Three Shipping Tiers, Three Use Cases
Every HIGHER order ships through one of three channels. Each has different cost structures, lead times, and best-use scenarios. Understanding when to use which channel is the difference between smooth operations and emergency air freight that eats your margin.
| Channel | Total Lead Time | Best For | Cost Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Freight | 4–8 weeks | All custom orders — planned, routine | Included in quote (lowest per-unit) |
| Air Freight | 7–10 days (after production) | Emergency restocks, demand spikes | Premium varies by weight, fuel, season |
| Michigan Local Stock | 2–7 business days | Emergency restock, starter orders, buffer | $0.048–$0.050/unit (standard stock pricing) |
Sea Freight: Your Primary Channel
Sea freight is the default for all custom orders — custom cones, custom-printed tubes, custom logo CR lids, and any non-stock item. It's the most cost-effective shipping method because the per-unit freight cost is a fraction of air.
Timeline breakdown:
- Production: 2–3 weeks after deposit received
- Port loading + transit: 2–4 weeks depending on origin port and destination
- Customs + last-mile delivery: 3–7 business days
- Total: 4–8 weeks from deposit to your facility
When to Use Sea Freight
Always — unless you're in a time crunch. Sea freight should be your planned, routine ordering channel. Place custom orders when you have 10–14 weeks of inventory remaining. That gives you a 2–6 week buffer after the shipment arrives before your existing stock runs out.
Sea Freight Cost Impact
Sea freight is included in every HIGHER quote — you're never surprised by a shipping line item. The per-unit freight cost on sea shipments is typically $0.002–$0.005/unit, which is negligible at volume. This is why sea freight is the default: the delivered per-unit cost is essentially the production cost.
Note: Freight costs are current as of publication date and may fluctuate with tariff changes, fuel costs, and carrier rate adjustments.
Place your next custom order when you have 12 weeks of inventory left. This accounts for 8-week sea transit plus a 4-week buffer. If your production rate increases, adjust the trigger point earlier.
When Sea Freight Is Delayed
The 4–8 week estimate covers normal conditions. But sea freight doesn't always go as planned. Customs holds, port congestion, carrier schedule changes, and weather events can push transit beyond 8 weeks. Here's what happens when it does — and how to protect your production line.
What HIGHER does when your shipment is delayed:
- Proactive updates: We track every shipment and notify you when transit exceeds the estimated window — you don't find out when you're already out of stock
- Options on the table: If a sea shipment is delayed more than 1 week beyond estimate, we present your options: wait it out, air-freight a partial order to bridge the gap, or pull from Michigan local stock
- No black box: You get the shipping line, container number, and real-time port status — not "it's on the way"
How the local stock buffer protects you:
This is exactly why the combined strategy works. If you maintain 50K–100K pop-top tubes from Michigan local stock, a 2-week sea freight delay doesn't shut down your production. Your buffer absorbs the gap. Without that buffer, a delayed shipment means either halting production or paying emergency air freight prices — both of which cost more than the buffer inventory.
Air Freight: The Expedite Option
Air freight cuts transit time to 7–10 days from factory to your facility. It costs more per unit than sea freight, but sometimes speed is worth the premium.
Timeline breakdown:
- Production: 2–3 weeks (same as sea — production doesn't change)
- Air transit: 3–5 days
- Customs + last-mile delivery: 2–5 business days
- Total: 7–10 days from production completion to your facility
When to Use Air Freight
Use air freight when you miscalculated demand, when a new product launch accelerated your timeline, or when you need a specific custom item faster than sea can deliver. Air freight is the fix for planning gaps — not the default channel.
Common air freight scenarios we see:
- A brand launches a new strain and pre-roll demand exceeds forecast — they need custom cones in 2 weeks, not 8
- An operator lands a new dispensary account and needs branded packaging for the first shipment
- Seasonal demand spikes (4/20 nationwide, harvest season, holiday retail pushes) catch operators with lower-than-expected inventory
Air Freight Cost Impact
Air freight costs vary depending on three factors: total shipment weight, current fuel costs, and time of year. Peak shipping seasons (Q4 holiday, Chinese New Year) typically command higher rates than off-peak months. Heavier orders (glass tubes, jars) cost more to air freight than lighter products (cones, PET tubes).
We quote air freight on a per-order basis so you see the exact cost before committing. In every case, weigh the air freight premium against the revenue lost from being out of stock for 4–6 weeks while waiting for sea freight — the math usually favors speed when your production line is down.
Note: Air freight rates fluctuate with fuel surcharges, carrier capacity, and seasonal demand. We provide current pricing at time of quote.
Air freight is the emergency valve, not the plan. The operators who never need it are the ones who ordered by sea 12 weeks ago.
Michigan Local Stock: The Safety Net
HIGHER maintains warehouse stock of 116mm pop-top tubes in Michigan. This is your fastest-available packaging option — 2–7 business days to any Michigan address, and 3–10 days to Ohio, Illinois, and surrounding states.
What's in local stock:
- 116mm pop-top tubes — clear, black, white
- $0.048–$0.050/unit (standard stock pricing — differs from custom order pricing on product pages)
- CR certified, shipping included
When to Use Local Stock
Local stock serves three purposes:
1. Emergency restock. You ran out of tubes. Production is halted. You need packaging today, not in 8 weeks. Local stock gets you running again in under a week.
2. New operator starter order. You're launching a pre-roll line and need to validate demand before committing to a large custom order. Start with local stock tubes, test your production and sell-through rate, then order custom once you've dialed in your volumes.
3. Buffer inventory. Keep 2–4 weeks of local stock on hand as a buffer while your custom sea freight order is in transit. This eliminates the risk of a production gap if sea freight is delayed by customs or port congestion.
The Combined Strategy
Here's how operators who never run out of packaging structure their ordering:
| Channel | When to Order | Purpose | Inventory Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Freight (custom) | 12 weeks before stockout | Routine custom orders — cones, printed tubes, jars | Reorder at 12 weeks remaining |
| Michigan Local Stock | Ongoing — maintain buffer | Production insurance / emergency restock | Reorder at 4 weeks remaining |
| Air Freight (custom) | Only when buffer is consumed | Emergency valve when sea is delayed 2+ weeks | Emergency reorder at 3 weeks remaining |
Buffer Stock Math
Maintaining 50K–100K pop-top tubes from Michigan local stock costs $2,400–$5,000 in standing inventory. A single day of production downtime costs $200–$500 in labor alone. The buffer pays for itself the first time it prevents a shutdown — which for most operators happens within the first 6 months.
Custom (sea): Reorder at 12 weeks of inventory remaining
Custom (air): Emergency reorder at 3 weeks of inventory remaining
Local stock: Reorder at 4 weeks of inventory remaining
Get Your Lead Time Quote
Every HIGHER quote includes specific lead times for your order — sea and air options with exact transit estimates to your facility. No guessing, no vague "fast shipping" promises. Tell us what you need, and we'll tell you exactly when it arrives.
