Mark each item as included, additional or awaiting confirmation. An unresolved item remains a budget uncertainty.
Set a common basis before requesting prices
Prepare one cargo sheet with the product, actual value, carton count, outer dimensions, gross weight, collection point and destination. Add the cargo ready date and the agreed sales term.
If the supplier is still packing, mark the figures as provisional. Ask how the quote would change when final measurements are available. This helps distinguish a change in cargo from a change in rates.
A checklist for the complete cost
Use these categories to review each proposal. Which items apply and who pays depend on the contract, goods and requested services.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Stage | Items to ask about | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Pickup, receiving, packaging or preparation, export documentation | Collection point and authorized work |
| International transport | Freight and applicable route surcharges | Billing unit, currency, validity and routing |
| Destination operations | Handling, deconsolidation or document release, as applicable | Included, additional or pending; who invoices it |
| Importing | Customs services and applicable duties or taxes | Responsible party and calculation basis to confirm |
| Delivery | Inland transport, appointment and access conditions | Address, postal code and delivery point |
| Receiving | Unloading, equipment and waiting, if applicable | Who supplies equipment and what is contracted |
| Exceptions | Storage, inspections, changes or redelivery, if they occur | Trigger for each charge and authorization process |
Check the basis of each charge
Record whether an item is charged per shipment, carton, kilogram, volume or container. Ask about minimums, rounding and adjustments. Add comparable amounts and identify the date and reference used for any currency conversion.
For a consolidated option, ask which grouping and separation operations the proposal covers. Maersk describes LCL as a shared-space option; the provider issuing your quote must confirm its actual items.
Separate cost, payment and responsibility
For each line, establish who contracts the work, receives the invoice and resolves a problem. The sales term helps allocate responsibilities, together with the agreed location and specific scope.
If a quote says “door to door”, ask how import formalities and unloading are treated. ICC Academy’s explanation of DAP and DDP shows why the same destination can involve different obligations.
Spot an incomplete comparison
Imagine two proposals for the same cartons. One covers freight to the port. The other adds destination operations and warehouse delivery but leaves taxes pending. This is a reading example without prices: complete the missing lines in both before choosing.
Avoid counting a charge twice when another item already includes it. Request a consolidated quote with exclusions, validity and conditions for changes.
Turn the budget into a decision
Calculate the packaged volume and send your cargo sheet with the stages you need. List any information still pending. That gives you a basis for requesting a proposal with clear inclusions and clearly identified open decisions.
Sources and scope
- Maersk · LCL shipping and consolidation ↗
- ICC Academy · Delivery responsibilities under DAP and DDP ↗
Sources consulted on 26 October 2026. Checklists and examples are planning guidance prepared by MX Pacific Express. Other operators’ processes illustrate concepts; the conditions for your cargo are confirmed separately.
Prepare your next step
Share the product, packaging, weight, origin and destination. Identify any information still pending so your inquiry can be reviewed with the right scope.
Request an itemized shipping quoteRoutes, availability and delivery conditions are confirmed in each quote.