FOB Shipping: Defining Freight and Free on Board

With this specific configuration, the title of the goods transfers from the seller to the buyer once the goods are shipped. Even so, the liability is still on the shipper until the goods arrive at the final destination. This places full responsibility on the buyer for the goods while they are in transit. For FOB destination contracts, the shipper, who is also usually the seller, will remain liable until the goods physically reach the buyer.

As such, FOB shipping means that the supplier retains ownership and responsibility for the goods until they are loaded ‘on board’ a shipping vessel. Ownership of a cargo is independent what does fob shipping point mean of Incoterms, which relate to delivery and risk. In international trade, ownership of the cargo is defined by the contract of sale and the bill of lading or waybill.

Free on Board (FOB) Explained: Who’s Liable for What in Shipping?

To understand each designation, we must first understand the difference between place of origin and place of destination and freight collect vs. freight prepaid. “Prepaid” means the seller has paid the freight; “collect” indicates the buyer is responsible for payment. FOB Destination transfers the responsibility of shipped goods when they arrive at the buyer’s specified delivery location – usually the buyer’s loading dock, post office box, or office building. Once the products arrive at the buyer’s location, the legal title of ownership transfers from the seller to the buyer. Therefore, the seller is legally responsible for the products during transport, up until the point the goods reach the buyer.

Just enter the dimensions and weight of your goods and specify the port of shipment, and you’ll get your FOB price calculation instantly. The term ‘free’ refers to the supplier’s obligation to deliver goods to a specific location, later to be transferred to a carrier. With the advent of e-commerce, most commercial electronic transactions occur under the terms of “FOB shipping point” or “FCA shipping point”. Since there is more than one set of rules, and legal definitions of FOB may differ from one country to another, the parties to a contract must indicate which governing laws are being used for a shipment. Assume a fitness equipment manufacturer receives an order for 20 treadmills from a newly opened gym across the country.

Transfer of Ownership

If ‘FOB Destination, freight collect’ is specified, it means that the buyer is the one to pay for the freight. As an example of an FOB shipping point, let’s say a shipping point has been set, and a buyer just purchased $20,000 worth of merchandise from a seller. The seller has packaged the goods and shipped the merchandise on a specified date.

• UShip helps you find and book with the right feedback-rated transporter who can haul your large items at the right price.
• Also, under FOB destination conditions, the seller is liable for the merchandise’s transportation costs.
• When items are sold “FOB destination,” the title to the commodities may not pass to the buyer until the items are delivered to the buyer’s loading dock, post office box, residence, or place of business.
• Until the items have arrived at the buyer’s location, the seller retains legal responsibility for them.
• They also assume all risks and are responsible for filing claims in the case of loss or damage.

Once the goods are at the point of origin and on the transportation vessel, the buyer is financially responsible for costs to transport the goods such as customs, taxes, and fees. FOB is a shipping term that stands for “free on board.” If a shipment is designated FOB (the seller’s location), then as soon as the shipment of goods leaves the seller’s warehouse, https://www.bookstime.com/ the seller records the sale as complete. The buyer owns the product en route to its warehouse and must pay any delivery charges. Now assume that a seller quoted $975 FOB destination and the seller loaded the goods onto a common carrier on December 30. Also assume that the goods are on the truck until January 2, when they are unloaded at the buyer’s location.

What is FOB Shipping Point?

An “FOB San Francisco” shipment means you’re responsible for shipping them from San Francisco to Dallas and own the goods when the shipping company picks them up. FOB originally referred to overseas shipments by boat, but its use in the U.S. more generally applies to all forms of delivery transport, including truck, rail, and air. Free on board (FOB) shipping clarifies predicaments like this by defining exactly when ownership of transported goods changes from one party to another. We’ll go over FOB basics, its variations, and the benefits your small business can enjoy from using it. Once the goods reach port in your country, you may also have to pay to have them unloaded from the ship or plane, unpacked and prepared to be shipped onward.

There are situations where you may be responsible for covering costs before your goods are on board. This means that no matter where you ship from, you will encounter the same regulations. One of the most prominent examples of this standardization is the International Commercial Term, or incoterm.