Are you trying to save money on small business shipping?
Wondering how you can reduce freight costs in your business?
Freight shipping can be a big expense for your business, so it can be well worth it to try to reduce your freight costs. Reducing your freight costs can allow you to put your money to better use and can help you ensure your small business remains profitable month after month and year after year.
Luckily, we’re here to help. Below we’ll list the most effective ways you can lower freight costs for your small business.
1. Use the Right Mode of Transport
The first thing you need to do to get your freight costs lowered is to make sure you’re using the right type of transportation for your shipments.
Sometimes it’s better to transport your shipments by truck but other times the train or air transport will be the better option. Using an intermodal freight transport strategy can be a great idea and will often allow for better efficiency and lower costs.
Be sure that you think carefully about the mode of transportation you use to ensure you’re getting the most out of each shipment for the lowest price.
2. Build a Relationship
Another thing you can do to lower your freight costs is to build a strong ongoing relationship with the shipping carrier you use. Building a relationship with a carrier can be helpful for improving your business and can allow you to sometimes get discounts on shipments.
You may want to consider signing a longer contract with a shipping carrier in order to show that you’re serious about your ongoing relationship. As a result, they may give you reduced costs and you may be able to lock in better costs.
3. Ship During Off-Peak Days
Another way that you can save on the costs of freight shipping is to make shipments during off-peak times and on off-peak days. By being a bit more flexible with shipping times in your business, you may be surprised at how much you can save.
Especially when it comes to non-perishable items, shipping freight on Fridays or on Mondays is often the better choice. By shipping during off-peak times, you may be able to get a reduced rate of as much as 10% off.
4. Rethink Packaging
While the packaging of a freight shipment is only a small part of the cost, it’s worth thinking about it carefully to ensure you’re not using more packaging than you have to.
You should work with your shipping and packaging team to ensure there is enough packaging to ship products and items safely while ensuring you’re not using so much that you’re wasting money. Optimizing your packaging processes and not using more than necessary can get your costs down significantly.
Additionally, you may also want to consider using The Gaylord Box Exchange if you want to reduce costs by buying or selling used boxes.
5. Consolidate Your Shipments
Perhaps the biggest way that you can improve freight costs is freight consolidation. Consolidating freight shipments will allow you to make the most of your budget and will allow you to get the most out of each shipment.
Shipping less often and combining multiple shipments into one can be a great way to save costs and simplify freight for your business. By consolidating shipments, you’ll make your business more efficient and will spend less money on your freight costs overall.
Using These Tips to Reduce Freight Costs
If you want to save money on freight costs and improve efficiency in your business then it’s a great idea to make use of the tips above. The strategies listed above can be very helpful for lowering your costs and allowing you to make the most out of freight shipping.
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