Shipping your stuff overseas – yay or nay?

Isn’t it amazing to look and see how much the world has changed in the last 100 years? From the time when driving carriages and riding horses was the ultimate means of transport, and was not available to anyone lower than the middle class, to pretty much every house having a car and being able to pass a whole continent within days. From the time when birds were still the reigning masters of the sky and the flight of Wright brothers was just a semi-believable story, to being able to pay a couple of hundreds of dollars and fly away to the other side of the world and move abroad. We can now send things around the globe and even move there in a matter of days. Besides sending them with an airplane, you have the option of shipping your stuff overseas.
Saying that that is a simple thing to do would be a mistake though. Well, it is actually a matter of perception. You have to take into consideration a lot of factors in order to determine whether you want to send your belongings to another country via sea or not. However, being able to do this and be practically 100% certain that your things will reach their destination is a great luxury compared to a century ago. Still, being careful is always a smart thing to do, especially if you are moving to another continent. So, is shipping your stuff overseas – yay or nay? Let’s take a closer look at this!

The customs rules, regulations and fees

In general, shipping your stuff overseas means dealing with customs. Depending on the country you are in, and on the country to which you are shipping, there could be special regulations. In most cases you are going to have to fill out two forms; one for the country you currently residing at, and the other for the target country. Now, depending on the type of item you are sending, and its characteristics, there may be further paperwork required. Also, some types of items’ customs fee may be more expensive than the others. So, what you should do is to ask around before deciding that you want to ship your things somewhere. The higher the value of your shipment, the more expensive the fee will be. Be very careful about checking the customs rules in the target country. Custom fee rates vary widely from country to country. So, do your research when relocating your items, and be ready for every scenario!

The tariff of shipping your stuff overseas is also important

Things cost money. That is the way the world works, so you are definitely going to have to pay if you want to go through with this. After you take care of the customs fees, you then have to think about the shipping tariff. The shipping company is the one that charges this. The shipping tariff includes the company’s services as well as any other additional freight taxes that may concern particular items. The smartest thing here to do is to check a couple of shipping companies and their tariff rates. If you are moving, then finding the best shipping company is as important as finding the best moving company, such as the Four Winds Saudi Arabia. These two decisions can really make or break your entire move, and you really need these to be the best of the best. That is why checking several companies is a must do.
 

Choosing the best time for shipping is also very important

If you want to ship something internationally, then you have to plan as ahead as possible. As the world gets more and more connected, it also gets more and more complex. The higher level of the service you require, more costly it will be and more complicated to organize. This is also the case when you have to pick the shipment date. In the majority cases, it matters when the package will arrive. That is why you have to think through carefully which day you will choose. When sending something internationally, the chances of having your shipment delayed are even higher. In fact, in certain countries, the overnight delivery option does not even exist. If you are sending something during the holidays, for instance, the chances for the delaying of a shipment are even greater.  Furthermore, the type of shipment can also have a big impact on the delivery time.

The way you packed the shipment can be very important

As it is the case when moving, whether your new home is on another continent, or in the town next to your current, the way you packed the shipment is very important. Some countries have special rules when it comes to packing different items according to their type, weight, shape etc. When shipping your stuff overseas, you have to be very careful about all the elements of the process. The shipment has to be labeled in such a way that it fulfills the regulations for packing, of both countries. The safest way of dealing with this problem is hiring the company that also deals with packaging.

Choosing the mode of transportation

Choosing the right mode of transportation also plays an important role in shipping overseas. Shipping overseas usually means that you have to use either the ship or the airplane. There three factors that you have to take into consideration:

• The time – If the shipment has to arrive as soon as possible, then your best bet is the airplane. However, if that is not the case, then using a ship should be your choice. Shipping your stuff overseas is always a better choice when you have more time.
• The cost – Air freight is surely the fastest method of transport, but it is also more expensive than a ship.
• The type of product- Some items are simply not made for long travels. On the other hand, some items would probably be better off if you chose to use a ship for transportation. This is especially the case when you are actually moving abroad, as you will probably have a lot of things to be transported.

Final note

The “shipping your stuff overseas – yay or nay” does not have a definite answer per se. If you have to ship something, then you have to do it, and doing it means a lot of planning. So, ask for expert advice, finding a good shipping company and, in general, take special care in dealing with every step, and you will do fine.