Whether you are moving to another continent or selling your products worldwide, you are dealing with the costs of shipping. If we are talking about the relocation of you and your family, the case is a bit easier. You can sell or donate most of the stuff, and others can come with you. After you arrive at your new address, you can buy or lease new furniture. Also, you can mail some stuff, and others bring with you on a flight. But, how can you cut the costs of shipping to Europe if you have a lot of them? Let’s assume that you have a business that is developing well. So good that you are obtaining more and more customers in other parts of the world. Especially in Europe. That means that you should find a way to cut costs if you want your business to be more profitable.

Ways to cut the costs of shipping to Europe

International shipments can be very expensive. And much more expensive if the final destination is the oldest continent and the distance is greater. So you need to think of all the ways to cut the costs of shipping to Europe. Well, then you have to educate yourself, prepare and play it smart. If you are moving the whole household a good international moving company in Japan can be of big help. Yes, we know, international moving is not cheap, but sometimes it is necessary. So it’s best to hire a professional, pay an extra Yen and be certain that your belongings would be transported safely. On the other hand, if your business includes shipments worldwide, it is part of your job to know how to cut costs and save.

What does the cost depend on

Firstly, make sure to understand what are the circumstances that make costs higher or lower. You should know the options, and the pros and cons, so you can decide what suits you. The cost of shipping depends on:

• the size of the shipment,
• the distance,
• the route,
• the method of transportation,
• moving insurance,
• storage costs,
• customs duty charges and Taxes.

The size of the shipment

More stuff means more money to pay. Whether we are talking about weight or volume, it is the same. If your cargo is heavier, the cost will be higher and vice versa. Try to pack cargo tightly to take up less space. You can use groupage services to reduce the fee and cut the costs of shipping to Europe. Make sure to remember that if you don’t have enough cargo for a full load.

The distance

Also very logical situation. The more miles your stuff have to cross, the more money will you have to set aside for that. Unfortunately, if we are talking about the same destination – Europe, the costs with different companies will be similar.

The route

If the destination is more common, the prices will be lower, due to the higher competition. In that case, Europe is a pretty common market for sending shipments, so it will go on your hand. On the other hand, if your final destination is some of the less common states, the costs of shipping to Europe will go up.

The method of transportation

This is one of the biggest parts of shipment costs. If you want your cargo to travel the fastest, you will go with shipping by air. Unfortunately, this is also the most expensive method. That is why you should consider shipping by sea, as the cheapest option. You could hire some of the professional sea freight forwarders to optimize your costs. That way, your goods will be transported safely, although for a bit longer period of time. But, hey, that is a great way to cut the costs of shipping to Europe if there is no urgency. Have in mind that whatever method of transportation you choose, most likely the trucks will be the ones to carry your cargo to and from the main shipping place. So those are the costs to calculate, too.

Moving insurance

The insurance is always a good idea. It is an even better idea if your cargo is precious. Especially if you are moving from Japan, so your cargo needs to go across the sea. Many moving companies include insurance in their offers, although not all of them. Nevertheless, make sure to check what the insurance covers and what it doesn’t. It is preferable to obtain insurance from the third side. In the case of disaster, you may not cut the costs of shipping to Europe, but you will want to have a policy that covers the full value of the loss.

Storage costs

When the shipment goes that far, like in the case from Japan to Europe, it can be difficult to coordinate moving dates to the shipping dates that international shipping companies use. That is why you may have to pay for storage as well as transportation costs. Sometimes companies use a warehouse in Japan to store the cargo until they prepare all the papers. Or in the case of waiting for the container to be filled up. In other cases, companies use storages on the final destination. Try to avoid that if you can, so you could cut the costs of shipping to Europe.

Customs duty charges and Taxes

You shouldn’t forget the cost of customs duties, especially in overseas moving. Most often custom charges and duty are charged based on the value of the cargo. That is why it can be difficult to cut the costs of shipping to Europe for the same goods. The cost may also vary depending on the country you are shipping to, due to the different laws countries have.