To ship freight, you must pack well. This means that you must make your item’s packaging (especially if it is a fragile item) virtually impenetrable, and that you must account for common handling methods (forklifts and warehouse trucks with various types of grabbing gear). Be sure to do all of the following:

• Wrap your item in plastic wrap from top to bottom to prevent it from getting caked in dirt, grease, and other warehouse filth.
  
  
• Strap it very solidly to a wooden forklift palette, available at most hardware and garden stores, since it will almost certainly be lifted by forklift from warehouse-to-truck and truck-to-truck (the use of a forklift on unpaletted goods is likely to seriously damage them).
  
  
• Protect the sides in thick styrofoam, reinforced cardboard, or even wooden crating if necessary, since it is also possible that your item will be grabbed by its sides using hydraulic lifting equipment and may thus be dented or crushed if it is unprotected.
  
  
• Strap to the outside padding, blankets, or other soft exterior coating that is difficult to remove or snag, especially for items with sensitive exteriors or finishes (i.e. furniture items).

The most important things to remember in all of this is that your package will be handled by large, industrial machines most of the time amidst many truck-to-truck shifts, and that it will be very difficult to collect compensation for items destroyed/damaged in shipment, since in most cases the onus in freight shipping is legally on you as a packager to ensure that your item(s) cannot be damaged by heavy warehouse equipment or riding or switching between large tractor-trailer trucks.

Note that in many cases freight shippers will refuse to accept items that they feel won’t survive the crush of the hydraulic lift or the arms of a forklift. If this is the case, don’t get angry—simply do a better job packing. They’re working to protect your item and transaction!

Making Your Shipment

To make an actual freight shipment, the easiest thing to do (albeit the most expensive) is simply to use one of the standard three carriers. All have freight services that will minimize the amount of headache for you as a seller and/or shipper. On the other hand, shipment via freight through one of the big three shippers can run very quickly into the many hundreds of dollars, so be prepared (and keep your buyer prepared) for a serious price tag.

If you want to save money on freight shipping, you can attempt to organize your own freight shipment through local trucking companies by specifying that you have an LTL load (supplying at the same time weight and dimensions) that you’d like to transport. Beware:packages sent this way are often entirely uninsured and unprotected—you are on the “pray plan,” praying that your item will ultimately reach its destination in one piece. In the end it may not be worth the cost savings!

If neither of these other options sounds appetizing to you, your final option is to use one of the many freight shipment brokers to organize your payment. These may be able to find for you an even better rate than you could get by attempting to work directly through trucking companies, and tend to maintain relationships only with those lines that don’t give them too much trouble—meaning that you’re likely to get better quality carriers through a broker as well. In the end, however, the situation is the same: be wary and cautious as a consumer. Pack your item well, ask a lot of questions, and be sure to ask for the insurance and licensure credentials for anyone that will be carrying or handling your shipment.

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