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How to Quote Reasonably for Sea Freight Export Freight Forwarding Services?

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I have just started engaging in the business of sea freight export freight forwarding, and I'm not quite familiar with the quotation part. I want to know how sea freight export freight forwarding usually quotes. What factors need to be considered? I hope that professionals can explain the specific quotation process and key points to me, so that I can have a clear idea when quoting to customers, avoiding losing customers due to overquoting or having no profit due to underquoting.

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Professional consultant answers

Robert Chen
Robert ChenYears of service:6Customer Rating:5.0

Customer service consultantConsult

The quotation for sea freight export freight forwarding should consider various factors. Firstly, it is the basic ocean freight, which is determined according to the weight, volume, transportation distance of the goods and the pricing standards of shipping companies. Secondly, there are surcharges, such as bunker surcharge, port congestion surcharge, etc., which may fluctuate with the market. There is also the customs clearance fee, which is generally charged per shipment and may vary in different ports. The documentation fee also needs to be considered, which is used for preparing documents such as bills of lading. In addition, miscellaneous fees such as packing fees and loading and unloading fees should also be included if the customer has relevant requirements. In the quotation process, first inquire about the prices from shipping companies to obtain information about basic ocean freight and surcharges, calculate the total cost by combining your own company's costs, such as manpower, office, etc., and then add the expected profit to arrive at the final quotation. When quoting, clearly explain the composition of each cost to the customer to avoid later disputes.

Michelle Chen
Michelle ChenYears of service:3Customer Rating:5.0

Business coordination consultantConsult

In addition to the above costs, special requirements of the goods should also be noted. For example, for goods that need to be refrigerated, there will be an additional charge for the use of refrigeration equipment, and this part should be added when quoting.

David Li
David LiYears of service:6Customer Rating:5.0

Senior customs declaration consultantConsult

Pay attention to market dynamics. Sometimes the quotations of competitors can also be used as a reference. If the overall market price drops and you still maintain a high price, it is very likely that you will lose customers.

Andrew Huang
Andrew HuangYears of service:7Customer Rating:5.0

Supply chain optimization expertConsult

If the goods are overweight, overlength or oversize, special handling fees will be incurred, and these should be considered in the quotation, otherwise it will not be cost-effective when the cost increases later.

William Yang
William YangYears of service:5Customer Rating:5.0

International logistics consultantConsult

The charging standards at the destination port should also be made clear. Some destination ports have higher fees, which will also affect the overall quotation.

Joseph Zhou
Joseph ZhouYears of service:10Customer Rating:5.0

Senior foreign trade managerConsult

Different transportation methods have different prices. For example, for full container load transportation and less than container load transportation, clearly inform the customer of the differences and price differences between the two when quoting.

Emily Liu
Emily LiuYears of service:10Customer Rating:5.0

Settlement and payment expertConsult

The insurance premium can also be included in the quotation. If the customer needs to purchase cargo insurance, calculate the cost according to the value of the goods and insurance clauses and add it.

Amanda Yang
Amanda YangYears of service:3Customer Rating:5.0

Cost control consultantConsult

During the peak season, there may be various temporary surcharges. Confirm clearly with the shipping company before quoting to avoid omission.

Elizabeth Li
Elizabeth LiYears of service:3Customer Rating:5.0

Compliance and risk managerConsult

For long-term cooperation customers, appropriate discounts can be given to show sincerity in the quotation and maintain a good cooperative relationship.

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