Introduction
Antique collecting made digital
If you’ve watched movies like Saving Private Ryan or Dunkirk then you’ve seen authentic props provided by International Military Antiques (IMA) an online antique seller.
IMA is the largest military collectibles business in the world. It got its start when founder Christian Cranmer inherited his father’s collection of 300 antique weapons. Since 1965, IMA has been selling authentic military artifacts of all types, ranging from 17th century flintlock pistols, to World War II-era Italian General military uniforms.
ShipperHQ keeps us legally compliant. I rest easier at night knowing they have our back.Alex CramerCEO at IMA
Objectives
Navigating strict shipping laws
Selling antiques and weapons online, even deactivated items, can pose formidable shipping complexities. For example, even a deactivated machine gun cannot be exported out of the United States without a license from the Department of State.
While IMA employs a knowledgeable fulfillment workforce that manually reviews all exports, ShipperHQ is still IMA’s first line of defense to catch any errors.
Challenges
The legal & logistical maze
Selling deactivated firearms and military antiques involves navigating a maze of international and state regulations, presenting significant shipping and fulfillment challenges.
In addition, IMA could not differentiate between small and light items, and items that cost more to ship such as a heavy antique firearm.
Solution
Mastering complex shipping scenarios
ShipperHQ provided IMA with tools to manage complex shipping scenarios, including Shipping Groups for product categorization and Packing Rules for accurate shipping rate calculation.
By using Shipping Groups, IMA can prevent international customers from purchasing restricted items and clearly communicate shipping regulations at checkout.
Shipping Rule Win!
By utilizing Shipping Groups in ShipperHQ, IMA prevents customers outside the U.S from ordering a deactivated machine gun, or other restricted items.
