Part of running a business today is having a website which customers can visit, view products and if inclined make online orders. This is e-commerce and it people ordering products online to be shipped directly to their door has become commonplace. Once upon a time businesses didn't need to worry about shipping except to stores where their product was being sold, but that is no more. A business now needs to optimize its shipping practices and determine the best methods for it possible. It is estimated that businesses who don't optimize their shipping plans can spend up to 40% more on shipping than is necessary, so let's explore some tips to reduce shipping costs.
Tip # 1: Find Your Provider
The first thing you need to do is find a shipping service provider. Several big ones are UPS, FedEx, DHL or USPS. Once you've picked one, sit down with their business specialist and come up with a solution for common services. Which means figuring out roughly what the average cost and timing is for areas you regularly deliver to so that you can map out and provide customers with consistent shipping pricing and expected delivery date. This will also save you money because you aren't walking in trying to figure out shipping for each and every product.
Tip #2: Getting Proper Equipment
Shipping management is important and reducing the amount of guesswork and time spent figuring out what it will cost to send each package is important. First get a postage meter. These can give you quick and accurate postage charges and then print the shipping labels. This eliminates wasted time guessing the weight of a package and the estimated postage. In fact if you use a postage meter with the USPS you save 2%, so not getting one is only going to cost you more in the long run. Other proper equipment also means having the right sized packaging available. There are times where if you are able to ship in a slightly different package you can save a great deal.
Tip #3 Communicate Your Policies
Make sure everyone in your business, especially sales and anyone else dealing with customers is aware of the shipping policies in your company. This not only includes shipping to customers but exchanges and returns too. Whether you decide to charge customers or give them free shipping on exchanges, be sure it is on your website. Losing customers over your shipping policy is very penny wise, pound foolish. Make sure it's available in multiple places and easily catches the customer's eye so that they know what the deal is.
Tip # 1: Find Your Provider
The first thing you need to do is find a shipping service provider. Several big ones are UPS, FedEx, DHL or USPS. Once you've picked one, sit down with their business specialist and come up with a solution for common services. Which means figuring out roughly what the average cost and timing is for areas you regularly deliver to so that you can map out and provide customers with consistent shipping pricing and expected delivery date. This will also save you money because you aren't walking in trying to figure out shipping for each and every product.
Tip #2: Getting Proper Equipment
Shipping management is important and reducing the amount of guesswork and time spent figuring out what it will cost to send each package is important. First get a postage meter. These can give you quick and accurate postage charges and then print the shipping labels. This eliminates wasted time guessing the weight of a package and the estimated postage. In fact if you use a postage meter with the USPS you save 2%, so not getting one is only going to cost you more in the long run. Other proper equipment also means having the right sized packaging available. There are times where if you are able to ship in a slightly different package you can save a great deal.
Tip #3 Communicate Your Policies
Make sure everyone in your business, especially sales and anyone else dealing with customers is aware of the shipping policies in your company. This not only includes shipping to customers but exchanges and returns too. Whether you decide to charge customers or give them free shipping on exchanges, be sure it is on your website. Losing customers over your shipping policy is very penny wise, pound foolish. Make sure it's available in multiple places and easily catches the customer's eye so that they know what the deal is.