5 More Ways to Save on Freight Shipping

At ShippingDiscounts.com customers frequently ask about how to save on shipping. The original blog, 5 Tips to Save Money on Freight Shipping, offered advice such as consolidating shipments and listing your weight and class correctly. Below are a few more tips to assist you with receiving the best rates possible when shipping your items:

1. Shop sales and buy in bulk. There are many online retailers that offer great discounts when you buy in bulk. Many office supply stores exist online and give price reductions to businesses.
2. Recycle your packaging supplies. Boxes, pallets, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts are all reusable. Paper can also be shredded and used for packaging material.
3. Shop around for a carrier. The only way for you to ensure that you are receiving the best rate on your freight or parcel shipments is to research different shipping companies and the cost of their services.
4. Forego Insurance. If your freight is not fragile or very expensive, it will save you money to forego insurance.
5. Ask your broker or carrier about packaging requirements. Many items require specific packaging requirements in order to be shipped. The carrier picking up the item may refuse the pick-up should the item be incorrectly packaged. You can avoid this from happening by asking the carrier or broker in advance. Packaging guidelines are set in place to assist in damage prevention of goods. They are enforced to help you and your customers.

The term distribution center is used to describe a building or warehouse which is stocked with inventory to be re-distributed to retailers, wholesalers, or even directly to consumers. A distribution center is an integral part of the order fulfillment process. Distribution centers are generally demand driven. Product or inventory leaves the facility when an order has been placed.

The name by which distribution centers are known can be based on the purpose of the operation. For example, a retail distribution center normally distributes goods to retail stores, an order fulfillment center commonly distributes goods directly to consumers, and a cross-dock facility stores little or no product, however, distributes goods to other destinations.

Distribution centers are the foundation for a company’s supply chain, since distribution centers tend to be large facilities that hold a vast amount of inventory. The holding of inventory is maximized throughout the facility by placing product in racks. This can be seen in the picture below.

As you can see, nearly all products are stored on pallets. This allows inventory to be stacked and transported by forklift with ease.

It is helpful to view distribution centers as a production operation. Goods, or inventory, arrive in bulk and are then stored until needed. The products are then retrieved and assembled into shipments for stores or customers. Not all stores will want or need the majority of products that a company sells, and the same goes for customers (if speaking about a direct-to-consumer facility). For example, a department store located in New York may sell more coats and boots, while the same store in Florida may need to have more sandals and t-shirts available for sale.  A distribution center can cater to these specifications based on orders placed by store or region.

At ShippingDiscounts.com, we can take care of your shipping needs originating at distribution centers. Our shipping services include LTL Freight shipping and international shipping. We would be happy to assist you. Give us a call today at 1(800)677-1340.

I am fascinated by the tiffin wallahs of Mumbai. The tiffin wallahs (or “dabbawallas”) pick up more than 175,000 lunches each day from the homes of the city’s office workers.  The tin lunchboxes used for transport are called “tiffins.” The service originated in the nineteenth century, and it uses a network of bicycle and rail transport.

Crating your freight can create an easier and more cost-effective shipping experience.

The most important thing to remember when crating is that all freight must be safely contained within the crate or container. You will also want to conform to any size restrictions with respect to your freight. These size restrictions may vary depending on your freight and the mode of transport. These can be easily researched online, and based on these restrictions you can determine the correct dimensions of your crate for shipment. Below is a picture of a crate’s framework.

Fragile freight should be packed with extra care to avoid damage during shipping. While crating does protect your items, you can take extra steps to ensure your freight arrives free of damages. If the cargo you are shipping is fragile, such as glass or electronics, you should wrap the materials individually to avoid any damage that can occur during transport. Fragile items can become damaged if it is not protected during the crating process.

Whenever possible, separate fragile items from non-fragile items to minimize any damage that could occur in transport. Movement can occur within the cargo crate during shipment, so separating your items can be beneficial to you in the long run. Another way to minimize damage within the crate is to pack your crate as full as possible. Items that are packed tight are less likely to shift during shipment as this alleviates and extra room for movement.

Anything you can do during crating to keep your freight together is going to make crating and shipping easier. Keep in mind that odd shaped items that take up more space can make crating loading and shipping more complicated. Here is an example of crating a motorcycle:

Wood crates are the easiest and safest way to transport any item during shipping. Wood crates can be made to any size and can be packed fully while holding almost any weight.

Objects that are more solid will most likely experience less damage. All items should be wrapped and packed separate from one another. Bubble wrap, paper, cloth, and packing peanuts should be used as well. Again, pack your items as firmly as possible in the crate.

Crate shipping follows the basic rules of palletizing. Heavier items should be placed at the bottom of your crate. Lighter items should be at the top of your crate where they’ll be safe from damage by larger items.

If your items do not fill your crate to capacity, fill any empty spaces with packing material. This will help prevent movement during transport. If you are shipping an item that can be disassembled, then it might be helpful to disassemble all items prior to shipping.

Here is a picture of a finished crate: