A significant convenience of our era is online shopping and the accessibility it provides to products not available locally. Many of us venture online to shop for varying reasons; sometimes, it’s the product, the brand, the quality, or the sale.

Whether it’s clothing, appliances or furniture, our options seem limitless as in addition to our local stores, we can hop online and shop. Most of us are savvy at shopping and shipping small items. We ably purchase beauty supplies, apparel, home décor or electronics on our favourite websites. However, large appliances or furniture can be trickier. Trickier, yes, but not impossible.

We’re here to tell you that there’s no reason you can’t take advantage of the next amazing sale! You outfit your home as you’ve dreamed with the appliances and furniture you desire. With the right information and proper guidance, you can order your stoves, fridges, or furniture set and have them shipped.

Many local freight forwarders or shipping agents offer a comprehensive service that can help you ship with relatively little hassle. For example, a one-stop shop will provide you with a US mailing address, ship your purchase and clear it with customs when it arrives.

Admittedly, it’s an ‘involved’ process, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. All that’s required is careful planning, and you can order that fridge you’ve been wanting. This article is for you if you’re considering purchasing and shipping a bulky household item.

We’ve done the research, and now, to help you get started, here are five useful tips.

Learn the relevant terms and accompanying services. As with your other online shopping endeavours, you’ll need a US mailing address. However, this is where things can get tricky as you’ll have to navigate through terms like shipping service, shipping agents and customs brokerage. We’ll give you a quick rundown.

Firstly, while shipping services facilitate freight forwarding, there might be a cap on freight sizes. Some may also only use air freight. However, a shipping agency is more likely to ship bulk items via sea. Meanwhile, a brokerage agent is used to help clear shipments at customs. Note that you’ll only need a broker if your shipping agent does not offer a brokerage service.

Decide whether you’ll use a one-stop-shop service or a customs broker. Now that we’ve discussed the terms, let’s look at selecting one. Different shipping agencies offer varying services.  In addition to freight forwarding, some may provide brokerage services which involve clearing your package with Customs when it arrives. Thus, their fees will include shipment, customs duties, taxes, and an agency fee. Others, however, do not offer brokerage services. They will only ship your items. If such is the case, you have the option of hiring a customs broker. The broker will act on your behalf to clear your shipment at customs for a fee plus the customs duty and charges. A third option is to do it yourself but be warned that part can be incredibly tedious.

Check the weight and measurement of your item. When using sea freight, the size and weight of your cargo are important factors for transportation. Often, agencies’ fees may be based on standard dimensions with additional charges for any excess. For example, an item that is 40 cubic feet may be shipped at $100US with an additional fee of $10US per cubit of anything in excess. It’s best to have the measurement and weight of your purchase on hand when contacting the shipping service or agent, as it will impact the overall cost. It will help make an informed decision.

Account for the various charges. In addition to the purchase cost, you’ll have to consider the additional expenses. First, as mentioned above, the weight of your purchase will impact the shipping cost. Then there is the agency fee which is payable to the shipping agent, insurance charges, brokerage fee and customs charges.

Consider insuring your shipment. We mentioned this previously but would like to elaborate here. Although your shipping agent will endeavour to get your package to you intact, accidents do happen in transit. Therefore, you should consider getting your shipment insured. If insurance is not offered by your vendor, then check with your freight forwarder, as it’s likely they provide this service at an additional cost.

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Once you’ve considered these tips, you can select a service that offers sea freight and facilitates the other areas you’ll require. Browse your Findyello “Shipping Agencies & Agents” listing to find a shipping service or shipping agency near you to get started.

Have fun shopping and shipping!