Determine what service level you need to meet your transit time and delivery targets. Match your needs to the appropriate mode of transport and you can cut costs.
Look at more than one option: air or ocean; truck or rail; direct or by consolidation.
Various modes of transport may offer different rates or services, depending on the day of your shipment. For example, airfreight shipments from Hong Kong are typically cheaper mid-week than on weekends, when airlines have less availability.