Saving on shipping costs

Ridgerunner

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Does anyone have any suggestions for this? My trophies will be shipped in the not too distant future and I’d like to make sure I’m not getting gouged. They will be coming from the eastern cape, it shouldn’t be too large of a crate as they are all euro mounts and a couple of skins.
 
Best advice: Get three quotes (estimates) from reputable competitors. The best will be able to estimate the volumetric weight from the list you give them and that should keep the shock factor down to a dull roar.

You are now past the actual point of making any true savings.
Stopping right after this was taken would be the best savings on trophy shipments.

220399-205ea3c622f95cdb645b7c644f49a7b4.jpg
 
Prepare to get skinned. As an importer and once African hunter told me. They have your money, they have your trophies and you'll pay what they tell you to pay.
 
Coppersmith.
 
I used Coppersmith last year and they were fine. I got gouged by the Feds. They let my shipment set for a week before showing up to do there required entry inspection. The cost of storage was an additional $500 bucks that Coppersmith just added to there bill. They claimed it’s a common problem out of there control. So be ready for a larger bill then they quoted
 
Let me add that it was an airport storage charge by the day and Coppersmith can’t take position until the Feds due there inspection
 
I used Coppersmith last year and they were fine. I got gouged by the Feds. They let my shipment set for a week before showing up to do there required entry inspection. The cost of storage was an additional $500 bucks that Coppersmith just added to there bill. They claimed it’s a common problem out of there control. So be ready for a larger bill then they quoted
Was that F&W and if so, what location? Just curious as I have never waited more than two days for Atlanta to check the shipment and get it on it's way to where I could clear customs.
 
Prepare to get skinned. As an importer and once African hunter told me. They have your money, they have your trophies and you'll pay what they tell you to pay.

I have a number of shipping bills sitting around my house and all I can say is I have paid give or take the same amount for each shipment whether it was large or small. It makes me really bitter how hard I work and to be skimmed every time it goes to the next person. Apparently 5 minutes of work entitles someone to add $300 to $500 it is touched.....I guess I must be made of money.

I will say the last 2 taxidermist I worked with did really great work and packed it with care in a wood crate! They were odd trophies and difficult mounts to pack in a box for the travel.

Pictures are priceless to say the least...………...
 
I have my trophies dipped and packed in Africa at Karoo Taxidermists. I visited their plant a couple years ago and they have a very nice setup. They are reasonable and dip and pack save a lot on weight and volume. They seem to ship faster in a smaller crate. Plus I have control of my mounts by doing them here at home.
 
Was that F&W and if so, what location? Just curious as I have never waited more than two days for Atlanta to check the shipment and get it on it's way to where I could clear customs.

Sorry I just saw this question. Yes it was F&W location was Houston TX
 
Best advice: Get three quotes (estimates) from reputable competitors. The best will be able to estimate the volumetric weight from the list you give them and that should keep the shock factor down to a dull roar.

I absolutely concur.... Dip & pack, shipment costs, and trophy care in general are extremely important aspects in planning a safari that are often overlooked or simply taken for granted by the safari client. I highly recommend prospective safari clients to ask question in regard to trophy care & shipment as part of the vetting process of their outfitter of choice. Most African taxidermists and dip & pack facilities have a several different shipping/logistics companies that they can use. They may prefer or recommend one over another, but it is important for the client to know that you have choices here. You are not obligated to use the only the shipper that your dip & pack company recommends.

Furthermore, any dip & packer worth their salt (pun intended), will do their best to pack your trophies using the crate space as efficiently as possible. They should also be able to give you a reasonable estimate of the final packing and shipping costs before the invoice is due. Some companies are hesitant to do this because there is no way of knowing the exact volumetric weight until your crate is packed, weighed, and sitting on the loading dock. Regardless, any reputable company should be able to give you a "reasonable" estimate based on recent shipments of similar volumetric weight.

I used Coppersmith last year and they were fine. I got gouged by the Feds. They let my shipment set for a week before showing up to do there required entry inspection. The cost of storage was an additional $500 bucks that Coppersmith just added to there bill. They claimed it’s a common problem out of there control. So be ready for a larger bill then they quoted

@Rock375 , do you know what air carrier Coppersmith used? This is a definitely a potential problem.... I dealt with this same exact issue last May when I received my trophies in Miami. The air carrier selected by the logistics company was Turkish Airways because they had the best air freight rates at the time. The cost quoted for the actual shipping seemed quite reasonable, so I had no issue at the time of shipment. Once my trophies were cleared, my import agent presented me with a final invoice with an additional charge of $600 from Turkish Airways for a 10 day airport storage fee. Needless to say I was livid!

I was also told by my agent in Miami that they have no control over when the various state and federal inspection agencies get around to their specific parts of the clearing process. My agent claims that they file the paperwork to initiate the clearing process upon arrival of the crate, but they have no control over when the actual appointment will be scheduled. A big part of this potential problem could also be luck of the draw in regard to the specific port of entry and the particular agents assigned to your inspections. So, I am not sure what, if anything can truly be done to avoid this in the future. This was my 6th trophy shipment from RSA in 13 years, and the first time my trophies were held up in Miami for clearing. The only distinct difference in this last shipment was Turkish Airways. Delta had been the carrier used in my 5 previous shipments. According to the shipper, Delta is much more expensive and has a backlog of 3-5 months on freight shipments out of RSA.

For what it was worth, I blasted the logistics company for using an air carrier that is charging storage fees for a time issue that the client has no control over. My clearing agent and the logistics company were both sympathetic to my outrage over this, and both offered modest refunds on part of their charges as a gesture of good faith....Turkish Airways told me to pound salt... They stated that their policies and fees are clearly provided to all customers commercial and private, and that they too have no control over how long a shipment will remain in quarantine for inspection. I'm quite certain Turkish Airways is not the only airline that charges storage fees, so this is something everyone needs to be aware of and prepared for....
 
Hi Ridgerunner,

We are a licensed customs broker and freight forwarder dedicated to hunting trophies. We are based out of Chicago but can bring your trophies in to any US Fish and Wildlife port of entry. We would be glad to help provide a quote for shipment for you and help save you some money! Congrats on your successful hunt!

If you have any questions or would like a quote please feel free to give me a call at any time!

-Tom
 
@TROPHY SHIPPERS ,

Can you comment or offer more details in regard to the storage charges from the air carrier that may be incurred during any delays in the clearing process? Can anything be done from the side of the shipper/agent to avoid this? Thanks very much.
 
I absolutely concur.... Dip & pack, shipment costs, and trophy care in general are extremely important aspects in planning a safari that are often overlooked or simply taken for granted by the safari client. I highly recommend prospective safari clients to ask question in regard to trophy care & shipment as part of the vetting process of their outfitter of choice. Most African taxidermists and dip & pack facilities have a several different shipping/logistics companies that they can use. They may prefer or recommend one over another, but it is important for the client to know that you have choices here. You are not obligated to use the only the shipper that your dip & pack company recommends.

Furthermore, any dip & packer worth their salt (pun intended), will do their best to pack your trophies using the crate space as efficiently as possible. They should also be able to give you a reasonable estimate of the final packing and shipping costs before the invoice is due. Some companies are hesitant to do this because there is no way of knowing the exact volumetric weight until your crate is packed, weighed, and sitting on the loading dock. Regardless, any reputable company should be able to give you a "reasonable" estimate based on recent shipments of similar volumetric weight.



@Rock375 , do you know what air carrier Coppersmith used? This is a definitely a potential problem.... I dealt with this same exact issue last May when I received my trophies in Miami. The air carrier selected by the logistics company was Turkish Airways because they had the best air freight rates at the time. The cost quoted for the actual shipping seemed quite reasonable, so I had no issue at the time of shipment. Once my trophies were cleared, my import agent presented me with a final invoice with an additional charge of $600 from Turkish Airways for a 10 day airport storage fee. Needless to say I was livid!

I was also told by my agent in Miami that they have no control over when the various state and federal inspection agencies get around to their specific parts of the clearing process. My agent claims that they file the paperwork to initiate the clearing process upon arrival of the crate, but they have no control over when the actual appointment will be scheduled. A big part of this potential problem could also be luck of the draw in regard to the specific port of entry and the particular agents assigned to your inspections. So, I am not sure what, if anything can truly be done to avoid this in the future. This was my 6th trophy shipment from RSA in 13 years, and the first time my trophies were held up in Miami for clearing. The only distinct difference in this last shipment was Turkish Airways. Delta had been the carrier used in my 5 previous shipments. According to the shipper, Delta is much more expensive and has a backlog of 3-5 months on freight shipments out of RSA.

For what it was worth, I blasted the logistics company for using an air carrier that is charging storage fees for a time issue that the client has no control over. My clearing agent and the logistics company were both sympathetic to my outrage over this, and both offered modest refunds on part of their charges as a gesture of good faith....Turkish Airways told me to pound salt... They stated that their policies and fees are clearly provided to all customers commercial and private, and that they too have no control over how long a shipment will remain in quarantine for inspection. I'm quite certain Turkish Airways is not the only airline that charges storage fees, so this is something everyone needs to be aware of and prepared for....

I also got bent over a barrel due to "airline storage fees" at the tune of $900, and the airline was Turkish Airways for me as well. I was livid, but my import company said there was nothing they could do. My trophies went into Houston.

My wife's uncle had a shipment go into Dallas on the same airline at the same time, and he also had outrageous storage fees associated with his shipment. He's a little better with words than I am and was able to get the fees dropped.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This right here.

I wished that I could give more likes. One just isn't enough.
 
@TROPHY SHIPPERS ,

Can you comment or offer more details in regard to the storage charges from the air carrier that may be incurred during any delays in the clearing process? Can anything be done from the side of the shipper/agent to avoid this? Thanks very much.

Hi firehuntfish,

I cant speak to the stories of storage bills that were listed above because I dont know the circumstances of those shipments, but there are a few things that we can do ahead of time to help minimize the time that a shipment will wait for clearance.
-We will work with the taxidermist/dip&pack facility to ensure the correct information is on all paperwork needed for your shipment
-As soon as flight information is received we will file any and all clearances necessary here in the US and schedule the inspections needed.

Ensuring the correct and accurate paperwork is submitted the first time is the biggest step we preach to our customers. The rest is on us. We cannot guarantee there will not be storage charges but we can guarantee we will be on the phone daily pushing the governmental agencies to do their inspections as quickly as possible so we can get your animals to where they need to go. The relationships we have developed over the years with Agriculture and Fish and Wildlife allows us to have very close communication with them.
 
I cant comment on US imports, but out of SA, Turkish Airlines is known for bumping cargo (volumetric cargo especially) due to over commitment on perishables.

I'm not involved in the industry, but know a friend of a friend that knows the inner dealings there.

Avoid if you can IMO.
 

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