The 7 golden rules to make sure your bottles arrive at the trade show venue intact and on time.

Here’s how to avoid unpleasant surprises on inauguration day 

The long-awaited trade show moment is a golden opportunity for all small and large Italian exhibitors to present their products to the world, and this is especially true for those working in the wine sector.

The aura of prestige and exclusivity that Italy can boast of in this field is truly unique. It is not by chance that our Beautiful Country is Master at all the global events held each year in China, Japan, the United States and in the rest of the world.

Despite this, there is one particular aspect that can quickly turn any one of these international events from a moment of glory and splendor (an occasion where making a good impression is practically imperative), into a tragic and disastrous parenthesis in the life of  many Italian companies who emerge scarred and damaged, and have to return home with their tail between their legs.

If you work in this field and you have had previous experiences with low-cost freight forwarders, perhaps you already know what I’m talking about.

Every month – if not every week – I get to participate in a trade show to assist customers and follow them in the course of the different stages, from preparing the shipment to delivery of their goods on the stand.

And just as often, I get to see those exhibitors who decided to entrust their bottles to  generalist freight forwarders and find themselves having to tackle the difficulties of the trade show with broken or damaged bottles, a complete lack of assistance, delays in delivery, problems with customs or with documents, the impossibility of contacting their freight forwarder or the absolute absence of practical or precise answers.

There is nothing worse than trying to save money when making such an important investment as a trade show without considering the transfer of goods as a foundational element.

One of the most heartfelt and feared problems by exhibitors in the wine sector is without a doubt – in addition to lack of delivery – when the goods are delivered damaged.

Damages that can cost several thousands of euro against an initial savings of just a few dozen euro.

In this case, transport and packing are 2 foundational aspects to make sure all goes well with the shipment, and we cannot look only to savings when the positive outcome of the presentation of your products depends on how successfully these two aspects are catered to.

The incompetence of those who should protect your shipment to the best of their abilities almost always depends on the expertise of the company you entrust your bottles to.

There are companies – about 97% of them in the world of freight forwarding – not equipped to guarantee the fundamentals for success at a trade show: safe and punctual goods delivery.

Furthermore, if it is true that many companies ship regularly and employ many resources to safeguard their goods, others, instead, use rough-and-ready methods if not actually DIY.

I say this because during trade shows I have witnessed situations that have taught me a lot because they happened to me directly or to companies close to me.

I could go on and on about the distraught faces of customers who have received their goods in a million pieces, and their frustration at not knowing how to replace the totally or partially broken items.

But I would rather provide a list of 7 fundamental points to follow scrupulously in order to make sure that everything turns out for the best at your next trade show, allowing you to honor the prestige your company deserves.

1.   Always be informed on the most suitable type of packing for your goods. Check how many hands the goods will change before reaching the departure warehouse and how many it will change after they are unloaded for delivery to the stand. The fewer the passages, the fewer risks the goods will run. The better the packing, the better the goods will withstand the different passages.

2.   Check that the freight forwarder you entrust your bottles to is capable of protecting you always, with a person by your side to help in preparing the proper documents and who is always present and available directly at the show venue;

3.   Make sure that, for trade shows taking place overseas like in Shanghai or the United States, the freight forwarder can offer you a consultancy service as far as customs are concerned for the documents and the type of export suitable for your purposes, and that they can also provide the proper consultancy in order not to make mistakes with EU norms regarding excise taxes on wine;

4.   Check that they always have a direct phone number or cell phone number where you can reach shipping personnel to answer your calls at all times;

5.   Make sure they are able to give you their full availability to find the best insurance coverage for you, whether standard or custom;

6.   Check that the company you entrust your goods to has a goods traceability system that lets you know where your products are at any time;

7.   Make sure the company possesses specialized equipment to keep your product at controlled temperatures (this latter point is very important to safeguard your bottles and prevent dangerous temperature fluctuations that can take place during shipment);

If you think that this level of safety, expertise and reliability does not exist in the world of freight forwarding, you should know that there is actually a specific solution for all those exhibitors who want to secure their place in the sun when participating at trade shows.

The solution is actually very simple and lies in avoiding generalist freight forwarders (i.e. those who handle all annual shipments) and turn to a specialized company.

As of today, the only company in this field capable of providing highly specialized services for the successful outcome of the trade show is I-Sped, the company based in Parto, Italy.

I-Sped is equipped with a highly technological goods tracing system: through a bar code circuit, you can know – also via a simple SMS – the exact location of your goods at any time.

So you can do away with the anxiety caused by the fear of lost merchandise and delays in delivery. And you can count on top expertise and care in moving your goods, with suitable supports to keep the temperature of the wine constant and to make sure the bottles reach the trade show venue without breaking or getting damaged.

If you would like to know more about how I-Sped’s freight forwarding system works, write to us at [email protected].