Do you run an online business?
The internet opens up a ton of opportunities for you, but this doesn’t necessarily mean everything will be smooth sailing. One of the things you must get a hang of early is shipping.
Shipping is a cornerstone in any e-commerce business selling physical products. While sending out a few orders a week can be easy, things can become complicated if you need to send out several orders every day.
This is why you need to work with a company that offers shipping for small businesses. But with so many such companies around, how do you zero in on the best provider for your needs?
We’re here to guide you. Read on to learn how to choose a shipping partner.
Table of Contents
Understand Your Needs
The first step to choosing a shipping service provider is to have a good understanding of the needs of your business.
Yes, the main goal is to ensure orders reach customers, but that’s not all you want. For example, how quickly do you need the orders to be shipped? If your business promises to make same-day deliveries, you need to find a shipping company that offers same-day shipping.
Do you need frozen goods shipping? If yes, the company you hire must offer this kind of shipping.
As you can see, knowing your business’s shipping needs will help you know what to look for in a shipping partner. If you don’t have this information, you can end up choosing a partner, only to find that it doesn’t meet your needs.
Scalability
As your business receives more orders, its shipping needs will increase. Customers don’t like businesses that don’t keep their shipping promises, so it’s essential that your shipping reliability isn’t affected when there’s an influx of orders.
When selecting a shipping company, it’s vital to establish whether its services can scale accordingly when required. Look at the company’s fleet of vehicles, size of staff, and the number of existing clients. If a company doesn’t have the resources or can’t demonstrate that it can accommodate the growing needs of your company, don’t hire it.
If you do, you’ll be forced to cut ties when you realize that it’s struggling to meet your needs. Finding a new provider will take some time, which means your operations could be disrupted.
Don’t Overfocus on Private Shipping Companies
We’re so used to receiving deliveries from Amazon and UPS that we think they’re the only players in this industry. Yes, private shipping companies are the industry leaders, but the United States Postal Service is just as good at shipping.
Consider using USPS, especially if your business sends out a lot of postal mail. In this case, the Certified Mail service comes in handy. Check out this guide on certified mail cost to learn more about the service.
Shipping for Small Businesses: Get It Right
Shipping is central to your operations as an online business. Get it right and you’ll be rewarded with increased orders and customer loyalty. Get it wrong and watch your business struggle.
With this guide on choosing companies that offer shipping for small businesses, you’re now in a better position to make an informed choice.
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