Should you be reading this article right now, there is a good chance that you are probably married to a Filipina or even a Filipino, and are all too familiar with the concept of balikbayan. Balikbayan means to go back to ones country and in simpler terms means to repatriate, and usually a Filipino or Filipina will send a balikbayan box to relatives at home in the Philippines. And if you are about to send one back to the Philippines, then you want to find the best forwarder around.
What the box will contain are miscellaneous goods ranging anywhere from small knick knacks to high ticket items like laptops and such. They basically contain gifts that cannot be bought in the Philippines or gifts that can be appreciated by the receiver. In general canned goods, toiletries and toys are what is usually sent in the box.
Do not begin your search unless you have a checklist on hand first. We make mistakes when we commit everything to memory and sometimes leave crucial details out. Managers to this day use checklists to keep track of things to aid in their decision, and there is no reason why you cannot use one as well in making yours.
The first step on your checklist is to get as much information on your prospective forwarder. Do ask around your neighbor and colleagues who may have also used a forwarding service recently or are consistently using one for tips and recommendations. If there are more than one service provider in the area, it is best that you ask for multiple opinions and recommendations.
When you do have a fairly sizeable list of forwarders, start comparing the prices for each one. Standard sized boxes usually marked as regular or medium in some companies, will have starting prices of about sixty dollars a piece for shipping. Extra large boxes or boxes bigger than regular sized will have starting prices of around seventy five dollars a piece.
Compare all providers against each other by the kind of services that they offer also on top of the price. Ask if they do pick up services at no extra cost or if you need to drop it off somewhere. Not all do provide pick up services, and usually most will not give this for free and there may be a small surcharge as well.
It is also wise to inquire how far their services extend throughout the Philippine archipelago, and if they will have service centers in all three of the major islands of Luzon, VIsayas, and Mindanao. It is better to have a provider that has a presence on each of these islands rather than just one of them for expediency and reliability.
In sum these are all the criteria you need to look at when choosing a forwarding service for your boxes. As such there are more things to look at also, but suffice to say the ones covered in this page are sufficient to get you started on the right track.
What the box will contain are miscellaneous goods ranging anywhere from small knick knacks to high ticket items like laptops and such. They basically contain gifts that cannot be bought in the Philippines or gifts that can be appreciated by the receiver. In general canned goods, toiletries and toys are what is usually sent in the box.
Do not begin your search unless you have a checklist on hand first. We make mistakes when we commit everything to memory and sometimes leave crucial details out. Managers to this day use checklists to keep track of things to aid in their decision, and there is no reason why you cannot use one as well in making yours.
The first step on your checklist is to get as much information on your prospective forwarder. Do ask around your neighbor and colleagues who may have also used a forwarding service recently or are consistently using one for tips and recommendations. If there are more than one service provider in the area, it is best that you ask for multiple opinions and recommendations.
When you do have a fairly sizeable list of forwarders, start comparing the prices for each one. Standard sized boxes usually marked as regular or medium in some companies, will have starting prices of about sixty dollars a piece for shipping. Extra large boxes or boxes bigger than regular sized will have starting prices of around seventy five dollars a piece.
Compare all providers against each other by the kind of services that they offer also on top of the price. Ask if they do pick up services at no extra cost or if you need to drop it off somewhere. Not all do provide pick up services, and usually most will not give this for free and there may be a small surcharge as well.
It is also wise to inquire how far their services extend throughout the Philippine archipelago, and if they will have service centers in all three of the major islands of Luzon, VIsayas, and Mindanao. It is better to have a provider that has a presence on each of these islands rather than just one of them for expediency and reliability.
In sum these are all the criteria you need to look at when choosing a forwarding service for your boxes. As such there are more things to look at also, but suffice to say the ones covered in this page are sufficient to get you started on the right track.
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Find details about the benefits of using balikbayan box shipping services and more info about a reliable freight company at http://www.solomonexpresscargo.com/about right now.
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