Freight can be frightening
The tradeshow floor is a bustling place during the show for the exhibitor, but at the close of the show when the excitement dies down there are a few things that the exhibitor needs to have taken care of before they leave the show floor. Most importantly, Freight!
I recently rented some small exhibit properties to a customer exhibiting locally. They picked up the freight from our warehouse and took it to the exhibit hall, set it up, and when they were finished slapped the provided labels on the cases and then left. This sounds like it would have worked except for one thing, they did not turn in a bill of lading to the show! The show management companies require a bill of lading from the client in order for anyone to pick up and ship out show materials. This often gets overlooked by exhibitors with smaller properties who assume FedEx is going to pick up their cases from their booth space. For the most part, FedEx or UPS are not allowed on the show floor, and does not have the capabilities to have a driver wait in line to be loaded with your freight. So unless you plan on taking your exhibit cases to a FedEx drop off, they will remain at your booth space and at the end of the show be FORCED off the floor. This results in what is know as FORCED FREIGHT. Exactly what happen to my client.
Forced Freight is when a carrier does not check in on time, there is no bill of lading, or the cases are labeled with a carrier who is not allowed to pick them up from the show floor. The freight is then routed, or FORCED to the carrier being used by the show. The rates for FORCED freight are much higher than normal, and they will not release your freight, or deliver it until the bill is paid in full. This can screw up timelines as well as cost the exhibitor money, and the exhibitor can even have his exhibit wind up in another state if that is where the freight companies facility is.
In this case the freight did not end up in another state, but the freight bill was over 3 times what it would have normally been, and the properties were not received back at the warehouse for 3 weeks after the show. Avoid this at your next show, by simply asking for a bill of lading from your exhibiting company who can arrange the freight for you, or by asking for a blank bill of lading from the show and filling it out yourself. A few extra minutes on the show floor may save you a ton of money 3 weeks later.
I mention this all the time when it comes to exhibiting, but it needs repeating…it’s all about the details!
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