Step 04 · Our Process

Supply Chain

Your deadlines and quality standards are important. Our vendor management and supply chain assistance ensure production and shipments are processed on-time and up to standard. GPSOURCES can help reduce your number of suppliers and lower overall handling costs. We also offer warehouse services and inventory management for growing businesses.

There are three primary methods of shipping your freight: ocean freight, air freight, and small package. Each option has unique advantages and disadvantages — we'll break them down to help you understand them better.

Ocean Freight

You may already be familiar with ocean freight — it's the standard, most frequently used method. Goods get packed into shipping containers and loaded onto sea vessels that carry them across the ocean. Containers come in 20-foot, 40-foot standard, or 40-foot 'high cube' sizes. If your volume fills a container, you ship FCL (Full Container Load); if not, LCL (Less than Container Load).

LCL shipments tend to be more expensive per CBM and often take 10–14 days longer than FCL. Sea freight is the least expensive shipping method and the best way to generate strong ROI, but the process requires patience — expect 30–45 days between departure and arrival.

Small Package — Expedited

The fastest and least complicated shipping method, although more expensive than ocean freight. Familiar carriers include UPS, DHL, and FedEx. Small package is a 'door-to-door' service — book the shipment, sit back, and wait for it to arrive. The carrier handles all paperwork and invoices any customs duties.

Most suitable for high-value/low-volume products or goods needed urgently. Anytime you need goods delivered by air and the total weight of your shipment is below 400 kilograms, small package is usually the right call.

Air Freight

If you've got a ton (literally) of goods that need to be delivered fast, Air Freight may be the answer. Essentially commercial air shipping — vastly more expensive than Sea Freight but with a faster turnaround. Air Freight is an airport-to-airport service and does not handle delivery, so you'll need separate haulage fees from the airport to your doorstep.

Recommended only when goods are extremely heavy (exceeding the 400 kg ceiling for small package) and you need them in hand fast. GPSOURCES can coordinate a customs broker and provide an all-in-one quote.

What's the difference between LCL and FCL?

LCL and FCL are acronyms that refer to whether your goods occupy an entire shipping container. LCL stands for Less than Container Load, and FCL for Full Container Load. Of the two, FCL is more time efficient and less costly for a number of reasons, but assumes your volume will require its own container.

GPSOURCES usually uses only three container sizes: 20 foot, 40 foot standard, or 40 foot "high cube" containers. A single 20-foot container holds up to 28 CBM of goods. In our experience, once your volume reaches the 15–16 CBM mark, it makes more sense to opt for FCL even if your container is not entirely full. At that point, the costs for LCL rise, making less economic sense — and the benefits of FCL (faster shipping, less opportunity for damage) outweigh the menial price difference.

Build a smarter supply chain.

Let's find the right mix of vendors, warehousing, and freight for your business.