{"id":1000706,"date":"2026-08-04T12:30:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T12:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fulfillbot.com\/?p=1000706"},"modified":"2026-08-02T12:31:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T12:31:43","slug":"fob-vs-exw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fulfillbot.com\/it\/blog\/fob-vs-exw\/","title":{"rendered":"FOB vs EXW: costi, rischi e quale scegliere"},"content":{"rendered":"

The cheapest-looking quote can be the expensive one. If an EXW price stops at the factory door while a FOB price runs all the way to the vessel, the two numbers are not competing offers yet. They describe different amounts of work.<\/p>\n

The short answer: under EXW (Ex Works)<\/strong>, the seller makes the goods available at an agreed place, usually a factory or warehouse. The buyer then takes on pickup, loading, export arrangements, and the rest of the journey. Under FOB (Free On Board)<\/strong>, the seller export-clears the goods and places them on board the buyer-nominated vessel at the named port of shipment. The buyer takes responsibility from that on-board point.<\/p>\n

FOB is only for sea or inland waterway transport. If the goods are containerized, handed to a carrier at a terminal, or moved by more than one mode, FCA often describes the handoff more accurately.<\/p>\n

That distinction matters because the Incoterms\u00ae rules<\/a> allocate delivery tasks, costs, and risk between buyer and seller. They do not decide when ownership transfers, how payment works, or which country’s customs law applies. Those points belong elsewhere in the sales contract.<\/p>\n

FOB vs EXW at a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Question<\/th>\nEXW<\/th>\nFOB<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Full name<\/td>\nEx Works<\/td>\nFree On Board<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Permitted transport<\/td>\nAny mode or combination of modes<\/td>\nSea or inland waterway only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Delivery point<\/td>\nNamed seller premises or other named place, before loading onto the buyer’s collecting vehicle<\/td>\nOn board the buyer-nominated vessel at the named port of shipment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Who loads at the seller’s premises?<\/td>\nBuyer, unless the contract separately says otherwise<\/td>\nSeller handles the movement needed to deliver the goods on board<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Who handles export clearance?<\/td>\nBuyer<\/td>\nSeller<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Who arranges main carriage?<\/td>\nBuyer<\/td>\nBuyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When does risk transfer?<\/td>\nWhen the goods are placed at the buyer’s disposal at the named place, ready for loading<\/td>\nWhen the goods are on board the vessel at the named port<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is cargo insurance mandatory under the term?<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typical attraction<\/td>\nMaximum buyer control from origin<\/td>\nCleaner origin handoff for traditional maritime cargo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Main caution<\/td>\nLoading and export formalities may be hard for a foreign buyer<\/td>\nOften a poor fit for container or terminal handoffs; consider FCA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"EXW
EXW transfers risk before buyer loading; FOB transfers risk when the goods are on board the vessel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What EXW really means<\/h2>\n

EXW stops surprisingly early. The seller packages and marks the goods as required by the sales contract, makes them available at the named place, and provides the commercial documents required by the term. Delivery happens before the goods are loaded onto the buyer’s collecting vehicle.<\/p>\n

From there, the buyer normally has to arrange:<\/p>\n