only the first quoted amount.
The practical suitability of EXW also depends on shipment and origin procedures. We review the requested term with the order details before confirming the delivery arrangement.
Use FOB for an On-Board Handoff at the Origin Port
FOB, or Free on Board, is a rule for sea or inland-waterway transport. Under FOB, the seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port of shipment. Risk transfers from seller to buyer when the goods are on board.
The buyer normally selects or controls the main ocean freight and manages destination-side arrangements. The exact origin port must appear in the quotation because an FOB price cannot be compared accurately without it.
FOB should not be used as a general label for every international shipment. It is not the correct Incoterm for express, air or rail transport. Shipment structure and handling also need review before FOB is selected for a particular sea movement.
FOB may fit importers that already work with a freight forwarder and want control of the ocean freight after the origin-port handoff. Share your forwarder’s booking or coordination requirements when requesting this quote scope.
Understand What CIF Covers at the Destination Port
CIF means Cost, Insurance and Freight. It applies to sea or inland-waterway transport. Under CIF, the seller arranges and pays for the agreed freight and insurance to the named destination port.
Freight payment and risk transfer do not happen at the same point. Although the seller arranges transport to the destination port, risk transfers when the goods are placed on board the vessel at origin. CIF therefore does not mean that the seller carries all transport risk until the shipment reaches the destination port.
A CIF quote also does not normally include destination import clearance, duties, taxes or delivery beyond the port. Destination handling and other local charges must be checked in the quotation and with the buyer’s customs or freight provider. Any service beyond the standard CIF scope must be stated clearly rather than assumed.
Use the exact destination port when requesting CIF pricing. A country or city alone may not identify the required port-based scope.
Compare DAP and DDP for Delivery to a Named Destination
DAP and DDP are destination-based terms, but they assign import responsibility differently. Both require a clearly named delivery point, such as a business address or another agreed destination.
DAP: Buyer Manages Import Entry and Charges
Under DAP, or Delivered at Place, the seller arranges transport to the named destination. The buyer handles import clearance and the related import duties and taxes. DAP can suit buyers that want transport arranged to destination but prefer to use their own customs broker or importer process.
DDP: Seller Manages the Agreed Import Scope
Under DDP, or Delivered Duty Paid, the seller takes responsibility for import clearance and applicable duties or taxes within the agreed scope. DDP availability cannot be assumed for every destination. Local import rules, route conditions and shipment details must be reviewed before the term is confirmed.
Under both DAP and DDP, unloading at the named destination is normally the buyer’s responsibility. The quotation should identify the delivery point and state what is included so that a door-delivery price is not mistaken for an unloaded or installation service.
Match Express, Air, Sea or Rail to the Quoted Responsibility
The transport mode should be selected separately from the Incoterm. Gairun can coordinate international express, air freight, sea freight and rail transport, subject to order, route and destination review.
EXW, DAP and DDP can be considered across different modes when the route and operating conditions allow. FOB and CIF must not be applied to express, air or rail shipments.
No mode should be selected from the product name alone. A shipment of custom medals may move under a different arrangement from another medal order because quantity, packed shipment details, destination and delivery scope can differ. We confirm the available option through a project-specific quotation rather than making a universal route commitment.
For support with shipment coordination, review our international shipping and trade service.
International express
Commonly reviewed when the shipment size and delivery requirements favor an express network.
Air freight
Considered when the order and schedule support airport-based movement.
Sea freight
Assessed for ocean routes and shipments suited to port handling. FOB and CIF are specifically designed for sea or inland-waterway transport.
Rail transport
Reviewed for route-specific shipments where rail service and destination handling are operationally suitable.
Compare Port Prices and Landed Prices on the Same Basis
A port-arrival quote is not the same as a landed or door-delivery quote. Before comparing suppliers or freight offers, check which responsibilities and charges are included at each stage.
- The exact named origin place, origin port, destination port or delivery address
- Pickup and origin handling
- Export procedures and related origin services
- Main international freight
- Insurance where required by the selected term
- Destination handling
- Import customs clearance
- Import duties and taxes
- Transport from the port, terminal or airport to the final destination
- Unloading responsibility at the named destination
For example, CIF may include ocean freight and insurance to the named destination port, but it is not a landed quote. DAP reaches the named destination, but the buyer remains responsible for import clearance and import charges. DDP assigns those import duties to the seller within the agreed scope, subject to destination review.
A useful comparison records every quote against the same destination, transport mode and responsibility point. This prevents a factory-level EXW price from being compared directly with a broader DAP or DDP price.
Prepare the Details Needed for a Shipping Quote
A usable logistics request identifies the goods, route and requested handoff point. Include the following information when asking for port-based or destination-based pricing:
If the product format has not been selected, start at the custom metal products hub. For broader sourcing and specification guidance, return to the buyer resources hub.
Freight prices, customs charges and route availability depend on the project and destination. We confirm the supported scope in the quotation rather than publishing a fixed shipping promise.
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Product family, such as medals, coins, pins, trophies, plaques, keychains or bottle openers
02
Order quantity
03
Destination country
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Postal code for destination delivery or exact port for port-based pricing
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Preferred transport mode, if already selected
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Requested Incoterm: EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP
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Required delivery context, such as collection, port arrival or delivery to a named business address
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