Definition - FOB (Free On Board) price (2024)

FAQs

Definition - FOB (Free On Board) price? ›

FOB, Free On Board, is a transportation term that indicates that the price for goods includes delivery at the Seller's expense to a specified point and no further.

The FOB (Free On Board) price is the price of goods at the frontier of the exporting country or price of a service provided to a non-resident. It includes the values of the goods or services at the basic price, the transport and distribution services up to the frontier, the taxes minus the subsidies.

Free on board, often abbreviated as “F.O.B.,” applies to the sale of goods and indicates that purchased property will be placed on board a vessel for shipment at a designated place without expense to the buyer for packing, potage, cartage, etc.

FOB Price Meaning: Without transportation costs included in COGS, orders are referred to as freight on board (FOB). FOB pricing refers to when the retailer/buyer is responsible for the shipping costs from the seller's warehouse to the retailer's/buyer's destination.

What Is FOB Pricing? The costs associated with FOB can include transportation of the goods to the port of shipment, loading the goods onto the shipping vessel, freight transport, insurance, and unloading and transporting the goods from the arrival port to the final destination.

For example, if a buyer in Vancouver buys basketball shoes from a seller in Chengdu, China, he must pay for the transport costs from the seller's warehouse to the port, cost of loading goods onto a ship, and all transport costs from the shipping port to his warehouse/store.

In FOB shipping points, if the terms include "FOB origin, freight collect," the buyer pays for freight costs. If the terms include "FOB origin, freight prepaid," the buyer is responsible for the goods at the point of origin, but the seller pays the transportation costs.

What is the difference between FCA and FOB? FCA is an Incoterm which works for all modes of transport. FOB is only used in waterway shipments. Under FOB, the seller is responsible for loading the cargo onto the vessel, but with FCA, it is the buyer's responsibility.

With FOB, a designated port or place of shipment acts as the delivery point. On the other hand, FCA requires goods to be delivered at a chosen place or carrier accepted by both the buyer and the seller.

FOB Value = Ex-Factory Price + Other Costs

(b) Other Costs in the calculation of the FOB value shall refer to the costs incurred in placing the goods in the ship for export, including but not limited to, domestic transport costs, storage and warehousing, port handling, brokerage fees, service charges, et cetera.

Who pays for FOB? ›

In FOB shipping point agreements, the seller pays all transportation costs and fees to get the goods to the port of origin. 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.

Free On Board (FOB) Definition

The seller is responsible for ALL the costs in the country of origin up to and including loading the goods onto the vessel at the outbound port. The buyer then pays all the costs from then onwards; the buyer pays for the freight and all the costs in the destination country.

06 Who Assumes the Cost of FOB Shipping Point vs Destination? Traditionally with FOB shipping point, the seller pays the transportation cost and fees until the cargo is delivered to the port of origin. Once on the ship, the buyer is responsible financially for transportation costs, customs clearance, fees, and taxes.

FOT (Free on Truck) is a term referring to cargo being carried by truck and can be used when shipping goods by truck. FOB (Free on Board) is an Incoterm® referring to cargo carried via sea or inland waterway. Incoterms® and the Incoterms® 2020 logo are trademarks of ICC.

The origin of the term “fob” as in “key fob” goes back to either Middle English fobben, or German Fuppe (pocket) or the German foppen meaning sneak-proof. A fob is, most precisely, an object kept with keys for one of several purposes.

CIF requires the seller to cover the total cost of the goods, freight and insurance. Whereas FOB only requires the seller to cover the cost of loading the goods onto the vessel; the buyer then pays to transport and insure the goods (as well as any other charges incurred once the goods are on board).