Carrier Question - importing pallet

[Lord Tyrion]

We export a great deal of our products but we import certain raw materials, some from Germany. I am arranging the importation of 1 pallet from Germany and as per usual I asked a few carriers for quotes. One came back at £65, pretty darned cheap. I double checked, at which point cue embarrassment as that was a price for me shipping the pallet to the site in Germany, not the other way around. The import price was £135, the same as I have been quoted before for this shipment. The carrier company were not scamming me, this seems to be the rate, but why does it cost £65 for the pallet to go one way and £135 for it to do the same journey in reverse? That does not make sense to me.

I have asked carriers before why this is the case but they just shrug and say, that's how it is. Can anyone here advise why it costs more to bring the exact same pallet into the country rather than ship it out of the country? Same journey, same carriers involved, different direction.

 

[scottbrown]

We find the same in our industry.

As a country we import far more than we export, hauliers charge extra for the import to cover the empty running while returning to Europe, hence export is cheaper due to there being an excess of empty space.

Supply and demand unfortunately.

 

[SocketRocket]

We find the same in our industry.

As a country we import far more than we export, hauliers charge extra for the import to cover the empty running while returning to Europe, hence export is cheaper due to there being an excess of empty space.

Supply and demand unfortunately.

Surely the empty running is the same whichever way the goods are being transported.

 

[Fish]

1 reason maybe that's it's just done as a declared UK pallet rate & weight 1 way and cubed the other way. It Can make a big difference especially if it's light but large and not stackable, some companies are more stringent with this than others, especially European shippers.

 

[scottbrown]

Surely the empty running is the same whichever way the goods are being transported.

Correct - in theory.
However there is no empty running into the UK as space is usually full. But as we export a lot less than we import, the vehicles have to get back to the continent to reload. This is often done empty and so any rate is better than no rate to get back over the water hence better deals on exporting to the continent compared to importing from it.

And so to cover the risk that there will be no return loads, rates are also inflated inbound to the uk to cover the fact that they may have to return carrying only glider fuel.

 

[Liverbirdie]

See if local transport companies, or the likes of palletline will do it as a return load, as long as you give them a 5-8 day window.

Or ask the German company to get a quote from their end, using their own account.

As Fish said, maybe keep the sizes down as if its a low weight (but large dimensions), they may charge you "volumetrically", so a 100 kilo pallet may get charged at the same as 175 kilos, although most road freight companies just have a pallet rate.

 

[irip]

Its fairly simple.

When a courier is bringing something into the country they are very likely to have other goods to bring in so can charge less.

When a courier is delivering something from this country they are less likely to have other goods leaving the country so charge more.

Its all about supply and demand

 

[Crazyface]

Happy with this or would you like me to get in touch with a mate in the business?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

CF - The comments are fairly consistent and make sense, which is what I was looking for. I have had quotes from Germany and the charges there are higher. I just had not expected the difference between the two ways to be so large which is why I posed the question. Thanks all.

 

[Crazyface]

No worries !