Freight Rate Negotiation Strategies

Passing through merchant terminal fees is the worst end-user experience… Am i the only one that feels this??? Why did no one consider human psychology when developing and implementing this? Let’s work through this. You make a choice on what you want to buy and know what it should cost. You go to the counter only to find out there’s an added fee because of the card you’re using or the way you’re paying (Paywave). Your last experience with the merchant is now a punitive fee for simply using your preferred card. You walk away with a sour taste about both the purchase and the merchant, thinking, “I guess it’s only X.X%…” but still feeling annoyed. If only someone had considered human psychology in this experience. Imagine, instead of seeing half-torn stickers on terminals saying “Surcharge X.X%,” we were living in a world of joy and “savings.” How would we achieve this? By reframing the fee. Here’s how I would reimagine merchant fees to create a better psychological experience: I would design a process where the prices of all products included the cost of merchant service fees at the relevant aggregate percentage. Then, I’d implement a solution allowing for either real-time discounts or cashback on cards or transaction types with lower fees. For example, “Insert and pay with debit to save!” Under this approach, the user has the choice to pay full price (inclusive of merchant fees) or to save by choosing a different payment option. This achieves the same economic outcome for the merchant but gives the user a choice to save rather than imposing an unexpected fee. There’s immense power in how experiences are framed and delivered. Use this to your advantage, and your end users will love you. Ignore it, and you may frustrate them beyond belief.

Pro tip from a PPC expert: 🎯 ❌ No clear account structure = wasted budget ❌ No winning strategy = clicks don’t convert ❌ No optimization & tracking = flying blind Master these 3 pillars and turn campaigns into cash. 💸🚀 ✅ Structure your account for clarity ✅ Define a focused strategy for growth ✅ Optimize & track every click for insights Here’s a quick deep-dive into those three pillars—with a mini case to bring it to life: 1. Crystal-Clear Account Structure✅ What it is: Organizing campaigns → ad-groups → keywords so your ads serve the right message to the right audience. 👉 Why it matters: Keeps budgets separate, makes performance easy to diagnose, and prevents irrelevant traffic. 👉Example: A footwear brand splits its “Running Shoes” campaign into two ad-groups—“Men’s Running Shoes” and “Women’s Running Shoes”—each with tailored headlines and keywords. This way, female shoppers only see “Women’s Running Shoes” ads, boosting relevancy and Quality Score. 2. Focused Strategy✅ What it is: Defining clear goals (e.g., maximize ROAS, boost sign-ups) and matching bids, placements, and ad copy to those goals. 👉Why it matters: Stops you from spending on low-value clicks and aligns every dollar with your business objective. 👉Example: If your goal is to drive trial sign-ups, you bid aggressively on “free trial + [your product]” keywords and use ad copy like “Start Your Free 14-Day Trial Today,” rather than generic “buy now” language. 3. Continuous Optimization & Tracking ✅ What it is: Installing conversion tracking, monitoring key metrics (CTR, CPC, CPA, ROAS), and iterating—testing new headlines, adjusting bids, pausing under-performers. 👉Why it matters: Without data, you’re flying blind; with it, you can cut wasted spend and double down on winners. 👉 Example: After 2 weeks, the brand notices “Women’s Running Shoes” ads have a 3% CTR vs. “Men’s” at 1.2%. They shift more budget to the higher-CTR group and test a new headline (“Shop Top Women’s Running Styles”)—CTR jumps to 4%. ✅Bottom Line: Structure → Strategy → Optimization: nail these in order, and you turn random clicks into reliable revenue. Follow Kautilya Roshan for more insight 😊 #GoogleAds #PPC #DigitalMarketing #GrowthHacking

✈️ Air Cargo Chargeable Weight: A Costly Mistake Many Shippers Still Make In air freight, what you pay is not always based on what your cargo weighs on a scale. Airlines price shipments by the space they occupy, not just physical weight — a detail that still catches many shippers off guard. Here’s the core logic every shipper, buyer, and logistics professional should understand: Actual Weight (Gross Weight) ⚖️ This is the physical weight of the cargo. Example: 350 kg of machinery parts — simple and straightforward. Volumetric Weight (Dimensional Weight) 📐 Calculated based on cargo dimensions, reflecting how much aircraft space it consumes. Air cargo formula: (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 6,000 Example: 120 × 100 × 240 ÷ 6,000 = 480 kg Lightweight but bulky cargo often ends up costing more than expected. The airline rule (non-negotiable): 👉 Chargeable weight = the higher of actual weight or volumetric weight In this case: • Actual weight: 350 kg • Volumetric weight: 480 kg ➡️ You pay for 480 kg Why this matters in real operations: • Direct impact on air freight costs • Influences packing and palletization design • Affects mode selection (air vs. ocean) • Critical for accurate RFQs and quotations • Helps avoid invoice disputes with airlines Key takeaway: In air cargo, space equals cost. If dimensions aren’t managed early, freight budgets quickly get out of control. 💬 Discussion: Have you ever had a shipment where volumetric weight surprised your final air freight cost? #AirCargo #AirFreight #ChargeableWeight #VolumetricWeight #FreightForwarding #Logistics #SupplyChain #ShippingCosts #RFQ #ExportImport #Operations

Would you prefer to acquire more customers at your target average cost, even though some might be unprofitable? Or would you prefer fewer customers, but with guaranteed profitability on each one? This is a crucial decision when it comes to shaping your advertising strategy on platforms like Meta. If you opt for more customers at your target cost average, then cost caps may be the right strategy for you. By setting a cost cap, you can average out the cost of acquiring customers over time. Some customers will be profitable, while others might not be, but overall, you’ll hit your target cost per acquisition (CPA). This approach works well when you’re aiming for volume and are willing to tolerate some level of inefficiency in customer acquisition. On the other hand, if your focus is on repeatable unit economics, where each customer must be profitable, then bid caps in Meta might be the better approach. By implementing a bid cap, you ensure that you’ll never pay more than a specific amount to acquire a customer. This strategy is ideal for businesses that need to maintain strict profitability and can't afford the risk of unprofitable customers. So, how do you determine your bid cap? It depends on a few key factors: Average Order Value (AOV) – the average value of each sale. Margin % – your profit margin on each sale. Lifetime Value (LTV) – if you’re in a subscription-based model or if you have high customer repeat purchase rates, then applying an LTV factor can help you determine a more precise bid cap. Ultimately, understanding these variables will allow you to optimise your strategy to either scale with a bit of risk or guarantee profitability on each customer. It's all about finding the right balance for your business goals.

I didn’t save my client money by pushing harder. I saved them $700K, and boosted conversions 22%, by negotiating smarter. A renewable energy company came to me with three goals: → Renegotiate supplier contracts → Win more deals → Cut costs I often see teams rush straight to price. That’s why they leave value on the table. I made sure we did it differently. First, we mapped leverage. Not just price point, but real sources of power in the relationship. Then, we surfaced what suppliers 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 needed. Not the positions they said, but the outcomes that mattered. And we reframed the whole conversation from: “𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨”   to “𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨?” That changed everything. The result was: → $700K saved → 22% higher win rate → No extra spend, no scorched earth tactics Instead of grinding for discounts, we unlocked hidden value: → Faster lead times → Flexible payment terms → Joint marketing support → Priority access to new tech The suppliers felt heard. My client got stronger terms. Both sides walked away better. That’s the thing about high level negotiation: We don't try to squeeze every penny. Instead, we create ROI that old school methods never find. If you want to stop playing the discount game and start winning on real outcomes, then build your framework around leverage and interests. Not scripts. Not pressure tactics. That’s where the untapped value hides. If you’re facing pressure to deliver savings 𝘢𝘯𝘥 results. I’ll happily show you how leverage mapping can change the game. ---------------- 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 this doesn’t just help others. It shows you understand negotiation isn’t a talent. It’s a skill that more people need to start sharpening.

🚛 Understanding Volumetric Weight in Logistics In logistics and supply chain, freight charges are not always based on the actual (gross) weight of cargo. Why? Because a lightweight but bulky shipment can occupy more space than a heavy but compact shipment. That’s where Volumetric (Dimensional) Weight comes in. 👉 Rule: Chargeable Weight = Higher of (Actual Weight, Volumetric Weight) --- 📦 How to Calculate Volumetric Weight (by mode): ✈️ Air Cargo (IATA Rule) Formula: (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 6000 Example: 100 × 80 × 60 cm = 480,000 ÷ 6000 = 80 kg volumetric 🚚 Courier / Express (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.) Formula: (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 5000 If in inches: (L × W × H in³) ÷ 139 = lb Example: 60 × 40 × 40 cm = 96,000 ÷ 5000 = 19.2 kg volumetric 🚢 Sea Cargo (LCL – Less than Container Load) Formula: (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 1,000,000 = CBM Rule: 1 CBM = 1 Ton (1000 kg) Freight charged on W/M basis = Weight (tons) or Measurement (CBM), whichever is higher. 🛣 Road Cargo (Surface Transport) Usually charged on actual weight But for bulky cargo: (L × W × H in cm) ÷ 4000 Example: 100 × 50 × 60 cm = 300,000 ÷ 4000 = 75 kg volumetric 💡 Why it Matters? ✔ Helps optimize packaging → reduce costs ✔ Avoids disputes with freight forwarders ✔ Ensures fair cost allocation (pay for space or weight, whichever is more) ✔ Critical for supply chain managers to compare cost across modes --- 🔗 Takeaway: In logistics, weight is not just about kilos on a scale. Space is equally valuable. Always check both actual & volumetric weight to know your true freight cost. --- #Logistics #SupplyChain #FreightForwarding #AirCargo #SeaCargo #RoadTransport #CourierServices #VolumetricWeight #ChargeableWeight #InternationalTrade #ShippingSolutions #LogisticsManagement #Transportation #GlobalTrade

I see a lot of PPC’ers talking about bucketing products into different campaigns based on performance as the holy grail. But almost no one mentions this is a reactive strategy. Let me explain. Great minds have developed scripts to segment your product based on historical performance, driven by the number of clicks, achieved ROAS or CPA. I have implemented this strategy in several accounts with great success, but in my opinion, this strategy has one flaw. It is a reactive strategy. You need a proactive strategy to beat the competition. Google Shopping is a platform where people can compare products very easily between different retailers. Therefore, price is the major deciding factor whether people click on your ad or not. What if your products were well-priced in the period your script/tool is getting the data from? This does not have to be the case in the future. So with this strategy, we are always lagging (slightly) behind. → We need to combine price benchmark data with this historical performance data. Also, adding first-party data is very welcome to decide which label a product eventually suits best. Think about: - Margin - Return rate - Stock (if your turnover rate is rapid, and your stock is limited, you may want to take a step back in pushing the product) If you have this data on SKU level you can create new labels with this combined data. How? → Install a script to label your products on historical performance → Install a script to get price benchmark data on SKU level → Create a spreadsheet where you can combine this output on SKU level → Add this first-party data to this sheet → Think about how heavily you want to weigh each factor. → Give the SKUs a final grade. → Upload this sheet as an additional feed → Segment your campaigns based on this final grade.  → Adjust your bidding strategy accordingly For example: - Historical performance = over Index = 3 points - Princebenchmark = below average = 2 points - Margin = High = 1,5 point - Stock = above average = 1,5 point - Return rate = below average = 1 point Total 9 points - Label = Leader - Historical performance = below index = 1 point - Pricebenchmark = above average = 1 point - Margin = low = 0,5 point - Stock = average = 1 point - Returnrate = above average = 0,5 point Total 4 points - label = Bleader These thresholds and the amount of labels you can adjust to your situation. *This advanced strategy may also have some shortcomings. - Not all retailers have price benchmark data available on all SKUs.  You need to have fallback values for those SKU's. - We have to rely on Google Merchants benchmark data to be up to date. - Too much switching between buckets could harm the algorithm. But hey, we need to test new strategies to beat the competition! Keen to hear your thoughts. ---------------- I am Ruben Runneboom I frequently share my insights on Google Ads, E-commerce, Performance max and Productfeed optimization. Stay tuned for more!

I've been auditing dozens of Google Ads accounts lately and noticed something that's driving me crazy... Almost every eCommerce brand is using the wrong bid strategy for their goals. Some are still clinging to Manual CPC like it's 2018. Others are throwing everything into Target ROAS without the conversion data to back it up. After managing $50M+ in ad spend, here's the framework that actually works in 2025: Stage 1: New Accounts (0-50 Conversions) Best Strategy: Manual CPC + Enhanced CPC Google's AI needs data to make smart decisions. You can't "maximize" conversions if you have no conversion history. Stage 2: Growing Accounts (30+ Conversions p/m) Best Strategy: Maximise Conversions / Maximise Conversion Value Max conversions (for single product stores) Max conversion value (for multiple products with varying value) Allow 2 weeks learning time! Stage 3: Established Accounts (100+ Conversions p/m) Best Strategy: Target ROAS or Target CPA Start with a target 15-20% lower than your current ROAS (or higher than your CPA). Warning: Setting your target ROAS too high initially will strangle your campaigns. Bonus: Branded Campaigns (Any Conversion Level) Best Strategy: Target Impression Share The ONLY thing you should be optimizing for with brand search is ad rank. Agencies running brand search on max conversions are burning your money. Is your choice of bid strategies similar? Let me know 👇 .

For a few years, I tried to warn dealers about the right way to surcharge credit cards. But many jumped in without considering the long-term repercussions. I finally gave up. Here’s the reality: If you’re collecting surcharges “below the line” in your DMS, those fees may actually be taxable. Tax law is generally inclusionary (this varies by state) — unless something is specifically excluded, it’s considered to be a taxable item. Too many dealers overlooked this when they started tacking on credit card surcharges, and now they’re finding out the hard way that many states treat those surcharges as taxable revenue. I’m already hearing from dealers who are learning about this during their annual tax audits. It's not a cheap lesson, and can undo much of the savings you gained by surcharging card transactions. So here’s the question—are you doing it correctly, or will your next audit be the one that wakes you up? Many states are attempting to fill holes in their budgets, and collecting fines for taxes you didn't pay on the surcharges you collected might be an easy way to bridge some of those gaps. And for those of you who want to surcharge transactions in a manner that is compliant with your cardholder agreements, here is what you have to do. - Provide notification to the card companies of your intent - Post notices in the dealership that you surcharge - Break out the charge as a separate line on your invoice/credit card slip - Charge a fee that reflects your actual effective card processing rate (you can't just grab a number out of the air like 3.5% and charge that - you cannot make money on surcharges) - Debit cards cannot be surcharged - And now, those surcharges may need to be taxed What's the penalty for violating your cardholder agreement. On the low end it could be a fine. On the high side Visa/MC/AmEx can ban your business from processing their cards. #Powersports #DealershipOperations #DealerProfitability #TaxAudit #FandI #RetailFinance #DealershipManagement #BusinessRisk #CreditCardProcessing

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 I continue to hear feedback from the carrier side of the industry regarding confusion with solution provider offerings. Having worked on both the carrier and solution provider sides of the insurance industry, I've seen firsthand the misunderstandings and missed opportunities that arise when each side doesn’t fully grasp the other’s goals, challenges, and unique solutions. One of the biggest challenges facing solution providers is clarifying their unique value proposition to carriers. Here’s a quick playbook for solution providers aiming to close that gap: 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 Before stepping into a carrier meeting, it’s essential to move beyond your standard pitch. Take time to understand the carrier’s specific pain points and strategic goals. This doesn’t just mean presenting your solution’s features but framing them directly around the carrier’s unique needs. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 When multiple vendors are providing similar solutions, the carrier’s choice often boils down to “who understands our challenges best?” Make your focus the problem you're solving, not just the technology behind it. Share real-life case studies or success metrics that align directly with the carrier’s priorities. 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫 Solution providers who position themselves as partners—invested in the carrier’s success—can achieve far more sustainable relationships. Demonstrate that your team is here to evolve alongside the carrier, providing support as their needs and the market change. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 “𝐖𝐡𝐲” 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 Carriers, like any client, want to know why you’re in this industry. When you communicate your mission—whether it’s simplifying claims, improving customer experience, or advancing digital transformation—it builds trust and establishes you as a purpose-driven partner. This is where your passion for the industry and problem-solving expertise can shine. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 Clarity in execution and ROI is critical. Carriers want to understand what to expect from onboarding to outcomes. Break down each phase of implementation, offer realistic timelines, and communicate ROI metrics to foster confidence in your solution. By viewing solution-provider relationships as collaborative partnerships and focusing on empathy, understanding, and tailored solutions, we can transform our approach—and our impact. When both sides are aligned, it’s not just about sales—it’s about true innovation and lasting value.