FAQ
What services do freight forwarders provide and how can I find one?
- Ocean or air freight transportation
- Inland transportation from origin and/or to destination
- preparation of shipping and export documents
- tracking inland transportation
- Warehousing and storage management services
- negotiating freight charges
- Consolidation and deconsolidation
- booking cargo space
- Cargo insurance and customs compliance
Do I need an export license when making a private shipment?
What about Gifts and Personal Luggage?
When shipping personal luggage, your items may still be subject to duties and taxes based on declared value. SAFE WING is a company that specializes in shipping personal effects, luggage, or overseas relocation assistance.
What can I do to prevent delays and ensure a smooth process of the shipment?
- Align Your Departments and Processes
- Pay the necessary shipment fee on time.
- Maintain Clear Communication with Suppliers/Sender/Shipper
- Stay On Top of Inventory Management
- Recognize Peak Season Traffic
- Partner with The Right Logistics Team
- Track The Shipments
- Talk to The Customer.
If there’s one area you should be paying close attention to right now, it’s your delivery strategy. Customers expect fast delivery without inaccuracies in their orders. The idea of having an order delivered straight to the doorstep is far more convenient than traveling to physical stores. That being said, knowing about the effective strategies to avoid shipping delays is a critical factor for any business because it heavily impacts customer purchasing decisions.
In an era heavily driven by e-commerce, most companies have to rely on SAFE WING express delivery air freight to keep up with customer demands. Additionally, the benefits of avoiding shipping delays for your business are innumerable. It helps you increase customer satisfaction and hence, gain a competitive edge in the industry.
Any advice for a first time shipper?
CHOOSING YOUR FREIGHT FORWARDER
Choosing which freight forwarder to partner with can be tricky. Especially with the many freight forwarders that are available to deliver your shipment. The first step to choosing the right freight forwarder for you is researching the company.
Their website will be filled with information about them. From their policies, company profile, years of experience, to their procedures. Make sure that you are comfortable entrusting your packages to these competent people. Check out if their tracking methods are convenient and accurate.
Next step is to ask for a quote. Shipping different cargos are priced differently for different companies. It’s important that you get a written quote direct from your company of choice. Make sure that there are no hidden charges and how they would handle damages and claim compensation. A written quote ensures a price freeze when you decide to go partner with them.
Lastly, meet up with them to discuss the procedure. If possible, ask if you can be present to oversee the loading procedure. Before signing the contract, read the full of the contract and verify all documents.
We at SAFE WING Shipping can ship even the biggest of cargos. We specialize in shipping heavy equipment. Contact us at shipment@safewinglogistics.com for more information!
PREPARING YOUR PACKAGE
Preparing your package does not only mean turning over your cargo to the shipping company. It is important that you, yourself, also protect the cargo you wish to transport. This preparation also lessens the possibility of damage to cargo and may even quicken the turnaround time.
It is crucial to measure your cargo properly. An estimate will not only create an unreliable quotation for your transport needs, it may also impact the loading and off-loading of your cargo as well. If needed, cargos may be placed in crates or pallets to improve protection.
Shipping containers may also be subjected to extreme conditions such as extreme humidity, strong winds, and even sub-zero temperatures. Though shipping containers should be well prepared to protect your cargo, a little bit of extra protection also helps. If transporting fragile items, do pack them as much as you can in one crate as possible to limit the movement inside while in transit.
LABELING YOUR PACKAGE
Labeling your cargo properly ensures smoother shipping.
Please be sure to label each and every one of your cargos completely and accurately. Make sure that complete names and addresses are visible on each cargo to make sure that the entire shipment arrives in their correct location.
Organic cargo needs to be declared, especially those with shorter shelf life. Without declaration, your cargo may be delayed in port and subject to quarantine and testing.
Do ask your shipping company their preferred contents and label standards. Some companies have their own labels for your convenience.
ARRANGING A PICK UP
Once the shipment is completely ready for transport, call your company of choice to schedule a pick up. If you can, double check your packaging and labels prior to the pick up of your cargo. It would be ideal if you are present during the pick up to oversee your cargo. It is ideal in case the shippers have last minute questions and reminders for you and vice versa. Communication is clearer and easier.
COMPLETE ALL FORMS
One of the most important forms for transporting cargo is the Bill of Lading. This is basically your contract between you and the shipper. It states what is being shipped, how many pieces, their dimensions, and where the cargo is being transported to and from. Most companies require a fully filled out and processed bill of lading prior to pick up or loading the cargo.
Another form that you must read and comprehend, as well as fill out is the company’s terms and conditions. All relevant information could be written here and signing it would imply that you are aware of the company’s protocol in case of emergencies and damages.
TRACKING YOUR FREIGHT
Different companies make use of different tracking methods. Some companies offer real-time updates. Hopefully, you have chosen a shipper that you are comfortable with tracking. Do note that if your cargo has multiple pieces, they should not be separated from each other during the transport.
GETTING INSURANCE
Though most shippers take very good care of your items, it is still possible for accidents and untoward incidents may occur. To protect yourself financially from unfortunate events that may happen to your cargo, it is advised that you purchase an insurance.
From product damage to lost items during the shipping, you may incur unwanted costs that you can easily avoid. If you have an insurance company you trust, you may discuss with them your concerns. However, cargo insurance can also be taken care of by your shipper.
Hopefully, this guide helped you in your journey towards your first shipment. We wish that while reading the article, you may have picked up new tips and learnings that we can all share and learn from. Happy shipping!
Can you ship my vehicle internationally?
For Vehicles, the owner must provide a Certificate of Title or a Salvage Title. If vehicle is leased or a recorded lien exists, the provisional owner must provide a separate note from the lien holder which expressly states that vehicle may be exported. For newly manufactured vehicles that are purchased from a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) must be provided
Vehicle must be registered with the Customs 72 hours prior to leaving the country. There may be restrictions on the age or type of vehicle that may vary from country to country. For additional information on car exports, you may want to Contact Us. Customs broker or freight forwarder should be able to answer most of your questions.
Do you have warehouse where I can drop off the cargo?
- Mail us your package using your assigned warehouse address (mail box).
- Pack your cargo and include a cargo declaration from. This tells us the value of your cargo.
- The value declared in the form will be used to compensate you for each item if any issues occur, it will also be used to determine the clearing and customs duty, which is fixed at 10% of the declared value for all cargo.
- Simply tell us your assigned unit number when you drop off your package. You can also drop off for others but must know their assigned unit number.
- You will be provided a cargo drop off form that you fill and sign as evidence to show that cargo has been dropped off.
- In few hours, we will upload your cargo to your assigned warehouse and you will be able to pay instantly.
What’s the best way to save money on air freight?
Shipping by air is can be extremely high in price, but there are ways to cut these air freight costs.
Freight costs can scale very fast high, depending on many factors such as cargo type, distance, the number of shipments per month..etc. Here at SAFE WING, we have identified six of the best ways to reduce air freight costs. Use these tips for your next shipment to anywhere in the world and save as high as 50% on your next shipment!
FIND A LOCAL CONSOLIDATION PROGRAM TO SHIP SMALLER FREIGHT
Finding a local consolidation program can help cut air freight costs up to 25%. When possible, combining shipments with nearby shippers going to the same destination will help both parties. Even larger shippers, like Target and Colgate, have found themselves consolidating locally to severely cut air freight costs. However, this does depend on the cargo being shipped. For example, fresh produce, pharmaceutical goods that require strict temperature control and high-risk items may not be best for this option.
SHIP MORE BUT LESS OFTEN
When possible, encourage your customers to take larger orders. Not only does it save you more money, but allows for the customers to save more overall. For example, shipping six to eight pallets together will average out to lesser costs, as opposed to sending two to four pallets every other day. With air freight, it makes sense that having to utilize more trips means more labor, more gas, and more transportation for the carriers. As you can tell, prices will stay this way unless you’re able to change the one factor to greatly reduces the overall air freight costs.
SHIP ON OFF-PEAK DAYS
Knowing when the on-peak days are will allow you to find the best instances to ship to reduce air freight costs. With most consumer goods businesses, the off-peak days for shipping is Friday. Thursdays are the days they want their products stocked up in preparation for the weekend. Therefore, shipping during the weekend will greatly reduce air freight costs as well.
PICK UP DELIVERIES AT NIGHT
Most shippers will want carriers to pick up their freight during the day, but not everyone can do it if it conflicts with another run. By offering night pickups, carriers can make their daily deliveries, then swing by and pick up your shipment on the way to their next destination. This maximizes the carrier’s assets use on longer routes, which indirectly will cut air freight costs.
DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH FREIGHT SHIPPERS
When freight shippers maintain their business with freight carriers, it allows for a more strategic, long-term relationship to develop. Not only will you get transportation management advantages, but it also allows both sides to create a more efficient network with one another.
A longer term contract will lock the freight costs, allowing for any fluctuations in the market to not affect your company. On top of that, friends do better business with friends. Air freight carriers will be more obligated to find the best options for you that not only cuts your overall air freight costs but can be quicker in travel time, too.
OUTSOURCE THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
For some smaller companies, having a core freight management team is not an option. It can be extremely expensive and time-consuming to hire, train and maintain a transportation team. When you outsource the transportation and logistics of freight, it allows for you to transfer the burden over to them. Additionally, these companies can purchase operational products in bulk, like parts/accessories and fuel. Even if you have your own carrier line, you will still save more money on air freight shipping at the end of the day.
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Are there types of cargo that cannot be shipped via air freight?
Certain goods cannot be shipped or are subject to approval because of the risk of damage to vessels and containers, risk of pilferage, and risk of casualties