Every calculator on this site is an argument made in arithmetic. These are the arguments written out: what the formula is, what it does on a real shipment, where it breaks, and which tool runs it for you.
Three guides, in this order, cover the questions behind almost every other page on the site.
What a shipment costs before anyone sets a price — 1 guide.
Space, weight and what the carrier actually bills — 2 guides.
The volumetric weight formula, which divisor applies to air, express and LCL, and how carton density tells you whether you pay for space or weight.
Read the guide → 7 minWhy the nominal cbm on a container spec is not the capacity you get, how packing and the weight ceiling decide the real count, and what pallets cost.
Read the guide →Turning cost into a price that survives a negotiation — 3 guides.
Margin and markup from the same sale, why the cost input has to be landed cost, and how to find the break-even volume that covers fixed costs.
Read the guide → 6 minWhy the deeper tier is not always cheaper per unit once setup costs, freight and carrying cost are counted, and how to find the true break-even quantity.
Read the guide → 7 minWorking back from a retail price to the maximum FOB you can pay, why subtraction fails on capped fees, and what the answer means in a negotiation.
Read the guide →Who pays for what, and where the risk sits — 2 guides.
Why a CIF price is not FOB plus freight, how the 110% insurance formula changes the arithmetic, and how to reverse a CIF quote correctly.
Read the guide → 9 minEvery Incoterms 2020 rule with its cost and risk split, the four that dominate China export, and how the 110% CIF insurance formula works.
Read the guide →Each article explains one method; each calculator applies it. This table is the map between the two.
| Guide | Section | The question it answers | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to Calculate Landed Cost from China (Worked Example) | Costing | The five-line landed cost method, one 40HQ to the US worked line by line, and the four charges most costing sheets leave out. | Landed Cost Calculator |
| FOB vs CIF: The Difference Is Not Just the Freight | Terms | Why a CIF price is not FOB plus freight, how the 110% insurance formula changes the arithmetic, and how to reverse a CIF quote correctly. | FOB vs CIF Calculator |
| How to Calculate Volumetric Weight and Dividers | Freight | The volumetric weight formula, which divisor applies to air, express and LCL, and how carton density tells you whether you pay for space or weight. | Volumetric Weight Calculator |
| How to Calculate Wholesale Margin (Margin vs Markup) | Pricing | Margin and markup from the same sale, why the cost input has to be landed cost, and how to find the break-even volume that covers fixed costs. | Margin Calculator |
| How to Compare MOQ Price Tiers, Not Unit Prices | Pricing | Why the deeper tier is not always cheaper per unit once setup costs, freight and carrying cost are counted, and how to find the true break-even quantity. | MOQ Pricing Calculator |
| How to Calculate Container Loading (Real Cartons) | Freight | Why the nominal cbm on a container spec is not the capacity you get, how packing and the weight ceiling decide the real count, and what pallets cost. | Container Loading Calculator |
| Reverse Costing: From a Shelf Price Back to a Factory Price | Pricing | Working back from a retail price to the maximum FOB you can pay, why subtraction fails on capped fees, and what the answer means in a negotiation. | Reverse Cost Calculator |
| Incoterms 2020 Explained — All 11 Terms, Who Pays What | Terms | Every Incoterms 2020 rule with its cost and risk split, the four that dominate China export, and how the 110% CIF insurance formula works. | FOB vs CIF Calculator |
All seven calculators, one page, with the method notes underneath each one.
Guides are reviewed 2026-10-01. Reference values only — confirm classification, current duty rates and freight with your broker and forwarder before committing to a price.