Freight shipping is the only way for businesses to survive if they depend on exporting their goods to foreign countries. However, international freight can be quite expensive – especially for smaller businesses and start-ups. Finding sensible shipping solutions that will save you money is important for any business that wants to survive and continue to grow. Despite what you might believe there are ways of saving money when freight shipping – without having to compromise on quality service and/or confidence in your shipper. Although your international freight provider might not readily offer you the best shipping rates – if you have a budget in mind, there are ways of making your shipment costs fit within it.

Carrier

One of the easiest ways of cutting down on shipping costs is to opt for the least expensive form of shipping. If you have an international freight shipping need, then sending your shipment by sea is the most economical. If you are connected by land bridges to your ultimate destinations, then shipping by road is often the cheapest option. Find out what carrier would best work for your needs money-wise and then request that option. However, bear in mind that if your shipment is time-sensitive, you will most likely have to compromise cost for expediency.

Container

Your choice of container will also influence the cost of your shipment. There are different types of containers available an those that provide the greater amount of security and protection for your shipment will cost more than the others. Here we will look at four options when it comes to containers:

1- Closed container: most secure and protected option, but most expensive. Most commonly used sizes are 20 foot and 40 foot – but if you have a small shipment you may not need so much space.

2- Sharing a container: If your shipment is too small to warrant a regular container you can save money by requesting to share the container with another shipment heading to your same destination.

3- Smaller container: There are smaller container options that are available, however, they are not the cheapest option, but are a good compromise if you want the protection without the very big price.

4- Open pallet: An open pallet is exactly what its name implies – a pallet onto which your goods are stacked and then secured using cello-wrap or something similar. It is by far the cheapest option available, however, your goods must be very securely packed and it is best if the goods were not breakable.

Routing

The next way to save money when it comes to freight shipping is to request a longer or more circuitous route. If you are not in any hurry for your goods to arrive at their destination, then you can booked them on a carrier that will make several stops before reaching its ultimate destination. It is a good way of freight shipping your goods without having to pay the full, high price-tag that comes along with a direct shipment with no stops.

Shipping costs eat into a business’ bottom line, therefore cutting down on those costs is crucial to remaining profitable. Following the above-mentioned steps will help you to shave a bit off your freight shipping overhead.