Thanks to the development of the internet and the improvement of parcel and freight shipping services – it has now become a lot easier to buy and sell goods internationally.

If you would’ve said to someone 20 years ago that a parcel can be delivered from one corner of the globe to the other in 48 or 72 hours, they would’ve called you mad.

Fast and cheap international shipping allows companies to sell anywhere in the world – what a time to be alive!

Of course, express international shipping comes at a much higher cost when compared to standard international shipping rates – so in this blog post, we will have a look at the best pocket-friendly international shipping services out there.

How to find the best international shipping company for your business? The best international shipping services offer you flexibility – meaning that they can deliver small to large parcels and that they have ocean and air options as well – Tip: if you are able to do most of your shipping with a single company, then you can often get better discounts based on your volume.

You also have to be careful when it comes to countries to which these companies deliver to – you don’t want to find out after you’ve decided to use an international shipping company that they don’t ship to all the countries you sell in or that they can’t handle certain international freight shipping.

Do you want to use the cheapest international shipping or the fastest? It can be very difficult to choose the right carrier if you aren’t sure what actually makes for the best international shipping companies.

Choosing who is the best international shipping company is somewhat subjective, that’s why you have to take into consideration the main traits that a good shipping company has to have:

• Being on time
• Having great customer support
• Delivery via Air, Ocean
• Delivering the goods intact
• Offering customs clearance assistance
• Offering multiple destination options for international freight shipping

So let’s say that taking all of these main traits into consideration, you’ve found yourself with a list of potential companies that you could use –now what? You need to know what to look for in an international shipping company – here are a couple of considerations that might help you with your choice:

Rates

At the end of the day, it all results in how much it will hurt your pocket when you decide to ship items abroad. You’ll need to know what types of rates you will be paying and if you will be getting any discounts. But just because you find a company with cheap international shipping, it doesn’t mean that it will offer the same support as other expensive carriers –another factor that you will keep in mind when searching for cheap international shipping.

Customer support

When you call for international shipping services, will you get the help right away or you will be put on hold for hours on end until you speak to someone who actually shows some interest in your problems? If you have a critical shipment that didn’t get picked up in time or if there is a parcel that got lost in transit, having an international shipping company that is there for you in when you need them makes a big difference and can save you from hours of frustration.

Speed of delivery

When you buy something online, you want it delivered as soon as possible – and that’s how it is with your customers – in some cases you may need to get something shipped internationally in just a matter of 48 to 72 hours. That’s when you want to find the fastest international shipping option possible.

Whether you need some important documents to be delivered via overnight shipping or need to ship a pallet of materials expedited via air freight rather than ocean or LTL shipping – having a carrier that can handle such situations can a lifesaver for your business. You have to bear in mind that the fastest international shipping isn’t usually the cheapest option.

Remote area delivery

When you are selling your products on the global marketplace, it means that your customers can be on any corner of the world, meaning that the might not be living near any major city. When shipping to a variety of international destinations, how far will your carrier go into rural areas can be a key consideration. If you are planning on using a 3^rd party carrier for the last leg of the journey, you will have to know that it could impact the quality of your service.

Tracking Capabilities

It can be very frustrating when trying to see where your parcel is and you get a generic message on the service provider’s website that says something like “in transit” but it doesn’t say where it is or when delivery is expected. The best international shipping companies use shipment tracking that allows you to track the parcel throughout its journey and provide an update each time the package is scanned at the next leg of the journey.

Weight and size limits

Be sure that you understand the weight and size limits of the international shipping company that you are planning on using. You could be put in a very uncomfortable position after palletizing a large shipment and finding out that it’s over the weight/size limit of the company that you are using – it can mean that you have to redo everything.

Most of the global carriers have weight and size charts available on their websites – use these when considering using their services.

Final thoughts

Initially, it might seem overwhelming – but coming up with a list of what factors are essential to your company, like overnight shipping, remote area delivery – you can narrow your options down and find the best international shipping company for you.  From there it’s important to compare rates, reliability, customer services in order to select the best international shipping company for your business.