FURNITURE SELLER’S DILEMMA: IN-HOME DELIVERY VS. LTL SHIPPING
Less-than-truckload freight boasts attractive rates, but at what cost?
“Having my brand new sofa left at the curb was perfect!” – No one. Ever.
Everyday, shipping through less-than-truckload (LTL) freight companies helps many businesses with an efficient, cost effective way to move goods and products. Unfortunately, used and high-end furniture isn’t necessarily among those products that travel well via LTL.
Here’s why: Assembled furniture is not palletized, stackable freight. This often results in damages and returns. Plus, LTL freight is often left curbside, which exposes items to other risks and is a poor experience for customers.
Furniture is best moved via final mile, in-home delivery, including white glove, room-of-choice or threshold service.
USHIP IN-HOME DELIVERY
Specifically built for online sellers and dealers of furniture and oversized items. uShip’s In-home Delivery solution offers instant rates at checkout, access to curated carrier networks for room-of-choice delivery, and managed services from experienced logistics professionals.
Learn more here.
LTL SHIPPING
Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping is best for crated or palletized shipments that do not require the use of an entire trailer and are under 10,000 lbs. uShip offers instant rates from over 30 national and regional LTL shipping in a matter of seconds.
Learn more here.
Function | uShip In-Home Delivery | LTL Shipping |
|---|---|---|
| Listings | Automated shipment listing process via uShip’s API listing integration or shipping portal. Also access third-party services such as Shopify and ShipperHQ. | Manually create a shipment listing for pallets, crates or boxes. |
| Rates | Instant shipping rates based on historical pricing appear during checkout. Custom rates available. | After finalizing your listing details, you’ll receive several direct quotes from top LTL carriers. Book with the carrier that offers the best combination of price and service timeframe. |
| Transporters | Access a curated network of carriers with sprinter vans and box trucks to handle furniture delivery. | Access 30+ national and regional LTL carriers with big rigs and 53’ trailers who quote on your shipment. |
| Assistance | Managed Services from a dedicated Customer Success Manager supports onboarding, case submission, exceptions and more. | uShip’s LTL Operations team handles invoice audits, refunds, rebills, claims and more. |
| Payment | Depending on your partnership level, pay on terms or credit card. | Pay directly through uShip.com via credit card when booking with your LTL carrier. |
| Protection | uShip Protection Plan available. | uShip Protection Plan available. |
| Reporting | Select partners receive custom reporting and quarterly business reviews to optimize logistics operations. | Shipment history available via a uShip.com account, including address book for future, repeat shipments. |
How uShip In-Home Delivery and LTL Carriers Are Different
Large LTL carriers typically use traditional big rigs pulling 53’ trailers. For them, it’s all about volume and stop efficiency. For uShip In-Home Delivery carriers, they are primarily owner-operators driving sprinter vans, box trucks, and pickup/trailer combinations, and they specialize in blanket wrap care, fast delivery, and specialized delivery service.
How uShip In-Home Delivery and LTL Carriers Are Different
Large LTL carriers typically use traditional big rigs pulling 53’ trailers. For them, it’s all about volume and stop efficiency. For uShip In-Home Delivery carriers, they are primarily owner-operators driving sprinter vans, box trucks, and pickup/trailer combinations, and they specialize in blanket wrap care, fast delivery, and specialized delivery service.