1. Origin and destination
Provide full pickup and delivery addresses when possible. A city or postal code is more useful than only a country.
2. Cargo description
Explain what the goods are, what they are made from, and their intended use. Identify dangerous, temperature-controlled, fragile, or high-value cargo.
3. Package details
Provide package count, dimensions of each package, gross weight, and whether pieces can be stacked. For sea freight, state whether you expect FCL or LCL.
4. Timing
Include the date cargo will be ready and the actual delivery deadline. This allows realistic routes to be compared.
5. Commercial terms
Share the invoice value, currency, and Incoterm. These clarify which transport stages the buyer and seller are responsible for.
6. Services required
State whether you need pickup, export handling, customs clearance, insurance, storage, special equipment, or final delivery.
Compare quotations fairly
Check the route, service scope, validity, currency, chargeable weight or volume, transit estimate, exclusions, free time, customs scope, and destination costs. Ask what can change after booking and which charges depend on third parties.
Primary resource
Do not wait for perfect information. Mark figures as approximate and send what you have; the team can identify what is still needed.