When I started importing, my real question was, do I go for speed or protect my profit? I tested both, and the difference showed immediately.

I first used air freight through a cargo service like DHL. My goods arrived in a few days, cleared fast, and I started selling almost immediately. It felt smooth until I calculated my cost. Shipping alone almost doubled what I spent per item, so my final price had to go up just to make a small profit.

Then I switched to sea freight through clearing agents handling containers at Apapa. The cost dropped in a way that actually gave me breathing room on pricing. I could sell cheaper and still have a margin. But the waiting time was the real problem. Weeks on the water, then extra time at the port. I remember running out of stock while my goods were still there, and I lost customers I couldn’t recover.

That was when it became clear. Air freight helped me move fast and restock quickly, but it reduced my profit. Sea freight gave me better pricing and margin, but only if I planned and didn’t let my stock finish.

So the way I use it now is simple. If I need goods urgently or I am testing something new, I use air. If I already know the product sells and I want better profit, I use the sea.

In Nigeria, it is not about which is better. It is about whether you are trying to save time or save cost at that moment.

From your own experience, which one has affected you more, delay or high shipping cost?