If you run a small business that sells products you want to provide excellent shipping services to your customers.
If you don’t adhere to the right small business shipping tips, this can be harmful to your business. No matter how great your products are, if you don’t provide quality shipping then your customers will take their business elsewhere.
So, what are the important small business shipping tips to follow?
We’ve prepared this quick guide, so you don’t run into any issues with your company’s shipping methods.
1. Efficiency
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that your shipping process is efficient. For example, you should find a way to print shipping labels on the go. You also want to make sure that you have an abundance of shipping mailers and boxes on hand.
Regardless of the type of products you sell, you want to make sure you have protective material. This can include Styrofoam peanuts for most products. Or you can use protective shrink-wrap for media products such as books or DVDs. If you fail to pack your products with adequate protection, this will greatly annoy your customers.
Your warehouse should always replenish the stock of mailers, boxes, and protective material. This speeds up the process of packing and shipping. You can also check car shipping companies if you have a car business going. Here, you will find out some auto-shipping secrets you can avoid.
2. Shipping Rates
You need to research the shipping rates beforehand. As a general rule, the factors that determine the cost of shipping are the weight, destination, and desired speed.
You should regularly check the shipping rates of different delivery companies based on these factors. You can calculate the average to determine the shipping rates that you charge your customers.
You want to offer the lowest shipping rates to your customers. So, if FedEx is cheaper than UPS, offer the “FedEx rate” to your customers. Customers also will not say no to free shipping. If this might hurt your profits, you can offer it if they spend a large amount on their order.
3. Delivery Trucks
You want to look at the different delivery truck options available. For example, if you have a lighter load of products (and a smaller quantity) then choose an LTL truck.
If you need to ship larger products that require installation (TVs, furniture, appliances, etc.) you want to opt for a box truck. Make sure you always research the different delivery truck options for the load you need to send.
4. Return Policy
While no business owner wants to give returns/refunds, you will attract more customers if you have a great return policy.
The best policy is to offer a free return shipping label to your customers. You should also give them at least 30 days to test out the product before sending it back if they aren’t satisfied.
5. Branding
If you can, you should give a branding spin to your packaging. If you can create custom mailers with your company logo you should do so.
You should also consider packing in “goodies” in your packages. For example, you might want to include stickers with your brand’s logo. Or you can even offer discount coupons in the packaging.
Follow These Small Business Shipping Tips
Now that you know these small business shipping tips, you can ensure you have a better shipping policy for your business. Make sure to share this with your fellow entrepreneurs!
You can also read more advice on running your business on our website.
