Ship4wd gives retail SMBs freight services like the big players

The supply chain may have recovered from the shocks of 2020-2021, but it’s still shaky, and retailers with extended supply chains still have good reason to be anxious about their shipments.

Shipping woes are making it hard for some retailers to keep up with demand, which has remained relatively stable despite ongoing inflation.

Transportation, as ever, is a headache, with fuel prices driven up by the double whammy of inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and a wave of retirements and resignations among truck drivers that have left the sector facing a severe labour shortage.

High demand, inflation, and supply chain stumbling blocks pose a challenge to retailers of all sizes, but especially for SMBs, which have always been at a disadvantage when sizing up against the bigger players in the international freight arena.

Ship4wd, an online freight forwarder for SMBs, aims to level the playing field for small and medium-sized businesses, giving them the same services that large retailers receive.

Ship4wd: representing SMBs in the international freight arena

Ship4wd was founded in 2021 by ZIM, the Israeli international cargo shipping company and one of the top 20 carriers in the world.

Its platform was designed to serve as a one-stop-shop for SMBs to manage all their international freight needs, such as booking, tracking, and financing shipments, managing customs processes, arranging cargo insurance, and providing support in all facets of the shipping process.

The company specifically aims to help small and medium-sized businesses get proper representation and equal services in the international freight arena, where larger companies are usually favoured.

Here are some of the main issues that Ship4wd is helping resolve for retail SMBs.

SMBs miss out on competitive freight rates

International logistics quotes can be murky and hard to pin down, as it’s difficult for smaller retailers to price out the entire shipment journey, including air or sea freight and truck or rail last mile transportation.

The sad reality is that SMBs are often deprioritised and bumped out of pre-booked shipping containers at the last minute in favour of larger retailers and conglomerates.

Traditional carriers and freight forwarding companies usually give preferential treatment to larger and higher-paying accounts that include bulk rates and special offers, leaving SMB retailers last in line for container allocation and with high prices.

Arranging transportation from the supplier to the warehouse is also a challenge for SMBs, which usually have less resources to expend, especially when it involves different modes of transportation.

As a freight forwarder that represents SMBs in bulk, Ship4wd can gain them access to bulk rates and preferred container allocation while arranging end-to-end transportation with flexible payment options.

The Ship4wd platform enables SMB retailers to view and compare detailed quotes that include first and last mile deliveries, choose between guaranteed rates and allocation so they know exactly what they are paying for, and select the best option for their timeframe and budget.

End-to-end shipping costs can strain cash flow

The industry standard for international shipping requires payment in advance. That’s not a problem for large retailers, but smaller ones can struggle with cash flow, especially at certain times of the year.

The holiday shopping season, for example, can present a Catch-22: retailers need to receive their shipment to drive revenue, but they need the income to pay shipping costs.

That’s why Ship4wd offers financing packages which include credit card payments and flexible payment plans that delay payment for up to 90 days. It frees SMB retailers to arrange shipping, plan inventory, and forecast sales without needing to lay the money out for freight and logistics.

SMBs receive - and offer - poor support

In the world of retail shipping, even a minor incident can become an expensive delay, and potentially lead to lost business. Large companies have in-house teams and dedicated account managers in port or freight companies to troubleshoot their issues, but SMBs can’t call on this kind of support.

For SMBs, it’s left to whichever employee has the most time available to try to navigate through call trees and automated customer support systems, until they reach the one person who can help. It’s hard enough as is for SMBs to provide excellent support for their own customers.

Ship4wd helps resolve these issues by giving SMBs a channel to effectively provide better service for their customers. They do this by providing knowledgeable support agents, available 24/7, that educate SMBs on any issues so that they can update their customers in real time.

Strong customer support is essential to ensure small hiccups don’t become major disasters.

Clearing customs can be a headache

Navigating customs can be tricky and time-consuming.

Simply reading the fine print for each country’s import and export requirements can require expertise and experience, which SMBs often do not have. With a limited number of busy employees, they also don’t have the time for tedious customs negotiations.

It only takes one wrong step or incomplete document for customs to delay a shipment for examination, or even impound and destroy it, which can seriously disrupt cash flow, frustrate customers, and damage your business’s rapport.

For this, Ship4wd offers digital customs brokerage and clearance services that takes the burden off of SMB shoulders.

Helping retail SMBs scale

In the digital age in which we are living, there is a solution for everything, even for SMBs with limited resources.

The widespread accessibility of AI, for example, is changing the game for many small and large businesses alike. In the retail world, it’s no different. Retail SMBs can turn to digital solutions to make their lives much easier.

Ship4wd is one such example. By removing barriers to international shipping, Ship4wd is helping SMBs deliver on their promises to their customers.