Ground Shipping in Freight Forwarding and How Does it Work?

Shipping refers to the movement of goods and products from one location to the next. The shipping process comes after the manufacturing and packaging processes for goods are completed. Ground shipping is a method of shipping goods, wherein they are shipped by ground, via the road or rail network as opposed to via air or sea. It is one of the more streamlined ways of getting goods and services in the hands of clients on time.

Importance of Ground Shipping

The shipping and delivery processes are central to the freight forwarding operation. The core concept is fairly simple; this form of shipping has goods travelling via the ground network; via roadways or railways. It is usually the most cost-efficient method of shipping goods domestically. Ground shipping is vital even when not being used as the primary method of shipping goods in a supply chain. For example, an international package could arrive at a port or warehouse, after which ground shipping is essential to get it to its final destination inland.

As we know, upwards of 50% of logistics/operational expenses are incurred due to transportation charges. As is the case with any retailer, they will want their margin of profit to be as high as possible. In order to do this, a retailer requires a reliable and cost-efficient way to ship goods, i.e., ground shipping. Cost effectiveness is a big advantage ground shipping possesses over other methods of shipping goods.

Advantages of Ground Shipping

The shipping and delivery processes are central to the freight forwarding operation. The core concept is fairly simple; this form of shipping has goods travelling via the ground network; via roadways or railways. It is usually the most cost-efficient method of shipping goods domestically. Ground shipping is vital even when not being used as the primary method of shipping goods in a supply chain. For example, an international package could arrive at a port or warehouse, after which ground shipping is essential to get it to its final destination inland.

As we know, upwards of 50% of logistics/operational expenses are incurred due to transportation charges. As is the case with any retailer, they will want their margin of profit to be as high as possible. In order to do this, a retailer requires a reliable and cost-efficient way to ship goods, i.e., ground shipping. Cost effectiveness is a big advantage ground shipping possesses over other methods of shipping goods.

Zero Size and Dimensions Constraints

Goods or items of any size can be shipped via ground shipping. Provided the goods being shipped are not illegal or banned in the country, this method of shipping can be used to ship any good of any size. Whether it is something as large as a car or as tiny as a page of stamps, ground shipping is viable in every situation. There are also no constraints when it comes to dimensions of an item; ground shipping will ship anything, regardless of its length, width, height, and weight. Other methods of shipping (sea, air) cannot guarantee the same.

Minimal Delay

Ground shipping is not particularly affected by the elements and weather (unless a calamitous natural disaster suddenly occurs), unlike shipping by sea or air. Therefore, retailers can trust this mode of transportation to be on-time with minimal delays to be expected during a routine shipment.

Shipment Tracking

As mentioned, ground shipments being late is a rare occurrence. As freight delivery truckers are 
quite experienced, they can anticipate in advance how long a particular journey would take by 
road. They are reliable to the point where most shipping companies provide the option to track 
your package in real time with minute-by-minute updates. The shipment tracking facility offered 
by road or rail shipping gives it an advantage over other means, as a client can see where their 
package is throughout the journey.  

Ground Shipping Compared to Air Shipping

The basic difference between the two is that ground shipping is via land, and air shipping is via air, as their names suggest. The key difference is ground shipping works well domestically, while air shipping is typically used for international shipments. Air shipping may be much faster, but that speed comes at a premium price.

Ground Shipping Compared to Normal Shipping 

Ground shipping and normal shipping are synonymous with each other, to the point where they 
are used interchangeably. Ground shipping, and by extension, standard shipping is typically the 
most cost-efficient mode of transportation.