#shipping agent

[elkexpress]

Q&A : What is an international freight forwarder, and what is its role?

The main role of the international freight forwarder is the provide stable and cost effective shipping service from one country to another country, of course, in order to meet its clients business requirements the freight forwarder might also offers free and paid service based on the supply chain.

Let’s take Chinese freight forwarder for example, if you need to ship from China to USA or EU countries like Germany，if you already have factories or suppliers in China, then you inquire the sea shipping rates or air shipping rates based on the goods weight and volume by provide the chinese shipping agent the packing list with goods name, carton box weight and volume, quantities, goods value and shipping address as well as your requirements, they can help you quote based on the info, when you chose one freight forwarder to help you ship from China to USA, the goods will be shipped to their warehouse or they pick up from factory(usually same city), after measure weight volume they will quote the shipping cost for you to pay, then they book the freight on air or sea, help you prepare custom clearance file, invoice, packing list etc. after the goods arrived USA, they will clean customs and deliver to your warehouse or home via ups/fedex or truck.

Of course, during more and more ecommerce business occured, the freight forwarder usually of related service to help you save time and cost. For example, you need to ship from China to Amazon FBA, the freight forwarder could help you check the goods in good condition or not before shipping from China，they can also help you label to meet Amazon FBA warehouse or overseas warehouse requirements.

Thus when you are looking for international freight forwarder service, you need to inquire with your business requirements and pay more time to communicate in details, the more detail you get, the better understanding on the freight forwarder service and whether they met your requriements.

[door-to-door-open-car-carriers]

Red Flags of a Fraudulent Shipping Agent

Introduction

Shipping agents play a crucial role in the world of commerce, ensuring that goods are transported from one location to another efficiently and securely. However, not all shipping agents are created equal. Some unscrupulous individuals and companies engage in fraudulent activities that can harm your business and result in lost shipments, financial losses, and damaged reputation. In this blog post, we'll explore the red flags that can help you identify a fraudulent shipping agent and how to protect your business from falling victim to their schemes.

Lack of Credentials

One of the most significant red flags when dealing with a car shipping agent is their lack of proper credentials. Legitimate shipping agents should have the necessary licenses and permits to operate legally. Verify their credentials, such as licenses, insurance, and certifications, to ensure they comply with industry regulations and standards. If an agent hesitates to provide this information or offers vague responses, be cautious.

Unrealistic Low Pricing

Beware of shipping agents that offer services at prices significantly lower than the industry average. While cost savings are essential, prices that seem too good to be true often indicate fraudulent intentions. Such agents may cut corners, use subpar carriers, or engage in deceptive practices to attract customers. Always compare quotes from multiple shipping agents and question those that significantly undercut their competitors.

Lack of Transparency

Open and honest communication is crucial when dealing with shipping agents. Fraudulent agents may avoid answering questions directly, be evasive about their processes, or make promises they cannot keep. Transparency is key in any business relationship, so be wary of any agent that lacks it.

No Physical Address or Office

A legitimate shipping agent should have a physical office or address where you can contact them. A lack of a physical presence can be a red flag for potential fraud. Always verify the agent's office location and check if they have a professional website with contact information and customer support.

Unprofessional Documentation

Fraudulent shipping agents may provide incomplete, poorly prepared, or unprofessional documentation. This can include contracts, invoices, or bills of lading that contain errors or inconsistencies. Thoroughly review all documentation provided and question anything that appears irregular.

Demands for Upfront Payments

Be cautious when a vehicle shipping agent demands large upfront payments or requests payment through non-traditional methods like wire transfers or cryptocurrencies. Reputable agents typically follow standard payment procedures and allow for payments upon delivery or the completion of services.

Unverifiable References and Reviews

A legitimate shipping agent should be able to provide verifiable references from satisfied customers. If an agent cannot provide such references or if their online reviews are overwhelmingly negative or non-existent, proceed with caution.

Protecting Your Business

To protect your business from fraudulent shipping agents, consider the following steps:

Do thorough research on potential shipping agents before making any commitments.

Request and verify all credentials, licenses, and insurance information.

Get quotes from multiple agents and compare them to ensure they are in line with industry standards.

Look for a physical office or presence and verify contact information.

Review all documentation provided, and seek legal advice if needed.

Use secure and conventional payment methods.

Read and validate customer reviews and references.

Conclusion

Fraudulent shipping agents can have devastating consequences for your business, including financial losses, damaged reputation, and delayed or lost shipments. By staying vigilant and recognizing the red flags associated with fraudulent shipping agents, you can protect your business and ensure the safe and reliable transportation of your goods. Always prioritize due diligence and thorough research when selecting a shipping agent, as these efforts are essential in safeguarding your business interests.

[clownowo]

not pictured: Acht flashback to growing up hearing DJ Octavio say vaguely gay shit about the captain of the Squidbeak Splatoon

[gyonikubun]

8/4 2024 artwork <3

[junlonglogistics]

How to get a suitable shipping ways and best shipping price from a freight forwarder when you import from China

Before you wonder the shipping price .  you should offer more detail information of the items you order .

First , item name . the product is branded or not . is it knockoff or not . contain batteries or not .

Second , the packing details . packaging styles ,the items packaged by carton or wooden case . and the packaging size and weight . and the carton numbers .  

Last . You should know the delivery address , country , city , post code .

Only know that ,the forwarder can choose the suitable shipping ways and quote a best shipping price .

[kitt-me-not]

Posting this piece i started on 8/3/24 but couldn’t finish in time 😢 i need to post here more!!

[the-knife-consumer]

I love the gay people game

[splatoonmoments]

majestic ahh they/them

[bingergrave]

Thinkin' about those child soldier squids

[astradella]

(Mobian-izes your human sonic ladies)

[elkexpress]

Elksourcing：What is a QC Inspection and How to Select a Right QC Inspection Partner in China

Quality control can be defined as “part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements.” While quality assurance relates to how a process is performed or how a product is made, quality control is more the inspection aspect of quality management.Inspection is a major component of quality control, where physical product is examined visually.

A quality control inspection is an activity of checking quality of any product, such as measuring, checking, examining, testing or gauging one or more characteristics of a product and comparing the results with specified requirements in order to establish whether conformity is achieved for each characteristic. The quality inspector usually follows a pre-established checklist that is based on the product specifications. Inspected products can be the components (raw materials) used for production, semi-finished goods, or (most often) finished goods before shipment to a customer.

Why you need a quality control inspection service in China ? 

To answer this question I can share an old story happened to our UK client years ago. He lost more than 120000 USD due to the quality issue in 2011. He placed an order of fitness equipment with a small factory in Yongkang, Zhejiang province. He purchased a sample and confirmed the quality before placing the order, however, the factory used slightly cheaper raw materials to reduce the costs in China during the massive production after the customer placed the order. And unfortunately the customer did not conduct any quality control inspection before loading in China, when he received the defective goods in UK, he found the problem and his end customers rejected the goods, what’s more, when he called the supplier for a solution, the supplier did not admit anything as he could not offer enough evidence. 

This is a lesson for every importer and this is the main reason why you have to inspect your shipment first before loading in China for any large orders. Only by inspecting your shipment of goods before it leaves your supplier’s factory can you identify and address any quality issues before it’s too late. With the quality control inspection services, you can well control the quality of your product before production, during-production and before loading. Managing product quality with QC inspection lowers your risk of product returns, unhappy customers and many other costly and avoidable problems

How many types of quality control inspection ?

In case QC inspection is so important, so when shall we conduct the QC inspection? To answer this question, you have to understand the types of QC inspection first

Generally speaking there are 5 types of QC inspection services worldwide, that is: 

PPI – Pre-Production Inspection  

FAI – First Article Inspection  

DPI – During Production Inspection 

PSI — Pre-Shipment Inspection

CLL–Container Loading Inspection  

but in China customers focus on following three main types of inspection in quality control: 

PPI – Pre-Production Inspection 

DPI – During Production Inspection 

PSI — Pre-Shipment Inspection

Here are the details:

PPI- Pre-Production Inspection

The Pre-Production Inspection (PPI) is a type of quality control inspection conducted before the production process begins to assess the quantity and quality of the raw materials and components, and whether they are in conformity with product specifications. This service is important for large orders in China because some unreliable suppliers may try to use cheaper raw materials and components to save costs during massive production.

A typical PPI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to:

Verifying the raw materials and their conditions.

Inspecting planned storage for your products.

Inspecting a supplier’s production readiness and quality plan

Inspecting the function, size, and measurement of raw materials and other components

Making the required reliability and safety tests

Making sure your specifications and sourcing requirements are correctly understood by the factory

Preventing any potential flaws and failure in the mass production 

DPI — During-Production Inspection 

During Production Inspection (DPI) or otherwise known as DUPRO, is a quality control inspection conducted while production is underway, and is especially good for products that are in continuous production, that have strict requirements for on-time shipments. The During-Production QC Inspection is mainly an inspection of semi-products, stock of raw materials, production process, package requirements, workmanship etc during the production of your order in China.

A during production inspection takes place once 20-50% of your product run has been completed and packed. During a DPI inspection, a quality control inspector will inspect the completed product to ensure that all processes are being followed to the agreed standard. They’ll also look to identify any product deviations or issues early in the manufacturing process.

A typical DPI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to:

Verifying the supplier follows the requested process and material specifications

Verifying the production and quality plan

Inspecting storage conditions

Inspecting packaging, labeling, and barcodes

Conducting reliability and safety tests

Inspecting semi-finished products

DPI inspections are useful as a quality assurance measure as it ensures that the quality of the products in production is the same as the one you received as a sample. It also gives you chance to make any necessary adjustments and corrections before the production run has ended, which can save you valuable time and money. If defects have been identified, knowing the percentage of finished products with defects also ensures that you have time to plan for them before they are shipped to you.

PSI — Pre-shipment QC Inspection  

 The Pre-shipment QC Inspection is an inspection of all the finished products, documents, package, shipping marks, quantity etc of your order at the factory. This service shall be performed when the order is 80 -100% completed.This inspection is conducted on finished products when at least 80% of the order has been packed for shipping. This inspection is done according to standard Acceptable Quality Limits (AQL) specs for the product.

A typical PSI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to:

Verifying the safety and function of manufactured products

Verifying the quality of products

Verifying the order has been produced to the standards set out in the purchase contract

Inspecting the product packing, labeling, and shipping marks etc

Checking the order quantity and the documents related 

A PSI inspection makes sure that the supplier has manufactured your products to your specifications and packed them as required by your purchase contract. PSI inspection is the most popular and important one as you can reduce the risk of receiving defective items. 

 How to select a right quality control inspection service company in China ?

There are tens of hundreds of inspection service companies here in China. How to select a right QC inspection service partner in China ? Here are my tips: 

If you are from a top brand and if you are rich enough, you can simply work with the well-known inspection service brands like SGS, BV, ITS etc. They all have branches in China and they offer professional QC inspection and testing services as well. Here are their official websites: 

CCIC: www.ccic.com 

ITS — www.intertek.com

SGS — www.sgs.com 

BV — https://group.bureauveritas.com

TUV — www.tuv.com 

UL — https://china.ul.com/

If you from a small-mid company and if you’d like to save more time and cost, you can work with a local inspection service company in China. When you search a factory audit service online, you will find out hundreds of QC inspection service providers in China. Here are my experience in selecting a right inspection service partner: 

1.Qualifications

Ask them for their business license and check out their basic qualifications in China, say, business scope. 

2.Service quality

Ask them for their client information, call their current clients for reference to check their service quality. 

3.Quotation

Ask at least three service companies for quotation, do not choose the highest one or the cheapest one as low cost does not mean high service quality in China, try to choose a right one based on your budget. 

4.Location

Choose a right service company who is nearer to your supplier in order to save more travel cost and time.

[cani-bal]

Flirting is beating the hell out of each other, right?

[v3ratrix]

it starts with 3

[churchyaoi]

been thinking about these two a lot lately

[re-colligere]

Introducing the third duo... the freaking GUYS!!! They both (roughly) fill the same roles in their respective groups which is why they're posted together! Teehee

Agent Roz is the newest addition to the agent team, with his brute strength, endurance, and observational skills being undercut by his own self-consciousness. It's his first time being out in the field and he's doing his best ok?? Besides, he wanted this job for one reason or another, and he's strangely determined to keep working towards that goal. Verte's doing her best to encourage her new field partner, but things aren't going too well. It's probably because her encouragement is not at all different from her brutal honesty...

Mr. Hellforge is the League's main offense-defense guy, being responsible for their base securities as well as kicking agent ass if needed. He's also the primary weapons designer so he does a bit of inventing alongside Francisco. He sometimes butts heads with the rest of his colleagues, but since he's got a different outlet for his anger issues (beating guys up) he's considerably less explosive around them than first expected. Generally he's just a reliable guy who'll burn the world down if it meant his friends are okay. Don't tell anyone about it though.

[karvviie]

so you’re telling me that all that washnut turned out to be the delusions of a bisexual robot

[originally posted october 2022]