Sea or air? How to choose shipping for your Piazam order

Every Piazam order comes from a manufacturer in China, so every order has to travel. At checkout you choose how each item gets to Ghana: by sea or by air. Each item in your cart has its own choice, so you can mix the two in one order.

That choice decides how long you wait and how much you pay. Here's how the two compare.

The short version

Both come with tracking and insurance. Piazam's own rule of thumb: choose air if you need your order quickly, and sea for free shipping if you aren't in a rush.

Sea: free, if you can wait

Sea freight is already part of the product price, so there's no shipping charge on top. It's the slower route, at 30 to 60 days, but it's the cheapest way to get anything to Ghana.

Sea makes the most sense when you're buying something big or heavy, when you're ordering several things at once, or when you're buying ahead of when you'll need it.

Air: faster, at a set price per item

Air takes 7 to 21 days. It isn't offered on every product. Where it is, the product page shows what it adds, as "Air shipping (+GH₵…)".

The air price is a set amount for each item, so two of the same item cost twice as much to fly. It isn't worked out by weight at checkout, so the number you see on the product page is the number you pay.

If you switch an item to air, the cart shows the difference. If you switch back to sea, it shows what you save.

Two options on some items

A few products have extra options. Look for the labels on the product page:

• Express Air. Select items ship by express air and arrive in 1 to 5 days, at no extra cost.
• Pay on Arrival. Select items let you pay a discounted product price at checkout, then pay the shipping fee once your order lands in Ghana. We text you the exact fee, and you can pay it online from your orders page, with Mobile Money or card, or in cash on delivery. These orders travel by sea.

What every option includes

• Customs and import taxes. Piazam clears your order through customs and pays the duties, so there are no surprise import charges.
• Insurance. Every shipment is packaged and insured against loss or damage on the way.
• Tracking. You can follow your order in My Orders, and we text you at each major step.

The one cost that comes later

Whichever way your order travels, delivery from our hub to your door is charged separately, once your parcel is in Ghana. It's normally GH₵30 to GH₵100, depending on where you are and the size of the parcel. We text you the fee, and you pay it from My Orders before the courier sets off. Nothing is charged for it at checkout.

How to decide

• Need it within three weeks? Choose air, where the product offers it, or Express Air if you see the label.
• Can it wait a month or two? Choose sea and keep the shipping money.
• Buying several things for later? Choose sea, or Pay on Arrival where it's offered.

All delivery times are estimates. Customs, public holidays and carrier delays can add time, so if a date matters, leave room. The full details are in Piazam's shipping policy, and you can start shopping at piazam.com.