5 ways to stop overpaying on shipping
If you’re an online merchant, then you’ll be aware that eCommerce shipping costs can make or break your business’ success. A good eCommerce shipping process can give your business a key edge over the competition, but there are many important factors to consider for proper shipping – or else you could lose customers and revenue fast!
Shipping costs are an important factor to keep in mind, as they can cut deeply into your profits before you even start realizing it. Cutting your shipping costs will not only save your business money, but also attract more customers. Just about all online buyers prefer to shop from stores where shipping costs are minimal and transparent, meaning that they should be kept to a minimum for the benefit of both your business and your customer base.
The gist of it is that eCommerce shipping costs can add up fast. But, by keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid overpaying – keeping your profit margin healthy and your customers happy as well.
Try to negotiate with your couriers
Always be sure to negotiate your eCommerce shipping costs with your couriers to see if you can take advantage of any volume discounts they offer. This becomes easier over time as your online sales grow and your volume steadily ramps up.
They might not offer you a great deal when you’re first starting out. But after you become an established eCommerce seller, be sure to renegociate with them for a better deal/discount. If they don’t want to renegociate, well, there are tens of other courier companies our there that would be willing to negociate.
Have lots of shipping box sizes available at hand
Box dimensions can make a major difference when it comes to eCommerce shipping costs. Be sure that the product you’re shipping fits properly into the shipping box itself. In other words, don’t ship an iPhone in a one-meter box! Doing so will cost you and your company a lot of money. Trust me – it all adds up.
Weigh and measure all of your products
Wrong information can cost you money when it comes to eCommerce shipping!
Knowing the exact weight and dimensions of your shipment will ensure you get charged for exactly what you ship. But if you don’t know the exact dimensions and weight and just enter an approximate calculation, it could turn out to be substantially higher than what the dimensions and weight are in reality.
For example, if you don’t know the exact weight and dimensions of your items, then you may order larger size boxes or flat rate boxes and have to pay extra charges for the weight you didn’t actually ship.
While it might take a while to weight and measure all of your products, it might pay off in the long run, since you’ll be only using the correct size boxes.
Figure out which packing materials work best for your products
There are plenty of packaging materials out there to choose from – packing foam, Styrofoam, soft foam, bubble-wraps, cardboard boxes…. and even newspapers!
Experiment with what works best when shipping out your products. Always be sure that your items will be well-protected during transit, but also keep shipping costs in mind. If a certain packing material works just as well as another more expensive option, use it.
Don’t cut too many costs
Cutting shipping costs doesn’t mean you have to overlook what’s most important. If you’re shipping fragile items or heavy items, make sure they’re packed accordingly. And if required, get them insured – especially if the item is expensive.
If you overlook these aspects, you might end up paying far more than the amount you save in overlooking them. Failing to properly pack a shipment of fragile and expensive glassware, for example, can cost your business a lot in the long run if they’re delivered damaged to the customer.
Simply put – don’t cut any important corners when it comes to eCommerce shipping.
Oh, and here’s a bonus tip – try investing in a thermal printer. Their initial cost may seem high, but they are designed specifically for printing labels. And they do it quickly, easily, and affordably. As such, when the couriers come to pick up the parcels, they will be ready to go with the label already on them.
Closing thoughts
It is very important to Keep your eCommerce shipping costs to a minimum. By avoiding overpaying for your eCommerce shipping, your online store can keep its profits healthy and customers satisfied.
But as previously mentioned, be sure to not cut too many costs, as you might end up losing even more money. The key is to find a balance between the quality of the packing materials and their cost. And of course, a hefty negociated discount from the courier company is also tremendously important.