If you’re contemplating whether LTL makes sense for your business, the first thing we’d like to do is say is “congratulations!” Businesses, even the ones that are just starting out, have great potential for growth with LTL shipping.
The switch from parcel shipping to LTL can cut back shipping costs and improve security and traceability. LTL shipping also offers more services for improved customer experience compared to FTL shipments.
More importantly, LTL gives small businesses an efficient and logical way to scale up their business.
Read on to find out why LTL is the best choice for your small business.
Parcel Shipping vs. LTL Freight Shipping: Making the Switch
Most small businesses will ship their packages of less than 150 pounds through major carriers like UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. Parcel shipping may seem like the most logical shipping method to go with, but you’ll be surprised that that’s not actually the case.
It may make sense if you’re only sending a few small packages on very rare occasions, but if you send various sized packages with regularity, LTL shipping will benefit you more. Parcels sent through courier services are also more likely to get lost or damaged since they pass through multiple checkpoints and transfers.
Benefits of LTL Shipping for Small Businesses
Find out how LTL shipping can lower overall costs, increase efficiency, expedite deliveries, improve security, and help you meet the needs of your customers.
Financial Savings
The main selling point for LTL shipment with small businesses is the potential for cost savings. Though parcel shipping may seem cheaper due to the smaller nature of packages, these services usually have additional charges and fees that make it unsustainable for businesses.
With LTL shipments, the pricing structure basically works so that you only pay for the space that your pallets consume. That’s right, you don’t have to pay for the entire trailer!
If you don’t have enough packages to fill up a whole trailer, but you do send out deliveries with regularity, LTL shipping will allow you to bring your products to the end-user at a much lower cost.
Of course, you need to be aware of the other factors that affect LTL shipping to truly minimize costs:
- Dimensions of your shipment
- Distance and Route of travel
- End destination
- Type of goods delivered
- Target deliver date of shipment
The dimensions of your shipment are the primary factor that will drive up costs, but keep in mind that LTL shipment will still be the best option over parcel shipping and FTL in most cases. As for the distance and route of travel, you’ll need to think about fuel costs and insurance premiums.
The type of goods you plan to deliver will also affect shipment costs, as it will determine if you will be required your own load or partial load, which will inevitably drive up the cost of shipping. As LTL shipping is less predictable than parcel shipping, having a time-sensitive shipment is another factor for driving up LTL costs.
Overall, LTL shipping is a great option for businesses that want to decrease costs. However, it’s still critical that you look into the factors that will affect the final pricing.
Improved Security
Lost and damaged parcels are the last thing business owners and customers want to hear about.
While shipment issues aren’t technically the business’ fault, having unreliable shipping methods will ultimately damage your brand. It’s critical that you look for a safe and secure way to deliver your products in one piece to your excited customers.
LTL shipping is more secure compared to parcel shipping because your products will be stored in durable pallets. Compared to the flimsy boxes and plastic bags provided by carriers, pallets provide more security in transit and during loading/unloading.
The space inside LTL containers is also designed to restrict movement for maximum security of deliveries.
Improved Communication
Another huge advantage of LTL shipments for small businesses is improved communication and trackability of deliveries.
As more and more shippers are switching to LTL, the technology behind tracking shipments and providing consumers with constant updates on the shipment location has improved immensely.
Another important aspect of improved communication is allowing businesses a certain level of privacy. Ensure that the carrier you go with has a solid privacy policy on how your personal information is collected, used, and shared. This includes your individual and business information, including your name, physical address, email address, phone or fax number.
More Flexible Options
LTL carriers generally offer better rates and more services compared to parcel services and FTL services.
Most LTL carriers offer these additional services at competitive prices at a predetermined flat rate or a weight-based surcharge:
- Liftgate service pickup and delivery
- Onsite pickup and delivery (Commercial and residential)
- Inside delivery
- Freeze protection
- Special handling
- Notification prior to delivery
With these additional options, it’s much easier to give your customers the sense that all their needs are taken care of. And for small business owners, adopting this LTL strategy gives them a chance to adjust shipments based on the demand and scale of operations required by customers.
In the end, customer satisfaction with efficient and reliable shipping is key to expanding and scaling up your business.
Scale Up your Business with GoShip LTL Shipping
If you’re thinking of taking your small business to the next level, making the switch to LTL shipment will provide you with the foundation to make efficient and cost-effective changes to your shipping strategy.
GoShip.com can help you find the best LTL solutions for your business. Aside from competitive shipping rates, we also provide a wide variety of shipping services for small businesses across many industries.
We’ve got businesses covered with their shipping needs for:
- Apparel
- Auto parts
- Construction
- CPG
- Electronics
- Food and Beverage
- Furniture
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Retail
We work with some of the most reliable and affordable LTL carriers in the country. By using our online calculator, we’ll help you find a carrier that’s fit for your cargo type, location, and budget.