Your Freight Quote Is Incomplete

5 questions to ask your freight forwarder this week. 1. Is the rate based on current market conditions or when we last contracted? Make them answer with a date. 2. What has happened to this lane in the last 6 months? If they cannot tell you, they're not paying attention to your business. 3. What would my rate be if I committed to annual volume today? Volume commitments unlock better rates. Know if you qualify. 4. Do I have a backup carrier on this lane? One carrier relationship is a single point of failure. Know your options. 5. What surcharges are built into this rate and which ones are variable? Fuel surcharges, security surcharges, port congestion fees— this can be negotiated or capped. You do not need a logistics degree to ask these questions. You need 20 minutes on the phone. The broker who cannot answer these questions is not the right broker for a brand at your stage. Tomorrow, the $34K case study.