Time to delegate!

When buying products located far from your base of operations, it's often easier, more cost effective, and less risky to pass over control of logistics planning and execution to a licensed freight forwarder - somebody who can handle the pick-up, warehousing, and transitions from one point to the next.

... especially if you are shipping more than 1,000, crossing international borders, and picking up from multiple locations.

Why NOT a freight forwarder?

Not everybody thinks of a freight forwarder as being the best resource for moving household items overseas. Most people don't think of freight forwarders at all, because there's already a group of movers out there dominating the residential market. Most freight forwarders don't even bother.

We do though. And after helping more people move their lives overseas than I can reasonably count, it seems like more of us should.

Lessons from a 30-year freight forwarding veteran:

With the US currency doing well, forwarders & shippers alike have experienced a surplus of imports. Yes, the value of the dollar impacts trading in a big way. The shift is quite telling of the conditions of our global economy, because there are very specific changes occurring. Notably, international forwarders are witnessing a shift in imports coming from the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.

This shift is altering the landscape considerably. It's very different than when importing from places like China, and that comes through with rates AND service levels.

Do you know whether you're importing from China the most cost-effective and risk-diverse way possible?

US importers have a very important choice to make when purchasing from their overseas supplier. The term of of an importer’s purchase (FOB China departure port or Ex-China Factory to China departure port versus C & F to destination port or airport) drives the freight responsibility onto the supplier or the importer. Knowing the difference when making your purchase matters.

So, you're thinking about importing from China, are you? Or, perhaps you already are, and want some pointers?

There's a lot to think about when you're importing from China. Cost is always an issue, but it's much more complicated than that. There's logistics, customs, and dealing with folks who are going to help you move your cargo from one point to another.

Today, I'm going to talk about some of the more important pieces of the puzzle, so you can make the right choices for your international shipments.

International freight forwarders can rescue you from US import craziness

Are you looking to bring merchandise into the United States from abroad?

You should know that whether the goods are commercial for re-sale or merely personal effects and household goods, you can expect a wide range of costs, and to meet those costs, there are a wide range of services out there to help you.