There are numerous reasons you may want to ship something internationally. You may want to send a gift to someone who lives in another country, sell goods online, or import the stock your business needs. Regardless of why you want to ship something across borders, you have to choose a way to get the package to the receiver, meaning you must choose a shipping option. This article will help you understand the different options you have should you decide to ship something internationally.
Air Freight
Air freight entails putting goods on a plane and flying them to different destinations. Air freight is a great option for time-sensitive eCommerce shipping or other shipping needs where speed and safety are primary concerns. The main downside of air freight is the higher cost compared to the other options we will look at below. This cost is occasioned by the higher fuel and operation costs shipping companies incur.
Because of the higher costs and speed, air freight is best suited for high-value products and products that lose their value quickly once they are released by the manufacturer.
Land Freight
Trucking is often faster than shipping by sea and benefits from lots of flexibility. This flexibility is in terms of price and departure times. Both sea and air freight have strict departure times and timetables, and thus you need to work within these guidelines. However, you can hire a truck at any time to deliver your goods.
The two options you have with land freight are full container loads (full truckloads or FTL) and less than full containers (LTL). The main advantage of full container loads is that you get a full container for your goods. This means faster delivery as there will be fewer stops along the way. However, you have to contend with the higher cost of shipping the full container. Less than full truckloads are cheaper but take longer to be delivered.
Sea or Ocean Freight
Ocean or sea freight is very popular for shipping bulk items around the world. It is also cheaper, which makes it perfect for shipping across continents. Because shipping by sea is so convenient and cost-effective, it is much easier to find a freight forwarding company that will ship your products by sea. The other thing you have to think about is export documents. You will need the right documents to ship via sea and this is why it is a good idea to let a freight forwarding company handle the shipping for you.
Shipping by sea is also the cleanest mode of transporting across great distances and thus a great option for businesses, companies, and brands that value sustainability.
Courier
Shipping by courier is an option you are likely familiar with if you have ever received goods at your door. It is a great option for shipping small items that need to get to the recipient directly. Because of direct delivery, courier remains the preferred option for e-commerce businesses that ship many small items.
These are the main options you have if you would like to ship overseas. Each has its pros and cons, and so you will have to consider each carefully to see which would fit your needs.
