B2B Shipping – The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Shipping Partner

India's B2B shipping market is massive, crossing ₹200 billion. But as per stats, 67% of Indian SMEs struggle to expand beyond their home region/states, mainly because of logistical challenges.

So, choosing a B2B shipping partner is a way to get your business to every region of the country. This can 10x your products' reach to end users with minimal additional cost.

Most business owners are always tempted by low-cost shipping quotes, but it is not a safe way to make profits. If you cheap out on B2B shipping partners, then it causes more harm than good. This may lead to improper tracking, late deliveries, damaged goods, hidden charges, and ultimately, a loss of customer satisfaction.

Thus, choosing the wrong shipping partner can limit your growth. So, this post will guide you on what B2B shipping services you need, and the best way to choose a shipping partner.

What is B2B Shipping?

When a product is packed and shipped to businesses (not individual customers), it is called B2B (business-to-business) shipping.

The main highlighting feature is that they deal with large orders and bulk shipments from one specific pickup and destination point.

What makes B2B shipping different from B2C Shipping?

• Bulk orders: Mainly served by full-truck loads (FTL) for large orders and PTL transport for smaller orders.
• Scheduled deliveries: Shipments follow set timetables.
• Planning: Require advance planning as per future requirements.
• Times: Deliveries might be faster compared to part load transport, as they require consolidation.
• Business addresses: Transportation to warehouses or commercial shots, not homes.
• Logistics services: Fewer stops, nearly no consolidation for full-truck-load, and coordination between businesses.

Different Types Of B2B Shipping Services

Based on your business needs and shipment size, B2B shipping is categorized into six services. Each of them is designed to serve specific businesses. So, choose accordingly.

1. B2B Parcel Carriers

They are designed to handle small packages and documents. Ideal for shipments weighing under 150 pounds (~68Kg).

Almost all transport companies offer this service; notable examples include FedEx, AAJ Swift, DHL, and SafeExpress.

Best for bulk shipment of documents, samples, small electronics, and other items.

Delivery Services: Standard (3-5 days), Express (1-2 days), and occasionally, Overnight deliveries for urgent items.

2. Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping

LTL shipments consolidate multiple business shipments into a single truck/container. If your business doesn't require a full truck capacity, you can opt for LTL freight shipping and share the shipping cost.

This decreases the shipping cost by 3x to 4x based on your shipment size and volumetric weight. Here are all the metrics on which you're charged for:

• Actual weight (weight per cubic foot)
• Volumetric weight (how much space it takes in the container, calculated by the dimensions of the shipment)
• Handling and Consolidation (multiple handling and consolidation hubs)
• Destination Routes: Shipments to major routes usually take less time and have lower shipping costs.

Ideal for businesses that ship regularly but lack sufficient volume to fill a truck.

3. Full Truckload (FTL) Shipping

If a business either (a) has items to fill an entire truck, or (b) doesn't want to ship their goods with other goods (time-sensitive, fragile, or hazardous material).

This is the most cost-effective commercial shipping solution, as the cost per kg/item is significantly lower when shipping in bulk.

Some key highlighters are:

• Faster transit with no extra stops (1-3 days)
• Minimum handling
• No consolidation with other goods.

Best for: Big restocks, time-sensitive deliveries, fragile and wooden items, hazardous materials (as they require special permits).

4. Air Freight

Air freight shipping is the fastest way to ship both nationally and internationally. Planes can deliver across continents in just a few days.

Because they are the fastest and the plane's fueling cost is high with limited space, their shipping charges are the highest among all. 

Best for: High-value items, time-sensitive deliveries, urgent shipments

5. Ocean Freight

Most of the international shipments that are not urgent are shipped via ocean. They have huge ships with huge container load capacity. This tremendously decreases the per-unit container cost.

Major drawbacks: Took 2 to 6 weeks. So, you need to plan in advance.

Best for: Raw materials, heavy machinery, crude oils, and ores.

6. Specialized Services

Specialized services cover shipments that need extra care or equipment. The following are some specialized services:

• Temperature-controlled shipping: Refrigerated trucks and containers for medicines, food, dairy products, and chemicals.
• White glove delivery: For lifesavers, expensive equipment, and fragile items.
• Hazardous materials shipping: For chemicals, Li-ion batteries, and other hazardous materials.
• Oversized freight: For carrying giant machinery and equipment.

Key Factors To Consider When Choosing A B2B Shipping Provider

Cost should not be the primary factor when picking the best B2B shipping provider for your business. These are the following important pointers you must consider.

1. Service Reliability and Performance: Go through their past track records and their on-time delivery rates. So, look for providers with a solid track record and high reviews/ratings in on-time deliveries.

2. Coverage Area: You must look for their expertise in dealing with local delivery, especially if they must offer Pan-India reach or not. If your business deals internationally, make sure they offer freight forwarding overseas services.

3. Specialization: If you need special handling, such as fragile, oversized, or temperature-sensitive shipments, make sure they can do it.

4. Technology and Integration: They make shipping smoother and hassle-free. A best B2B shipping partner must offer:

• Real-time shipment tracking
• Easy integration with your systems (using API calls)
• Electronic proof of delivery
• Mobile apps and online dashboards.

5. Transparency in Pricing Structure: Always ask for a well-documented and transparent breakdown of all possible fees. Always go with B2B shipping partners that have clear and upfront contracts without any shady hidden fees.

6. Customer Service and Claims Process: Check their customer response time, and if they provide a dedicated account manager, then your life becomes way easier in dealing with unnecessary delays and claims.

7. Test Shipment: At first, try out a new shipping provider with smaller shipments and, based on their performance, choose them for long-term services.

Common B2B Shipping Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

B2B shipments are usually in bulk, and even a small mistake can easily eat into your profits. So, here are some mistakes you should avoid when doing B2B shipping:

1. Wrong packaging choices: Must choose a B2B shipper that knows how to pack your products with the smallest possible dimensions safely. For fragile items, ensure they are accompanied by a "FRAGILE" or "Handle with care" poster and are packed securely.

2. Manual shipping: It is not only outdated but also creates unnecessary headaches. There are too many variables where shipping details can be mismatches (filling out forms by hand or copying an address). Make sure they use printed and automated labelling barcode systems.

3. Verify Address Before Shipping: Incorrect or incomplete addresses are the primary cause of delivery failures. So, double-check address details, such as incorrect pin codes or missing warehouse numbers, before you hit shipping.

4. Weight and Volumetric measurement: Don't guess anything; use a ruler and actual weight matched to measure dimensions and weight. Even a small change in these values can lead to extra charges later.

5. Checklist your Shipping Documents: For smoother transportation and clearing customs, make sure you provide all sorts of paperwork and tax documents along with the actual cost of items.

6. Unclear Return Policies: For a smoother return process, discuss your return policy with your B2B shipping providers. Always try to choose a partner who can also handle returns.

We hope you find all the necessary information to help you select the best B2B shipping partner for your business.

It is not a five-minute job to finalize the right shipping partner. So, dig deep and check their reviews and experience. If possible, test your shipping partner with a small shipment.

You can also request a quote from AAJ Swift for your B2B shipping, and we also provide a dedicated account manager to serve you better than the competition.