Asking for a Quotation: eParcels 101

Getting an estimated cost directly from the carriers or comparison platforms may be very straight forward. It is not often the same case when you are asking for a quotation from logistics partners. This is also why some people just unfortunately back off.

Over this opportunity, we would like to share with you the smallest details you would have to be aware of when you are getting a quote, so when the time comes, things would be much smoother for you.

Know your Needs

Most logistics partners tend to offer a more diverse range of logistics services, instead of just direct express courier services the ordinary carriers and comparison platforms provide solely. We, for example, not only specialise in traditional freight management and direct express courier solutions, but have also excelled in cross-border hybrid model – which incorporates freight forwarding in the first-mile and local courier for last-mile delivery.

Now it is extremely important to know what kind of service you as a merchant are looking for. While you can shop around for shipping ideas by all means, the amount of information expected from you could increase just exponentially too, as there is a completely different set of information required for freight booking. Hence, that would bring you nothing but confusion.

Think of freight, cross-border hybrid courier and direct express courier as a spectrum. Freight is the slowest but cheapest. Usually, we would imagine merchants with bulk shipments to truly enjoy the benefit of it. Direct express courier on the other end is always the fastest but most expensive. If you are aiming for a quick delivery, that’s the one you should go for. In the middle, we have cross-border hybrid courier, taking both the advantages of cheap shipment cost in comparison to direct courier services and fast delivery lead time in comparison to freight.

Information Required

Assuming you are looking to ship just general unrestricted products with cross-border hybrid or direct express courier services, there are 3 information we would usually request from your side: (1) origins and destinations, (2) expected weight per shipment and (3) potential shipment volume per month.

Both (1) origins and destinations as well as (2) expected weight per shipment are mandatory. We work with multiple carriers, some are doing better than the others in different routes and weight breaks. If we were to send you a quotation based on any unclear information, you could receive a large set of rate cards as thick as a book. We doubt you would want to check them.

As for (3) potential shipment volume per month, this is usually requested so we can bargain a better deal for you. The larger your expected shipment volume is, the more competitive your rates can get. However, please be aware that this could not be cheated, as some logistics providers do require their clients to meet a reasonable monthly quota if their volume is claimed to be gigantic.

Quotation Feedbacks

After we provide a quotation, your feedbacks are most welcome and expected. Whether they are questions on chargeable weight and surcharges, and/ or doubts on the quote and calculation, we are here to solve your problems.

This is also a key attribute that differentiates us from carriers and comparison platforms. We are a lot more flexible and humane, so if you have any thoughts, we will be happy to know and find a way where we can compromise and work to your advantage.