OptimalShip's Helpful Shipping Tips

Have you ever shipped a large box that seems to weigh nothing, yet the invoice you get is higher than you expected? This likely has to do with the difference between dimensional weight and actual weight. We all know how to find the actual weight of our international packages; we just look at the scale the box is sitting on and read the number. But why does my 10 lb shipment in a 12x12x12 inch box cost less than those same 10 lbs in a 24x24x24 inch box?

If you're looking for the best international shipping companies, there are a few things that you should keep in mind before making a decision.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has instituted a new regulation for the export, re-export, and in-country transfer of products to the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and Venezuela. These new controls enable the U.S. government to more closely monitor exports, re-exports, and in-country transfers of certain items, broadening the scope of export-controlled items to include electronic and telecommunications equipment. These changes include but are not limited to: PC’s, mobile devices, smart watches, heart monitors, night vision goggles, and so on. These new controls apply to all shipments to these countries even if there is no military end use for the products, and is effective as of June 29. 2020.

For several months now special restrictions have been in place for exports of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical, and general COVID-19 relief supplies from China. Although these restrictions have been in place for some time, businesses are still experiencing delays as a result of incorrectly processed shipments. In this post we will cover in detail how to correctly process a shipment affected by this restrictions.

If you are already familiar with these restrictions please note that the only change is the lifting of the China/ Hong Kong weight restrictions. You may now process shipments that are above 150 lb (70 kg) per piece and 660 lb (300 kg) per shipment. However, the 1100 lb (500 kg) cap per account number is still in place. Shippers will need to follow the cap guideline in order to have their shipments picked up.

DHL introduced an Emergency Situation Surcharge (ESS) back in April of 2020. Today they have announced new changes that will be effective as of May 24th, 2020.

Shipping costs are determined by numerous complicated factors. We know you probably didn't want to hear that!

While some of the factors can be difficult to predict, with some proper guidance and research, shipping costs can be predicted within reason.