Two importers can request quotations for the same G682 golden granite panels and receive prices that differ by eight to fifteen US dollars per square metre. Sometimes that gap reflects quality. More often, it reflects the trade term written at the bottom of the quotation: who pays for inland trucking, port charges, ocean freight and insurance – and who carries the risk while the panels are moving.
Trade terms are not fine print. They shape your landed cost, your cash flow and your ability to file a claim when something goes wrong. Here is how buyers of Chinese granite should read them.
What Each Term Actually Covers
Four terms cover most granite orders:
- EXW (Ex Works): the buyer collects the goods at the factory gate. The quoted price is the lowest, but every local cost – trucking to port, export customs clearance, terminal handling – becomes yours to arrange in a system you may not know.
- FOB (Free On Board): the supplier delivers the container alongside the vessel at the Chinese port and clears export customs. The buyer arranges and pays for ocean freight and insurance from that point.
- CFR (Cost and Freight): the supplier also pays the ocean freight to your port, but risk still transfers once the goods are loaded on board the vessel.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): the same as CFR, plus a basic marine insurance policy arranged by the supplier.
When EXW Makes Sense – and When It Does Not
EXW suits buyers who already have a freight forwarder in China, or who consolidate several suppliers into one container. If you ship full containers of G682 panels on a regular basis, EXW gives you maximum control over freight costs. For a first order, however, EXW often hides costs: export clearance fees, terminal handling charges and inland trucking are easy to underestimate, and a mistake at this stage can delay the vessel.
FOB: The Default for Most Granite Buyers
FOB is the most common term in the stone trade, and for good reason. The supplier handles everything inside China – loading, trucking, export clearance – which is exactly where their experience counts. You keep control of the ocean leg: you choose the shipping line, the transit time and, if you buy regularly, you can negotiate freight rates with forwarders who know your lane. For buyers across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, FOB from a Chinese port is usually the most balanced option.
CFR and CIF: Convenience With Trade-Offs
CFR and CIF look attractive because the freight number simply appears on the invoice. The trade-off is control. The supplier books the vessel, which may mean a slower transit or a transshipment that suits their schedule rather than yours. Under CIF, the insurance cover is typically the minimum the Incoterms rules require – roughly 110 percent of the invoice value under Institute Cargo Clauses (C). If your cargo is worth more than that, or you want all-risks cover, quote the order on CFR and arrange your own policy.
Costs No Trade Term Removes
Whichever term you choose, the destination costs stay with you: terminal handling at discharge, customs duties, port storage and inland delivery. Budget for them before comparing quotations. Keep container loading in mind as well – 30 mm G682 panels weigh roughly 80 kg per square metre, so a 20-foot container reaches its weight limit at around 300 square metres, while thinner tiles fill a 40-foot high cube by volume first. A supplier with its own quarry and loading yard can plan the mix of slab sizes and thicknesses so that you ship the maximum square metres per container, whatever the term.
A Five-Point Checklist Before You Confirm
- Ask every supplier to quote the same order on the same term – comparing an EXW price with a CIF price is meaningless.
- Confirm what is included: export clearance, terminal handling at the loading port, pallets and packing materials.
- Check the container loading plan: number of crates, gross weight, and whether it respects road weight limits.
- Clarify the moment risk transfers, and match your insurance cover to that moment.
- Agree on documents in advance: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin.
Suizhou Xuhui Stone supplies G682 golden granite and G603 grey-white granite directly from our own quarry in Hubei, quoted on EXW, FOB, CFR or CIF – with the container loading plan and full export documents included in every offer.
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