What to Look For In a Freight Quote Before Tying the Knot

Shipping and receiving freight is a part of every eCommerce business, but it doesn’t have to be a complicated one. Most people begin searching for freight quotes with savings in mind - and who can blame them?

If you do not know what you are searching for, you may end up wasting precious time without many results. Taking the right steps is vital but so is knowing what to look for on your journey to the perfect freight quote. Here is our go-to guide to help you make the big decision before settling into any serious commitments.

• Your freight quote should be complete. All parts of the process have been assigned a quote, which ends up as part of the freight quote total.
• If you are shipping freight internationally, you need to check that all actions, including pick-up, loading onto a plane/boat, handling costs, port fees and more are part of the quote. This should be done for any and all destinations.
• Customs charges can add unexpected expenses  to your shipping costs. Make sure your freight quote includes the valued-added tax or VAT and duty tax is part of your freight quote.

Tip: Double-check that your shipment has the proper HS code, as this code affects the duty tax and VAT that you will be charged.

• Your freight quote should include the expected fees that will be charged by shipping lines, port authorities, trucking companies, and others.
• Does your freight quote include shipping insurance? While many shipping companies leave this cost off their freight quote, it should be included as part of the overall cost for moving  your goods.
• Even if your shipment is packaged and ready to go, there may be some packing materials that will be necessary as your freight moves towards its destination, and, if so, this cost should be listed.

If a freight quote seems too good to be true, make sure you have done your homework. Research other quotes to assure the price is realistic and that no hidden fees slip by.  

It's important to make sure you're not just shipping freight correctly but packaging goods in a way that maximizes your efforts. If you'd prefer a team of experts do the work for you, get in touch with us at eShipper and we can find the best priced option for your goods and location with our compared-pricing quotes. Regardless of your needs, eShipper is here to help. Reach out to us and start your search for that perfect one.