How much does it cost to ship furniture?

Moving furniture can be a tough job, whether to a new home down the road or cross-country. There is a lot involved in furniture shipping, from disassembling to packaging to loading and transporting. This is why 'free delivery' is not a standard option with furniture shipping. If you are interested in furniture shipping or about to move furniture for yourself or a customer, you're at the right place!

This article goes through what you need to know about furniture shipping, including the cost and factors to consider.

What's involved in furniture shipping?

When it comes to e-commerce shipping, almost nothing is too big or too delicate to ship. That includes furniture shipping too. Many people are selling furniture online and shipping it to customers worldwide. However, figuring out how to ship your furniture can be challenging, especially if you are moving long distances.

Furniture shipping includes many aspects, including packaging, measuring, delivery, etc. Here is a look at some of the critical processes involved in shipping furniture:

• Disassembling furniture pieces

  Furniture isn't packed or delivered as a whole most of the time. For this reason, you may need to disassemble the furniture for easy movement. Dismantling involves separating the detachable pieces from your furniture for easy shipping and handling. If you aren't sure of the right way to disassemble your furniture, you can consider letting a professional do the job.

• Choosing the suitable packaging materials

  After dismantling, you will need to package your furniture in shippable boxes or containers. There is the option of using one large box for all your furniture pieces or individual boxes for specific furnishings. This stage is essential because the way you package can determine shipping costs.

• Measuring and weighing furniture

  Measuring and weighing your furniture is crucial as it helps the carrier services give you the best rate. Once you measure the dimensions and weight of the furniture, you can then calculate the average price it will cost to ship it.

• Choosing a shipping company

  One of the major processes involved in shipping furniture is choosing a company that will do it for you. The best methods to ship a particular piece of furniture depend on the size and weight. It's best to pick a reputable company for your shipping, especially if you are dealing with fragile furniture.

Furniture shipping average price

Furniture shipping costs can be expensive, especially if you are shipping large quantities to a far distance. ¹Here is a breakdown of the average shipping costs of furniture:

Local shipping: Shipping furniture locally costs around $75 to $250 depending on the size, distance traveled, and shipping method.

State to State shipping: For 50 to 100 pounds of furniture, the average cost to ship interstate is about $150 to $600.²

International shipping: Shipping across the country is the most expensive, and it can cost from $1000 to $3500. ³Again, the cost of furniture shipping will depend on different factors such as the location you are moving to, whether you are moving by road or by air and how heavy your furniture is.

Many shipping services offer calculators and quotes to help you get the approximate shipping costs of your furniture. To get accurate prices using shipping calculators, fill in exact measurements and not estimated sizes.

Why do furniture shipping costs vary?

Overall, it's almost impossible to say how much furniture shipping costs because so many factors influence the price. Furniture shipping costs often vary depending on modes of transportation, distance, transportation equipment, and furniture size and weight. By mode of transport, it means whether by sea, air or road. For example, if the estimated cost to ship a dining set by sea is $2000, the same furniture will go up if you ship by air.

For this reason, most couriers don't have a standard price because they apply factors like distance travel, weight, and size to calculate shipping fees. Once you understand the factors involved in shipping, you will get a clear picture of how shipping costs are calculated and why they vary sometimes.

12 factors that determine furniture shipping cost

As stated earlier, it's almost impossible to say the exact cost of shipping furniture due to the many factors involved. When researching the best way or average cost to ship your furniture, there are some factors you should keep in mind. Here are 12 of them:

#1: Item Size

Large furniture like a dining room set can be pretty challenging to move, so they cost more. Also, oversized items are not suited for specific shipping methods like air freight. For this reason, your shipping options will be limited. You can reduce item size by disassembling large pieces of furniture into compact dimensions.

#2: Weight

Weight and size are usually the main things that determine the cost of shipment. Heavy furniture items will generally cost more to move than light items. Also, heavy items have limited shipping options as they can only be transported by sea or truck.

#3: Transportation Distance

Long-distance or cross-country transport will affect the cost of shipping. The farther the distance, the higher the shipping costs.

Affordable and local delivery services may be suitable for short distances. However, long distances like cross-country shipping will require different (and more expensive) modes of transportation.

#4: Packaging

One major thing that determines furniture shipping costs is how you package them. Often, the packaging method will depend on the size and type of furniture you are shipping.

#5: Value

Due to the value and fragility of some furniture items, it may cost more to ship them. This is because they require extra attention and care to reach the destination safely. So, if the furniture you are shipping is expensive or needs extra care during shipping, you can expect to pay more.

#6: Shipping option

The shipping option you choose will also determine the costs of shipping. For example, air freight tends to be more expensive and faster than shipping freight. Some options available for furniture shipping include:

• Full truckload (FTL) freight
• Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight
• Ocean freight
• Airfreight
• White glove furniture delivery
• Independent furniture delivery services

#7: Shipping company

Shipping companies offer different shipping options/prices, so it's best to compare prices to pick the best option carefully. It's also recommended to always conduct proper research to choose a company with a reliable track record.

Also, the delivery time of the shipping company matters because the faster the delivery, the higher it will cost. Shipping that takes just two days will cost more than one that takes a week.

#8: Pickup and delivery location

The location of pickup and delivery can also affect the costs of shipping. If the delivery is in an urban area, you may pay less than if it's a remote area. This is because shipping to metropolitan areas often involves transporting furniture and moving along standard routes. However, remote pickups mean the shipping company will have to move further despite transporting less furniture.

#9: Time of the year

The time of the year affects everything, including the cost of shipping furniture. For example, shipping during holidays like Christmas, Easter, and New Year will hike up shipping prices. Also, ice, snow, and wind can affect travel times, thus increasing shipping costs. For this reason, it's best to ship in summer and on regular days.

#10: Insurance

Another factor that may affect shipping costs is insurance. This doesn't apply for every shipping; however, some furniture items require this additional protection. Also, some shipping companies offer full insurance options, which may mean an increase in the cost of shipping.

#11: Supply and Demand

Like many industries, the shipping industry is also dictated by economics. In cases where there is high demand for furniture shipping, costs may go up.

#12: Shipping route

Another factor that often determines the cost of shipping is the shipping route. Popular routes like New York to London will cost less than one sent through a less common route.

How to reduce furniture shipping costs?

There are some methods you can employ to reduce the overall shipping costs of your furniture. Here are some tips:

• Pack it yourself

  One of the cheapest ways to reduce shipping costs is to handle the packaging yourself. If you pack it yourself, you will save more than having a company pack it.

• Dismantle the furniture

  When you reduce the overall size, your furniture will be easier to handle and ship. The best way to do this is by dismantling the furniture into smaller pieces to lower shipping costs.

• Pack it flat

  The best way to reduce shipping costs is to look for an option to reduce the size of your boxes or containers. This is because the larger the box, the larger the space it will take, which will determine the shipping costs. While this may only be a few cents, it is worth it when you calculate all the few cents on hundred packages.

  If you can't pack the furniture flat, consider splitting the furniture across multiple packages.

• Choose the right sized box

  You can use cardboard boxes or wooden crates, depending on what you are shipping. Either way, always use suitable-sized packaging materials for your furniture.

• Measure your furniture accurately

  Accurate measurement of your boxes will help you ensure you don't overpay. Therefore, you should measure all your boxes accurately as it determines the cost and the type of courier you will use.

• Determine shipping costs in advance

  Another option to reduce shipping costs is to compare the prices of different companies before hiring one. Most courier services have a shipping calculator on their websites to determine your shipping costs. Once you calculate on various websites, you should be able to decide on the company that offers the best value at an affordable rate.

• Consider freight option

  Freight shipping is generally more convenient and less expensive. So, this is a shipping option worth considering.

• Ask professionals for help

  Packing and shipping furniture can sometimes be a challenging business. While doing it yourself may seem like it's saving you money, sometimes it's best to leverage the help of professional movers.

FAQs

What kind of furniture can I ship?

You can easily ship any kind of furniture; you only need to find a suitable shipping company. Some commonly shipped furniture includes baby toys, sofas, dining and living room furniture, mattresses, wardrobes, and other bedroom furniture.

Should I do my furniture packing?

Dissembling and packing your furniture yourself can save you a lot on shipping costs. However, you should use the appropriate packaging materials and disassemble your furniture correctly. If you are not sure how to do it yourself, you can seek professional help. There are also resources online on how to pack specific furniture items for shipping.

How much does it cost to move furniture cross-country?

The cost of moving furniture will depend on several factors, including distance, size, weight, etc. However, you should expect to pay up to $600 to move your furniture overseas.

How can I move my furniture cheaply?

There are many cheaper ways to transport and ship furniture. You can try to pack yourself to save costs, disassemble furniture to reduce the size or compare quotes of different shipping services to pick a cheap option.

Sell on Alibaba.com

Buying and selling furniture online is becoming more and more popular. For this reason, furniture sellers who can package and deliver their goods well will have it easy on sites like Alibaba.com.

B2B e-commerce sites like Alibaba.com have made it easy for sellers to win over buyers and boost sales. With Alibaba.com, you can easily sell and ship your furniture online to anyone globally.

It's easy to get started: log onto Alibaba.com, open a seller account and start selling to customers worldwide!