[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":442},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-en-group-buy-tiers-cbm":3,"fresh-exhibitions-en":437},{"_path":4,"_dir":5,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":8,"description":9,"slug":10,"order":11,"section":12,"summary":13,"keywords":14,"publishedAt":20,"updatedAt":20,"body":21,"_type":431,"_id":432,"_source":433,"_file":434,"_stem":435,"_extension":436},"/en/insights/group-buy-tiers-cbm","insights",false,"","Procurement tiers: up to 10 cartons, 10–50, 50–250, full container","If your order is smaller than a container, the question is not \"can I import\" but \"what exactly am I buying into\". We do not talk in cubic metres; we talk in cartons, because that is what you actually count when you order. Four tiers, and each one changes four things: whose cargo is consolidated with yours, who clears it, where you collect it, and which documents arrive in your name. The core is buyers who consolidate containers: medium volume per shipment (50–250 cartons), mixed category basket. Very small early buyers ship as a direct parcel and never join a container.","group-buy-tiers-cbm",1,"procurement","What each tier means in practice — why a parcel never joins a container, how cartons convert into pallets and containers, who consolidates the shipment, who clears it, and the document set each buyer receives.",[15,16,17,18,19],"mixed group buy import china","LCL cartons minimum order","consolidated container food","halal food trial order","how many cartons per pallet","2026-10-23",{"type":22,"children":23,"toc":418},"root",[24,31,38,143,149,162,172,178,183,189,194,199,205,210,256,262,306,312,330,335,341,346,352,362,372,382,392,402,408,413],{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":27,"children":28},"element","p",{},[29],{"type":30,"value":9},"text",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":33,"children":35},"h2",{"id":34},"the-four-tiers",[36],{"type":30,"value":37},"The four tiers",{"type":25,"tag":39,"props":40,"children":41},"table",{},[42,66],{"type":25,"tag":43,"props":44,"children":45},"thead",{},[46],{"type":25,"tag":47,"props":48,"children":49},"tr",{},[50,56,61],{"type":25,"tag":51,"props":52,"children":53},"th",{},[54],{"type":30,"value":55},"Tier",{"type":25,"tag":51,"props":57,"children":58},{},[59],{"type":30,"value":60},"Cartons (estimated on a common pack)",{"type":25,"tag":51,"props":62,"children":63},{},[64],{"type":30,"value":65},"What it is for",{"type":25,"tag":67,"props":68,"children":69},"tbody",{},[70,89,107,125],{"type":25,"tag":47,"props":71,"children":72},{},[73,79,84],{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":75,"children":76},"td",{},[77],{"type":30,"value":78},"Parcel direct",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":80,"children":81},{},[82],{"type":30,"value":83},"1–10 cartons (up to about 200 kg)",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":85,"children":86},{},[87],{"type":30,"value":88},"Early buyers, samples, small top-ups: courier or air straight to you, no container",{"type":25,"tag":47,"props":90,"children":91},{},[92,97,102],{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":93,"children":94},{},[95],{"type":30,"value":96},"Consolidated trial",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":98,"children":99},{},[100],{"type":30,"value":101},"10–50 cartons (about one pallet)",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":103,"children":104},{},[105],{"type":30,"value":106},"A few categories shipped together to validate the product in your market",{"type":25,"tag":47,"props":108,"children":109},{},[110,115,120],{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":111,"children":112},{},[113],{"type":30,"value":114},"Mixed LCL (core)",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":116,"children":117},{},[118],{"type":30,"value":119},"50–250 cartons (2–6 pallets, within half a container)",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":121,"children":122},{},[123],{"type":30,"value":124},"Medium volume, mixed categories: consolidated with buyers in your city",{"type":25,"tag":47,"props":126,"children":127},{},[128,133,138],{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":129,"children":130},{},[131],{"type":30,"value":132},"FCL",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":134,"children":135},{},[136],{"type":30,"value":137},"20 ft ≈ 450 cartons / 40 ft HC ≈ 1,100",{"type":25,"tag":74,"props":139,"children":140},{},[141],{"type":30,"value":142},"Repeat volume where a dedicated container beats sharing",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":144,"children":146},{"id":145},"why-we-count-cartons",[147],{"type":30,"value":148},"Why we count cartons",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":150,"children":151},{},[152,154,160],{"type":30,"value":153},"Cartons are what you can actually count when you order; cubic metres (CBM) are the unit used for booking and customs, and you should not need them for a first enquiry. One pallet is the bridge: ",{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":156,"children":157},"strong",{},[158],{"type":30,"value":159},"one pallet ≈ 2–2.5 m³ ≈ 30–40 cartons",{"type":30,"value":161}," on a common pack. So \"one pallet\" is roughly the trial tier, \"2–6 pallets\" is mixed LCL, a 20 ft holds about 10 pallets and a 40 ft high cube about 22.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":163,"children":164},{},[165,170],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":166,"children":167},{},[168],{"type":30,"value":169},"Carton size changes the count.",{"type":30,"value":171}," All counts above assume roughly 20 kg per carton at 50 × 40 × 30 cm. A 10 kg carton and a 25 kg carton differ by a factor of two per pallet. Send the weight and dimensions of one carton plus the number of cartons, and we convert it into pallets and containers and tell you which tier it lands in.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":173,"children":175},{"id":174},"minimum-per-item",[176],{"type":30,"value":177},"Minimum per item",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":179,"children":180},{},[181],{"type":30,"value":182},"Factory-packed goods start at 200 kg per item (about 10 cartons), and items can be mixed to reach a tier. Below that you are not refused — the goods go as a direct parcel, with courier-channel freight and documents.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":184,"children":186},{"id":185},"why-the-parcel-is-its-own-tier",[187],{"type":30,"value":188},"Why the parcel is its own tier",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":190,"children":191},{},[192],{"type":30,"value":193},"A parcel is not a cheap LCL — it is a different chain. Nothing is booked or consolidated, the goods go by courier or air to your address, the carrier files the entry for that channel, and the documents are essentially a commercial invoice plus a packing list (certificate of origin or health certificate is arranged only where the destination requires it).",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":195,"children":196},{},[197],{"type":30,"value":198},"The trade-off is unit freight: it is higher than sea. That is why it fits three cases only — early buyers validating a market, samples and lab samples, and small top-ups on a line you already sell. Once a shipment passes 10 cartons, or when you want the freight diluted, you move into a consolidation — that is when your cargo shares a container with other buyers.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":200,"children":202},{"id":201},"what-a-pallet-and-a-container-actually-hold",[203],{"type":30,"value":204},"What a pallet and a container actually hold",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":206,"children":207},{},[208],{"type":30,"value":209},"Booking and customs run on volume and weight, so internally we calculate CBM = length × width × height (m) × cartons. You can check it, but you do not need to compute it for an enquiry:",{"type":25,"tag":211,"props":212,"children":213},"ul",{},[214,232,251],{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":216,"children":217},"li",{},[218,220,225,227],{"type":30,"value":219},"one carton 0.50 × 0.40 × 0.30 m = ",{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":221,"children":222},{},[223],{"type":30,"value":224},"0.06 m³",{"type":30,"value":226},", so 40 cartons ≈ one pallet ≈ ",{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":228,"children":229},{},[230],{"type":30,"value":231},"2.4 m³",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":233,"children":234},{},[235,237,242,244,249],{"type":30,"value":236},"a 20 ft holds about ",{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":238,"children":239},{},[240],{"type":30,"value":241},"28 m³",{"type":30,"value":243}," (≈ 450 cartons), a 40 ft HC about ",{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":245,"children":246},{},[247],{"type":30,"value":248},"68 m³",{"type":30,"value":250}," (≈ 1,100)",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":252,"children":253},{},[254],{"type":30,"value":255},"at equal volume, heavy goods hit the weight limit first: a 20 ft is capped at about 17.5 t, so dense products fill by weight before they fill by volume",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":257,"children":259},{"id":258},"what-the-tier-actually-changes",[260],{"type":30,"value":261},"What the tier actually changes",{"type":25,"tag":263,"props":264,"children":265},"ol",{},[266,276,286,296],{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":267,"children":268},{},[269,274],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":270,"children":271},{},[272],{"type":30,"value":273},"Who consolidates.",{"type":30,"value":275}," Buyers in the same country and city are combined by tier. Your cargo shares a container with other buyers' cargo; it does not share cartons. On a parcel there is no shared container at all.",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":277,"children":278},{},[279,284],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":280,"children":281},{},[282],{"type":30,"value":283},"Who clears it.",{"type":30,"value":285}," One customs broker is appointed for the whole consolidated tier, so the entry is filed once for the shipment rather than once per buyer.",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":287,"children":288},{},[289,294],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":290,"children":291},{},[292],{"type":30,"value":293},"Where you collect.",{"type":30,"value":295}," Consolidated goods are released at the country pickup point; you are the importer of record and we supply the data and documents the broker needs. A parcel is delivered to your address.",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":297,"children":298},{},[299,304],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":300,"children":301},{},[302],{"type":30,"value":303},"What you receive.",{"type":30,"value":305}," Each buyer gets their own invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, health certificate, batch COA and — where the market requires it — the halal certificate, covering their lines only.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":307,"children":309},{"id":308},"where-tier-buying-is-the-wrong-choice",[310],{"type":30,"value":311},"Where tier buying is the wrong choice",{"type":25,"tag":211,"props":313,"children":314},{},[315,320,325],{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":316,"children":317},{},[318],{"type":30,"value":319},"the product cannot share a container: packaging strength, odour transfer, or a temperature band that does not match the rest of the tier;",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":321,"children":322},{},[323],{"type":30,"value":324},"you need a dedicated production run or an artwork window that a shared tier cannot schedule;",{"type":25,"tag":215,"props":326,"children":327},{},[328],{"type":30,"value":329},"your market requires a single-lot certificate covering the entire shipment rather than per-line documents.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":331,"children":332},{},[333],{"type":30,"value":334},"In those cases a 20 ft container, or waiting for volume, is the honest answer.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":336,"children":338},{"id":337},"what-to-send-us",[339],{"type":30,"value":340},"What to send us",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":342,"children":343},{},[344],{"type":30,"value":345},"Product and specification, the pack (weight and dimensions per carton), the number of cartons, destination city, and whether you need private label. Carton data is enough — we do the conversion into volume and container type, including the cases where it falls below the MOQ and can only go as a parcel.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":347,"children":349},{"id":348},"questions-we-get",[350],{"type":30,"value":351},"Questions we get",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":353,"children":354},{},[355,360],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":356,"children":357},{},[358],{"type":30,"value":359},"Can I mix categories in one tier?",{"type":30,"value":361}," Yes, subject to packaging strength, odour transfer and temperature band. A mixed consolidation is normal — it is the core of this tier — but a tier that damages your product is not worth the saving.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":363,"children":364},{},[365,370],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":366,"children":367},{},[368],{"type":30,"value":369},"I only have 20 cartons — which tier is that?",{"type":30,"value":371}," The consolidated trial tier (10–50 cartons). You pay for the volume you ship; the tier is what other buyers in your city make up together. If nothing else is consolidating that month, you will be told before anything is booked.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":373,"children":374},{},[375,380],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":376,"children":377},{},[378],{"type":30,"value":379},"Parcel or consolidation?",{"type":30,"value":381}," Up to 10 cartons, to validate a market or top up, take the parcel. Above 10 cartons, or when you want the freight diluted, go into a consolidation. The parcel costs more per unit and buys you speed and a lower entry point.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":383,"children":384},{},[385,390],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":386,"children":387},{},[388],{"type":30,"value":389},"Does the 200 kg MOQ clash with the 10-carton trial tier?",{"type":30,"value":391}," No — on a common pack, 10 cartons is about 200 kg, so both point at the same order. With a dense product (hot pot base, for example) 10 cartons may already exceed 200 kg; then weight decides.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":393,"children":394},{},[395,400],{"type":25,"tag":155,"props":396,"children":397},{},[398],{"type":30,"value":399},"What if my cartons are unusual (large, irregular, palletised)?",{"type":30,"value":401}," Send the pack data and the count; we convert it into volume and pallets. Goods without carton dimensions are not booked on an estimate — we ask the factory for the spec sheet first.",{"type":25,"tag":32,"props":403,"children":405},{"id":404},"what-this-note-does-not-cover",[406],{"type":30,"value":407},"What this note does not cover",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":409,"children":410},{},[411],{"type":30,"value":412},"Freight rates are not quoted here: they move weekly and depend on the port pair, so any number printed on a page would be wrong by the time you read it. Halal certification is stated per item with the issuing body and certificate number in the offer; the internationally recognised certificates we do not hold are stated plainly rather than claimed.",{"type":25,"tag":26,"props":414,"children":415},{},[416],{"type":30,"value":417},"If your market is stricter than what our factories hold, tell us before the quote — we assess the route and the timeline per item instead of after the deposit.",{"title":7,"searchDepth":419,"depth":419,"links":420},2,[421,422,423,424,425,426,427,428,429,430],{"id":34,"depth":419,"text":37},{"id":145,"depth":419,"text":148},{"id":174,"depth":419,"text":177},{"id":185,"depth":419,"text":188},{"id":201,"depth":419,"text":204},{"id":258,"depth":419,"text":261},{"id":308,"depth":419,"text":311},{"id":337,"depth":419,"text":340},{"id":348,"depth":419,"text":351},{"id":404,"depth":419,"text":407},"markdown","content:en:insights:group-buy-tiers-cbm.md","content","en/insights/group-buy-tiers-cbm.md","en/insights/group-buy-tiers-cbm","md",[438,440,441],{"publishedAt":439},"2026-10-14",{},{},1793366947778]