Who Pays for Shipping?
When you buy a container of granite, the price of the stone is only half the story. The 'Incoterms' (International Commercial Terms) determine who pays for the ocean freight and who bears the risk.
FOB (Free On Board)
We do: Trucking from factory to Indian port (Mundra/Chennai) and customs clearance.
You do: Pay the ocean freight and insurance.
Pros: You control the shipping line and schedule.
Cons: If freight rates spike, you pay the difference.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight)
We do: Everything until the container reaches YOUR port (e.g., New York, Felixstowe). We pay the freight and insurance.
You do: Local customs clearance and trucking to your warehouse.
Pros: Safer for beginners. We lock in the shipping rate for you.
Ruvello recommends CIF for most first-time buyers to avoid logistics headaches.
