Shipping expenses can be a real headache and many companies give you a good deal on their products only to ramp up the shipping charges. It's an old trick that fools nobody but many providers still do it. The best way to avoid this sort of trap is to carefully investigate the sort of prices other organizations are charging.

Different types of shipping: the cheapest form of shipping will typically be ground shipping and you will be able to save money using this method. Some companies will charge a little more for something like FED EX to achieve overnight delivery. It can be very surprising to see how much shipping and handling differs from place to place. Some organizations will offer their clients a variety of options like 7 day, 3 day and overnight deliveries. And, of course, the price varies. If you're in a hurry for the items you'll no doubt choose the overnight option.

Being able to keeping track of things: use a spread sheet like Excel or one of the variants available from Lotus or even Google documents. Take note down of all shipping and handling prices, together with the name of the provider. This database will become very valuable when you need to compare your findings and work out the most efficient deal.

What about caps on fees: see if the provider caps their shipping and handling fees at a certain level. A cap on shipping and handling fees is good for peace of mind and some organizations may even offer a flat rate for all shipping.

Is bigger really better: established organizations usually give you a good deal. They tend to buy in bulk, achieving discount levels that smaller operators can never get. Shipping and handling is often considered an easy way to pass on that saving and discounts are offered to orders that exceed certain levels. Bigger companies will also keep your previous orders on a database so they know to value you repeat business. There's nothing worse than talking to a different person each time and getting the feeling your previous patronage has been forgotten.

Because there are so many different rates for shipping and handling it is wise to be careful or you could end up paying way too much to get your lighting fixtures deliveries. Shipping and handling prices may look insignificant but when you look into the costs in a deeper way you will be surprised at how much they can affect your company's budget. So do your research and get the best deal on shipping and handling rates.