Ocean freight savings program
Freight cost is often the most overlooked part of landed cost when buying internationally, and it can shift your true per-unit price more than the product price itself. This page explains how ocean freight pricing actually works for imported urns, and three ways to reduce what you pay per unit, including a consolidated program we run that gives smaller buyers access to full-container pricing without needing full-container volume.
Why freight cost varies so much
Ocean freight is priced largely by space, not by product value. A container has a fixed amount of room, so the fewer units you ship per container, the more freight cost each individual unit absorbs. This is why a buyer ordering a full container almost always pays less per unit in freight than a buyer ordering a smaller quantity through shared space, even before product pricing is factored in.
Three ways to lower your freight cost
SOULURNS consolidated FCL program
We run frequent full container loads (FCL) from our facility in India, consolidating goods from multiple buyers into a single container. That container is shipped to our own facility on the US East Coast, in Pennsylvania and the surrounding Northeast region, chosen specifically for its proximity to East Coast ports and central reach across the country.
Once the container arrives and clears at our facility, we break it down and deliver to each buyer individually in smaller, distance-based shipments. You get the per-unit ocean freight savings of a full container, without needing to fill one yourself, and domestic delivery pricing is based on distance from our Northeast facility rather than a flat nationwide rate.
Best for funeral homes, smaller distributors, and retail or Amazon sellers who want import-level pricing without container-level volume.
Full container load (FCL), on your own
You book and fill an entire container yourself. Freight cost is fixed per container rather than per unit, so the more product you load into that space, the lower your freight cost per unit becomes. This is the most cost-efficient self-managed option if your order volume can fill, or nearly fill, a 20ft or 40ft container.
Best for distributors and larger buyers who can commit to container-level volume in a single order.
Consolidated / shared container (LCL)
Your order shares container space with other shipments heading to a similar destination. You pay freight based on the volume your goods occupy rather than the full container, which means you can order smaller quantities without needing to fill an entire container yourself.
Best for buyers who want to manage their own direct import without going through our consolidation program.
How the three compare
| SOULURNS consolidated FCL | Your own FCL | Independent LCL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freight cost per unit | Low, FCL rate shared across buyers | Lowest, but only once container is full | Higher, scales with your volume |
| Minimum order size | Low, no container minimum needed | Needs enough volume to justify a full container | Low, can order smaller quantities |
| Who manages logistics | SOULURNS handles consolidation and domestic delivery | You manage the full container and customs | You manage your own import process |
| Best fit | Most funeral homes, smaller distributors, retail/Amazon sellers | Larger distributors with container-level volume | Buyers who prefer to manage their own import logistics |
Where this fits with pricing
Freight is quoted alongside product pricing, not as a separate surprise cost. Most smaller and mid-size buyers benefit most from our consolidated FCL program, which is built into pricing on our funeral home pricing program. If you have container-level volume and want to manage your own full container, see distributor & container load pricing. For a full walkthrough of the order process itself, see bulk & container order process.
Get a freight-inclusive quote →
