Statistics show that the number one reason people shop online is free delivery.
How can you improve your mailing options? What are some of the mail services that you can utilize for your business? What shipping tips could you apply to your current shipping process?
Shipping out your products, paperwork, and promotions is an important part of business that requires constant attention.
Keep reading to learn a few tips on how to save time and money on small business shipping:
Table of Contents
1. Shop Around
Whether you choose to complete your shipping efforts in-house or outsource them to another company, it is important to shop around before making that decision. While it may seem like a sound financial idea to do everything yourself, you may find that certain products you ship would be more affordable if you used a third party.
Weighing the different options first will allow you to make the best choice for your business and customers. For more info on label options for your packages, visit that link.
2. Create a Strategy
Who gets your product from the warehouse to your customer’s front door? How soon can it get there? How much will it cost?
It is important to create a strategy in which you have a clear shipping plan for every product on your shelf, as well as for your business as a whole. Your strategy for sending out paper invoices to other businesses or a mail promotion for your customer will look very different from how your product gets delivered after it is ordered.
3. Weigh the Cost of Free Shipping
How much will free shipping cost your business? This question is important to answer first because you need to make sure it isn’t putting your business in the negative while offering value to your customer.
Once you know the cost, you can set the dollar amount that needs to be spent to hit the free shipping goal. This will give you peace of mind that your business can afford to ship that product or products for free.
4. Keep Track of Data
In order to continually grow the order and fulfillment side of your business, keeping track of your data is important. This will allow you to see how many units you are shipping and the cost of doing so.
In addition, you will also be able to see how long it takes to deliver your products and share realistic expectations when a customer orders to when they can expect a delivery.
5. Ask Your Network for Tips on Small Business Shipping
As a small business, you often interact with other small businesses. Asking them about their shipping practices or what has worked well for them can help your business. You may learn of a new fulfillment system or a faster way to package items that you may not find otherwise.
Get Started Today
Now that you have learned a few tips on how to save time and money on small business shipping, you can start putting these tips into action today. It is important to be efficient in your shipping efforts in order to cut costs for the future. Check out our website for more helpful articles like this one.
