freight forwarding industry Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Excelsior Worldwide Logistics Corp.

Attracting Foreign Buyers for Your Products Infographic

excelsior on July 15, 2021

In this age of technology, finding potential foreign buyers for your products is now more convenient. As simple as setting up a business website can expand your target market on an international scale.

If you have an online store, you can easily list your products for sale and attract buyers from all over the world. Most of the time, when a buyer searches for products on the internet, they are looking for the best deal. They want to save money and find a good quality product. With the current economic situation in the US, finding potential buyers of your products has never been easier.

Why is Online Commerce Booming Nowadays?

One of the main reasons that so many people are turning to the internet to sell their products is because it is cost-effective. The shipping costs are one of the biggest expenses for shipping products from one country to another. Even if you do not ship your items yourself, the shipping costs associated with shipping your items can eat into the profits you are trying to make.

Freight Forwarders Can Save Your Day

When you list your products on an online store, they will be shipped by freight forwarders. Freight forwarders are companies that will specialize in shipping merchandise from one country to another. They have storage space, and they have specialized shipping trucks that will be able to transport your items from place to place. The great thing about these types of companies is that they have access to various global ports. This means that your products will be shipped all around the world.

Finding the Best Freight Company

If you are only going to ship your items to Asian countries, you will need to make sure that you keep a few things in mind. You need to make sure that the freight company that you use has low shipping rates. You also need to make sure that the shipping rates do not hurt your bottom line. If you are only shipping to Asia once a year, and that is all you do, then you will not need to worry about the shipping costs as much as if you were frequently shipping.

If you are selling to non-Asians regularly, you will be able to take advantage of eBay’s marketplace. eBay has an interface for international sales. All you will need to do is register an account, login, and take a look at the listings. There, you will see the various countries around the world that someone might be interested in buying from you. You can also locate sellers near you that may be interested in selling to your customers. You will just need to advertise your products on eBay and wait for potential buyers to contact you.

So, there you have it. Now that you know the best ways for finding potential foreign buyers for your products, all that remains is for you to start your search. You should also remember to add your country of origin to your site’s address line, so you can be found by people who are searching for your products. Good luck!

Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics conducts free orientation for those who are willing to learn. It is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experience worth more than a decade in the business. Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph to learn more about our service.

What Can You Get from a Freight Forwarding Service in the Philippines?-Infographic

excelsior on April 30, 2021

Hiring a freight forwarder in the Philippines may be one of the most important business decisions you’ll make. As a business owner, you would want to get the best services and facilities that can help your business grow.

Here are the benefits that you can get by hiring a freight forwarder in the Philippines:

Convenience and affordability

The Philippines is one of the busiest sea freight forwarding destinations in the world. Given that there are so many shipping services that are available to you, it would be very easy for you to get your products from other countries in no time. But since these services are not properly monitored, it would be easy for you to fall prey to frauds and scams. For this reason, it is imperative for you to have a logistics company that is well-connected to all the major shipping services. By hiring a freight forwarding company in the Philippines, you can be assured that the shipment would be delivered in the safest possible way. This would also give you great convenience, especially when you are operating in a foreign land.

Reputation and service

The good thing about the logistics industry in the Philippines is that the topmost companies have already established themselves in the country. This means that your goods will be delivered by the best logistics company in the Philippines. If there is any problem with your cargo, your nearest freight forwarding company would immediately be there to assist you.

Access to latest services

Even if you are operating in a foreign land, you still need to be updated about the latest technologies, equipment and methods of delivering your goods. There are a lot of innovative tools today that are being used by the freight forwarders in the Philippines. Therefore, it is up to you to keep yourself abreast about the latest advancements in the industry. By hiring a Filipino freight forwarder, you can easily receive updates on these and other tools. You can also request for demonstrations of these services so that you know how efficient the service provider really is.

Pricing and payment options

In any kind of industry, you will always find competitive prices and payment schemes. However, the situation with logistic companies in the Philippines may be a bit different. Since the service sector in the Philippines remains relatively new, most of the existing logistic companies have not yet established their pricing structure or payment plans. In order to ensure that you receive the best price for your goods, you should try to negotiate with a reputable freight forwarding company or agent. Although you cannot make changes on the pricing structure, you can always ask for price reductions and better payment plans.

Customer service

One of the most important factors that should come into play whenever you are looking for a logistics company is the customer service offered. For instance, should there be any breakdowns in the services? How prompt should they be? What should the company do in case of a breakdown? Before you hire a freight forwarder in the Philippines, you need to make sure that you understand all these things.

What You Need to Know About Bill of Lading

excelsior on March 29, 2021

A bill of lading, also known as BOL or waybill, is a bill issued by a carrier to acknowledge receipt of consignment for shipping. While historically associated only with ocean-borne carriage by sea, today, a bill of lading can be used for almost any kind of transport of goods. The term originally referred only to a record of consignments, but in modern times it generally refers to a bill of lading that authorizes a shipper to undertake a specific transportation activity. In order for a bill of lading to legally define a particular transaction, it usually must be signed by a notary public. This notarial act provides protection to the shipper from both fraud and a civil penalty for non-delivery.

A bill of lading should be carefully tailored to describe the specific kind of service or item for which it is intended. Unlike a bill of lading, which typically identifies a particular carrier and the parties to a shipment, the bill of lading describes the parties to a transaction and the relationship between them. For instance, when describing a long-distance load involving a tank car, the bill should specify if the vehicle is delivered on a flatbed truck, enclosed in a container, or by air freight. It should also describe the mode of transportation and how the goods are shipped. It would be absurd to allow a bill of lading to specify the method of delivery of a television when the bill is actually for satellite transmission.

As the number of international shipments continues to grow, the need for a specialized bill of lading services has increased. In today’s international trade, the bill of lading is categorized into different types based on its purpose and information that must be carried over to the chosen carrier.

Here are the different types of bill of lading based on the mode of transportation:

Ocean Bill of Lading

The most common type of bill of lading, Ocean Bill of Lading, is issued to act as evidence that a contract has been made for the carrier to ship the goods to its destination.

Ocean Bill of Lading is typically a document in the form of three originals (signed, stamped, and negotiable), together with six non-negotiable copies.

Air Bill of Lading

As the name implied, an Air Bill of Lading is used if the shipment is to be carried via air transport. This bill of lading shall be given to the consignee upon the shipment’s arrival and is non-negotiable.

Direct Bill of Lading

Direct Bill of Lading can be issued in the event that the shipper was aware that the carrier that has the cargo would bring it to its target location. This form of arrangement is optimal for saving time as it allows the exporter or importer to organize the transport of the cargo from the warehouse directly to the shipping company.

Multimodal Bill of Lading

In case a shipment is to be moved by two or more means of transport, the bill of lading that must be issued will be a Multimodal Bill of Lading. The use of such a document is situational, especially if the shipper is located in a place that cannot be easily reached inland.

Inland Bill of Lading

This bill of lading can be issued if the shipment must be carried by a vehicle in order to reach the destination inland. Often used in the form of domestic transportation, an Inland Bill of Lading is prepared by the shipper, which will be signed by the person-in-charge of the carrying vehicle.

Five Money-Saving Tips for Importers

excelsior on January 30, 2021

Money-Saving Tips for Importers

Saving money in importation is crucial for any business that aims to provide high-quality products to its loyal customers. However, successful importing requires effective communication, and getting good deals with international traders is not an easy task.

Some economic factors directly affect the practice of buying products overseas. One example is when a country imposes certain import duties on the goods coming from another country, the importer has to shell out a lot of money to get the goods at low duty rates. This further strengthens the need to learn ways to save money when importing goods.

If you own a business and is currently having some trouble with your expenses in the importation process, here are some tips that can help you minimize the costs:

Tip #1: Talk with Local Exporters

A straightforward way of saving money in importing is through getting in touch with local exporters. Most of these local exporters may have the details you need about the duties on imported goods and ways to save money in importation (from your country’s perspective). You can contact these local exporters directly and ask for advice on saving money on importation. The knowledge, especially in how they give rates to their products, will provide you with a rough idea of how you can deal with exporters from other countries.

Tip #2: Prefer Partnering with Suppliers for Neighboring Countries

As much as possible, try to negotiate with suppliers that are close to your home country. For example, if you are based in the Philippines, it would be better to partner with businesses situated in the East and Southeast Asian regions. Nearby countries can lower transportation costs and make it easier for your chosen freight forwarder to offer you better deals in carrying services.

Tip #3: Make a Checklist of Your Expenses

For those who are new in this practice, here are some of the expenses that you will likely incur to sustain your importation needs:

Trucking
Ocean Freight
Duty/Tax
Storage/Warehouse
Brokerage
Documentation
Shipping Charges

Tip #4: Buy in Large Quantities

Importing a large number of products on your first import can be a gamble as you don’t have any idea if it can sell well on your local market. Once you think that importation can be a promising venture for your business, it would be better if you will purchase in bulk. Large quantities are usually easier to negotiated deals with and will likely reduce the price per unit as you order more.

Tip #5: Track Your Imports

Knowing the condition of your imports, as well as being aware of its route, can provide you with details on how to speed up your other imports in the future. Freight forwarders are professionally trained to ensure that your imports will arrive on time and increase your chances of more saving money in the process.

5 Ways of Freight Forwarders Lead Businesses to Success-Infographic

excelsior on September 15, 2020

Time is a precious commodity in business. Managing an import/export business requires you to face deadlines regularly and follow tight schedules in order to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction. However, some aspects can hinder your daily operations if you are not prepared, such as loads of documents to be cleared and dealing with customs authorities when shipping your products. Facing problems in submitting your shipping requirements can result in unnecessary delays, wasting your valuable time.

Many businesses that we’re able to expand their target markets have come up with ways to save time. One of these methods can be achieved by hiring a freight forwarder.

Having a skilled and reliable freight forwarder makes things easier by taking over all of the tasks involving the safe and secure process of transporting your goods from point A to point B. According to Logistics Trends and Insights, 44% of businesses who seek the services of freight forwarders believed that there is a value in utilizing the knowledge of their providers.

How Freight Forwarders Help Small and Large Enterprises

Freight forwarders can be a crucial partner when you are searching or catering to a market on a global scale. Specifically, these agencies are able to lead your business to success through the following ways:

Provides a Responsive Inventory Management

Inventory management is one of the time-consuming tasks that freight forwarders can accomplish. From offering storage, secure parking, and distribution of goods, the freight forwarder is a third party that you can rely on when it comes to keeping the safety of your products.

Ensure Timely Arrival of Goods

Transporting your products can be troublesome at times, especially in the occurrence of unforeseen scenarios such as port congestions. While these obstacles are common, businesses that are backed up by freight forwarders have a higher chance of getting their goods before the specified deadline.

Fast track Logistics Operations

Freight forwarders are more than capable of looking after your goods. With their vast knowledge, they also have access to a wide network of logistics professionals that can help you find the optimal route for your products. This can significantly reduce the time spent on transit, as well as minimize your expenses in transportation.

Stress-Free Shipment Tracking

Some businesses have a set of products that often requires careful handling and other unique conditions that must be met upon shipping. Freight forwarders can be hired to ensure that these conditions will be met by tracking the products throughout its voyage.

Fast and Effective Response to the Most Common Logistics Problems

Freight forwarders are also equipped with enough logistical experience that enables them to know the best decisions to make in times of port shutdowns, natural calamities, cargo rerouting, and other issues that can compromise or disrupt your daily operations.

Sources:

https://www.universalcargo.com/5-reasons-why-freight-forwarders-are-crucial-for-business-success/

https://brandongaille.com/28-freight-forwarding-industry-statistics-and-trends/

Getting the Best Rates from Your Freight Forwarder

excelsior on August 15, 2020

Many businesses today, such as those that specialize in importing and exporting goods, seek the help of a skilled freight forwarder in order to ensure a seamless and hassle-free transportation process. The reason behind the popularity of freight forwarding services lies in the fact that most products, especially the imported ones, are prone to damages and late arrivals. On top of that, transporting goods can be a time-consuming process, with a list of requirements to be submitted to the customs authorities for legal purposes. All of these issues can be solved by hiring a freight forwarder who can take over the duties of complying specific customs requirements, as well as tracking the condition of the goods in real-time.

If you are a business owner looking for a freight forwarding service, the first thing you must consider is your preferred budget. Costs for freight forwarding services may vary depending on the company, and surely enough, the best services often demand a higher price. However, there are some tricks of how you can increase the odds of getting the best rates while negotiating with your chosen freight forwarding agency:

Always Plan Your Shipments

When it comes to booking shipments, freight forwarders are usually fine in accomplishing some last-minute requests, though it might indicate that they have to use their connections to keep the cargo moving, which may require a higher fee. Planning your shipments can help you to notify your freight forwarding agency ahead of time, allowing them to complete all of the requirements without any pressure, potentially minimizing your expenses in the long run.

Learn How to Consolidate Shipments

Consolidating your shipment comes with many benefits, and one of them is affordability. Try to do some research about the difference between FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL (Less Container Load). Some businesses that transport goods in lower quantities often choose LCL because it is way cheaper than FCL.

You can read more about the pros and cons of LCL here.

Consider Your Shipments’ Transit Time

Transit time is an important factor that directly affects a freight forwarding service. For instance, if you want your goods to be transported at the earliest time possible, you might need to book an air shipment, which will cost you a lot. Other intermodal methods, such as ocean carriers, can offer a lower price in exchange for a longer transit time. Let your freight forwarding agency know about your current projects and plans so that they can provide you with expert advice regarding your available options in terms of carriers and see what suits your budget.

Sources:

https://www.interlogusa.com/answers/blog/get-best-rates-freight-forwarder/

https://www.kingbrostransport.com/benefits-of-hiringfreight-forwarder

/pros-cons-less-container-load-lcl/

Why Freight Shipping is Important in the Philippine Transportation Industry?

excelsior on May 15, 2020

Freight shipping is the term used to describe the practice of transporting commodities, cargo, and goods via land, air, or sea. Being an archipelagic country, freight shipping plays a major role to the Philippine economy. With thousands of islands trading different products that keep the economy intact, the importance of freight shipping become even stronger especially for the transportation industry.

In this article, we have gathered some information regarding the essence of freight shipping in the context of transportation:

Freight Shipping: One of the Oldest Industries

Freight shipping is known to be one of the oldest industries in the world, entering the Philippines for as early as the pre-colonial period. During this time (around mid-16^th century), the islands were already populated with trade routes used by merchants selling products from China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries. As time goes by, with the advancements in the field of technology, freight shipping in the Philippines continued to grow together with the rising demands of products that are only available in certain regions of the country. Thus, with the arrival of the colonizers, Filipinos continued to take advantage of utilizing freight shipping as a primary method of trading from one place to another.

Facts that You Need to Know About the Impact of Freight Shipping

Few people have a grasp of how freight shipping affects the world, let alone the transportation industry in the Philippines. To help you understand the impact of freight shipping, take a look at the following facts that are just outright interesting:

The Philippines is slowly establishing a global reputation as one of the leading ship producers. In 2010, the country was hailed as the fourth-largest producer of ships in the world.
According to a 2017 review of the local maritime industry, Philippines have a 4.2 market share in container ships, which makes it on par with other world-class ship producers such as China, South Korea, and Japan.
Several data suggested that the Philippines is a potential competitor for global container shipping services.
The top trading partners of the Philippines are as follows: Australia, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea.
In 2016 the nation registered a +4.6 growth rate in the national fleet. Most of it consists of carriers, general cargo, and container ships.

Hurdles that Businesses must Overcome in Freight Shipping

Given the significance of freight shipping in the Philippines, businesses especially those that are still new to the industry must be able to have an in-depth understanding of how specific systems work in order for them to be successful. This involves having knowledge in the overall process of shipping, which can be quite a challenge even for the seasoned ones.

If you own a business that is aiming for reaching greater number of customers across country borders, you will need professional help to guide you all the way through the requirements. In these case, hiring freight forwarders and customs brokers is the most ideal solution.

Sources:

The Impact of Coronavirus to the Freight Industry – Infographic

excelsior on April 30, 2020

The spread of the coronavirus or COVID-19 has led to many significant adjustments in modern society. In order to prevent the rising number of the infected as well as the fatalities caused by the virus, many business sectors were forced to shut off their daily operations. This might sound like a problematic situation for the freight industry since most freight professions rely on offering their services to different business institutions.

But what are specific effects that must be expected throughout the entirety of this pandemic crisis? Here is everything you need to know about the impact of coronavirus to the freight industry:

Coronavirus and the Global Supply Chain

Due to the fact that most people are staying indoors, global demand for many products will start and continue to become scarce. Importers and exporters are going to experience any delays in the transportation of their goods. However, those that are working in the freight industry won’t have to worry too much since it will stay operational as usual, delivering the most essential goods in places where they are most needed.

Coronavirus and Ocean Freight

In an attempt to prevent the collapse of ocean freight rates, carriers decided to blank a new record number of sailings from now until around the last days of June. There is a considerable amount of cancellations in sailings, though it stays the same within the past weeks.

Coronavirus and Air Freight

Despite the drop in ocean freight demand, air freight will continue at an extremely high cargo rate due to the rising demands in the immediate transportation of urgent supplies. With the air carrier as a faster mode of transportation, freight forwarders are now recommending their clients to go with the less expensive ocean freight services that can guarantee them more space for the cargo.

Coronavirus and Trucking

The trucking industry remained operational, especially during the start of the crisis, where retail stores are more inclined to order more supplies due to panic buying. But as the people slowly adjusted to the situation, the industries that rely on trucking are keeping themselves in stable condition. The government is also cooperative with truckers as they let them pass through main roads as long as they can present a viable permit.

Tips for Transporting Your Goods amidst the COVID-19 Crisis

Anticipate delays – always be updated with any news that might involve your business and the transportation sectors.
Communicate with your suppliers – establish effective communication with your suppliers to confirm order ready dates.
Talk with your freight forwarder – hiring a freight forwarder can make things a lot easier as you can have someone that can assist you in your transportation needs, as well as a guide that can help you make better decisions during these hard times.

Tips for Saving Money on Freight Shipping – Infographic

excelsior on November 30, 2019

For any business owner trying to sell their products overseas, saving money on shipping costs can be a breather. While it may seem like going for cheaper shipping services isn’t a good idea, there are several methods that can help any company in reducing their shipping expenses while increasing margins and enhancing customer satisfaction at the same time.

In case your shipping costs is giving a negative toll to your profit, here are some of the best ways of saving money on freight shipping:

Tip #1: Select the Most Suitable Mode of Transportation

To be an efficient importer/exporter, it is your duty to understand and assess which of the most common mode of transportations is the best one for you.

Here is a list of transportation models that are highly available today:

Air Shipment
Rail Shipment
Ocean Vessel
Over-the-Road Trucking

Knowing how to weigh your options in terms of choosing the mode of transportation can make it easier for you to select a specific carrier company to entrust your products.

Tip #2: Research a List of Carrier Companies and Compare their Rates

Expanding your choices of carrier companies enables you to periodically check whether you’re already using the least costly carrier service available or not. Try asking each carrier for a freight quote and invest in a reliable TMS software to automate this method.

Tip #3: Be Practical with Your Packaging Materials

If you’re running a retail store, reusing the packaging materials you received (like packing peanuts, air pillows, bubble wrap, etc.) from your suppliers is much more economical. You should also pay attention to the weight of your shipment. Make sure that you will prefer lighter packaging materials over the heavier ones. For example, it’s better to use packing peanuts instead of wool blankets.

Tip #4: Consolidate Your Shipment

Avoid sending over multiple boxes to the carrier if it’s possible to pack them together to form a single cargo. Consolidating your shipment can restrict its weight, density, and the odds of taking damage or loss.

Tip #5: Hire a Freight Forwarder

One of the most effective ways of minimizing your shipping expenses is by seeking the help of a freight forwarding agency. Having a reliable freight forwarder can be an advantage as they are well-connected with multiple carrier companies which enables them to negotiate the best rate for transporting your products. Moreover, freight forwarders can also provide you with knowledge about logistics in ways that could benefit your business.

Apply these five tips in your shipping operations to ensure that you will be able to conserve your resources and ultimately increase your profit!

4 Facts Everybody Should Know About Freight Forwarding – Infographic

excelsior on August 30, 2019

Unless you’re someone involved or directly working in the shipping industry, there’s a fairly small chance that you already heard about freight forwarding. Unfortunately, few people nowadays tend to have a rough idea on freight forwarding, or what freight forwarders do.

Freight forwarding is the practice of organizing the transport of goods for both business and personal use, usually on an international scale. Many enterprises find themselves in trouble when trying to ship their products from one place to another due to a long and arduous process of preparing customs documentation. Fortunately, by hiring the service of a freight forwarding agency, things are now more convenient as they all have the necessary expertise and knowledge in keeping all of those legal requirements in check. Freight forwarders can also help their clients find the most affordable shipping companies as they are well-connected with a wide variety of carriers be it on land, air, or sea.

While this profession seems to be quite too technical to some, freight forwarding isn’t as complicated as it sounds. To give you some healthy dose of knowledge about freight forwarding, here are five things everybody should know about this industry:

Fact #1: Freight Forwarders can offer a wide range of services

Aside from the aforementioned freight forwarding services, they can also provide other similar services in order to satisfy every client’s shipping needs:

Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier – Freight forwarding agencies can act as a carrier through the issuance of their own BoL (Bill of Lading), as well as takes full responsibility for the client’s shipments.
Breakbulk Agency – A client that transports an LCL (Less Container Load) cargo can sometimes become less of a priority as many carrier companies give more priority to shipments of larger companies. But with the service of a freight forwarder, they can consolidate their LCL by putting together different consignees and turn it into a full container load.
Trucking – Some freight forwarding agencies also offer trucking services by delivering the client’s newly arrived cargo to its intended warehouse.
Import and Export Requirements Assistance – Freight forwarders can help clients fulfill all the necessary government requirements.

Fact #2: Freight Forwarding can bring a positive impact to a business

There are a lot of ways of how availing the service of a freight forwarder is integral for the continuous growth of a business. Freight forwarding services can optimize the usage of time as they can ensure the timely arrival of the goods including a real-time update of its location and condition. Additionally, using their connections to several carriers, they can make their clients save more money in the long run.

Fact #3: Freight Forwarders comply to specific laws when it comes in shipping certain products

Though freight forwarders are always enthusiastic it catering to the shipping needs of many clients, they are still bound by laws which may restrict their ability from administering the transportation of the following products:

Drugs
Alcohol
Batteries
Sharp objects
Hazardous chemicals

Fact #4: Maintaining a harmonious relationship with a freight forwarder is an advantage

Remember that in your absence, the only one that can look over your products while onboard is your reliable freight forwarder. Maintaining healthy relationships with them can make you more likely to receive a competitive level of customer service.

Having a reputable freight forwarding agency is highly beneficial for many companies as they could keep the supply chain stable for extended periods of time. If you’re a business owner struggling to comply with all of the legalities of shipping, hiring a freight forwarding agency is the best choice for you!

Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics conduct free orientation for those who are willing to learn. It is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experience worth more than a decade in the business. Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph to learn more about our service.