11
Just found out brokers can charge 30% more than direct carriers
Saw a breakdown on a shipping forum showing brokers sometimes take 30% of the total cost for themselves. Did anyone else not realize the markup was that high when they booked?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
butler.finley1mo ago
A buddy of mine runs a small manufacturing company and he booked a shipment through a broker last year. He found out later the direct carrier would have charged him around $2,800 for the same load, but the broker's bill came to $3,900. He switched to dealing direct after that and says he'll never go back to a middleman.
-2
kaiharris1mo ago
Your buddy got overcharged for sure, that $1,100 gap is rough. But brokers aren't always that bad, it depends a lot on the market. Back in 2021 when freight was insane, a broker saved my buddy's shop about $600 on a load from St. Louis to Denver because they found a truck willing to take the run when direct carriers were all booked up solid for weeks. Sometimes that markup is just the cost of having someone do the legwork and take the risk, especially for a small company that doesn't have their own logistics team. I say it's worth checking both routes every time, brokers can still be useful in a pinch.
2