Moving Company
Owns the move
- ✓ Provides full service moving solutions
- ✓ Owns trucks and moving equipment
- ✓ Manages staff and drivers internally
- ✓ Registered with FMCSA for interstate moves
- ✓ Carries a U.S. DOT number
Movers vs. Brokers
Know who is actually moving your household goods.
Moving day can be exciting and stressful. Whether your move is right down the street or across the country, you need confidence that your belongings are properly packed, loaded and accounted for.
Critical Question
Are you hiring a household goods mover or a broker?
Ask whether the company is an actual moving company or a broker before you book.
The Difference
One handles the move. One sells the move.
Moving companies and moving brokers are not the same thing. The difference matters most when something changes, breaks, gets delayed or costs more than expected.
Moving Broker
Sells the move
- ✓ Acts as a middleman between customer and mover
- ✓ Books the move, then sells it to a carrier
- ✓ Usually does not have trucks or professional movers
- ✓ Does not assume responsibility for transporting goods
- ✓ Can leave customers with more uncertainty on move day
Accountability Map
Follow the move from quote to accountability.
Brokers do not have a moving team of staff or drivers, do not own or operate moving equipment and do not have a storage facility. This is all outsourced.
1
Quote
Broker path
Broker sells the move
Mover path
Mover estimates and plans the move
2
Crew
Broker path
Outsourced carrier shows up
Mover path
Company staff handles the work
3
Equipment
Broker path
Usually no owned trucks
Mover path
Owned trucks and equipment
4
Accountability
Broker path
Responsibility can split
Mover path
One accountable partner
Broker Risk vs. Reward
If safety, transparency and integrity are priorities, choose a full service moving company.
Working with a moving broker carries a high level of risk. Oakley Relocation has the quality scores, expertise, resources and licenses required to handle any type of move.
Common Broker Issues
The risks customers report most often
Scams
Posing as established moving brokers, scammers develop sophisticated websites and author seemingly credible business reviews that tend to pass the sniff test upon first impression.
Lack of Liability
Brokers delegate or outsource the moving service and are not responsible for the move itself. Because the truck, movers and equipment are not held by the broker, accountability can disappear.
Multiple Points of Contact
If something goes astray, customers can get stuck between the broker and the moving company in a finger-pointing game with little to no resolution.
Price Transparency
A common tactic is the bait-and-switch: a quote is underrepresented to close the deal, then the customer is asked to pay more when the moving team arrives.
Broker Cons
The tradeoff usually is not worth it.
- Mispriced quotes - brokers commonly lowball the price, with the customer forced to pay more on move day.
- Lack of accountability and trust - if goods are lost, stolen or damaged, responsibility can be unclear.
- Scams - rising moving demand has made moving scams more common.
- Larger deposits - large deposits are standard when customers work with a broker.
- Lack of communication - your primary contact point is not with the actual moving company.
If You Are Working With a Broker
Ask these questions before you sign.
The FMCSA fact sheet recommends verifying broker registration, required documents, written agreements and the actual movers used before you commit.
- 1 Ask if the broker is registered with FMCSA.
- 2 Search FMCSA records at protectyourmove.gov.
- 3 Make sure the broker gives you FMCSA consumer documents.
- 4 Ask for a list of the moving companies the broker uses.
- 5 Confirm those moving companies are registered with FMCSA.
- 6 Ask if the broker has a written agreement with the movers it uses.
- 7 Get a written estimate based on the actual moving company's tariff.
- 8 Check whether marketing materials show the business location, U.S. DOT number and broker status.
Move With Confidence
Work with an accredited, licensed moving partner.
To simplify the process, request a free quote from an accredited and licensed moving partner such as Oakley Relocation. Oakley is recognized and trusted by the Better Business Bureau since our founding in 2008.
These guys were amazing. Everybody at Oakley was polite, professional, and did an excellent job for a very fair price. A few days later all our stuff arrived in Colorado in perfect condition — every last item tracked and accounted for. I couldn't recommend them more highly.
I had a great experience with the movers from Oakley Relocation. They showed up on time, installed protective coverings in my new house, then worked diligently all day to unload and unpack my belongings. Very professional.
The team was incredible and went above and beyond in moving our family — and so kind to us and our one-year-old. We live on base so we were nervous about accessibility, but the team made it happen! Every single thing was carefully wrapped and taken care of like it was their own.
Efficient, respectful of my property, friendly, and cooperative. Hector, Enrique, and Mark came to my home twice for my overseas move — first to package and second to remove. They communicated every step of the way.
Oakley Relocation was a great resource to get us moved from So Cal to Idaho. They were timely, efficient and friendly during what could be a stressful time. Mayra (office) and Juan (driver) were excellent.
Tyler, Marcus, Joey, Frank, Justin, Chase, and Joe did an excellent job packing our home. There was a clear plan to pack a 5,000+ square-foot house in one day, with clear communication among the team and great respect for our home.
Trevor Smith and his team did a fantastic job moving our belongings from San Diego to Dayton, Ohio. Trevor was excellent in analyzing our needs and his team did a super job packing our belongings. Great job!
Hands down the most impressive, top-quality moving service. We hired Oakley Relocation to pack our entire home and move us into our new one. The entire team was incredible, professional, and so thorough.
Tyler, Marcus, Joey, and Lewis were truly professional. They communicated well and ensured the proper set-up of my items throughout my house. They knew the ins and outs of the military move process, which made it easy.
Facing two moves — one local and one out of state — was overwhelming. Oakley Relocation took care of every nut and bolt, from a walk-through to building personalized crates for our bronzes and artwork. Tyler and David's teams were polished and professional. I can't recommend them more highly.
My husband and I moved from Brentwood, CA to Oceanside, CA. My experience with Oakley Relocation made the move seamless and easy. We had used them for another move two years ago and were so pleased we came right back.
The team (Tyler, Lewis, and Mark) did an outstanding job all around. They were careful with our belongings, asked how we wanted things packed, and were polite and punctual through packing and unpacking. Would recommend 100%.
Thank you Oakley Relocation for a great start to our move back to Ohio. Our crew was led by Hector Ortiz — we had Hector on a previous move and he once again did a marvelous job. He treats your home and possessions like his own.
The entire experience was as efficient and pleasant as we could have hoped — from Nick, who provided our estimate, to the crew (Hector Ortiz, Enrique, Chris and Angel) who were efficient, careful with our possessions, and very friendly. Highly recommend.
We had a great experience with Oakley Relocation packing our belongings for our move from California to Tennessee. Tyler and his crew, Joe and George, were amazing — extremely professional and courteous.
Oakley Relocation did a great job! Trevor was extremely detailed in his inventory, so we knew exactly what our move would cost. Juan, our driver, and the crews were polite, professional and experienced. Every promise was kept — including a refund because our weight came in under the estimate.
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