A customer purchases a painting from Afremov.com, receives a tracking number, and then notices that the package was shipped from Hong Kong or another international distribution center. Naturally, the first question that comes to mind is:
"Wait a minute — shouldn’t the painting be shipped from Mexico?”
Let me explain how modern international logistics works.
The World Changed Because of Free Shipping
When Amazon and other major marketplaces introduced free shipping, customer expectations changed forever. Today, most people expect reasonable prices, free or low-cost shipping, and fast delivery. For large corporations, meeting these expectations is manageable. For smaller businesses, however, it can be a serious challenge. Shipping a single stretched painting from Mexico to the United States, for example, can cost anywhere from $75 to $150. Shipping to Europe or Australia is even more expensive. If a painting costs $149 and shipping adds another $100, many customers would simply decide not to purchase. This raises an important question: Who should pay for the shipping?
How We Solved This Problem
Between 2010 to 2018 shipping from Mexico was very affordable but 2018 a new government was elected that changed regulations, increased taxes and implemented additional taxes on transport - a trend that is going on to this day. Eventually, Shipping from Mexico to USA became more expensive than shipping from China to USA. Following the pandemic the shipping prices only became worse with inflation in Mexico.
At this moment, Mexico has one of the most expensive logistical networks in the world. We had to adopt to the new reality or go out of business. While we were shipping from Mexico, logistical costs were increasing on average 10% annually compared to the previous year.
Over the past 6 years, we developed a network of a contracted international distribution hubs in key locations. After our artists complete each painting, the artwork is carefully prepared and shipped in bulk to regional logistics centers.
Today, we use several international hubs, including locations in Hong Kong, Europe, North America, and other regional distribution centers. The paintings remain at these hubs until they are purchased. When a customer places an order, the artwork is shipped from the most appropriate location. Or from the hub that posses this painting only.
This system allows us to:
Significantly reduce shipping costs
Shorten delivery times
Offer free or heavily discounted shipping
Reduce the risk of damage during transportation
Implement duty free delivery in many locations
Why Hong Kong for main hub?
Hong Kong is one of the world’s largest and most efficient logistics centers. From there, packages can be shipped quickly and economically to almost any country. Hong Kong has special trade agreements with many countries that allow duty free delivery.
If we shipped every painting individually from Mexico, delivery costs would increase dramatically for most customers. Using a strategic distribution hub helps us provide faster delivery and lower costs for everyone.
Does This Mean the Painting Was Made in China?
No. This is probably the biggest misconception. The country from which a package is shipped is not the country where the artwork was created. A painting may be created in Mexico by our artists, sent in bulk to our Hong Kong distribution center, and then shipped to a customer in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Europe.
Logistics and artistic origin are two completely different things. A clear example is Apple: products are designed in California, manufactured in various countries, and distributed through global logistics networks. The same principle applies to international art/home decor distribution.
Why We Continue Using This System
The answer is simple: this approach allows us to keep our paintings affordable. We would rather invest in high-quality materials, talented artists, and excellent customer service than pass hundreds of dollars in shipping fees on to our customers.
As a result, our customers benefit from:
Lower prices
Faster delivery
Reduced shipping risks
Worldwide availability
Lower or none imports taxes/duties
That is why you may occasionally see Hong Kong or another international distribution center listed on your shipping label. It does not affect the quality, authenticity, origin, or value of the artwork in any way. It is simply modern international logistics — helping original artwork travel around the world faster, safer, and at a lower cost.
Here are some graphs for reference of shipping and fuel costs in Mexico, Hong Kong and USA
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