OUTBOUND SHIPMENT TO TRADESHOW
1. Gathering Your Information
Before you can start the process of getting your trade show shipment shipped, you need to build the pallets to figure out how many you will be sending and the dimensions and weights. At this time, have Shipping pallet wrap the pallets, measure and weigh them. Bring the labels from Show Services or labeling Guidelines provided by the particular show, example below to label the pallet(s). Take photos of the labeled/wrapped pallets.
You will also want to look at the Show Services information to figure out the date range accepted for deliveries.
Make sure to save all relevant documents in the relevant tradeshow folder in SharePoint to have for reference for future years.
2. Outbound Freight Quote and BOL
If the shipment is 2 pallets or less then Sales Ops will get a freight quote from Customer Service utilizing Transportation Insight (process linked below):
https://advantus-wiki.azurewebsites.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=44511&action=edit
Once you get the quote back choose the one that is the lowest cost and will arrive by the necessary deadline.
Then complete a BOL from the template linked below:
If the quote chosen is time critical, be sure to update the BOL as shown:
***Make sure to include the correct GL code from the table below in the REF # section. This will insure that accounting is able to code the invoice correctly to the correct division and department.***
- The commodity description will always be Tradeshow Materials and the NMFC No. 154630 and Class 125.
- BOLs shipping from an Advantus location to a Non-Advantus location should always have PREPAID marked as the Freight Charge Terms.
- After all the above steps have been completed, provide Shipping with a digital copy of the BOL for them to ship the order along with the photos of the pallet(s) and location of the pallet(s) for them to ship.
- Sales Ops needs to send the quote and completed BOL to ap@advantus.com and copy Charlie Frohman so that there is a reference when the invoice is received.
- Sales Ops needs to track the shipment to confirm pick up, for shipping updates and delivery confirmation.
- If there are any issues with the shipment at any time Sales Ops needs to contact Charlie Frohman immediately.
Shipments over 2 Pallets:
If the shipment is over 2 pallets, Sales Ops should send an outbound quote request to CH Robinson. You will need to include the following in an email, using the CH Robinson Freight Quote Template, saved here:
- All materials shipping for a tradeshow, will fall under the NMFC and class numbers for trade show materials which is 154630 125.
- Accurate weights and dimensions per crate or pallet are very important to get an accurate quote
- A shipment must take up 6 or less pallet positions to be considered an LTL (less than truckload) shipment
- We want to ship all tradeshows, other than Shot Show, LTL. If it is more than that it may go FTL (Full Truck Load). Typically there is only one Tradeshow that we do per year that may go FTL and that is Shot Show for Mercury Tactical Gear. CH Robinson will be able to advise.
- Copy and paste the info from the template into an email and add the following information
- Date the shipment will be picked up from the Advantus warehouse
- Date the shipment must be received by and the receiving hours of the location. This info can be found on the Show Services website.
- Always quote as Stacked.
- The email will be sent to: Mindy Farnham, melinda.farnham@chrobinson.com at CH Robinson.
- Below is an email template to follow:
Hi Mindy,
We need to ship the below crates with dimensions and weights listed as well as the ship from/to and return ship from/ship to addresses.
These will ship under NMFC code: 154630-125. The shipment must arrive between 12/18-1/09/24 so we need to ship the end of next week.
1/6- CRATE 15
82.5×40.5×58.75
1194 lbs
2/6 – CRATE A
105.25×49.25×36.5
974 lbs
3/6– CRATE 22
46x48x52.25
680 lbs
4/6 – CRATE 20
46x48x51.5
624 lbs
5/6- CRATE 21
46x48x51.5
478 lbs
6/6 – PALLET
48x40x63.5
386lbs
TOTAL WEIGHT: 4336 LBS
Ship From:
Advantus Corp
401 Gun Club Rd
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Ship To:
Mercury Tactical Gear/Booth 32309
2024 SHOT Show- Venetian Expo
C/O Freeman
6675 W Sunset Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89118
- The response you receive from CH Robinson will include a quote attachment. See example below:
- Review quote and send to Charlie Frohman to check for reasonableness. Choose the quote that makes sense for this shipment. Things to consider are:
- Cost (we want to typically choose whatever is cheapest)
- Delivery time (we want to make sure that the shipment gets there on time)
- Take note of the ‘Quote ID’ that you select because it will need to be included in the Outbound BOL.
- Ask Mindy at CH Robinson to book the shipment and have them create the BOL and send back to you to proof. When you have received in and proofed it send it to Charlie Frohman to also proof for reasonableness. You will need to give Mindy the following information and proof the BOL to confirm all information is included and correct:
- Address for the Advantus warehouse the shipment will be picked up from
- Contact name and phone number for the shipping lead at that warehouse
- GL code that they should list under the Ship ID# (see below for list of codes by division),
- Consignee information which should include the company name the tradeshow booth is under as well as the booth number, address where the goods are being sent and C/O whoever the material handling agreement is with (ex. Freeman) which will know from the Show Services planning information.
- Make sure the Quote ID, Quoted Amount and any special instructions are included such dates and/or times the receiving warehouse is closed.
- Once finalized Save a PDF of the Freight Quote and BOL in the tradeshow folder and send to ap@advantus.com and copy Charlie Frohman once reviewed and finalized so that they can reference them for accuracy when we are invoiced.
- Tell CH Robinson to book the shipment.
- Sales Ops will need to track the shipment daily to make sure the freight is picked up, track status until destination and make sure it is delivered.:
- If the quote is associated with a PO, save the file as the PO # itself. So for example, if the freight is associated with PO#12345 the PDF should be titled 12345.pdf
- If the quote is not associated with a PO, save the file as the date of the shipment in MMDDYY format, the carrier name, the name of the vendor/recipient/shipper, and also list the G/L code.
- For example, if you had a quote from CH Robinson on July 30, 2019 that was going to Port Logistics, and the G/L code was 60900-290-40 the PDF should be named as follows: 073019 CH Robinson Port Logistics 60900-290-40.pdf
3. Advantus Order
- If the tradeshow shipment only includes inventoried items, we want the Warehouse to ship a trade show just like they would ship any other order through the system, so we need Customer Service to enter in a sample order to give Shipping an order number to ship against
- Make sure to use the correct sample account and email the correct Customer Service email address
- In the email we need to provide the following info
- Shipping address
- How many pallets/crates
- Which carrier to use
- Last accepted delivery date
- Customer Service will respond with an order number, you will need this for the Outbound BOL
- If the shipment includes non-inventoried items or a combination of inventoried items and non-inventoried items then Customer Service does not need to enter an order.
INBOUND RETURN SHIPMENT FROM TRADESHOW TO ADVANTUS
Before the Show Prep
Prepare labels to use at the show to attach to pallets/crates being sent back
Send the labels with the outbound shipment or Sales Ops to print prior to leaving and take with them in the tradeshow packet/binder
BOL Return and Quote
If the shipment is 2 pallets or less Sales Ops should request a quote through transportation insight through Customer Service:
https://wiki.advantus.com/knowledge-base/ltl-freight-quotes-transportation-insight-portal/
Once you get the quote back choose the one that is the lowest cost and will arrive by the necessary deadline.
Then complete a BOL from the template linked below:
- Make sure to include the GL code # in the REF # section from the table above. This will allow accounting to code the freight invoice to the correct division and department.
- Include the Show name and booth number in the Ship From section.
- Include the correct warehouse address and name and contact # for the receiving lead for that location.
- Include the quote ID.
- Send the completed BOL to shipping and ask them to book the shipment.
- Send a copy of the BOL to the show attendees and show contact and include in the tradeshow binder if Sales Ops is attending.
- Send a copy of the quote and BOL to ap@advantus.com and copy Charlie Frohman so they have a reference when the freight invoice is received.
- Sales Ops needs to track the return shipment to make sure it is picked up, confirm shipment progress and delivery./
- If there are any issues contact Charlie Frohman immediately.
If the quote is for 2 pallets or more then Sales Ops should email CH Robinson to request a quote.
To request a return quote you will need to include the following in an email:
- NMFC Code: 154630-125
- Weights and Dims per crate/pallet
- Ship from
- Ship to
- Pick up date and any special instructions- this info will be found on the Exhibitor Services Manual and will state the date and time that driver’s must check in by
The email will be sent to Mindy Farnham at melinda.farnham@chrobinson.com
Below is an email template to follow:
- The response you receive from CH Robinson will include quotes and quote ID. Proof for reasonableness and send to Charlie Frohman to review as well.
Once approved saved the quote in the tradeshow folder.
Then ask Mindy at CH Robinson to book the shipment and create the BOL and send back to you to proof. When you have received in and proofed it send it to Charlie Frohman to also proof for reasonableness. You will need to give Mindy the following information to create the BOL and confirm all information is included and correct:
- Shipper Name and Address which will be the tradeshow location
- Contact name and phone number for the material handling company at the show (Ex. Freeman)
- GL code that they should list under the Ship ID# (see below for list of codes by division),
- The company name the tradeshow booth is under as well as the booth number
- Address and contact information for the Advantus warehouse the goods are being shipped back to. Contact info should be for Receiving Lead for that location
- Make sure the Quote ID, Quoted Amount and any special instructions are included such dates and/or times the receiving warehouse is closed. :
- Save a PDF of the Freight Quote and BOL in the tradeshow folder and send to AP and copy Charlie once reviewed and finalized so that they can reference them for accuracy when we are invoiced
- If the quote is associated with a PO, save the file as the PO # itself. So for example, if the freight is associated with PO#12345 the PDF should be titled 12345.pdf
- If the quote is not associated with a PO, save the file as the date of the shipment in MMDDYY format, the carrier name, the name of the vendor/recipient/shipper, and also list the G/L code.
- For example, if you had a quote from CH Robinson on July 30, 2019 that was going to Port Logistics, and the G/L code was 60900-290-40 the PDF should be named as follows: 073019 CH Robinson Port Logistics 60900-290-40.pdf
- Email the quote and BOL to AP@advantus.com and copy Charlie Frohman so they have a reference when the invoice is sent
- Sales Ops should communicate daily with CH Robinson to track the return shipment and confirm pick up, shipment progress and delivery.