Home ► Article Library ► Finance, Business & Law

What is the Difference Between Peer-to-Peer Shipping and Traditional Consolidated Freight?

Amongst traditional shipping services, parcel delivery and consolidated freight, the emergence of peer to peer shipping has come as a breath of fresh air that is unique and innovative in how it works for the consumer, product carrier, and the shipping service provider.

With the emergence of this type of shipping service for consumers, it is safe to assume that you have endless options to get your products delivered to you leveraging different methods, whether you want large items delivered or small products. In fact, there are thousands of services competing with each other to find work from potential customers like you.

For a different type of delivery, specific shipping service is available. However, in all the traditional delivery methods one common aspect is that the bulk of products are transferred together, from a certain point to the destination. From this location, either the products are delivered by a secondary delivery to the consumer or they have to collect it themselves.

While through peer to peer shipping, the customer gets the convenience of getting their products delivered right at their doorstep. When looking for cheapest courier in Dubai or elsewhere for a small and specific item that can’t find and buy in your location, peer-to-peer shipping can be the best solution.

If you are still wondering what the difference is between traditional consolidated freight and peer to peer shipping and which one could be right for you, then read on to know.

Consolidated Freight Shipping

Consolidated freight means shipping less than a truckload of items that share storage space on a truck or any other cargo delivery method with other items while in transit. In this type of shipping service usually, the same types of products with the same destination are being transported together by a shipping service company. You pay for space your cargo takes place. The company will coordinate with logistics experts that will handle the packaging and transportation of the products right from its source up to your destination or up to a pick-up point.

Specific Characteristics of Consolidated Freight

You get the convenience of getting your products transported pertaining to your schedule and budget.
A beneficial factor of opting for this service is that this is handled by logistics and shipping experts when you move your products with assistance from a reputable and established name.
It is suitable to opt for when you are moving large and delicate items like furniture, antique products, expensive products, for products that have great sentimental value, as well as for shipping in estate break-ups.
Some consolidated freight services do not include packaging and loading so you have to check for that.
This can be a costly service depending on what you are shipping and how far the product has to be shipped. The cost of the shipping in this method depends on a lot of factors including product density, stability, handling, and liability.
An important aspect of this service is that it can take a bit of time for your product to reach you.

Peer-to-Peer Shipping

This service is like carpooling. You get a traveler bringing your products from the destination to your location, carrying that in their vehicle, or through the flight with their products. This type of service company works by connecting customers to travelers who are willing to ship and deliver a product to the consumer in exchange for some fee or charge. This type of shipping service can be used to ship about anything, from small to large and bulk products (depending on the individual traveler’s willingness and comfort to ship). Usually, such type of shipping service comes in handy for people when they are looking to buy an item they can’t find in their area.

Specific Characteristics of Peer to Peer Shipping Service

This type of shipping service is like an on-demand service, you have your products delivered by a person when your requirement and their schedule matches.
This can be a more flexible service, as there are usually no particular restrictions on size, weight, and distance rules, only in a few cases.
This type of shipping service works well to get a product delivered to you that you are not able to buy in your location and going to any other location or country just for that could be a big hassle and a costly affair. You have someone bring that for you like you would ask a friend, only that here you pay that person for delivery service.
Peer-to-peer shipping is usually fast than other types of consolidated shipping service which is definitely a big plus point for opting for this.
Peer-to-peer shipping service costs also depend on a lot of factors, such as what items you are getting shipped, the duration, distance traveled, and much more.
It is suitable to opt for when you are buying and want to have a specific item native to a particular place, for delivery of inexpensive items, shorter distance delivery in quick time, and so.

So, based on this difference you can decide on what type of shipping service will fit your need when you are looking for cheapest courier in Dubai or elsewhere, depending on the type of products that you want to be delivered.