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Retail and e-commerce · how to ship

How to ship trade show exhibits

The right mode, how to prepare it, what drives the price and the mistakes that cost money. Best modes: LTL, Dry van truckload.

Short answer: Ship trade show booths LTL or by dedicated truck to the show's advance warehouse or directly to the venue on the target move-in date. Use the show's shipping labels and deadlines, crate the exhibit, and plan the return shipment before the show ends.

Updated November 3, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group

Step by step

Preparing trade show exhibits for shipping

  1. Read the show's shipping manual for warehouse and direct-to-show deadlines.
  2. Crate or case everything and label with the show labels.
  3. Book delivery to the advance warehouse or the target move-in time.
  4. Arrange the outbound pickup before the show closes.
  5. Keep the BOL and drayage receipts.
Cost

What drives the price

  • Show drayage (material handling) charged by the show contractor
  • Appointment and target-time delivery
  • Crate weight
  • Return shipment

For real prices see pallet shipping cost, the freight rate index and reefer shipping cost.

Avoid these

Mistakes that cost money

  • Missing the advance warehouse deadline.
  • No outbound shipment booked, so the exhibit gets force-shipped at a premium.
  • Confusing show drayage with freight cost.

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Frequently asked questions

Advance warehouse or direct to show?

Advance warehouse gives a delivery window and reduces risk; direct to show must hit an exact move-in time.

What is drayage at a trade show?

The show contractor's charge to move freight from the dock to your booth, billed separately from transportation.

Can GetShippingRates handle the return?

Yes. Quote the outbound and return together.

More shipping cost guides

  • Shipping cost calculator — Billable weight for parcel, LTL, truckload, air and ocean, the mode that fits, and a dated LTL price range.
  • Pallet shipping cost — What 1 to 12 pallets cost to ship by LTL, by distance, from 97,000+ real shipments.
  • Freight shipping rates — How each mode is priced, and LTL price per 100 lb by weight and distance from real shipments.
  • LTL vs truckload — Where LTL stops making sense: pallet counts, weight, linear feet and transit, with real LTL prices.
  • Air freight rates — How air cargo is priced: chargeable weight, weight breaks, surcharges and door-to-door charges.
  • Ocean freight rates — FCL vs LCL, container sizes, revenue tons and every charge on an ocean freight quote.
  • Freight rate index — Median all-in truckload price per mile by equipment, distance and city, from hundreds of priced lanes.
  • Reefer shipping cost — What refrigerated LTL and reefer truckloads cost, from real quotes on 16 lanes.
  • White glove delivery cost — Curbside to white glove with assembly: what the two-person delivery leg costs in 16 US cities.
  • Broker vs. carrier direct — When a direct carrier contract beats a broker, and when it doesn't.
  • Volume LTL vs. partial truckload — The 6-to-18-pallet gray zone: how each is priced and handled.
  • Where to get a freight quote — Carrier sites, marketplaces, brokers and instant-rate platforms compared.
  • How to ship anything — Mode, packaging, freight class and cost drivers for furniture, machinery, produce, hazmat and more.
  • Shipping to Mexico — Cross-border freight: border crossings, the documents each side needs, and the US leg's real cost.
Live quote

Get a quote to ship trade show exhibits

Pick the mode, enter the lane and freight, and see live rates in seconds where the mode supports it. Armstrong Transport Group's team handles the rest.

Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.

LTL quote

  2. 2 Shipment
  3. 3 Contact
1–6 pallets or crates sharing a truck
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Freight
Handling units
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At pickup
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