Trade Show Shipping Tip: Know Your Freight

Trade shows are happening all the time and are great opportunities to get your products in front of customers. That is…if your stuff survives the gauntlet of shipping and arrives intact. Anyone that has showed up to their booth and found their freight looking like a wood shop scrap yard, knows serious stress comes next. Making sure your booth and marketing material arrive in good condition is crucial for success. When you know your freight, know your show, and know your service, you’ll increase your chances for a great show.

What do I need to know?

As you can imagine, with so many exhibitors and vendors there is a lot of freight moved into a trade show. The last thing you want is your stuff ending up in the basement of a convention center. Although the show contractors must do their job moving freight inside the event hall, there are things you can do to make their job easier. First, make sure your freight is clearly labeled as yours. We have seen people spray paint their crates or use brightly colored stickers that show your company logo. Whatever you can do to make your stuff stand out, as you do not want your freight to be confused with someone else’s.

Also, if you are shipping multiple pieces, make sure you are clear on exactly how many to expect. With all the commotion of a show, you want to be sure everything is accounted for.

Note: If you are packaging your own freight, we recommend using a solid wooden crate, or something stronger to enclose your stuff. If you are putting things on pallets, make sure to shrink wrap everything tightly and securely. Try not to have anything hanging off the pallet. During shipping, your freight will typically be transferred between trucks and warehouses multiple times using a forklift. Therefore you need packaging that can withstand that type of handling to protect your stuff. Also, your contents will shift during transport, so remember to pack everything tightly and securely in your crate, adding packaging protection if needed. (If you need guidelines for building a good crate contact us, or we can build one for you.)