With gas prices at record highs, Buyers cringe every time shipping invoices, reeking of fuel surcharges, arrive on their desks.
What can be done?
The old standby of comparison shopping (and maybe an RFP) would definitely be in order.
It's a truism in Purchasing that we often overlook: The longer we have been with a specific supplier since the commodity/service has been bid, the more likely we are paying too high a price for the commodity/service. Sometimes, it's just easier to maintain a vendor current relationship than to go through the time-consuming RFP process and resulting painful change process if a new vendor wins the business.
However, with shipping prices what they are these days, there is no time like present to look into this service on some level.
If you don't have the time or resources to devote to a full RFP, there are third party services with a range of services, everything from providing software to help you compare quotes online to actually managing the shipping process.
Here are some resources to get you started in your research:
FreightQuote - easy to maneuver site that allows for quick comparisons
Unishippers - has local offices and reps to manage your entire freight program
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