How to Choose a Reputable Shipping Container Supplier in Melbourne
Buying a shipping container is a significant purchase, so it’s worth taking a little time to know who you’re dealing with. Whether you’re buying a new, used or refurbished container, there are some simple things you can check before making a payment. Whether you need secure storage for your home, farm, business or construction site, choosing the right supplier is just as important as choosing the right container. While there are many companies advertising shipping containers for sale, not all suppliers operate in the same way. Taking a few minutes to research who you’re buying from can help you avoid disappointment, receive a container that meets your expectations and ensure you have support if you need it after delivery.
Here are five key things to look for when choosing a reputable shipping container supplier in Melbourne
1. Buy from an Established Supplier with a Physical Yard
One of the best ways to assess a shipping container supplier is to check whether they operate from a genuine physical container yard. An established depot should have direct access to its stock, experienced staff who understand shipping containers, and the ability for customers to inspect containers before buying where available. Melbourne Shipping Containers is the container sales division of Containerspace, operating from our container depot at 465–467 Somerville Road, Brooklyn in Melbourne’s west.
Shipping containers being handled at our Brooklyn container depot in Melbourne.
Our team works with shipping containers every day, giving customers the opportunity to speak directly with experienced container staff and, where available, arrange an inspection before purchasing. Buying from an established Melbourne container depot offers several advantages:
Containers available for inspection where possible
Experienced staff with practical knowledge of shipping containers
Containers inspected and assessed before sale
Local after-sales support
Knowledge of Melbourne suburbs and container delivery requirements
If you’re investing in a shipping container, it’s reassuring to know where your container is coming from, where the supplier operates and who you’re dealing with.
If you’re buying a used shipping container, condition is particularly important. Not all used containers are automatically wind and watertight, so ask the supplier how the container has been assessed before purchasing. Check for significant corrosion or holes, inspect the doors and rubber seals, and look for signs of water ingress. Where possible, inspect the container in person before you buy. Melbourne Shipping Containers can explain the condition of available containers and if needed arrange a personal inspection by appointment.
2. Be Cautious of Shipping Container Prices That Seem Too Good To Be True
Price is naturally an important consideration when buying a shipping container, but the cheapest advertised price doesn’t always represent the best value. Shipping container prices can vary depending on size, age, condition, grade and availability, so it’s important to compare like with like. With a large number of shipping container scams and fraudulent advertisements appearing online, buyers should be particularly cautious of prices that are significantly lower than those offered by established container suppliers. An unusually low price doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem, but it is a good reason to do some additional checks before making a payment. When comparing shipping container prices, consider:
Can you physically inspect the container or visit the supplier’s container yard?
Is GST included in the advertised or quoted price?
Is delivery included or charged separately?
Can the supplier confirm the container is actually available?
Are you making payment to the same business named on the quotation or invoice?
A reputable shipping container supplier should be able to clearly explain what you’re buying, what it will cost and what is included in the price. If an offer seems unusually cheap, take the time to verify the supplier and the container before transferring any money.
3. Choose a Supplier Who Is Transparent About Container Condition
When buying a used or refurbished shipping container, transparency about condition is important. No two used containers are exactly the same, with differences in paintwork, dents, surface rust, patches, markings and general wear and tear. Recent photographs of the actual container can give you a much clearer understanding of what you’re purchasing than generic catalogue or representative images. It’s also important to understand that there is no universal industry standard for grading used shipping containers. Terms such as “A Grade” or “B Grade” can vary between suppliers, so rather than relying solely on a grade description, ask about the actual condition of the container. When comparing used shipping containers, consider:
Is the container wind and watertight?
What is the overall structural condition?
Is there significant rust or corrosion?
Are there dents, patches or previous repairs?
Do the doors open, close and seal correctly?
What is the overall appearance of the container?
A reputable supplier should be open about the condition of a used container and be able to provide recent photographs of available stock. If appearance is important to you, ask to see photos showing the exterior, interior and doors so you have a realistic idea of what to expect. At Melbourne Shipping Containers, we provide genuine photographs of available containers and customers can arrange an inspection by appointment at our Brooklyn depot. This allows you to better understand the condition of the container before making your decision.
Understanding the actual condition of a used container, rather than relying solely on a grade description, makes it much easier to compare containers and suppliers.
4. Can Your Supplier Provide Additional Container Services?
Before purchasing, consider whether you may need additional container services either now or in the future. An experienced shipping container supplier should be able to explain what services are available and help arrange them where required. Depending on how you intend to use your container, additional services may include:
CSC inspections and certification for containers intended for rail or international shipping
Shipping container modifications, including ventilation, lock boxes, personnel doors, roller doors and windows
Container repairs and maintenance
Painting and refurbishment
Modified shipping container with personnel door and windows made at our Melbourne container yard.
If you're planning to use a container for rail or international transport, it's particularly important to discuss CSC certification before purchasing. A used container that is perfectly suitable for general storage may not necessarily meet the requirements for CSC certification. Buyers can get caught out by purchasing a used container and only mentioning later that they intend to transport it by rail or use it for international shipping. By that stage, they may discover that the container they purchased is not suitable for certification.
If there is any possibility that you may need to transport your container by rail or internationally, tell your supplier before you buy. They can help you select a suitable container and explain the CSC inspection and certification requirements.
Melbourne Shipping Containers and Containerspace can provide CSC inspection and certification services, as well as arrange a range of container modifications, repairs and refurbishment. Discussing your intended use with our team before purchasing can help ensure you select a container that is suitable for both your immediate and future requirements
5. Do Some Final Checks Before Making Payment
*Check the website and email address carefully – scammers may use domain names that closely resemble those of legitimate businesses. Look for small differences such as added hyphens, extra words, spelling changes or a different domain ending, such as .net instead of com.au, that emails, quotations and invoices are coming from the business’s established domain, and search for the company independently rather than relying on links you have been sent.
*Don’t rely on an ABN alone – check that the ABN is valid, but remember that scammers can copy the genuine ABN and business details of an established company. A genuine ABN does not necessarily verify the person or website you are dealing with.
*Check the business’s online history – search the business name independently. Does it have an established website and Google Business Profile? Are the address, phone number and website consistent across these sources? Does the business appear to have an established history rather than a recently created online presence?
*Check the Domain Age - use lookup tools such as Whoxy or Whois to see when the website was registered.
*Look for genuine customer activity – check Google reviews and the company’s social media pages. Look for a history of real container deliveries, customer projects, yard photographs and ongoing business activity rather than relying on a few isolated images or reviews.
*Verify contact details independently – don’t rely solely on the phone number, email address or website link provided in an advertisement, email, text message or invoice. Find the business independently and, if you have any concerns, contact them using those independently sourced details.
*Check quotation, invoice and payment details carefully – make sure the business named on your documentation is the company you believe you are purchasing from. Check the payment details carefully and be particularly cautious if bank details change unexpectedly or you are asked to make payment to a different business or account.
If something doesn’t look right, don’t rush payment. There are online resources that can help you research scam websites, including Artists Against AA419 which maintains information about fraudulent websites, while dedicated Facebook awareness groups such as The Australian Storage Container ANTI-SCAM page can be useful if you want to post a query.
Why Buy From Melbourne Shipping Containers?
Melbourne Shipping Containers is the container sales division of Containerspace, giving our customers access to an established Melbourne container operation, experienced staff and shipping containers that can be viewed and assessed before purchase. We aim to make buying a shipping container straightforward and transparent. That means providing genuine photographs of our containers, clearly explaining container condition and helping customers choose a container suited to their needs.
If you’re looking for a new, used or refurbished shipping container in Melbourne, talk to our team to discuss current stock, pricing or arrange an inspection at our Brooklyn depot.
