Most pages about platform trolley price show a retail price for one trolley, and a retail price tells an importer very little. This page shows factory prices. Every figure below is the FOB Shanghai price of one of our ten platform trolleys, with the load rating, the wheels, the weight and the number that fits in a 40HQ container next to it, so you can see why one costs US$13 and another US$39. The prices come from the factory's price list, and the specifications come from the model sheets on our product pages.
Platform Trolley Price, Ten Models in One Table
Read the price column as the price of one trolley when a full 40HQ container is ordered, loaded at the port of Shanghai. It leaves out sea freight, import duty and tax, which depend on where the goods go.
| Model | Load | Wheels | Own weight | Per 40HQ | FOB Shanghai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFPT001 | 150 kg | 4 inch, 360° swivel | 6.9 kg | Not listed | US$13.00 |
| PFPT003 | 150 kg | 4 inch, solid rubber | 7.5 kg | 2,350 | US$13.50 |
| PFPT009 | 150 kg | 4 inch | Not listed | 2,720 | US$17.00 |
| PFPT010 | 150 kg | 4 inch | 7.7 kg | 1,200 | US$19.00 |
| PFPT008 | 200 kg | 4 inch, rubber, brakes | 9.5 kg | 1,800 | US$14.00 |
| PFPT002 | 300 kg | 5 inch | 11.7 kg | Not listed | US$19.50 |
| PFPT004 | 300 kg | 5 inch, heavy duty | 12.5 kg | 1,350 | US$19.50 |
| PFPT006 | 350 kg | 5 inch | 12.5 kg | 950 | US$17.00 |
| PFPT005 | 350 kg | 8 inch | 14.5 kg | To confirm | US$39.00 |
| PFPT007 | 600 kg | 6 inch, 360° rotating, brakes | 30 kg | Not listed | US$60.00 |
Two things stand out before any analysis. The price does not climb in a straight line with the load, since a 350 kg trolley at US$17.00 costs less than a 150 kg trolley at US$19.00, and another 350 kg trolley costs more than twice as much. And the cheapest model, the PFPT001, is also the lightest, at 6.9 kg, which already hints at where the money goes.
Why Four Trolleys Rated 150 kg Cost Between US$13 and US$19
The four 150 kg models share a rating and still differ by almost half in platform trolley price, so the rating alone does not set the price. The sheets show what else changes.
The PFPT001 and the PFPT003 are the same size, 725 × 475 × 840 mm, and are US$13.00 and US$13.50. The PFPT001 has 4 inch swivel wheels and the PFPT003 has 4 inch solid rubber wheels, and the PFPT003 folds flat to a 40/130 mm pack, which is why 2,350 fit in a container. The PFPT009 costs US$17.00 and is built from steel and PP, with a handle that folds flat onto the deck and a 81 mm folded pack, the densest in the family at 2,720 per container. The PFPT010 is the highest of the four at US$19.00, a standing wheeled trolley with a 710 × 420 × 930 mm body and a pack of 530 × 420 × 230 mm, which is why only 1,200 fit.
The lesson about platform trolley price is that a different deck material, a different handle or a different fold changes the price even when the load stays at 150 kg. If a supplier quotes one number for a 150 kg platform trolley, ask which kind of 150 kg trolley it is.
The 300 and 350 kg Models, and the Odd One Out
The two 300 kg trolleys, the PFPT002 and the PFPT004, share a 910 × 610 × 870 mm size and the same price of US$19.50. The PFPT004 has 5 inch heavy duty wheels, a raised-edge deck and packs 1,350 to a container.
The two 350 kg trolleys are the interesting pair. The PFPT006 at US$17.00 is a 920 × 605 × 890 mm trolley with 5 inch wheels and a handle that folds onto the deck, 950 to a container. The PFPT005 at US$39.00 is 610 × 910 × 980 mm with 8 inch wheels, weighs 14.5 kg against 12.5 kg and folds with its handles lying down. The sheets show larger wheels and 2 kg more steel on the PFPT005, and they do not show the full reason for the US$22 gap. For a buyer the useful question is the use. If the trolley will roll over rough ground or thresholds, a larger wheel may be worth the money, and if it will stay on a smooth warehouse floor, the PFPT006 does the same rated job for less than half.
Platform Trolley Price per 100 kg of Rated Load
A fair way to compare a platform trolley price across different strengths is to divide the price by the rated load. The result is the cost of each 100 kg a trolley is rated to carry. It is a calculation from the table above, and it is not a test result.
| Model | Load | FOB Shanghai | Per 100 kg of load |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFPT006 | 350 kg | US$17.00 | US$4.86 |
| PFPT002 and PFPT004 | 300 kg | US$19.50 | US$6.50 |
| PFPT008 | 200 kg | US$14.00 | US$7.00 |
| PFPT001 | 150 kg | US$13.00 | US$8.67 |
| PFPT003 | 150 kg | US$13.50 | US$9.00 |
| PFPT007 | 600 kg | US$60.00 | US$10.00 |
| PFPT005 | 350 kg | US$39.00 | US$11.14 |
| PFPT009 | 150 kg | US$17.00 | US$11.33 |
| PFPT010 | 150 kg | US$19.00 | US$12.67 |
The cheapest load per dollar sits in the 300 to 350 kg range, at about US$5 to US$6.50 per 100 kg. The 150 kg trolleys cost almost twice that per kilogram of load, because a trolley needs a deck, a handle, a frame and four wheels whatever it carries, and those costs do not halve when the rating does. The 600 kg PFPT007 costs US$10 per 100 kg. It is the only one with a 1550 mm long deck, 6 inch rotating wheels and brakes, and it is a different tool for long, heavy items that a shorter deck does not suit. So do not buy the lowest ratio blindly, and buy the rating you need with a margin for the heaviest day.
Freight Changes the Real Price More Than the Wheels Do
FOB Shanghai stops at the ship's rail, and the freight comes on top. Container freight is a fixed amount per container, so each trolley carries the container rate divided by the number in the container. That makes the number per 40HQ as important as the price. The figure uses an illustrative container rate to show the effect, and it is not a quote.
| Model | FOB Shanghai | Per 40HQ | Freight per piece at US$3,000 a container | Landed before duty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFPT009 | US$17.00 | 2,720 | US$1.10 | US$18.10 |
| PFPT003 | US$13.50 | 2,350 | US$1.28 | US$14.78 |
| PFPT008 | US$14.00 | 1,800 | US$1.67 | US$15.67 |
| PFPT004 | US$19.50 | 1,350 | US$2.22 | US$21.72 |
| PFPT006 | US$17.00 | 950 | US$3.16 | US$20.16 |
The US$3,000 container rate is an assumption chosen to make the arithmetic easy. Your real rate depends on the port, the season and the forwarder, so ask for a current quote. The pattern holds at any rate. The PFPT006 and the PFPT009 have the same FOB price of US$17.00, yet the PFPT006 carries almost three times the freight per piece, because 950 fit in a container against 2,720. After freight the PFPT009 is the cheaper trolley by about US$2. Compare landed cost, and not the FOB price alone.
What One Container Order Costs
Because the platform trolley price is based on a full 40HQ container, the size of the order follows from the number per container. Multiplying the two gives the value of one container of a single model, FOB Shanghai.
| Model | Per 40HQ | FOB Shanghai | Value of one container |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFPT006 | 950 | US$17.00 | US$16,150 |
| PFPT008 | 1,800 | US$14.00 | US$25,200 |
| PFPT004 | 1,350 | US$19.50 | US$26,325 |
| PFPT003 | 2,350 | US$13.50 | US$31,725 |
| PFPT009 | 2,720 | US$17.00 | US$46,240 |
The table shows that a container of platform trolleys is a purchase of US$16,000 to US$46,000, and not a small test order. The PFPT005 is not in it, because its container count is still being confirmed with the factory. A buyer who wants a trial of a few dozen should say so in the inquiry, because the price for a smaller quantity is confirmed in the quotation and is not the price in this table. A buyer who wants several models can also ask for a mixed container, and the quotation will state the price for that mix.
Folded Size, Packing and Storage
The same fold that raises the container count also saves storage space in your warehouse before the trolleys go to work. The sheets list the packed size of each trolley, and the thickness of the flat pack shows how tightly each model folds.
| Model | Packed size (mm) | Per 40HQ |
|---|---|---|
| PFPT009 | 705 × 430 × 81 | 2,720 |
| PFPT003 | 740 × 490 × 40/130 | 2,350 |
| PFPT008 | 735 × 490 × 55/145 | 1,800 |
| PFPT004 | 920 × 620 × 50/140 | 1,350 |
| PFPT010 | 530 × 420 × 230 | 1,200 |
| PFPT006 | 935 × 620 × 70/170 | 950 |
Both figures, such as 40/130 mm, are as listed on the model sheet. The thinner the pack, the more fit in a container and the less room they take on a shelf. If you resell the trolleys, a flat pack also ships to your own customers at a lower cost per piece.
What Each Part Adds to the Cost
A platform trolley has four cost drivers, and the sheets show each one. The first is the steel, in its weight and gauge. The PFPT001 weighs 6.9 kg and the PFPT007 weighs 30 kg, and a long, heavy trolley uses a lot more steel. The second is the wheels, in diameter, material and brakes, from the 4 inch swivel wheels of the PFPT001 to the 8 inch wheels of the PFPT005 and the 6 inch rotating wheels with brakes on the PFPT007. The third is the deck, steel on most models and steel with PP on the PFPT009. The fourth is the handle and the fold, since a handle that folds flat onto the deck or lies down takes more work to make and saves freight in return.
We do not publish a cost breakdown, and the prices above are for finished trolleys as listed. If you want a different wheel or a thicker deck, the quotation will show the change in price.
Choosing Between Platform Trolleys, Hand Trucks and Dollies
Before you compare prices, check that a platform trolley is the right tool. A platform trolley carries a flat load on four wheels with nothing leaning on the person pushing, and a hand truck tilts the load back on two wheels. For stacked boxes and stairs a hand truck may do the job, and our article on hand truck vs dolly explains the split. For a loose load that needs walls, a roll cage is the right tool, and the roll cage vs pallet cage article compares the options. A cheap trolley that does the wrong job costs more than a dearer one that does the right one.
Questions Buyers Ask About Price
A few questions come with any price list, from buyers in Australia, India, the UK and the United States alike. They ask whether the price includes the wheels, and it does, because the wheels are part of the trolley on every sheet. They ask whether the price changes with the color, and a custom color is a change from the standard model, so it is quoted. They ask whether the price will hold for the next order, and the answer is that the prices are reference prices, and each order is confirmed in its own quotation. They ask what warranty or inspection comes with it. Every batch ships with a quality inspection report, and our four inspection checkpoints run under ISO 9001.
Price per Kilogram of Trolley
Another way to read the list is to divide the price by the empty weight, which shows how much steel and parts the money buys. This too is a calculation from the sheets, and it is a rough guide only, since wheels and finish do not weigh much and still cost money.
| Model | Own weight | FOB Shanghai | Per kg of trolley |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFPT006 | 12.5 kg | US$17.00 | US$1.36 |
| PFPT008 | 9.5 kg | US$14.00 | US$1.47 |
| PFPT004 | 12.5 kg | US$19.50 | US$1.56 |
| PFPT002 | 11.7 kg | US$19.50 | US$1.67 |
| PFPT003 | 7.5 kg | US$13.50 | US$1.80 |
| PFPT001 | 6.9 kg | US$13.00 | US$1.88 |
| PFPT007 | 30 kg | US$60.00 | US$2.00 |
| PFPT010 | 7.7 kg | US$19.00 | US$2.47 |
| PFPT005 | 14.5 kg | US$39.00 | US$2.69 |
Most models sit between US$1.36 and US$2.00 per kilogram, which suggests that the steel is the main part of the price. The two models above US$2.40, the PFPT010 and the PFPT005, are the ones to ask about, since the sheets show a standing wheeled design on the PFPT010 and 8 inch wheels on the PFPT005, and the quotation can explain the rest. The PFPT009 is missing from the table because its sheet gives no weight.
Mistakes When Comparing Platform Trolley Prices
- Comparing an FOB price with a delivered price. The two are different trade terms and cannot be set side by side.
- Ignoring the quantity basis. A price for a full container is lower than a price for a few pieces.
- Ignoring the container count. A trolley that folds thin costs less to ship, and the saving can outweigh a higher FOB price.
- Reading the rating and nothing else. The wheel size, the deck gauge and the brakes decide how the trolley behaves on your floor.
- Forgetting that a lower price may leave out the wheels, the packing or the report, and a quote should list them.
When the facts match, a platform trolley price becomes easy to compare, and the cheapest supplier is the one with the lowest landed cost for the model you actually need.
Factory Prices Next to Retail Prices
If you compare these prices with a platform trolley price in a shop or on a marketplace, remember what a retail price contains. It includes the distributor's margin, the cost of holding stock near the buyer, the sales tax and the delivery to the door, and it is a price for one trolley. A factory price in dollars per piece for a container contains none of those, and it carries the work of importing, which falls to you. For an importer who resells, the factory price is the starting point of a margin calculation. For a company that buys for its own use, the saving against retail can be real, and it has to be weighed against freight, duty and the time to receive a container.
Why We Publish These Prices
Buyers who plan a budget want a number before they write to a supplier, and a page with no number sends them to a competitor who has one. We publish the FOB Shanghai price of the models where the factory has confirmed it, with the basis next to it, so that a buyer can judge a model before the first email. The final price still comes from a quotation, because quantity, destination, trade term and any change from the standard model are different for every order.
When the Cheapest Platform Trolley Is the Wrong One
A low platform trolley price is a good reason to look at a model and a poor reason to order it. A 150 kg trolley bought for a job that sometimes reaches 200 kg will be overloaded on the heaviest day, and a trolley with small wheels bought for a rough yard will be hard to push and quick to wear. Start from the heaviest load and the worst floor, pick the models that meet them, and only then compare the price. If two models meet the same need, the one with the lower landed cost wins, and if the cheaper one needs replacing sooner, it is not the cheaper one.
What a Price Like This Does Not Cover
- Sea freight, insurance, import duty, VAT or sales tax, and local delivery.
- Quantities below a full container. The price is based on one 40HQ container, so a smaller order is priced in the quotation.
- Custom sizes, colors, logos or packing. Our OEM service builds to drawings or samples and quotes separately.
- Changes in steel and wheel costs. These are reference prices, and the quotation fixes the price for your order.
How to Compare a Platform Trolley Price From Different Suppliers
A fair comparison needs four matching facts. First, the trade term, because an FOB price and a delivered price are different things. Second, the quantity the price is based on, since a price for a container and a price for ten pieces are not the same. Third, the rating, and whether it is a static or a working load. Fourth, the parts that drive cost, namely the wheel size and material, the deck material and the gauge of the steel. Our sheet for the PFPT001 and the PFPT002 lists the gauge of the deck, the handle and the bracket as 0.5, 1.1 and 2.0 mm, and a supplier who cannot state the gauge is quoting a trolley you cannot compare.
A cheap quote that leaves out the wheels, the packing or the container count is not cheaper, only incomplete. Ask each supplier for the same list, then put the answers side by side.
Heavy Duty Platform Trolley Price
People search for a heavy duty platform trolley to mean anything above about 300 kg. In our range that means the PFPT002 and PFPT004 at US$19.50, the PFPT005 and PFPT006 at 350 kg for US$39.00 and US$17.00, and the PFPT007 at 600 kg for US$60.00. For a heavy duty trolley the wheels and the deck matter more than the rating on the label. Our guide to platform trolleys by load rating explains how to match the rating and the wheels to the load and the floor.
Buying Platform Trolleys From the Factory
Buyers who look for platform trolleys for sale, a platform trolley supplier or platform trolley manufacturers usually meet distributors first, and importers who buy platform trolley models in volume can save a step by asking the factory. A factory price removes one or two steps from the chain, and it carries obligations that a distributor price does not. You pay by T/T, with a 30% deposit on bulk orders and the balance against a copy of the bill of lading, and L/C is accepted. You arrange the sea freight, or ask us for a loading plan and a per-unit freight estimate, which we send within 24 hours on working days once we have the quantity and the destination port. Our guide to warehouse trolley types shows where platform trolleys sit among the other families, and the flatbed cart category lists every model with its sheet.
What to Send for an Exact Quote
- The model numbers and the quantity of each.
- The destination port and the trade term you want, FOB, CIF or another.
- The load, the floor and any need for brakes or a particular wheel.
- Any change from the standard model, such as a color, a logo or a different deck.
The technical sales team replies within 24 hours on working days. If none of our ten models fits, our OEM service builds to your drawings or samples, starting with solution drawings, then tested samples and mass production once you confirm them.
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