By Iminza Keboge
Published March 22, 2014
When you’re looking for a cheap freight quote, there is more you can do than simply looking through websites and inquiring until you find a quote you’re happy with. There are ways of getting companies to reduce their prices and if you know enough about the company or you are brave enough to ask, you can take advantage of a lot of tips and tricks to help keep the cost down.
One of the first things you should do is get in touch with a freight forwarder who will help you find a company that meets your needs and offers a good price. Because they have good relationships with many shipping companies, freight forwarders have higher negotiation power than you would on your own and will therefore have a higher chance of getting you a discount. If you shop around a bit beforehand and find the lowest quote you can, tell them what the quote is and they will do what they can to beat it for you. Most companies will be willing to offer discounts if they know they will be beating a competitor.
Freight forwarders are also useful because of the knowledge they have about the companies they are connected with. There are ways to save money with every company if you know how. For example, many airlines will offer discounts on particular days; so if you’re flexible you can get a cheap air freight quote. Also, if there is leftover cargo space, most companies would rather sell this off at a reduced rate than not make any money from it, and a freight forwarder will make sure they take advantage of this.
While a freight forwarder can help you get a cheaper quote, there are some ways in which you can cut the cost even more by yourself. One thing you can do is try to make yourself as flexible as possible. It will usually cost extra to arrange a morning or afternoon pick up; if you can be available all day, you can save money. You should also take care when packing your goods, because you’ll be charged according to their size. Their width, height and length will be measured and this will include any protruding parts so if they are not regularly shaped, you should pack them inside an outer box so that you can fill up the gaps with them and only pay for the space you are actually using, otherwise you could end up paying extra just for air.
If you’re looking for a cheap air freight quote, sea freight quote or road freight quote, make sure you get in touch with a freight forwarder to find the best price and make the process simpler. They will arrange everything for you so that all you have to do is be at home for the collection, and if you’re in a rush, they’ll be able to find you a service for a great price quickly and efficiently so that you can ship your goods as soon as possible without paying more than you need to.
