The internet has expanded to the advantage of customers who can now compare shipping prices online before they place their shipping order with a freight carrier. Shipping prices can vary depending on various factors according to the type of shipment, place of shipment, route of shipment and so on. However, shipping prices also vary between various shipping companies. Shipping companies they charge according to their shipping costs keeping a little profit margin for themselves. Shipping companies now have online shipping calculators that allow you to put in your consignment details and get a price for the shipment. You will see that shipping prices will include elements like special handling for the consignment, the value of the item, the number of containers needed and the amount of space your item will take to ship. It is always therefore advised to compare shipping prices on the internet from various shipping companies and then choose the lowest one.