That is why we have compiled some of the best shipping tips for eCommerce that are at once simple and practical. 

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Shipping has a direct impact on your brand image. It is the link that connects your products to the customers. 

There are two main factors customers look for when they buy online: First, convenience. That includes ease of buying, tracking, and finally receiving the product. 

Second, Affordability. Did you know? One of the biggest reasons for cart abandonment is shipping costs. Customers are likely to buy more if free shipping is involved. 

Customer satisfaction is a big prerequisite to e-commerce success.  And smooth and cheap shipping is a prerequisite to customer satisfaction. 

Keep in mind: The road to e-commerce failure is paved with bad shipping decisions.  The following shipping tips for eCommerce will provide you with all of the information you need to make the best decisions possible. Here are some best eCommerce shipping practices for beginners to boost the profit.

We will focus on five key areas:

• Shipping Costs
• Product Weight
• Packaging
• Insurance and Tracking
• Returns & Refunds

Shipping tips for eCommerce : #SHIPPING COSTS

It can be confusing to decide on shipping rates for your products. You don’t want to overcharge your customers, but you also don’t want to suffer the losses yourself. 

Shipping rates are influenced by a variety of things. Let’s dig a little deeper into them.

Product Weight and Dimensions:

When it comes to shipping, determining the weight of a product is not as straightforward as it may appear.

Let’s assume you’re selling a fragile product such as a glass vase. The overall shipment weight would then take into account the packing material required to ship it safely. Use of bubble wrap, foam, and packaging peanuts, for example. In addition, the weight of the packaging box and tape as one of the working shipping tips for eCommerce .

On the other hand, when a product is airy and lightweight but still takes up a lot of space, its dimensional weight is taken into account. For example, a pillow or stuffed toy. Dimensional weight is also known as volumetric weight. 

That is why avoid using unnecessary packing materials. Make smart choices to prevent extra weight on the package. these shipping tips for eCommerce will let your business skyrocket the industry.

 

 

Distance

The distance between the warehouse or pick-up location to the delivery destination is another factor that affects the shipping costs. 

You can calculate the shipping cost using a shipping calculator. For instance, Parceldeck has a shipping calculator that will give you accurate results based on the distance, volumetric weight, and mode of shipping.

Some Golden shipping tips for eCommerce to Reduce Shipping Costs, 

• Consider multiple carrier options. 
• Use smaller boxes for smaller products to cut back on dimensional weight.
• Seek discounted supplies when buying packing materials in bulk. 
• Use shipping insurance to prevent a big dent in profit. More on that later. 
• Partner up with logistics aggregators to get cheap shipping. Check out Parceldeck‘s shipping rates, which are the most affordable in the market.

Shipping tips for eCommerce : #PACKAGING

When it comes to packaging, oftentimes simple is the best. As we discussed earlier, your package will determine the overall product weight. As a result, plan accordingly.

You don’t want to deliver the damaged products to your customers. That’s a landmine you must avoid at all costs. There won’t be just a bad review but a blot on your brand reputation. Therefore, use sufficient packing materials, not sparse.

The type of packaging and material selection greatly depends on the shape and size of the product and its shape. 

Now let’s look at some golden packaging shipping tips for eCommerce ,

• Use undamaged cardboard boxes to offer more protection. 
• Use padding or cushioning materials such as styrofoam, packaging peanuts, bubble wrap. 
• Use anti-static before cushioning for electronic products. 
• Always tape the seams to avoid accidental opening.
• Always include relevant labels and information. 
• Go green. Packaging that is environment friendly offers two benefits. It allows you to stand out among your customers while also reducing the carbon footprint.

ECOMMERCE SHIPPING TIPS: #INSURANCE AND TRACKING

Shipping insurance is a way to safeguard both your products and your profits. Despite your best efforts, the parcel may get damaged, stolen, or misplaced.

You won’t have to worry about those things if you have insurance. It will help you save both time and money. Most importantly, it will provide you with the means to issue shipment replacements at once. This is imperative if you want to retain customers. 

must visit the deep order tracking guide for eCommerce

Order Tracking is an important aspect of shipping management. It is a great opportunity to build trust with your customers. 

Your ecommerce will be more reliable when you include features such as estimated delivery date, a tracking number, and notifications throughout the process. It will alleviate customers’  concerns regarding their purchases. 

ECOMMERCE SHIPPING TIPS: #RETURNS AND REFUNDS

We addressed how convenience is one of the factors that contribute to customer satisfaction. Therefore,  returning a product should be as simple and easy as purchasing it.

Returns & Refunds are one of the steps of the order fulfillment process. It will cost you money, so let’s figure out how to lower the occurrence.

• First set up a solid forward logistics process. This involves looking for issues such as inaccurate product descriptions, poor packaging, delayed delivery times, and basic mismanagement, to mention a few. This will help you to mitigate the risk of returns. 

• If particular products are frequently returned, despite the best management, you may need to evaluate the product quality and report the problem to the manufacturers.

These are some things you can control. But what if a consumer simply wants to return the products because they changed their minds?

Make sure you have a clear and transparent return policy. Set it up on the website with all the relevant details. 

Once the item is returned, issue the refund as soon as possible. Customers will appreciate that and are more likely to purchase other things as a result.

Study your returns. It is a chance to learn and change things for the better. Set up a mechanism to collect consumer feedback whenever a product is returned.

Now to conclude. Set realistic and practical shipping goals as a beginner. Create a fail-safe strategy that will allow you to accomplish more with less. Check out Parceldeck to see how we can help you to meet your shipping goals.