Partnering with an ocean freight forwarder can make international shipping much easier, but it’s not a hands-off process. Many businesses—especially ecommerce brands—run into avoidable issues simply because they don’t fully understand what’s involved.
From providing incomplete cargo information to misunderstanding key shipping terms, small mistakes can lead to delays, extra fees, or even lost shipments. Below, we cover the top mistakes companies make when working with an ocean freight forwarder and how to avoid them.
One of the most common mistakes is giving your freight forwarder incorrect information about:
If these details don’t match the actual shipment, it can cause:
For example, ecommerce brands working with top ecommerce fulfillment companies might overlook accurate package sizes when shipping bulk goods to a local warehouse for ecommerce storage.
An ocean freight forwarder relies on accurate, up-to-date information from the shipper. Late changes or vague instructions can lead to serious confusion.
Some common examples:
This is especially important when coordinating with fulfillment companies for ecommerce or Amazon FBA freight forwarder services, where precise timing matters for inventory management.