Small business owners have a lot to think about. To operate successfully and make a profit, aspects such as product sourcing, marketing, and selling will take top priority. Yet, due to restricted resources and time, other business elements will often be neglected.
One such element can be packing and shipping products. If a business wants to thrive online, it’s imperative that shipping is efficient, reliable, and secure. Conversely, a slow, untrustworthy, and poorly packaged approach will only lead to negative reviews and lost sales.
To avoid that potential pitfall, this guide will spotlight how to ship products successfully.
Pick your packaging
The packaging you choose is dependent on the products you’re shipping. If your business sells clothes, for instance, mailing bags are ideal. Yet if the product being shipped is fragile, you’ll require a sturdy box plus internal packing materials – such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts – to ensure the journey is completed successfully.
Of course, you might require a variety of packaging materials depending on your business type. Either way, always make sure you have enough packaging on-hand to cover all potential orders.
Professional shipping label
Forget about using a pen to scribble names and addresses onto your packages. That’s one of the quickest ways to make your company look small and amateurish. Fortunately, producing professional shipping labels is an easy process these days. You can find many inexpensive label makers available that let you print out those addresses in a quick, simple fashion.
Finishing flourishes
There are various touches you can add to take your packaging to the next level. One way is to personalize the exterior of the package. For example, this can be easily done by stamping your business logo onto the box/mailing bag/envelope.
Another tip would be to include extras within the package. This could be a leaflet with a discount code, or you may even include a small – yet appreciated – free gift.
Going international
There are many advantages gained by offering international delivery. However, it’s also something you cannot take lightly. You have to account for everything from exchange rates to regulations in other countries.
Most importantly, you have to consider the cost of international shipping as when sending items internationally, the price is often high, which is off-putting for overseas customers. The good news is that thanks to comparison platforms that allow you to find the best shipping quotes, you can keep costs down and pass this saving onto buyers.
Speed is imperative
Even if the product is professionally packed and arrives safely, there’s one way to undo all of your work in the eyes of the customer: a late delivery. With major retailers like Amazon providing one-day delivery for millions of products, people expect to receive their goods fast – even if you are only a small business.
Due to this, make sure you send out products as soon as possible. Plus, if your business only operates on weekdays and deliveries cannot be processed on weekends, it’s essential this is clearly stated on your website.