Inventory glossary

What is FCL shipment?

FCL shipment means Full Container Load, a sea freight shipment where one shipper uses an entire shipping container rather than sharing it with other shippers' goods.

For a small Shopify store, FCL usually only becomes relevant once order volumes grow large enough that a full container is cheaper per unit than paying for partial space. Most small stores ship LCL or by air because they do not order enough stock to fill a container.

If you do reach FCL volumes, the main planning issue is time. Ocean freight plus port handling and inland transport can add weeks to your supplier's lead time, so you need to order much further ahead than you would for a small air freight shipment.

Example

A candle store orders 4,000 units from its supplier in Vietnam. That quantity fills one 20 foot container, so the supplier books it as FCL. The container takes 5 weeks to arrive by sea plus 1 week to clear customs and reach the warehouse, so the store orders 6 weeks before it expects to need the stock.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing FCL with LCL and underestimating total transit time because port and customs handling are left out.
  • Ordering FCL quantities without checking if the store can sell through that much stock before it goes stale or ties up too much cash.
  • Not accounting for the extra lead time an FCL order needs compared to a smaller, faster shipment.

FCL shipment and SteadyShelf

SteadyShelf uses your supplier's lead time, including the longer transit times typical of FCL ocean shipments, to calculate the order-by date for each SKU.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

Related terms

Lead time · Ocean freight · LCL shipment · Transit time · Freight forwarder

Full inventory glossary

FAQ

Is FCL cheaper than LCL?

Per unit, FCL is usually cheaper once your order is large enough to fill most or all of a container. Below that volume, LCL often costs less overall.

Do small Shopify stores typically use FCL shipping?

Most do not, because their order quantities are too small to fill a container. It becomes more common as a store scales up purchase order volume.

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