You’re probably familiar with shipping delays. No doubt you’ve been frustrated because you had to wait extra long for a delivery at least once before. Delays affect all of us, whether we are business owners or consumers.
Now that you’re shipping products for your business, it’s important for you to get shipping right. There are a few steps you can take to avoid shipping delays and keep your customers happy.
Here are our top 5 ways to avoid costly delays with your freight:
Watch out for big product launches
It’s important to be aware when companies like Apple, Google, or other popular brands are going to be launching new products. More than likely, they’ll be dominating air freight markets coming out of Asia for a few months surrounding the launch.
This will cause air freight prices to increase significantly during the launch and limit shipping availability. Plan around these launches as best you can by reserving your shipping days well in advance and planning for delays. Your customs broker can help you do this, as they will know when any big delays are coming up.
Don’t let your products get lost at sea
Make sure your freight forwarders specialize in both air and ocean freight. This allows you flexibility in tight situations. When your shipment needs to be rushed, you can quickly switch from sea to sky without additional costs due to outsourcing.
Plan ahead for peak seasons
Peak shipping seasons on an international shipping level are a little different than just the winter holidays. For example, to supply your retailers with products in time for holiday sales, a peak shipping time is from August to October. Another busy time is December to February, before Chinese New Year, since so many products come from China. For items you’re shipping during these times, reserve shipping dates well in advance.
Know your contracts and deadlines
A good understanding of your customers and the contracts you have with them is essential in planning for freight shipping delays. The stores you supply will have costs and consequences associated with you missing your deadlines, and some might even stop working with you or stocking your product.
You’ll want to know what the penalties are for missing a deadline due to shipping delays, which can vary from customer to customer. Having a solid understanding of your firm deadlines helps forwarders negotiate the best price with shipping providers and have your products landed on time and within budget.
Get a customs broker
A good customs broker will be able to help international shipping run as smoothly as possible, and will refer you to other experts to fill in the gaps.
When you’re communicating with your customs broker, make sure you tell them all the details and deadlines, connect with them as early as possible, and make sure they understand the full scope of the shipping project.
At Welke, we keep your shipping process smooth from start to finish. Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more.