Air freight is the way to go if you have products that need to be shipped fast and efficiently. While there are a few things you should keep in mind before choosing air as your shipment method. Here are some key tips for finding the right supplier and getting your package air-freighted.
Make Sure You’re Finding the Right Supplier
You’ve decided to ship by air. Great. But there are a few things you need to be aware of before you actually place your order with the air freight company. One of those is the exact name of your supplier. In the United States, all shipments must be fully traceable from one consignee to another.
This means that you must use a specific company that has all of your products as its inventory. The exact name of your supplier will depend on your product type. If you’re shipping food products, the FDA requires you to use a specific supplier. If, however, you are shipping general merchandise, you can use a different air freight company.
Ship on Wednesdays and Saturdays
When you’re shipping by air, you have to be mindful of the date when your package is supposed to arrive. That’s because most air freight companies have specific shipping days that they operate on each week. Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays are the most common shipping days for air freight. Some companies also ship on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.
Make sure that you get in touch with the company you’re working with and find out what days they are open for air freight. You want to make sure that you’re using the right days for receiving shipments. If you’re shipping on a Wednesday or a Saturday, you’re opening up the possibility of your package getting to its destination on that same day.
That’s because some of the major airlines are only open for two days each week. That means that if you choose those days to ship, you’re opening up the possibility of your shipment arriving on the same day.
Understand how the supplier calculates the weight
Well-known and trusted air freight companies have their own specific rules when it comes to calculating the weight. When you’re choosing an air freight company, make sure you understand how they are calculating the weight. Some suppliers use their own weight table. While this is legal, it’s not the most accurate way to calculate the weight.
The best practice is to use a specified, certified, and accurate weight table. It is important to note, though, that the weight of your products does not include packaging. The weight of your products, including packaging, is the weight of the actual product. This means that if your product is packed in multiple boxes, the weight will be lower than if it were packaged in a single box.
Know What Happens After You Place Your Order
When you place your order with the air freight company, don’t just expect them to ship your products immediately. Most air freight companies have a specific process that they follow when shipping a package. It may be a few days before your products actually leave the warehouse.
During that time, the supplier will be making sure that the items are packed correctly and that there aren’t any errors with the order. When the air freight company receives your order, they will break it down into manageable shipments. Every shipment has a specific address and a specific date.
Negotiate Before you Submit a Bid
Many suppliers offer a price before you even submit a bid. That’s because it’s important to check the competition and see how many other companies are charging for air freight services. In many cases, these air freight companies also charge a rate for negotiating your shipment.
This can be a way for you to save some money on your shipment. If you don’t want to negotiate the rate, that’s fine. But you should see how much your shipment would have cost if you negotiated the rate.
The Bottom Line
Air freight shipments are the quickest way to get products from one place to another. You can expect your packages to arrive within 2-5 business days after they have been shipped. There are a few things, though, that you should keep in mind before making the decision to ship by air.
One of those is the exact name of your supplier. Another thing you should keep in mind is how the air freight company is calculating the weight. Finally, you should negotiate your shipping rate before you submit a bid. The bottom line is that air freight is a great way to get your products from one place to another. The only downside to this method is that it’s not cheap.
