How to reduce your shipping costs

With the multiplicity of methods of shipping and transportation around the world, many people are looking for ways that help them reduce shipping and transportation costs, but before delving into the definition of those methods, we must first know that there are factors based on which shipping costs are determined, which must be taken into account before Initiate the selection of any of the shipping methods available to us, and in the following paragraphs, we will highlight each of those factors on which the cost and shipping rates are built, as well as the different methods that help reduce that cost.

Factors upon which shipping costs are calculated:

1- The speed of delivery of the shipment

Shipping costs vary based on how quickly the shipment is delivered. Shipments that require speedy delivery have a higher shipping cost. We find that the shipping cost is inversely proportional to the delivery time.

2- Where the shipment is located and where it is heading to

A large part of the shipping costs is determined on the basis of the place of transporting the shipment to its means of shipment, whether the airport, port, or land transport, as the farther the distance, the greater the cost of transporting the shipment, and the same for the place of delivery of the shipment, the closer the place of delivery is to the place of delivery The arrival of the shipment the lower the shipping costs.

3- The weight of the package being shipped

One of the basic criteria upon which the shipping fee is determined is the weight of your shipment, as the greater the weight and size of the shipment, this leads to increase in the cost of packaging and shipping, which leads to an increase in shipping costs.

4- Dimensions of the shipment

Just like weight, product dimensions are another start in determining shipping costs, as the larger the shipment dimensions the higher the shipment cost and the lower the volume the shipping costs will be.

"And in fact, the problem is not just how much something weighs, but how much space it takes up."

In fact, all shipping companies require the weight and dimensions of the shipment when calculating your shipping costs, which is why you should consider this in the shipment you want to transport.

5- Fees associated with shipping operations

There are additional costs in the form of fees associated with your shipment, these are some of the unavoidable costs that are attributable to the nature of the shipping you choose for your products.

- Ensuring the shipment: the higher the value of your shipment, it, therefore, requires higher insurance than other shipments, so the higher the value of the shipment, the higher the costs of securing it, and thus this leads to an increase in your shipping cost

- Confirmation of tracking and delivery of the shipment: If you care about the presence of the features of tracking the shipment and confirming its receipt, this leads to an increase in the cost of shipping.

Shipping fees and taxes: Customs fees and taxes may increase the cost of shipping depending on the destination or country to which your shipment is going. These fees, of course, differ from one country to another. It should be noted that customs fees are not equal in all shipping cases.

Common methods for reducing shipping costs:

1- Determine the method of transporting your shipment

    The shipment can be transported by air, land, or sea freight; each of these methods has its own characteristics and price, air freight is fast and reliable, but it is the most expensive method, and at the same time we find that sea freight is also reliable, but it takes more time in transportation, but it is characterized by being less expensive. As for land transportation, it is preferable to use it when the place of shipment and the destination of the shipment are well connected through roads, so you must determine the best suitable method for you among those ways in order to reduce your shipping cost For example if you do not need speed in the delivery of your shipment, it is better to choose sea freight, and if the destination of your shipment sends it to a neighboring country, it is preferable to land freight, but if the shipment is of high value, it is preferable to send it by air freight.

2- Mix transport method

If you are used to shipping by a certain method such as land, air, or sea freight, have you considered hybrid transportation? Hybrid transportation or a combination of transportation can reduce the cost and time of your shipment, as there are many companies that use hybrid transportation to reduce freight costs and transportation time, so they take the advantage of all shipping methods, by choosing a combination of air freight, sea freight or air freight and land freight.

3- Assembling and merging your goods

    Consolidation and consolidation of goods can reduce your shipping expenses, assembling the goods that you got from multiple suppliers or sellers and shipping them together at once, this will help you reduce shipping costs for them together, merging and shipping goods in the least number of times will help you to significantly reduce your shipping cost, and you may benefit from some of the advantages offered by shipping companies when you ship quantities of goods together, and through this, you will get a reduction on shipping rates.

4- Shipping in non-peak times

   Even shipping has peak times and off-peak times, and this can affect your shipping cost, so you should know the off-peak times in your area in order to make the best use of these times to ship your products.

5- Good planning for your shipments

    Accurately planning your shipments ahead of time can help you reduce your shipping cost greatly, for example, if your shipment has a fixed date to reach its destination on a specific date and be the first day of the following month, you will have enough number of days to consider sea or land freight, which may take time and is less expensive than air freight, for example, but if you do not have a plan for your shipment, you may be overwhelmed by the time and have to choose air freight to transport your shipment, which leads to an increase in the cost of freight. You could have avoided that increase If you plan your shipment early.

6- Choosing a professional shipping company

Your choice of a shipping company that has a good reputation and great experience in the market, and the presence of an integrated team of technicians and experts within its ranks, helps a lot in reducing your shipping cost, as you find them cooperating in providing the shipping service in an integrated and distinctive manner with their quest to reduce the prices of their services and make them more competitive than other companies, as it seeks to serve its customers at the lowest cost to achieve their satisfaction and preserve their capabilities.