Importing anything into Australia is not a simple matter and customers realise this. They have no wish to be caught up in the complexities that shipping and land transport present.
What might seem to be a cheaper alternative - dealing directly with the production company - is anything but. That company is interested in the sales they can make. The concept of after-sales service is foreign to them as it would involve costs that would eat into the low profit point that the cheaper price they offer brings to them. Essentially, it’s a case of load the goods, close the container doors and wish the cargo God speed, because from that point on they take little interest and no further responsibility. When the ship arrives in an Australian port, it becomes the customer’s business to unload, store and arrange road transit to their warehouse. It’s a process that consumes both time and labour, all at a price - and that’s not including costs of storage.
On the other hand, a wholesaler, when it accepts an order, then puts an action plan into place. Fist contact is with the preferred glass producer, probably in one of the European countries. The wholesaler’s infrastructure then takes over, with shipping agents seeing the containers out of the port and on the beset sailing date. On arrival in the Australian port, the wholesaler arranges for it to be unloaded and taken to a warehouse where it will be inspected and then stored until land transit is arranged to the customer’s delivery point. Constant tracking of he goods is maintained.
That’s just a broad outline. While the chances of smooth sailing and a happy landing are good, sometimes incidents occur that might have resulted in damage to the pallets and goods, say. A good wholesaler identifies the problem and takes steps to remedy it, this might involve something as basic as re-packing pallets in a more stable fashion to more complex remediation. /at kk times, he will be n touch with both the customer and the production company to negotiate any compensation or replacements that might be appropriate.
Currently, the biggest problem being faced by all parties is the matter of stink bug infestation and AQIS requirements for goods emanating from a great many Countries such as Italy, France, Germany, etc, as well as USA and Japan. Here, the wholesaler will be Liaising with all parties, and especially AQIS, to negotiate any quarantine/fumigation/detention storage that might be necessary.
So a cheaper price offered by a glass producer when you deal directly with them may seem too good an opportunity to pass up, it may not be the bargain it first appears to be.
Your friendly wholesaler - and that is surely Pipwin! - is your one-stop shop. So give us or them a call and rest easy while your imported glass sets sail safely on the seas.
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