Transport and handling of goods: What you need to know
When shipping goods and freight, every company must consider the handling of these goods, as well as the transport itself. Even if you use an external logistics provider, it is important to be aware of the transport and handling of the goods in order to get the best possible deal.
Whether you are shipping goods yourself or using an external logistics service, understanding the different costs and factors involved will help you make informed decisions regarding your business. In this blog post, we'll look at how to save money on transport and goods handling when shipping goods, what costs are involved in transporting goods and much more.
How to save money on shipping costs?
Shipping costs are the most important part of the logistics process, as they are what you pay to get your goods from one place to another. However, it can be difficult to know exactly where you can save money on shipping costs to make your business more profitable. Here are some ways to save money on shipping your goods:
Find out if the carrier has a partnership with an airline:
If a freight forwarder has an alliance with an airline, it may offer discounted rates on air freight. It is worth checking if you travel a lot with your goods.
- - Get a free freight forwarding quote
- - Many transport companies offer free freight forwarding quotation services, so it is worth checking if you are unsure how much you will be charged.
- - Book a load in advance
- - If you need to ship a lot of goods at once, booking early in the season will often provide lower rates, as demand will be lower.
- - Negotiate rates when you have large shipments
- - If you have large volume shipments, you can often negotiate with your shipping company for a lower rate per unit.
Transport costs
Transport costs are the costs of actually transporting goods from one place to another. They are usually calculated per unit, or by the amount of space taken up by the goods themselves. They can also be calculated by volume or by weight, depending on the type of goods being shipped.
For example, if you ship pallets of goods, you can calculate the transport costs per pallet. If you ship a large quantity of small items, you can calculate the transport costs per unit. You can often save money on transport costs by shipping goods at a slower time of year, booking shipments in advance and optimising loading by combining different types of goods in one shipment.
Storage and warehousing costs
Storage and warehousing costs are the costs of storing your goods in a warehouse before they are transported to their final destination. If you use an inland logistics service, you may have to pay storage and warehousing costs.
As with transport costs, you can save money on warehousing costs by booking your shipments in advance, optimising your freight and choosing a slower time of year to store your goods.
You can also save money on storage and warehousing costs by storing your goods in dedicated storage units, which can be cheaper than storage in general warehouses.
Customs clearance fees
Customs clearance fees are the costs of hiring a customs broker to help you clear your goods through customs. This process usually takes place when goods enter a country, but can also occur when they leave. If you ship goods internationally, you are likely to have to pay customs brokerage fees.
There are a few ways to save money on customs clearance fees, such as hiring an agent with a lower hourly rate, using an online customs clearance service and choosing a less crowded port of entry.
Conclusion
Shipping and handling are two factors to consider when shipping goods. Although shipping costs vary depending on location, type of goods and method of transport, companies can save money by booking their shipments in advance and optimising their freight. When shipping goods, the transport itself as well as the handling of the goods must be taken into account.
You can save money on transport and handling by booking shipments in advance, optimising loading and finding out if the carrier has an alliance with an airline.
Transport costs are the costs of actually transporting the goods from one place to another, while storage and warehousing costs are the costs of storing your goods in a warehouse before they are transported to their final destination. Finally, you can save money on customs clearance costs by choosing a less crowded port of entry.