Buy Shipping Containers Direct

Figuring out how to find and purchase shipping containers is a unique challenge, even if you already know what kind of containers you want. For first-time container buyers, the difficulty is only magnified.

buy shipping containers direct

Shipping container prices are often difficult to find online without some extra legwork, and there are many different kinds of sellers with their own pros and cons. The shipping container industry is fragmented with thousands of dealers, distributors, resellers, and other middlemen in the process.

If you want to buy an empty shipping container, you need to know the best one to fit your needs. Beyond the options with regard to who is selling empty containers, there are also numerous choices in size and condition.

A good place to start is our article covering the types and dimensions of shipping containers. It goes over all the options, including some of the less-common variants you may run across in your search.

Knowing what you want and figuring out how and where to actually get it are very different things. Depending on your location and preferences, there are a number of different options available to you when you decide to buy a shipping container.

However, depending on where you purchase containers, you may lose the ability to conduct a pre-purchase inspection. That makes it all the more important to find a shipping container company you can trust and that has the integrity to sell quality shipping containers.

To find seaports, the Sea Rate website is an amazing tool. You can search by country and see hundreds of ports, with contact information for each one along with very detailed information about the size and capacity of the port. From there, try reaching out to the port to ask about companies that work with the port and sell excess containers.

Additionally, many countries have similar online classified ads sites that cater specifically to residents of that country or region. So, seek out these websites and see what used shipping containers are available. The recommendations and cautions we shared above for Craiglist in the United States still apply here.

You can also look for personal referrals from people that work in the shipping, transportation, and logistics industries. They may know other dealers or just companies that use containers in their business and likely have excess units.

As mentioned above, financing the purchase of your shipping container with some kind of loan may be a good idea, depending on the overall state of your personal finances and project budget and timeline.

If you have a need for more than one container (as container home builders often do), we recommend purchasing all of your containers from the same seller instead of piecemealing them out between different sellers. On top of making your record-keeping that much easier, it also gives you the option to negotiate a volume discount.

For shipping container sellers, there are a few different things they can offer you. The first is delivery & offloading, which we discuss below in the next section. Other options include things like custom painting, installation of lockboxes, etc. Some sellers may even do large-scale custom modifications including window and door frame installation, insulation, etc.

Another factor to consider is timeliness. As an example, if the seller only has two container trailers and you ordered ten containers, how many days will it take to get everything delivered as they deal with back-and-forth transit times plus competing deliveries for other customers?

I was wondering, do you have any resources for someone that is trying to start a business selling shipping containers. Where the best place is to buy bulk. My husband can pickup and deliver. We would like to start selling them. Thank you

Nathaniel, I have found that some banks are willing to let you take out a signature loan for the money to buy the containers. This is relatively high interest-rate, but it works. As an alternative, get a loan using the land as collateral, which would lower the interest rate. Hope this helps.

Buying a shipping container may seem like an easy task, but there are countless factors to consider to ensure you end up with the right fit for your needs. Whether you are buying a new or used shipping container for transportation purposes or exploring other shipping container uses like building a house or business, learning the process and common tips for how to buy a shipping container is crucial before you get started.

If you are looking to transport precious cargo or build a home, restaurant, etc. with shipping containers, your first thought may be to play it safe and buy a new container. But the decision whether to buy a used shipping container or a new one is a bit more nuanced than that and depends heavily on your needs.

Start by determining the required size of your container depending on the size of cargo or space needed for container conversion. The two most common sizes for standard containers are 20ft and 40ft, and suppliers like Container Sales Group also offer 40ft. High Cube and 45ft. High Cube containers if you need extra vertical space.

Location also plays an important part in the cost of shipping containers. As China and the rest of Asia have more exports than imports, these countries often face a deficit of containers, as they export more than they import. Consequently, there are often not enough containers available. Buying a container in Shanghai, for example, will cost more than buying one in Hamburg, Germany. In addition, the further a container needs to travel to get to you, the more it will likely cost.

The need for shipping containers has skyrocketed in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as they become increasingly popular for the construction of structures like homes and restaurants. Unsurprisingly, there are some who have tried to benefit from this increased need at the expense of consumers. To avoid this, try to opt for a reputable, proven shipping container supplier that has been in business for more than just a few years.

New containers will be made of new steel and may come with additional features like security boxes to prevent the lock from being cut off for forklift pockets for easy moving, or other brand markings that were placed on it at the factory.

Shipping containers can be used as a permanent or temporary storage option in place of a shed, garage, or workshop. Many years ago, most areas did not require a permit for metal shipping containers, but some areas are now requiring one even if it is for storage. Before you purchase an international shipping container, it is important to know if your local municipality or village requires a permit.

The space needed for delivery will depend on who you are purchasing the container from. Container Sales Group, for example, uses a tilt body (roll-off truck), meaning the container slides off the back of the truck as it pulls forward. We can also deliver longer distances with a flatbed truck requiring customers to lift off containers at the time of arrival.

As you might expect, a new shipping container will have only been moved once (from the factory to the depot) and is unlikely to be damaged. They have been built to the highest standard. The rigors of shipping might cause a few signs of wear, but these are more than likely due to their use.

In addition, most new shipping containers come with forklift pockets, which are invaluable to contractors or yard workers who need to move them around. Depending on the used container, you may find them, but many will not, so cranes and special lifts will be required to move them.

Be sure the company conducts inspections of used containers so you feel confident in the reported condition of the container. Companies like Container Sales Group which buy containers directly from steamships also tend to offer much more competitive pricing.

Container Sales Group has been in business of new & used shipping container sales for more than 24 years. We offer quality containers around the United States at the most competitive prices while also offering industry-leading customer support. Contact us for a quote or call today at (708) 998-5543.

On the other hand, you might only need to use a small number of containers. You could also be in need of a large number of containers, but only for one way. Or simply need the containers for a short period of time.

The next and most important factor you need to pay attention to is the shipping container price. Knowing the price beforehand can help you negotiate better deals with sellers. Here are the prices of 20ft and 40ft standard containers in popular locations.

Now that you know the average current prices of containers, you can easily buy containers at the best prices. But container prices fluctuate regularly and depend on a variety of factors like location or container type.

However, as easy as it can be to find the containers closer to the ports, it also has its downsides. The pricing can be higher given the ease of accessibility and lack of transparent deals you can make. This gives you little chance to know the reasoning behind the price and added fees.

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Western Container Sales offers used shipping containers at wholesale prices. We work directly with intermodal shipping companies and equipment providers to sell their end of life shipping containers. Every container we sell comes directly from cargo circulation, and is guaranteed to have doors that seal properly, a floor free of holes, and a roof that doesn't leak. The container is also covered by a one year warranty (please note, that the warranty does not cover contents).

We place a wholesale margin on top of our cost, as one of the largest buyers of intermodal shipping containers in North America, and deliver the shipping container on a roll-off trailer directly to the customer within 4-7 business days. 041b061a72