If your air freight to middle east hasn’t arrived after half a month, you probably chose an unreliable forwarder. A bad forwarder can ruin even the best salesperson. As someone who has worked in freight forwarding for 27 years, I can tell you – remember these tips when choosing a forwarder, and no one can cheat you.

1. They must have direct booking ability and resources.

Check if the forwarder has a deep partnership with airlines and can really get pallet spaces directly from them. If you go to the market, 10 out of 10 forwarders will say they are the “first-hand” agent. But the real ones are just a few – you can count them on your fingers.

So make sure you verify. Don’t just listen to what they say. Take our company as an example. We buy 20 pallet spaces every week from two major airlines. Other decent forwarders only have 2 or 3 per week. We have 10 times their capacity. Only forwarders like us are the true first-hand agents for air freight to middle east.

2. They must respond to quotes quickly and get you good prices.

But this is not something any forwarder can just claim. The key thing to look at is the volume of air freight to middle east they ship. Generally, forwarders with large shipping volumes have bulk advantages and can lower the price.

3. They must track your cargo at all times.

It’s best if they have their own shipping system so you can see the freight info instantly. All these points show the forwarder’s real strength.

4. They must know all customs import/export policies well.

They should answer any shipping condition questions smoothly. Look at how experienced the forwarder is. The cost of a beginner’s mistakes should never be paid by the shipper. Reading a thousand books is not as good as traveling a thousand miles. Experienced forwarders have mature operations and are much better at handling emergencies.

5. Don’t fully trust what a forwarder says.

You can listen, but don’t believe everything. If possible, go visit their office. See the scale and structure of the company. Check their team’s professionalism and problem-solving skills. Take our company – we actively invite customers to come visit us. Because our strength gives us that confidence. We have nearly 100 employees and own the entire 8th floor, Block B, Rongde Times Square, Longgang District, Shenzhen, paid in full. We are already in the top 5% of the industry.

Don’t just look for the cheapest forwarder. Some bad forwarders use low prices to grab your business, then add all kinds of hidden fees. In the end, you might lose your goods and your money. A reliable forwarder is really important.