Looking for online shipping marketplace? Find good deals on slot bookings and boxes

An online shipping marketplace that provides 100% price transparency and allows you to compare the rates before booking SOC vessel slots is a solution that we all need in the logistics business. If you find yourself agreeing to this, read this blog to find out how Container xChange can help you with its one-of-a-kind freight solution.

Finding an online shipping marketplace that caters to all your needs in one place is tricky. From dealing with trusted suppliers and sourcing boxes at good deals to booking slots on feeder vessels—the tasks can get overwhelming. And to add to your woes, not only is there a lack of transparency in the industry but there’s also a very real need for efficient digital freight solutions that save both time and money.

Luckily, Container xChange is the online shipping marketplace that takes care of all this for you. We help you source SOC (shipper-owned containers) and book vessel slots globally, in just a few easy steps. An online marketplace like ours is what you’ve been missing out on.

With us, you can first lease SOCs at competitive rates from vetted suppliers and then ship them to their destination by booking vessel slots on our Ocean Freight Marketplace – it’s that simple!

Take the first step towards streamlining your logistics by leasing SOCs using our public search below. Just select ‘I want to use containers’ and fill out where you want your containers picked up and dropped off. You’ll then get a list of 50,000+ containers in 2,500 locations worldwide, certified suppliers, and realistic rates. Try it below!

Online Shipping Marketplace: Overview and advantages

As you already know, managing freight operations for clients from start to finish is a complex and time-consuming process. So using an online platform that makes your job easier is a great way to start.

Here are a few benefits of using our online shipping marketplace:

Full market price transparency: You get competitive and comparable rates upfront on one dashboard. These rates can be negotiated with your supplier to choose a deal that works best for you. You get all this without the worry of hidden fees.

Connect with vetted companies: With us, you can access 1,500+ vetted container suppliers. All our members go through a mandatory vetting process to ensure your safety. You can also view the profiles of companies and see the ratings and reviews given to them by their partners.

Network without third parties: No middleman. Here, you work directly with partners to negotiate prices, terms, and conditions. Just think of all the money you’ll be saving!

Work with big names in the industry: Gain access to some of the biggest names in the industry such as Seaco Global, Trident and SeaCube.

Near real-time tracking: Keep an eye on your box with our near real-time tracking feature till it reaches its destination. You also get updates on ETAsWhat is estimated time of arrival?  Estimated time of arrival, commonly known as ETA, is a frequently used term globally to denote the time of coming. In the shipping & logistics industry, it is ... More, delays, container rollovers and so much more.

Easy and safe payment handling feature: The xChange wallet generates only one consolidated bill monthly and manages all your transactions in one place.

To learn more about our digital freight solutions, you can click right here.

With all these benefits at your fingertips, you can get started on your SOC journey right away! After that, you can move on to the next step in your logistics plan – booking slots. We’ve got you covered there too.

Book vessel slots for SOC on xChange’s online Ocean Freight Marketplace

Our Ocean Freight Marketplace is the first online freight booking platform for SOCs. You no longer have to spend hours on the phone or emailing multiple sources looking for slots. Simply use our online freight platform to find vessel slots, access sailing schedules, and see the latest ocean freight rates — all in one place!

NOTE: The marketplace for ocean freight slot booking is currently only available for booking of SOCs, not COCs.

How does it work?

Once you become a member of Container xChange, you’ll have access to our Ocean Freight Marketplace at zero commission. And you’ll get hassle-free online payment with up to 60 credit days.

Here’s an example of how it works: Say you’ve got a shipment of Nike sneakers that need to get from Shanghai to Miami. You’ve found your 40ft SOC container to ship the shoes in on our leasing marketplace. Now you just need to book vessel slots. So, you hop on to our Ocean Freight Marketplace, type in the port of loading, port of discharge, container type and quantity, and gross weight to find slot spaces that suit your needs.

You can compare freight rates for multiple options at once to make sure you’re getting the best deals for your clients. On the Ocean Freight Booking dashboard, you can view the rate details and negotiate the offer.

With our leasing platform, plus the freight marketplace, you can finally do it all without having to switch websites!

Benefits of booking slots on Container xChange’s online shipping marketplace

Apart from just booking slots on feeders and shipping lines, there’s a lot more you can expect when it comes to slot bookings on our online shipping marketplace.

• Compare multiple slot prices on one platform: Tired of switching between sites to compare slot booking prices and deals? Your worries are finally over! On our Ocean Freight Marketplace, you can compare multiple deals at once. Plus get up-to-date freight prices for SOCs. You have one-click access to the latest rates and sailing schedules. Compare offers and choose the best for your business within seconds.
• Get instant quotes on slots: Are you frustrated waiting for booking confirmations for slots and losing out on deals while you wait to hear back from carriers? On our Ocean Freight Marketplace, you get instant quotes, plus booking confirmations within 24 hours. So that you can make decisions fast. With us, you have online rate negotiation with shipping lines and feeders without intermediaries. You can directly communicate with shipping lines and feeders if you’d like to negotiate terms.
• Access shipping schedules easily: Accessing accurate and up-to-date shipping schedules can be a nightmare due to a lack of transparency in the industry. On xChange, you can view shipping schedules all over the world. This allows you to make informed decisions about when is the best time to ship goods, and with which carrier.

Lease SOC containers and book slots with ease on Container xChange’s online shipping marketplace

With all these benefits in place, it’s time to lease SOCs! We offer one-way leasing for SOC container types. You can find one-way container moves in over 2,500 locations around the world. Using SOCs on our platform also allows you to avoid demurrage and detention fees (as they are shipper-owned and you are not obligated to return the box to the carrier at a specific time frame). What’s more? As container users, there are certain stretches where the container owner pays you to move their boxes.

And as container owners, if you are tired of repositioning containers empty, our leasing platform has the solution. With one-way leasing, you can find container users who would help you reposition your boxes to where you need them. And help you save on hefty port charges.

So, if you’re ready, get, set and go get your SOC at top rates from vetted suppliers to unlock the benefits of slot bookings too by clicking the banner below.

Companies speak on slot bookings in international shipping

Now, before you book your slots, we wanted to address the current pain points in the ocean freight slot booking process. And then show you how xChange can help you overcome these challenges.

For this, Container xChange joined forces with Xaver Löhr and Gustav Jørck from the Chair for Applied Economics and Finance, CBS. Together, we conducted a survey on 137 companies all over the world, of which 64% had experience in dealing with shipper-owned containers. We asked them questions about their experience with the quotation and booking processes. Here’s what they said coupled with our solution to their problem:

Company pain points	xChange online marketplace solution
Inaccurate quotations or slow booking confirmations. We found that 50.4% of the respondents stressed upon the importance of fast and accurate quotations.	On xChange they can get instant quotes, plus booking confirmations within 24 hours. So that they can make decisions faster.
Lack of trust between parties when requesting quotations.	On our marketplace, they can get transparent rates and vetted trustworthy partners for SOCs, where users get guaranteed slots and vetted supplier-guaranteed payments.
The entire process is still very manual. We observed that 84% of our participants still source quotations via email and phone, while 78% of them use the same outdated processes to place a booking.	This delay can be solved with an all-in-one digital platform where they get instant quotes and bookings with fast confirmations – Container xChange.

Join Container xChange’s all-in-one online shipping marketplace to streamline your operations

So, are you excited to join our online shipping marketplace? We can’t wait for you to connect with our network of successful partners, and streamline your freight operations with us.

Have a look at what our existing customers have to share about how Container xChange transformed their freight operations:

And remember, on Container xChange, you can:

• Choose SOCs from 50,000+ containers. And make risk-free deals with vetted partners.
• Browse deals that meet your criteria, including the container condition you’re looking for. Negotiate directly with partners, with no middlemen, and no hidden costs.
• Check details including pick-up credits, free days, per diem charges, and company reviews, before accepting a deal or leasing out a box.
• Track containers in near-real time with our tracking feature.
• Make safe and secure payments directly on the platform, plus keep track of transactions in one place –100% secure transactions.
• Get complete price transparency on containers and vessel slots.
• Compare SOC vessel slot prices on one dashboard.
• Access shipping schedules.
• Get instant quotes on slots, plus booking confirmation within 24 hours.

Become a member of Container xChange, and simplify your freight operations from start to finish. From sourcing SOCs at competitive rates to comparing and booking vessel slots; we’ve got you covered. So, don’t give yourself a fright when it comes to your freight anymore! Click the banner below to get started right away.

Common FAQs: Online shipping marketplace

What is an online shipping marketplace?

An online shipping marketplace is a platform where freight forwarders and shippers can manage their freight operations. This includes securing SOCs, organizing slot bookings and making payments, all in one place.

What is freight forwarding software?

Freight forwarding software assists companies that deal with logistics operations, freight management and freight brokering for international and domestic shipping. This software helps to streamline operations from end to end, in one place.

What is a freight forwarding solution?

A freight forwarding solution is a platform that helps freight forwarders to manage their logistics operations. This includes: finding SOCs, making payments, securing vessel slots and accessing shipping schedules.