Final answer:
To ship 300,000 washing machines from France to Greece at a lower price, the best option is to choose slower but cost-effective sea freight. Sea freight offers cost advantages over air freight and the use of container ships helps reduce shipping costs. Combining air and sea shipping or using land-based transportation would not be as cost-effective.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the buyer is willing to wait longer for delivery in exchange for a lower price, the best shipping option for transporting 300,000 washing machines from France to Greece would be to opt for slower but cost-effective sea freight (option c). Sea freight is typically cheaper than air freight and allows for the transport of large quantities of goods. The use of container ships, which can carry thousands of containers, helps to reduce the cost of shipping. While it may take longer for the washing machines to arrive in Greece compared to air freight, the cost savings would be significant.
Transportation costs play a major role in determining the total price of the washing machines for the buyer, so choosing a cost-effective shipping method can help keep the pricing low. Sea freight offers a cost advantage over air freight, as fuel consumption and operating costs for ships are generally lower than for airplanes. The use of containerization also reduces the cost of handling cargo, as containers can easily be loaded and unloaded from ships, trains, and trucks.
In this case, using a combination of air and sea shipping (option b) may not be the most cost-effective choice, as air freight tends to be significantly more expensive than sea freight. Land-based transportation (option d) would also not be suitable, as there are no land routes connecting France and Greece and using only land-based transportation would require shipping the machines through multiple countries, increasing costs and complexity.