Ask for a quote you can actually compare

Interactive explainer

From supplier to recipient

01 Collect
Match products and parcel references before suppliers hand over the goods.
02 Prepare
Check, measure and pack the shipment. Keep each carton linked to its contents.
03 Transport
Send the prepared shipment through the booked international service.
04 Deliver
Complete destination procedures and confirm the final delivery record.

Describe the shipment

Send origin and destination postcodes, item descriptions, parcel count, packed dimensions and gross weight. Flag batteries, liquids or special handling. Include the ready date, delivery needs and agreed trade term; incomplete details make quotations less useful. Measure the outermost packed dimensions, including bulges; product dimensions alone can understate the space occupied.

Separate the charges

Ask for collection, international freight, destination handling, customs services and delivery to be itemized. Identify duties, taxes, insurance, storage and possible surcharges separately. Confirm currency, validity, weight calculation and which charges remain estimates. Ask whether the quoted weight is per package or per shipment and how rounding is applied.

Check the boundaries

Ask what starts and ends the quoted journey. Port-to-port and door-to-door prices cover different work. Explain access restrictions and appointment needs, and request the adjustment rules if measured dimensions, routing or shipment details change. A quote is useful only when its assumptions match the shipment you eventually hand over.

Example: light goods in a large box

For illustration, a carton measures 50 × 40 × 30 cm and weighs 8 kg. With an expressly assumed divisor of 5,000, its dimensional weight is 12 kg. That example does not establish any carrier’s tariff. Confirm the applicable divisor, rounding and minimum charges before deciding whether smaller packaging saves money.

Compare offers on the same basis

Put two offers side by side using the same currency, shipment dimensions and start and end points. A door-delivery offer may still exclude duties or inspections; a port-only offer leaves further handling to arrange. Mark every exclusion and provisional charge. Compare the expected total and uncertainty, not just the headline rate.

Control changes after quotation

Keep the accepted quotation and the shipment details used to calculate it. If a supplier adds cartons or the warehouse repacks them, request an updated calculation before dispatch. Agree who can authorize extra costs. On the final invoice, link each adjustment to a measurement, service change or charge specified in the agreement.

Before you ship

Use one shipment brief for all providers.
Ask for both included and excluded charges in writing.
Confirm how the final bill can differ from the quote.

Official references

General planning guidance. Requirements and charges depend on the goods, destination and service; confirm the applicable rules before shipping.