Shipping agreement
If you regularly ship parcels from your webshop, then you can obtain a shipping agreement with a carrier. Read more here!
What is a shipping agreement?
A shipping agreement is also known as a business agreement. It is a unique agreement that you make with a carrier, who then handles your shipments.
All carriers are different and offer different services.
When you enter an agreement with a carrier, you can implement different kinds of services.
For example, you can arrange for the carrier to collect parcels from your address, so that you do not have to hand in the parcels at a parcelshop.
You can also arrange for the carrier to collect the parcels at a specific time, so you can offer attractive delivery for your customers.
How do I obtain a shipping agreement?
You can obtain an offer for a shipping agreement directly from the carrier you would like to use as your freight carrier.
A lot of webshops have made shipping agreements with one or more carriers, who make sure their shipments reach their customers safely.
You can, very conveniently, have shipping agreements with more than one carrier. It all depends on your needs.
Advantages of having multiple shipping agreements
There can be many benefits to having multiple shipping agreements.
For example, it gives you the opportunity to offer various delivery methods to your customers.
Many online shops typically have multiple freight agreements.
Perhaps you’ve noticed on several online shops that there are several carriers to choose from when selecting a delivery method. This is indeed a way to make your online shop more competitive.
How do I get a shipping agreement with PostNord?
You can get a shipping agreement with PostNord by creating an agreement on their website.
PostNord refers to a shipping agreement as a customer agreement, as you become their customer. When you get a customer agreement, you can get good prices on shipments.
You can also request a quote from PostNord on their website if you want to hear about your options for a customer agreement first.
If you would like to read more about a shipping agreement with PostNord, you can read more on their website.
How do I get a shipping agreement with GLS?
If you want a shipping agreement with GLS, you can fill out an online form on their website, and they will contact you with an offer when they have found the most optimal solution for your business.
When you have a shipping agreement with GLS, you only pay when the first package is sent. So it doesn’t cost you anything to enter into a shipping agreement with GLS before you start using it.
You can read more about a business contract with GLS directly on GLS’s website.
How do I get a shipping agreement with Bring?
If you are interested in a shipping agreement with Bring, you must fill out a series of questions online, including specifying your transport needs, after which Bring will contact you with an offer.
In the form, you must also indicate which shipping service(s) you are interested in so that Bring can send an offer that fits your needs.
If you would like to know more about a shipping agreement with Bring, you can read more directly on Bring’s website.
Choose the best shipping agreement
Before you enter a shipping agreement with a carrier, it can be beneficial to collect offers from more than one carrier.
We recommend that you create an overview of the different carriers and offers before you enter an agreement.
Before you choose which carrier you want to enter a shipping agreement with, it is important that you look into the different freight products the concerned carrier supports.
For example, do you ship many parcels or pallets? Do you mostly ship letters? Do you wish to ship in a climate-friendly manner?
All carriers are different and all cover different areas, districts, and countries. It is important that you choose a carrier that covers all of the countries and areas you ship to.
Considerations before entering a shipping agreement
First and foremost, it is a good idea to compare the different freight products that the different carriers offer.
Before you start comparing prices from the different carriers, it is a good idea to include all fees and extra charges. Fees and extra charges can constitute a significant part of the total price of a shipment.
If you have a large freight volume abroad, it can be important to collect prices on the countries concerned from the carrier. Do you want to ship worldwide? We guide you here.
It is important to be aware of the number of shipments you make. The more parcels you send, the more you can negotiate with a carrier. This can be a way of obtaining a form of quantity discount.
Be aware of your volumetric weight, as well as the different weight intervals for the carrier concerned , as it might impact the price. You can read more about volumetric weight here.
Find out what your specific need is, when your parcels need to be sorted. Do they need manual assorting, or can they be sorted by machine? It’s a good idea to include this in your shipping agreement, so you avoid extra charges.
Be aware of online crashes and interruptions. How does the carrier handle website crashes or adjustments? Do they send out a notification, do they contact you, or do you need to reach out to them?
Check the carriers booking portals. How do you book freight with the carrier? Can you use the same platform across different carriers, if you obtain more than one shipping agreement? Is the carrier supported in Shipmondo?
Do you want to highlight something extra for your customers?
Does your shipment need to express something particular?
Is it important for you to signal a greener form of transportation, or do you wish to support a good cause?
With some carriers, there are extra services that you can choose.
If you want to send extra signals about climate compensation or related matters, you can check out the different carriers and find those who offer the extra services you wish to use.
You can also make return easy.
Some carriers have made it even more convenient for the customers to return products by using different shipping methods that do not require a shipping label.
Alternatives to shipping agreements - use Shipmondo
A good alternative to a freight agreement is an account with Shipmondo.
Here, you get the opportunity to book shipments and send packages with popular carriers at attractive prices, all without needing to arrange a freight agreement first - we’ve already taken care of that for you.
This means that you simply need to create an account, and then you’re ready to book freight with popular carriers like PostNord, dao, Bring, UPS, and many more.
You can also use Shipmondo even if you have your own agreement. With an account at Shipmondo, you can consolidate all your freight agreements and shipping management on one platform while optimizing your workflow at the same time.
The only thing you need to do is create a free account, and you’re already on your way.
Connect your order system with Shipmondo or upload Excel- and CSV files to your account and book freight for all of your orders at once.