subject: Ways To Cut Down Shipping Costs [print this page] You can save money on shipping costs if you understand a few basics of how the freight system works. Freight costs can be brought down by adopting a few simple steps every time you send out a consignment.
In shipping, industry size does matter. The bigger the size of your consignment, the more space it takes on the transport system and the more it will cost you to ship such consignments. Try to be as practical as possible and bring down the package to the minimum possible size. Of course, this should not compromise the safety of the package. To give you a simple example, it costs more to ship one hundred pounds of foam than to ship the same quantity of steel, because of the size of the package.
While delivering to residential addresses may be unavoidable in many situations, they are costlier than delivering to a business shipment address. Shipping companies will charge you a premium for taking that extra effort to deliver to the clients residence. You can cut shipping costs if you can find a business address to deliver in the area. A business acquaintance or a friend can help you cut down costs by letting you use their business for delivery.
Offering extended services can zoom up your shipping bills considerably. You can cut down on expenses by finding ways to circumvent lift gate fees and inside delivery fees. Personalized services come at a huge cost. You can find ways to get around them. Avoid assigning inside pick up and delivery of consignments to freight companies. Every time they climb or descend stairs, it will cost you extra money. It is more practical to get it done yourself or assign a worker for the purpose. It can bring down your shipping costs.
When you are shipping a few consignments or less than truckload, it makes sense to crate it. No doubt, crates are costlier to build than pellets, but they will protect your shipment better while the goods are in transit. It will also save you cash in situations when you do not have a truck load of parcels to send out.
Freight car insurance is a major contributor to the overall shipping expenses. Shipping companies just do the job of shipping your consignments to the stated destinations. They are not responsible for the insurance and safety of your goods, in case they are damaged due to an accident or fire. Individual freight insurance costs are prohibitive and can escalate your shipping bills considerably. A better option is to use a third party insurance agent. There are third party insurance service providers such as InsureCargo and Shipsurance, who provide you with a better and cheaper coverage for insuring your shipment. This can help you bring down your shipping costs considerably.
Freight rates vary considerably. It is a bad business practice to accept the rates of the first shipping service provider that you come across. You would do well to invite freight quoted from many service providers. Online shipping services are comparatively cheaper. They can offer you the lowest rates for truckload shipping or flatbed shipping. Doing a bit of research on shipping rates can help you get the lowest freight quotes for your shipment.
by: Jane M Dawson
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