VPOST Sea Freight

VPOST has just launched a new option - shipping by sea instead of air. According to their ad, customers get to save 49% on shipping bulky items from our favorite merchants in USA to Singapore. I have been thinking of getting something bulky from USA... As such, their ad piqued my interest and I decided to do my math to see if I'll actually be saving any money by doing so.

Source: www.vpost.com.sg

The air and sea freight rates from USA to Singapore are listed as follows:-

Source: www.vpost.com.sg

Assuming I am shipping an item that weighs 10kg.

Shipping by air = S$104.40

Shipping by sea = S$78.90

Savings of over 30%

Note that there is a minimum chargeable weight of 10kg, and there is no bundling discount. What this means is, it'll only make sense if you are shipping large bulky items and you need to get the merchant to pack your items into one big package.

Also, the usual customs rule applies. That is, if your total CIF (cost of items + insurance + freight) is above S$ 400, a 7% customs tax will be charged and collected.

So given that shipping is now cheaper, does it make sense?

What other bulky items can I get? Hmm... Golf clubs? Furniture? Bicycles? Home decor items?

Stay tuned for my next blog post, where I'll share my findings with you... :)