You may have noticed tradeshow freight shipping costs are skyrocketing. There are several contributing factors affecting seasonal freight shipping rates, and it’s sometimes difficult to identify any specific parameter that makes up the bulk of the increase. However, it’s clear that when the demand for freight forwarding services increases, the cost increases dramatically, and it can be cheaper to ship one direction than the other.
Seasonal Freight Shipping Rates
As the increase in demand from retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers increases for the holidays and new year, you’ll realize LTL and truckload rates equally increase. The shipping industry’s peak season starts with back-to-school goods and fall fashion items and ends with holiday shipping. Retail stores always want to stock enough products they expect to sell for Christmas and Thanksgiving way ahead of time.
Factors Affecting Tradeshow Freight Forwarding Costs
The stability in shipping rates, like every other expense, is a legitimate concern for tradeshow exhibitors. The country’s shipping capacity was already getting thinner way before the recent boost in manufacturing. Coupled with the restricted hours of service governing carriers, there is an increased shortage of equipment and hyped shipping rates. Other factors that contribute to the high shipping rates include:
- The ELD mandate that aims to enhance the safety of drivers and simplify tracking and sharing of records of duty status (RODS).
- Natural disasters and weather patterns like hurricanes, snowstorms, wildfires, etc.
The tradeshow freight forwarding rates may increase subtly or drastically, depending on market conditions like demand/supply and fuel prices.
How to Manage your Freight Rates
Here are some very simple steps you can take to help keep your freight costs in check:
- Avoid shipping several boxes of marketing materials. Instead, distribute them electronically. Utilize interactive technology and smart graphics to showcase some of your bulky products instead of displaying everything in the booth.
- Be smart and creative in your logistics planning this time of year. Plan to reduce the overall weight and volume.
- Design custom exhibits with lightweight display systems that pack down tight and light. This helps to reduce the number of crates and weight you’ll have to ship to and from the tradeshow.
If you’re looking to save on your tradeshow freight forwarding costs, AMR Group has a long-standing track record in handling tradeshow exhibits and products worldwide with zero failure. Whether its small boxes or large crated exhibits and products, we’ve got you covered. We ship to and from various locations around the world, including France, UAE, Russia, UK, Germany, Norway, India, Japan, Canada, China, Indonesia, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and the United States. Contacts us today for any inquiries concerning tradeshow freight forwarding!
