(Ver versión en Español más abajo) For small importers, freight costs can change the economics of an order almost overnight. A shipment that looked profitable when it left the factory can arrive with thousands of dollars in additional freight, duties, and handling costs. The obvious question is: Why have China-to-U.S. shipping costs increased so sharply, and is this the new normal? The answer is more nuanced than “ocean freight went up.” Importers are facing two different pro