A core component of many businesses is the shipping of products to customers in an acceptable and efficient manner. Since the Coronavirus pandemic struck last year, delivery services have enjoyed a boom time thanks to the increase in online spending while stores are closed.
While you may already use a shipping company, it is a good idea to have a system in place to compound the efficiency of shipping that includes:
- Weight
- Packaging
- Pricing
The weight of your products determine the shipping costs, so it becomes necessary to have this information readily available while packaging plays a key part in a good shipping procedure. Pricing considerations can be made and must be incorporated into your shipping system in some form.
Keep it Down
The cost of shipping is based mostly on weight so keeping weight to a minimum is a necessary step in reducing costs. The product itself should be weighed on a parts scale and then suitably packaged in the lightest possible materials as this will add to the total weight of the package and therefore the cost of shipping.
Knowing the weight of your products also helps when it comes to customer service as a customer will know what to expect when a package arrives should it be heavy in a situation where they may need help to receive it. Product weight should always be accurately represented on your product pages as it can also make a customer aware of any extra charges that might apply should the cost of shipping be included in the total price.
Suitable and Necessary
Using safe and necessary packaging wherever possible is of great importance when shipping a product. Different materials can provide various strengths, may have weaknesses, and affirm privacy should it be necessary for items such as adult material or medical products.
In this context you should also consider the use of custom made packaging labels to meet the unique requirements and specifications of the manufacturer of the product.
You should remember that the weight of the packaging will also be factored into the total cost of shipping your product. Charges apply for individual items so in situations where there are multiple products, placing these inside one larger container might be necessary.
Most shipping companies such as UPS or DHL offer professional packing services that minimize waste and keep weight to a reasonable level.
Fee or Free?
Shipping isn’t free and it can be a huge expense for your company if you use delivery services a lot as part of your business. One of the most common reasons for shopping cart abandonment at the end of an online transaction is an unreasonable delivery fee so you must decide whether or not to provide free shipping to your customers, which can greatly increase customer satisfaction, or include your shipping costs in the total price for your customers.
If this is the case then the price can be included in the total, or accurately and honestly conveyed to your customer in the transaction process.
You could consider charging a partial delivery fee that can offset some of the shipping costs or even a flat rate that is charged for all products, but this can become confusing should you offer a wide range of products.
