A small order of tiles from India is possible, but a full container is almost always the economical unit. If you cannot fill one, the options are a part load, a consolidated container with other products or suppliers, or a trial lot in a single design.
Tiles are heavy and dense, which shapes every option. A container is often full by weight before it is full by volume, and that is why shipping tiles as LCL is rarely straightforward.
Can you ship tiles as LCL?
LCL, or less than container load, means your cargo shares a container with other shippers and a consolidator handles it. For tiles it is possible, but you pay a per-cubic-metre or per-tonne charge from the consolidator, plus handling at both ends, and heavy goods are often charged by weight.
The risks are handling and breakage. Cargo is unloaded and reloaded at least once, and tiles on pallets are exposed to forklift damage and shifting. Ask the forwarder whether palletised and strapped cargo is accepted, and insist on insurance; see insurance for tile shipments. For a small order, many buyers find an air or courier sample route for the pilot and a proper container for the real order.
What are the alternatives to LCL?
These routes keep your goods in one sealed container from factory to port:
- A part load: you take a share of a 20-foot container and the rest is filled with another buyer's tiles from the same factory or from the same port.
- A consolidated container, where tiles from several factories are loaded together for one buyer; see consolidating several suppliers into one container.
- A mixed container with other Gujarat goods, such as sanitaryware or fittings, if your customer buys them too.
- A 20-foot container of a limited range, which is the smallest full-container unit.
Which MOQ applies to a small order?
Factories usually set a minimum per design, so a mix of many designs in small quantities is hard. Tile MOQ in Morbi explains how minimums work, and mixed sizes and designs in one container shows what factories accept.
Stock designs the factory already makes in volume are easier to buy in small quantities than custom designs, because no new setup is needed. Be ready to accept the factory's cartons and standard packing.
How do you run a trial lot well?
A trial lot only helps if it tests the right things. Pick one or two designs you intend to reorder, ask for the same grade and packing you would use in volume, and have the lot tested and inspected before loading.
Agree in writing that a successful trial leads to a price and terms discussion for the next order, and that the shade of a later order will be matched to the retained sample. Our guide to starting with a small trial order covers the steps.
Do not judge a factory on a trial lot made with extra care. Ask the factory to run it through the same line and sorting as normal production.
Next step
We help buyers who start small to find factories willing to quote part loads, check the sample, test the lot and supervise loading. Book a free sourcing review, and tell us the quantity you have in mind. You can also read how it works.