30ml Dropper Bottle at 3,000 pcs —
Full Cost Breakdown from China to Your Door

Layer 1 — Ex-Works Factory Price

This is the price the factory charges per bottle at their gate in Jiangxi, China. It covers the bottle itself, decoration, standard QC, and export packing. It does not cover anything outside the factory gate.

Specification	Ex-Works per Unit (3,000 pcs)
30ml dropper, clear glass, no decoration	$0.55 – $0.70
30ml dropper, clear glass + silk-print LOGO	$0.65 – $0.85
30ml dropper, frosted glass + hot-stamp LOGO	$0.80 – $1.05
30ml dropper, spray-coat colour + LOGO	$0.90 – $1.15
Cap/dropper fitment (wood or aluminium cap)	$0.10 – $0.25 per unit, separate

Note: These are ODM prices using existing factory molds. OEM prices (private mold) start at higher ex-works due to mold amortisation cost added to unit pricing.

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Layer 2 — Sea Freight

3,000 units of 30ml dropper bottles pack into approximately 0.08–0.12 CBM (cubic metres) of carton space, weighing 30–45kg gross. At current LCL (less-than-container-load) rates:

Destination	Estimated Freight (LCL, door-to-port)
Europe (Hamburg, Rotterdam, Felixstowe)	$180 – $260
United States (Los Angeles, New York)	$200 – $280
Middle East (Dubai, Jeddah)	$150 – $220
Australia (Melbourne, Sydney)	$220 – $300

LCL freight fluctuates with global shipping rates. Q4 (September–November) is peak season — rates can increase 20–40% versus Q1/Q2. For air freight, multiply these figures by 4–6x.

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Layer 3 — Destination Charges and Customs

Cost Item	Typical Range
Destination port handling / THC	$60 – $120
Customs broker / import declaration fee	$100 – $200
Import duty (EU, HS 7010.90, 6.5% CIF)	~6.5% of CIF value
VAT (EU, varies by country)	20–25% on duty-paid value
Inland delivery (port to your warehouse)	$80 – $200

VAT is typically recoverable if you are VAT-registered. Import duty is a sunk cost. Confirm the correct HS code with your customs broker — glass bottle sub-headings within 7010 attract different duty rates in some markets.

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Layer 4 — One-Time First-Order Costs

One-Time Cost	Typical Range	Recurs?
Sample production (5–10 pcs)	$80 – $200	No — only on new shapes
Sample courier (DHL international)	$50 – $100	No
Pre-shipment inspection (PSI)	$200 – $350	Optional on reorders
Bank wire transfer fee	$20 – $40	Every order

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Full First-Order Cost Example

Scenario: 3,000 pcs, 30ml frosted dropper bottle with hot-stamp LOGO, shipped to Rotterdam, EU.

Line Item	Amount
Ex-works (3,000 × $0.90 incl. cap)	$2,700
Sea freight (LCL to Rotterdam)	$230
Destination charges + customs broker	$180
Import duty (6.5% of $2,930 CIF)	$190
Sample fee + courier (one-time)	$200
PSI (one-time, first order)	$280
Total first-order cost	$3,780
Per unit landed (first order)	$1.26
Per unit landed (reorders, no sample/PSI)	$1.03

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How This Compares to Local Sourcing

A comparable 30ml frosted dropper bottle from a European distributor costs $2.50–4.00 per unit at small quantities. The China-direct landed cost of $1.03–1.26 represents a 40–65% saving per unit, or $1,400–2,200 on a 3,000-unit order. This saving scales with volume — reorder economics improve further as one-time costs disappear and you qualify for higher-volume pricing tiers.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does a 30ml dropper bottle cost from a Chinese factory?

Ex-works (factory gate) pricing for a 30ml dropper bottle at 3,000 pcs: clear glass with no decoration $0.55–0.70; with silk-print LOGO $0.65–0.85; frosted with hot-stamp LOGO $0.80–1.05; spray-coated with LOGO $0.90–1.15. These are factory-direct ODM prices — trading companies add 15–30% margin on top.

What is the total landed cost for 3,000 dropper bottles from China?

Add to ex-works price: sea freight ($180–280 for a 3,000-unit carton to Europe or US), destination port charges and customs clearance ($120–200), import duty (EU: 6.5% for glass bottles HS 7010; US: depends on tariff classification), and one-time fees (sample $80–150, pre-shipment inspection $200–350 optional). Total first-order cost for 3,000 pcs at $0.85/unit ex-works: approximately $3,300–3,900 landed.

What import duty do I pay on glass cosmetic bottles in the EU?

Glass bottles for cosmetics fall under HS code 7010.90 in the EU, with a standard import duty rate of 6.5% on the CIF (cost + insurance + freight) value. VAT is charged on top of the duty-paid value at your domestic rate. Some EU countries have reduced rates for specific sub-headings — confirm the applicable code with your customs broker.

What is the per-unit landed cost for 3,000 dropper bottles?

At $0.85 ex-works per unit (frosted glass, hot-stamp LOGO), 3,000 units = $2,550 ex-works. Add freight ($230), destination charges ($160), and duty at 6.5% of CIF ($185). Total goods cost: approximately $3,125 for 3,000 units — or $1.04 per bottle landed. Add one-time fees (sample, PSI) and the true first-order per-unit cost is approximately $1.20–1.35.

Are there one-time costs I should budget for on a first glass bottle order?

Yes. First-order one-time costs typically include: sample fee ($80–200), international courier for sample ($50–100), pre-shipment inspection if used ($200–350), customs broker fee ($100–200), and any bank wire fee ($20–40). Total one-time costs: $450–890. These do not recur on subsequent orders, so the effective per-unit cost drops significantly from the second order onward.