Advice on shipping LTL

I am tying to buy an electric cabinet... These are designed for traffic controllers, but are perfect for my use.
This is fourth one for me.
Previously, I had the seller arrange shipment, from Oklahoma to Wisconsin.
Shipping was always under $200

This time they quoted over $1,100 for JUST the shipping..... ALL my trust is gone for this guy.

I got a few quotes, ALL under $200.

Can't I simply buy the cabinet, and knowing the address have it picked up?

Last correspondence:
"All we will need on our end should you choose your freight provider is the carrier name, account number and bill to address for this account."

Why do they want my account number?
Why would I need/have an account number? Previously I just had the carrier pick stuff up. Easy.


Any advice?
Thanks!

The account means you have established credit with the carrier. Otherwise they may require payment on pick up or if collect, on delivery by cash or check.

The price is always much cheaper with account.

If I'm reading it right, an electronic cabinet supplier previously charged you 200 but now want's 1100. Unless their "handling and palletizing" charges have taken a turn for the worse, you owe them nothing other then a name and address to ship to. There's no law that says you can't send your own truck, ordered and prepaid by you to their dock for pickup. Other then agreeing on a pickup date and time window with the cabinet people and shipper, you'd need to send the BOL and Shipping Label through email so they have the paperwork the truck driver will want to sign off on. If you're using an LTL broker they will send the paperwork for you.

As has been my experience with such things.

Providing a shipping account number is something that I have only done with suppliers whom I TRUST. They could ship any number of items to almost any address on the planet and just bill it to that number. This guy does not sound very trustworthy to me and I would not give it to them. Their reason for asking for your account number is so that THEY can arrange the pickup and shipping with your carrier. If you do that, they do not need your account number. Just ask them for the pickup address.

Do arrange your own shipping. They should be able to pick it up at the address specified. And do be sure that the pickup time and date are coordinated.

Will they provide crating/packaging? That is the first thing that needs to be settled. They may want to charge big bucks for that as well. You can also arrange for that service with your own choice of providers.

It sounds to me that they have a new bean counter who is trying to justify his/her salary, which probably does need justification. Of course, with overcharges like this, he/she will probably put the company out of business quickly. I would also start looking for another supplier.