Choosing the Right Cargo Shipping Mode for Your Business

One of the crucial aspects of eCommerce businesses is shipping. Secure and hassle-free shipping is essential to ensure successful deliveries. As per a recent survey, 53% of the participants (online shoppers) abandoned their cart and did not complete the buying process because of long shipping hours. This emphasises the importance of quick and reliable deliveries. To accomplish the task efficiently, you must choose the right cargo shipping method, collaborate with a reliable shipping company and select the most suitable cargo service.

In this article, we have shared a step by step guide to choose the correct shipping mode for your business. As you go through this piece of writing, you shall also learn how to identify a reliable cargo company and the various services they offer. So, let’s get started!

Overview of Shipping Methods: Air, Land and Sea Shipping

All three shipping methods, including air, land and sea are used for transporting goods within a country as well as across borders. Goods transported using different modes travel at different speeds and are charged differently. While air freight moves quickly, goods sent via sea take a longer time to reach their destination. Likewise, land transport also takes a substantial time to reach. 

Various kinds of goods, including pharmaceutical products, textiles, electronic items, shoes, raw materials, oil, grains and books, are transported to distant lands. A key factor in determining a suitable cargo shipping method is identifying the kind of goods to be transported. The volume of goods also plays a key role in determining the shipping mode. Besides, the requirement urgency, budget and certain other factors are crucial in identifying the right mode.

1. Advantages of Air Shipping

Air freight is gaining popularity despite the cost involved in the process. More and more eCommerce businesses are choosing this cargo shipping method to deliver their goods in a timely and efficient manner. This is particularly useful when it comes to shipping perishable goods and high-value goods. If you are looking for express/ expedited delivery to overseas markets, then this is the mode for you. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages of air shipping:

1. Fast Deliveries – One of the main advantages of choosing this mode of shipment is that it offers quick deliveries. Your packages can be delivered in as little as 1-2 days with air shipping.
2. Secure and Reliable – Your goods are handled with care while loading and unloading and are stacked efficiently in the aircraft. A high level of security is deployed to ensure your goods are shipped securely. The right temperature is also maintained to keep them intact.
3. No Need for Heavy Packaging – You do not require heavy packaging to keep your valuables safe during transit.
4. Ability to Cover Long Distances – Unlike land and water transport, there are no physical limits when it comes to this mode. You can ship your goods to distant lands via cargo aircraft.
5. Advantages of Land Shipping

Land shipping is a commonly used shipping method. Trucks and trains are widely used to ship goods under this mode. This is commonly used to transport goods within a city/ country. While mini trucks and other modes of land transportation are popular for shipping goods within a city, trains and trucks are better suited for shipping across domestic borders. Land shipping is also used to ship goods to other countries. Let us take a look at the various benefits of this mode of shipping:

1. Cost-Effective Method – This cargo shipping method is comparatively cheaper than other modes, especially when you choose to transport your packages via goods trains. This is because of their fuel efficiency.
2. Facilitates Shipping Bulky Items – This mode is suitable for shipping large quantities of goods. Both trucks as well as trains facilitate the transportation of bulky items such as vehicles, heavy machinery and furniture pieces.
3. Enables Shipping Large Quantities – They are also ideal for shipping huge quantities of grains, fertilisers, coal and cement, among other things.
4. Short Distance Deliveries – Trucks, as well as other modes of transportation such as vans, mini trucks and even two-wheelers, are ideal for short-distance deliveries.
5. Dangerous Goods – By seeking special permission, you can transport dangerous goods via this mode.
6. Easy Loading and Unloading – The loading and unloading of goods can be done easily when it comes to land transport. The process also takes less time compared to other shipping methods.
7. Door-to-Door Delivery – Land transport can be used to offer door-to-door delivery service.
8. Advantages of Sea Shipping

This cargo shipping method has been prevalent for centuries. Large quantity of goods is shipped from one country to another using this mode. Shipping within the countries is also done using this mode of transportation. Ships, sailboats, barges, and boats are used to carry different kinds of goods via river, ocean and sea. Here is a look at the advantages of using sea shipping:

1. Huge Capacity – Sea shipping enables the transportation of goods via ships that are known to have a huge capacity. So, you can ship large quantities of goods through this mode.
2. Enables Shipping Heavy Goods – Just like trucks and trains, this shipping method also allows the shipment of heavy goods such as construction materials, vehicles and furniture items, to name a few.
3. Lesser Carbon Footprints – This mode of shipping is known to leave lesser carbon footprints in comparison to others.
4.  Secure Deliveries – You can expect safe and secure delivery of goods by choosing this method, even though it may take a long time.

Various Cargo Shipping Services

A number of cargo shipping services are available to match different requirements. Here is a look at these different services:

1. Expedited Delivery

This service takes less time compared to standard shipping. It enables delivery within a span of 3 days. The name of this service usually varies from company to company.

2. Overnight Delivery

As the name suggests, this service enables you to send your parcels overnight. The package is delivered on the following day. It is best suited for urgent deliveries. The cost involved is high in comparison to other shipping services.

3. Freight

Shipments bigger than 30*30*30 inches are shipped using this service. Those weighing more than 150 pounds are also shipped through freight. Goods are packed in huge containers or pallets when transported via freight.

4. Flat Rate

This service is available at a flat price, irrespective of the weight and size of the shipment. It is considered to be a good option for shipping heavy goods.

5. Multiple Addresses

There may be times when you might have to ship items to multiple addresses in a single order. You can use this service in such a case.

How to Select the Best Cargo Shipping Company?

Here are a few tips for selecting the most suitable cargo company to fulfill your shipping requirements:

1. Set a Budget

To begin with, it is suggested to set a budget for shipping. There are a number of shipping companies offering a variety of shipping services via different modes. The amount being charged by them varies substantially. It is important to browse through the various available options and shortlist the ones that come well within your budget to manage your finances efficiently. 

2. Service Quality

Just like their charges, the service quality offered by shipping companies differs based on their expertise and experience in the field. In an attempt to choose the most cost-effective service, you mustn’t compromise on the service quality. It is advised to check their reviews and ratings and use other available sources to learn about their efficiency and speed.

3. Shipping Plans 

While most shipping companies offer multiple shipping plans to meet various requirements, it is important to understand whether your shortlisted ones offer the kind of service you require. 

4. Security of Goods

Do not forget to learn about the security measures adopted by them to ensure your goods are transported safely to different destinations. They must adhere to the set safety standards. Some companies offer insurance covers; however they may come at an additional cost. 

5. International Shipping

Some companies offer only domestic shipping services. If you want to ship your goods to domestic as well as international destinations then you must check whether they ship globally or not.

6. Weight Restriction

Some companies may impose certain weight restrictions while shipping goods. Find out about such restrictions beforehand to avoid hassle later. 

Conclusion

Land, water, as well as air shipping are used extensively by businesses to ship their goods from one place to another. While land and water shipping are known to be cost-effective and enable transporting bulk items, air shipping facilitates faster deliveries. It is important to identify the cargo shipping method which is best suited to your requirements in order to ensure efficient deliveries. Seeking assistance from a reliable shipping company is equally important, and so is selecting the appropriate service.