Factors Influencing Freight Service Choice for Shippers and Freight Suppliers

Examines the factors which are important in the choice of freight services for both shippers and freight suppliers and explores whether the service choice decision is based on different sets of criteria for the two groups and further, whether freight suppliers use different criteria in selecting sea and air transport services. Principal components analysis is used to elicit the factors important in freight service choice. Carrier timing and price characteristics are more important for freight shippers while performance and schedule are more important for freight suppliers purchasing sea services and a combination of schedule and space is more important for freight suppliers purchasing air services. Discusses strategic implications for marketing.