Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use a common carrier?
When your item weighs more than 150lbs., truck transportation is normally more economical then using a parcel service. If your shipment weighs more than 8,000 lbs, you may need to request a spot quote or truckload rate.
Standard procedure for common carriers involves a trucking company backing to our dock and the truck to be loaded by us. The carrier will then back up to the consignee’s dock to be unloaded by the consignee. This is standard procedure. Anything beyond this procedure may be considered accessorial, meaning there may be additional fees for any services provided above and beyond the “standard procedure.”
Are transit times guaranteed?
Transit times are guaranteed only if noted as such on the quote we return to you. All other transit times are reliable, but not guaranteed. Any guaranteed service normally carries an additional fee for the guaranteed service. All transit times do not include the day that the pick up is made from World Warehouse & Distribution.
Estimated weights or misclassified freight.
If an inaccurate weight or class is provided to World Warehouse & Distribution and the carrier re-weighs or re-classifies the goods, those costs will be passed on to the customer. Re-weighing or re-classification may delay the delivery of the goods.
What is the claims process?
Claims are handled directly between the shipper and World Warehouse & Distribution. All claims must be filed with World Warehouse & Distribution within 90 days of delivery. Always make your consignee aware that they should be as clear and concise as possible in noting specific damage on the delivery receipt. Any damages to the goods must be noted while the carrier representative is present. The carrier representative will note the damage at the time of delivery and notify his office of the damage and provide your client with a confirmation number that the goods have been reported as damaged.
What is concealed damage?
Concealed damage is classified as freight the does not show physical signs of damage on the outside of the shipping carton but is visible only after the goods have been removed from the outer shipping carton. At that point, you have only 15 days to notify the delivering carrier of the concealed damages in order to start any claim procedures.
How should I package my shipments?
Please package, crate or stack on pallets securely to prevent damage. When shipping mixed skids that will need to be broken down by World Warehouse & Distribution, please place all Air Freight packages on the top of the skids for easy access and quick processing. Please group packages going to the same address together so that sorting time is minimized, as we are working in a very short time frame in some cases and unloading two or three skids to find one carton can make the difference of whether your goods make the service required or not.
How do I determine my freight classification?
In order for World Warehouse & Distribution to provide you with the most accurate freight classification we require you provide us with the following.
- Description of goods
- Size of carton or skid they will be shipping on
- Accurate weight of individual cartons or skid
World Warehouse & Distribution does not accept any responsibility for misclassified freight due to misleading information provided by the shipper.
Do fees apply for residential service?
Yes, fees do apply for residential services and vary from carrier to carrier. When requesting a rate, please notify the World Warehouse & Distribution contact that you will be requiring residential delivery service so that they can accurately quote you. Any carrier delivering to a residence that is not notified prior to delivery will charge your customer the delivery fee or bill it to World Warehouse & Distribution. This not only adds to your shipping cost but may also delay delivery time.
Accessorial Fees
Standard procedure for LTL shipping includes a truck driver to back up to a dock to be loaded and unloaded, and transporting those goods between the shipper and consignee. Any service above and beyond this may incur additional charges. These fees are called accessorial fees. Examples of these fees are:
COD, Inside delivery, Liftgate service, Fuel surcharge, Residential delivery, Arrival notification, Insurance
What is Dimensional Weight?
Dimensional weight is a standard formula used in the freight industry that considers a package’s density when determining charges. Transportation charges are based on the gross weight of the shipment or the dimensional weight of the shipment, whichever is greater. To obtain the appropriate formulas used for specific carriers contact a World Warehouse & Distribution freight analyst and they can provide you with the correct formulas.
Are my rates guaranteed?
All quotes given by World Warehouse & Distribution will be given in writing. These quotes will be honored only when the information that has been supplied to World Warehouse & Distribution actually matches the shipment you provide. If you do not receive a written quotation from World Warehouse & Distribution, we consider this a freight estimate and not an actual freight quotation. Please, if you require a freight quotation and you have not received a written quotation either by email or fax, contact your freight analyst and request an email or faxed quotation.
Can I ship COD?
Yes, you can ship COD or Collect on Delivery shipments. We ask that you indicate the amount you would like to collect on the carton along with the accompanying paperwork. There are additional charges for COD shipments. These fees can be paid by the shipper or added to the amount of the COD you wish to collect. Contact World Warehouse & Distribution if you have further questions.
How do I determine an Oversize package?
Multiply the package length by the width by the height. For each measurement, round any fraction to the nearest whole number ( for example 1.00 to 1.49 will be considered 1, and 1.50 to 1.99 will be considered 2 ). The result is the cubic size.
UPS and FedEx Ground Shipments:
If the cubic size of the package is 5,184 or larger, divide the cubic size by 194 to determine dimemsional weight in pounds. If the cubic size is less then 5,184 use the actual weight of the package.
Air Shipments:
Divide the cubic size by 194 to determine dimensional weight in pounds. Increase any fraction to the next pound.