Evaluating an International Mover

It is time to get the ball rolling on your international move! You have gone through your pre-planning and it is time to start gathering quotes from international movers. Whether directly submitting a quote request on a few companies’ websites or submitting to a lead source website that will send out your to request multiple companies for you, the end result is most likely the same…INFORMATION OVERLOAD!

The Internet is open to everyone and a powerful tool that has connected our world and allowed us to exchange information in unimaginable ways. Anyone can post reviews, blogs, opinions, and even create websites of their own. Unfortunately, we do not always know who that “anyone” might be on the other side of the screen. They could be a fellow consumer like you…or they could be a company’s competitor spreading false information.

How do you tell the “good guys” from the “bad guys” with all these conflicting reports and reviews and questions on the validity of the source?

Do not despair! By being a little proactive and not relying on the Internet to feed you all of your information, you can do a little investigation and have a much better idea of the company with whom you are dealing.

How long has the company been in business? Generally if a company has been in business for 5 years or more, they have gained the knowledge, experience and network to handle your move properly.

Does the company own their own facilities? Companies that own their own warehouses, offices, etc. maintain much better control over the handling and quality of your shipment. It should also be a comfort to you that this company does not intend on going any where any time soon and is in business for the long haul. You can not obtain this same feeling from a broker in a leased, high rise office space.

What associations/affiliations does the company maintain? There are many recognized industry associations and certifications for International Moving companies: AMSA (American Moving and Storage Association), IAM (International Association of Movers), FIDI/FAIM, OMNI, RIM (Registered International Mover). These organizations require their members to meet industry standards, provide training and certification of their staff, and, if applicable, maintain their equipment and facilities to industry standards.

Is the company licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission? If a company is not licensed by the FMC, they are NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO HANDLE TRANSPORT OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENT. Any FMC licensed company posts a substantial bond with the FMC and agrees to abide by the Shipping Act of 1984. This is for your safety! Licensed companies are listed on the FMC’s website. Most will also provide you with a copy of their license on request.

Is the company accredited by the Better Business Bureau? Better Business Bureau accreditation is important, but remember to do more than glance at the letter grade and number of complaints! While a quality business will strive to offer the very best in customer service at all times, unfortunately, as the saying goes, “You can’t please everyone all the time”. Customer complaints are inevitable and as the volume of customers increases, so will the number of those inevitable complaints. Don’t believe it? Perform a search on some big, brand name companies and see the number of complaints filed. Instead of focusing on a letter or number, try to look for things like how quickly the complaints were addressed and how many of the complaints were closed. These are good indicators of the level of care and attention a company has when they deal with an issue, whether it be good or bad.

Choosing your international mover is an important decision! Do not put the power of this choice in the hands of some anonymous poster floating around in cyberspace! Take the time to do a little investigation on a company and you will sleep easier knowing you made the right choice.

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International Move Cost Per Volume or Weight?

There are several factors that can influence the cost of your international move. To be able to negotiate for the best rates from international movers, its best, you as the customer, understand the variables of cost per volume and cost per weight.

The quote for shipping household goods and personal effects from the USA overseas is calculated according to the volume of your shipment with a rate per Cubic Foot (CFT). The bigger the Volume of your shipment, meaning the more CFT you intend to ship, the higher will be your cost.

In addition, the Weight of your shipment may also affect your final cost. Your shipment will be weighed and its Density calculated to detrmine the cost. Density is defined as the Weight of your shipment in pounds (LBS) divided by the Volume of your shipment in CFT.

The higher the Density Limit your International Mover allows; the heavier the shipment your International Mover will accept, before charging you per Weight instead of per Volume.

Density Limits vary from one International Mover to another, usually from 5 LBS per CFT on the low side to 7 LBS per CFT on the high side.

If you ship normal household goods and personal effects, your shipment Density should be below 6 LBS per CFT.

If you decide to ship only your books and your private gym, including all the weights (a very bad idea), your shipment Density is going to exceed 7 LBS per CFT and your shipment cannot be considered normal household goods and personal effects.

You can ship all the contents of your home such as bed room suites, living room furniture, dining room set, clothing, kitchen wares and appliances like your refrigerator, stove (heavy items) etc… and you will average about 6 LBS per CFT or less.

The Density limit protects International Movers from losing money when executing moves consisting only of items which are far heavier than normal household goods and personal effects.

Your International Mover has to enforce the Density limit because his costs for some portions of the International Move are per weight and not per volume.

The cost of the Pick Up from your home in the USA are sometimes paid according to a US $ rate per 100 LBS and sometimes according to a US $ rate per CFT, depending on the International Mover or the Pick Up Agent (PUA) executing the pick up.

If your shipment is a Less than Container load (LCL) shipment, it has to be transported to the Consolidation Warehouse were it will join other LCL shipments and be loaded into one consolidation container.

The cost of Trucking LCL shipments are nearly always per weight and not per volume
If the trucker’s weight report shows that the Density is higher than the Density Limit, an Equivalent Volume will be established and you will be charged according to this Equivalent Volume.

The Equivalent Volume in CFT is calculated by dividing the shipment’s weight in LBS by the Density Limit.

The higher the Density Limit the lower the Equivalent Volume will be, and accordingly your additional charge will be less.

Most of the International Movers allow a Density Limit of 7 LBS per CFT.

Many of the Destination Agents (DSA) in your future country charge per weight, giving a US$ or local currency rate per 100 LBS.

Ocean Freight, the cost raised by the ship line and their agents, is the only charge which is always calculated by volume when shipping household goods and personal effects.

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