How Do I Ship to the Show and Then Get My Stuff Back Home?

• You can use any shipping company you like to ship your materials to US Tradeshows for your event. If you don’t have a shipper you normally use, you can contact our Official Show Shipping Partner, ARC Best/ABF Freight. You will find their information in your show’s exhibitor manual.
• You will have two choices to which you can ship your materials.
• The Advance Receiving Warehouse. You can ship up to 30 days in advance of your show to this location. Your materials will be stored there, and then transported to the event facility and be delivered to your booth where they will be waiting for you when you arrive.
• Why is this what we recommend? Because this method gives you the widest window for you to ship your materials. That allows you to track your materials to insure they have been received and will be at your booth. With our online ordering service, you will receive an automatic notification when your shipment has been received.

HINT* There will be an Advanced Warehouse Discount Deadline. After this deadline, there will be a Late-to-Warehouse surcharge. So you will want to have your materials arrive before this date, if at all possible, to save your budget dollars.

• Direct to Show Site Sometimes it is just not possible to get your materials to the Advance Warehouse in time. In that case, you can still ship Direct to Show Site in care of US Tradeshows. But you will want to arrange for your shipment to arrive no earlier than the Direct to Show Site receiving date. If it arrives prior to that date, your materials could very well be refused by the facility, which can lead to many headaches. And none of us want any of those!

HINT 2* Make sure you bring your tracking information for your shipments. In case there have been any problems along the way with your shipment so it hasn’t arrived before, we will be happy to help in any way we can. But it can be very challenging if there is no tracking information with which to start.

• Again, you are welcome to use any shipper you desire, but if you are using a shipping company other than ABF, it is your responsibility to contact your shipper and let them know you will have an outgoing shipment that needs to be picked up at the show site following the close of the show.
• Most shippers require at least 24-hour notification before your shipment needs to be picked up.
• If you have no pre-determined shipper, ABF Freight Systems is the official show carrier. They do not need to be called beforehand for pick up.
• Pack and label your materials for shipping to their next destination and leave them in your booth.
• Fill out the Outbound Materials Handling Form (Available at the US Tradeshows Service Desk.)
• Return your completed form to US Tradeshows.
• Your freight will be turned over to your shipper when they check-in.
• If your shipper does not show up, your freight will be sent via ABF and will be delivered COD.

Now, there will be Freight Handling sometimes referred to as Drayage charges associated with these services. The charges will be based on weight and there will be a Freight Handling Form in your Exhibitor Manual outlining those rates.

Freight Handling or “Drayage” consists of:

• Receiving your shipment(s) at either the Advance Receiving Warehouse or Show Site
• Delivering your shipment to your booth space
• Storing your empty containers and returning them to your booth at the close of the show
• Providing you with an Outbound Materials handling Form at our Exhibitor Services Desk
• Once your chosen shipping company arrives, we will gather your shipment(s), deliver them to your shipper(s), fill out all required shipping paperwork and assist your shipper in loading out your materials.

Hopefully, this information will be helpful in assisting you with your shipping needs. But if you still have questions or need clarification, please feel free to contact us at US Tradeshows and we will be happy to help.