4 Tips for Perfecting the Shipping Process for Your Business

When it comes to a small business, you have to think about shipping if you’re selling a physical product. In fact, the shipping itself can play a major factor in the success of your business. It’s terrifying to think you can have a great product, and a great business model and all of this can be destroyed if the customer constantly has a bad shipping experience. 

So, what can you do? How can this be fixed? Well, there are some practical ways and things you’ll want to keep in mind when you’re working towards making the shipping process easier for your business.

Stary by accessing the cost

Before you can do anything else, you’ll want to take a good look at the cost of shipping. However, it’s not just the shipping cost itself you need to think of; you can’t forget about the cost of the shipping labels, the boxes, the packaging materials, or even the transportation for dropping off these items to a shipping handler. Plus, some of the other things you’ll want to keep in mind will include:

• The services (such as insurance and tracking)
• Speed of the shipping
• The destination for the package
• Shipping volume, especially if you’re planning on shipping frequently
• The weight and dimensions of the package
• The company, as each shipping company will vary in price

It’s a lot to keep in mind, but all of these things will need to be taken into account.

Consider creating a shipping strategy

You’ll also want to consider whether you should have a shipping strategy or not. This will include if you opt for a third-party logistics company to help you out. However, this can include where you’ll sell (such as your own website or a third-party platform like Etsy). Plus, who will you ship with? Some logistic companies, such as DHL can handle both, but not all companies are like that. If you’re a business owner and you’re doing everything on your own, would you be able to do all of this on your own?

Can you afford to outsource? If not, then how often will you ship items, once a week, twice a week, or more? All of this needs to be put into consideration whenever you’re creating a shipping strategy.

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Think about offering free shipping

Customers just adore free shipping and this is a powerful method to getting more sales too. In fact, customers are willing to spend more if it means getting free shipping. So, why not consider offering free shipping on all domestic orders or maybe even free shipping after meeting a certain threshold in their cart? This can be something that could work! Besides, there is no harm in experimenting anyways.

Have a packing solution

The shipping costs can really add up and take a toll on a business; it’s actually one of the reasons why more small businesses are opting for digital products rather than physical ones. However, you shouldn’t let this deter you from creating your business and building your dream. Instead, why not try to find some ways to cut costs when working towards a solid shipping strategy? Some cost-saving tips can include:

• Reuse packaging
• Recycle packaging (such as reusing boxes and materials)
• Buy items in bulk
• Create a partnership with a shipping company
• Ensure you have the right size and weight for packages

Overall, it’s true that it can be a lot of work to get your shipping strategy just right, but in the end, this is going to truly make a large impact on your business!