How to prepare a freight quote request

Start with the goods and finished packaging

Name the product in plain language and explain its use, material and condition where relevant. “Parts” is less useful than “new steel replacement brackets for industrial shelving.” Include the number of packages, each packed length, width and height, and gross weight. Tell us whether the goods are on pallets or in cartons or crates.

Flag batteries, liquids, chemicals, food, temperature needs, fragile goods and anything that cannot be stacked. Do this before choosing the transport mode: cargo acceptance and packing requirements can affect the available plan. Share photographs and supplier specifications when they clarify the shipment.

Give the addresses and the dates that matter

Provide the pickup and delivery city, country and postcode; add full addresses when available. A country-to-country route is only the beginning. Tell us if collection is from a factory, warehouse or residence, and whether either location needs an appointment, loading equipment or restricted-access delivery.

State when the cargo will be fully packed and ready, then the date you need it at destination. Explain whether that deadline is flexible. A required date is a planning input, not a confirmed arrival. Flight or sailing availability, connections, customs and local delivery must be reviewed together.

Choose one contact who can confirm packing and collection arrangements at origin, and another who can receive the goods at destination. Include their working contact details in the shipment request. When a detail is provisional, label it clearly and agree who will confirm it; this keeps an estimate from being mistaken for a finished transport plan.

Explain the responsibilities and requested scope

Share the agreed Incoterms® rule, named place and version if this is a commercial purchase. These rules allocate particular costs, tasks and risks between buyer and seller. They help identify the transport services you still need. If the supplier has only said “shipping included,” ask for the written delivery scope.

• Pickup, international freight and final delivery: which legs should be included?
• Customs coordination, storage and insurance: which services need assessment?
• Documents available, declared value and information still pending.

A simple request you can adapt

“Please assess ocean and air options for two packed pallets of new metal fixtures, each 120 × 100 × 110 cm and 180 kg gross. Pickup is in Shanghai; delivery is to a business in Miami. The supplier expects cargo to be ready on the date shown in our request. Please identify pickup, destination handling, customs coordination and delivery separately. Battery content: none.”