FAQ
Are you a direct carrier or are you a third party?
CheapShipping.com is a freight broker and a third party. Due to the large volume of shipments that our customer base processes, we have been able to negotiate cheap shipping rates directly with over 40 different freight and small package carriers. We don’t own any trucks or planes, but give you access to the most well-respected transportation providers in the industry. So when we help you move your shipment, you’ll be utilizing their network of transportation assets.
Why should a business or one time shipper use your services instead of going directly to the carrier?
There are two major benefits of dealing with CheapShipping.com versus going directly to the carrier. First and foremost is the price. Our customer base does an enormous amount of shipping through all of our providers and due to that volume, they’ve extended extremely deep discounts on their transportation services. These discounts are typically much greater than a small or medium size business would be able to ascertain on their own. The second reason to use our service is the customer service. You’ll have a dedicated account representative and access to all of our highly trained staff should you need any assistance in processing, tracking, or auditing any of the shipments you or your company processes.
How many freight carriers do you partner with?
We currently work with over forty less than truckload, full truckload, and small package partners. We are constantly looking for more quality partners to add to our system and are always working on negotiating better pricing with each of these carriers as well.
How does a customer schedule pickups?
Our suite of online automation tools allows our customers to schedule their pickups online.
How far in advance does a pickup need to be scheduled?
Most of our freight partners ask that you schedule a pickup at least two hours in advance of the pickup time and allow for a two hour pickup window during business hours. If you are located in a more remote area additional time may be needed.
Is insurance covered in the quote?
For new goods, all of our freight providers include some amount of insurance coverage that is typically based on the weight of your shipment. For used goods, the coverage is $0.10 per pound. If you’re shipping new or used goods and need additional insurance, we have several affordable options available to you.
Who is your target customer?
We focus on small to medium sized businesses. Whether you ship one or one hundred shipments per week, we probably have a solution for your business that will save you time and money. We also help many customers save money on individual shipments as well.
Will you deliver throughout the United States?
We have freight providers that service all 50 states throughout the United States. We’ve partnered with both national and regionally focused carriers that will get your goods wherever you need them to go.
How do you accept payment?
For customers that are doing a one-time shipment we accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. For repeat use business customers, we accept these credit cards in addition to company check or paypal payments.
How often are invoices sent out?
We invoice our customers on a weekly basis provided that they have shipped any items that have yet to be billed.
Is delivery guaranteed?
For standard LTL freight services, unless specifically requested, the freight delivery times are not guaranteed. Most of our carrier partners do offer a guaranteed service at an additional cost. For small package deliveries, service times are guaranteed for domestic deliveries.
Will you provide estimated transit times?
We will provide you with an estimated transit time for your shipment. Transit times are in business days. For your reference the day after the first business day after your freight is picked up counts as the first day in transit.
What happens if goods are lost or damaged?
In the event that your goods arrived damaged it is extremely important that you note the damage with the driver before accepting the goods. Take pictures of the damage as well, as this will help expedite any claim on the shipment. In the event that there is damage or your goods are lost, claims will have to be made by the customer with the carrier. We are more than happy to help get you the proper claim documentation that needs to be filed. Unfortunately we can’t make claims on the customer’s behalf as the carrier will be issuing and approved claim payments directly to the customer.
Is it important that I use the Bill of Lading provided by CheapShipping.com?
It is extremely important to use the bill of lading or shipping label that CheapShipping.com provides. Should you fail to use the proper bill of label, you may be billed directly by the carrier at a much higher rate than we can provide you. We can usually arrange to have charges “re-billed” through us if the improper bill of lading was used, but there are additional fees for this.
What is freight class and how do I determine the freight class of what is being shipped?
What happens if the details of the shipment (e.g. weight, freight class) are determined to be different than what was entered on the Bill of Lading?
Transportation charges are based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to distance traveled, weight, and freight class. Should your shipment get reweighed or reclassed, you will be responsible for paying the difference in price based on these changes.
Do you do Full Truckload and Less than Truckload Shipments? What is the difference?
We are able to provide both full truckload and less than truckload (LTL) services. When you use a full truckload service you are getting a dedicated truck to move your goods from point A to point B. LTL shipments are typically for 8 pallets or less and your goods will move through a network of trucks and hubs before getting to the final destination. LTL is typically much more cost effective provided you don’t need the additional space of a full truck.
Do you provide both air and ocean freight services?
We have relationship with several different airfreight providers. We don’t currently process ocean freight shipments but can refer you to one of our trusted ocean freight partners.
Do international quotes include duties, taxes and customs clearance fees?
We can include customs clearance fees in our international quotes if requested. We do not include any applicable duties or taxes in our quotes. Duties and taxes will be determined by the customs broker during customs clearance.
Is there a charge to use your service?
There is absolutely no charge to utilize our services. You will only ever pay for the actual freight charges that you incur.
How do I sign up for an account?
You can call one of our customer service representative at 555-555-5555 or fill out our contact form found here and one of our trained specialists will get you or your company up and shipping with our extremely cheap shipping rates.
