A freight forwarder manages the logistics of international shipping — booking carriers, handling customs paperwork, coordinating port handling, and arranging delivery to your warehouse. They are essential for any brand importing goods.
Evaluate freight forwarders on their trade lane expertise. A forwarder with deep relationships on the China-to-US route may have no experience with Latin American or European freight lanes, and the difference shows in rates and reliability.
Ask specifically about their experience with e-commerce inventory and Amazon FBA shipments. FBA has specific carton weight, label, and appointment requirements that freight forwarders unfamiliar with Amazon often get wrong.
The cheapest quote is rarely the right choice. A forwarder that misses a customs deadline, books the wrong container class, or fails to coordinate with your warehouse creates costs that dwarf any savings on the freight quote.