13 Best Tips for Reducing Air Freight Costs

hipofly.com/air-freight-from-china/">Air freight is one of the most common methods of shipping goods, and it can be quite expensive. There are a few ways to cut costs, but you should know how complicated they are.

Air freight from China to any other country is much faster than shipping freight. Even more so when ships are already going as slowly as a sailing clipper to save fuel. And when the ocean shipping market seems less stable than the air shipping market.

But the cost of freight makes up for the difference in speed. Shipping your goods by plane is fast, but it costs a lot.

The good news is that there are ways to get the most out of your air freight routine to cut down on shipping costs, and we’re going to show you how.

Air freight is a cost-effective way to transport goods. However, it can be costly. If you’re looking to reduce your air freight costs, here are some tips on what you can do:

Make sure the product is packaged correctly

Businesses usually pack small items in big boxes, which can take up unnecessary space during shipping if they aren’t packed well. The volume and size of your package will determine how much it costs to ship, so it’s important to start with a good product box, whether it will be used as the shipping box or fit inside another box (sometimes called a carton).

Size is another factor for saving air freight cost from china to your country!
For example, UPS and FedEx have introduced dimensional pricing, which figures out a package’s dimensional weight (DIM weight) based on its actual weight, size, and volume. With dim weight pricing, people who don’t overpack boxes to make shipments more dense while in transit are rewarded.

Use a consolidating air freight service

In this method, shipments from different shippers share space on an aircraft. Each shipment has its own house way bill, but they are all listed on the same master way bill. This system helps keep the cargo in order. Air freight consolidation is very fast and will get your shipment where it needs to go as quickly as possible. The cost is a bad thing about shipping consolidated freight by air. Most of the time, moving freight by air is the most expensive way to do it.

In air cargo consolidation, all of your cargo on the plane is handled by the same Master Bill Of Lading between the carrier and your freight forwarder. However, each of your individual shipments has its own House Bill Of Lading to keep it all in order.

This could add one or two more steps to the process. But they would still save a lot of money on shipping costs.

Booking air shipments in advance

When you book an air cargo shipment at the last minute, the freight rate usually goes up. When you book your shipment in advance, it’s the same as buying a plane ticket a few months in advance. But with air cargo, you don’t have to know the exact size and weight of your package. Just letting them know when you book would be enough, and if your items aren’t ready to ship on the date you booked, you can always move it up.

Have all the necessary paperwork fully prepared

If you want to save money on air freight costs, don’t make our shipping agent in China wait by sending the wrong documents.

When it’s time to book your shipment, having all the necessary paperwork ready will make it less likely that your shipment will be held up at the border, causing you to wait longer than you want.

If there are tariff concessions with the country of origin, having the right paperwork will save you money (China)

Talk to your freight forwarder about making a long-term contract

Don’t just keep using the same shipping service if you want to save money. But we don’t always mean to look for a better deal.

Building a relationship is more valuable than looking at other providers for short-term gains. Talk to your regular provider about making a deal that will be good for both of you in the long run.

You might agree to ship a certain number of goods each month, for example. If that’s the case, the courier service may be willing to work with you on the price so they can “lock in” that business.

Reduce customs delays

When shipping products across international borders, companies don’t have to pay fines if the products are clearly labeled, properly packaged, and have the right paperwork with them.
If your shipment is held up in China customs, you may have to pay a warehouse fee.

Ship more goods, less often

If you can, try shipping less often but with more goods. Because sending ten pallets at once is a lot cheaper than sending two pallets every two days. Retailers usually ship smaller loads more often, which only drives up their shipping costs. Obviously, some goods need to be shipped more often than others, but if that’s not the case for you, try this method to save money on shipping freight.

this is very important tip about save air freight cost from china !

Try to negotiate for a better price on air freight cost

In this case, negotiate means to talk about every possible cost. As you prepare RFPs and move toward the contract stage, make sure you’re negotiating rates with freight providers. But don’t just talk, use data to talk. If you use your own past rates instead of market data, you’ll be negotiating with one hand tied behind your back. You can talk to different shipping agents in China and find a better price for your air freight shipment from China.

The Wrong Mode May Be Expensive

There’s a reason why 90% of the world’s exports are sent by sea: it’s cheaper. A shipment that costs $195 by sea can cost up to $1,000 by air.

On the other hand, air freight is faster, safer, and more reliable than ocean cargo. Ever heard of goods being held up in the air or at the airport?

Air freight is best when the cost of shipping is less than 15-20% of the value of the goods.
Choose the best option for your shipment from air freight, sea freight, rail freight, or road freight.

Here is a list of tips to help you choose the best way to ship:

• When shipping a lot of goods internationally, sea freight is usually a cheaper option than air freight.
• Depending on the goods you are shipping and how far they need to go, rail freight or road freight may be a better choice for local shipping.
• If necessary, you could think about other ways to ship or even a mix of different methods. Taking a mix of air, sea, and land travel could help you save money.

Shipping Off-Peak

There are some days that cost more than others. This depends on how much people want to ship, but in general, Friday is the cheapest day to ship.

This is because a lot of people want to be ready for the busy weekend, so they want to get their goods on Thursday or Friday. These must be sent out by Wednesday or Thursday.

So, if you can wait until Friday to ship something, you might get a better deal.

Better plan for inventory and demand

When managers of the supply chain improve both demand planning and inventory planning, they can put the right amount of inventory in the right place at the right time. So, they can cut down on split shipments, inventory transfers, repositioning, and rush shipments, which saves their companies money.

Look for ways to pre-position inventory

Don’t move products at the last minute or during busy times when freight rates are high and space is tight. Move inventory into place as soon as it makes sense, and use less expensive ways to get it there.

Know what to expect when you ship internationally or in your own country

When shipping internationally, supply chain teams need to plan further ahead and understand the risks of long-distance shipping, such as shipping delays. Also think about the longer lead times and more points of contact along the way. The teams in charge of the supply chain should be aware of these risks and plan for them.

Conclusion

Your products from China shouldn’t cost a lot to ship. “This is how it’s always been” is not a good excuse. Try to cut costs and make your business overall more profitable. Simple things like picking the best mode of transportation and using the same carrier and load boards can make a big difference in the cost.

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