How to Manage the Cost of Shipping Freight

FreightCenter.com polled random freight users asking them the reasons they decide not to book a shipment with a freight company.  The top two answers were 1. I was not ready to ship my item and 2. The cost to ship my item was too high.  Our entire operation is designed to find you the best shipping prices available, and we do!  For a first time shipper understanding how to manage the cost of shipping can be difficult.  Here are some tips for making sure that you get the best and most accurate price available.
1. Know your destination and pick up locations.
Locations with a lift gate, forklift or loading dock can save you money.  A general rule of thumb is the less time and energy it takes the freight shipper, the less costs you'll pay for your shipment.  Another element that effects costs is whether your shipping to a residence or a corporation.  Some neighborhoods don't allow large service trucks to drop off freight, thus creating an additional charge.  A freight agent can't quote you accurately unless you are able to deliver this information.  Customer complaints could easily be turned into customer savings by understanding your pick up and drop off locations.

2.  Know your weight and dimensions.
We operate in the world of freight.  Although we do have numerous partners that provide moving services.  Choosing transportation via freight requires a little homework on your part.  It's very important to know your weight AFTER packaging, as well as the exact dimensions of your items AFTER packaging.  We provide quotes for your shipment based on the the weight and dimensions you provide us.  To avoid a rebill accuracy is important!

3.  We judge a book by it's cover....packaging matters!
Packaging your items the correct way is vital to ensure your items get to their location safely and on time.  Did you also know it can save you money?  Items should be crated and palletized, as well as packed with extra cushioning for more fragile items like furniture.  Please visit our packaging blog to find additional freight packaging tips.

4.  Watch your add-ons.
Make sure that you're not signing up for services that you don't need.  Overnight shipping or guaranteed shipping, while convenient can be more costly.  Negotiate your shipping price well in advance and make sure that your items are ready to go on the day you choose.


5.  Give your broker as much information as possible.
Your freight broker is able to help you based on your specific needs.  Have questions, just call! The more information that you give him/her, the best price they will be able to offer you.  Let's say you are shipping several small packages to various locations in the same city.  Instead of having the freight company drop off your individual packages, it may be in your  best interest to drop off your freight in one location and then use a parcel shipper to distribute your items.  Logistics is what we do, whether it's a combination of LTL and truckload or rail, air, or ocean, let us find the best combination for your shipment.

Want to learn more about freight shipping? 
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How to calculate freight rates on eBay!

eBay is the Web's top auction site, attracting millions of online retailer to its easy-to-use seller interface that's integrated with the best eCommerce applications, like Paypal and now FreightCenter.com.
How do I integrate FreightCenter's freight shipping calculator into my eBay auction? That's a great question and one we'll answer for you below.
If you know how to copy and paste a block of HTML text, you can easily add a calculator instantly to any auction on the Web. Sell auto engines or heavy machinery? Chances are, you need a method to provide shipping prices to your buyers. With FreightCenter.com's competitive, volume-pricing, we can assure you that your customers will receive only the best combination of freight price, transit time and equipment. Whether you need commercial or residential delivery, we have you covered - and you don't even need to know how to freight!

Our expert freight agents put products on trucks all day long and are seasoned enough to find transportation for even the most complicated piece of freight. When you get cheap freight shipping, the chances of closing each sale gets higher and higher. Avoid abandoned auctions and turn those auction watchers into your customers.
It's more than a widget or a plugin, our shipping calculator is a free solution for small online retailers who need to specify the freight requirements for individual products and compare them against rates and services from top freight trucking companies.









Check out this detailed, step-by-step guide to configuring your calculator for your eBay online auctions.

STEP 1: LOGIN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT

There is not cost to create an account.  Once you do, you'll be able to access saved quotes, shipments and more!

STEP 2: SELECT "CREATE A CALCULATOR" IN YOUR MY FREIGHT CENTER HOMPAGE.

You can create one calculator for each item you sell or even modify the calculator code dynamically to support prices for multiple items.

STEP 3: INPUT YOUR ORGIN AND PACKAGE INFORMATION INTO THE WIDGET FORM.

Don't worry, we'll help you look up zip codes, select the proper freight classes, as well as understand additional shipping services and options.

STEP 4: COPY YOUR INSTANT WIDGET CODE AND PASTE IT INTO YOUR SITE -THAT'S IT!  Your customers now have an easy and accurate way to get freight quotes from our many carriers without ever leaving your website or auction!