According to Shopify research, nearly 44% of shopping cart abandonment is caused by the expensive cost of shipment. Besides, shipping is also the first indicator of customer satisfaction. That’s because no matter how excellent your products are or how low-priced it is, customers still think you deliver a poor service if they do not get the products quick enough. Therefore, retailers always try to look for a shipping solution that is affordable to customers and deliver products as fast as possible. In today’s article, we will present you with some tips to pick the perfect shipping providers!
Overview
Coverage
First and foremost, you should make sure that your shipping carrier can access all areas where you want to ship. If you only deliver products within your country, it is necessary to check whether the provider ships to remote locations.
If your target customers are foreigners, a choice of worldwide shipping carrier is a top priority. In this case, you need to answer other questions to pick a global shipping provider, such as: Do you want to transport your merchandise via ocean freight or air freight?.
On the other hand, the cost of international shipping should also be considered because it differs among cargo shipping companies and packages they offer. Take a look at this example: One package with the same size (6x8x8) and weight (2 pounds) is transferred from Sacramento, US to Toronto, Canada. The UPS (United Parcel Service) costs a higher fee of nearly $10 than USPS (United States Postal Service).
Pricing
Price plays an important role in the hunt for shipping providers. That’s because high shipping costs can cause customers to back out of their purchases. However, choosing a carrier just because of the cheap pricing is a double-edged sword. Retail businesses may have products at risk of delivering late, getting lost, or arriving damaged.
So, how to choose between various affordable options on the market? Price usually varies on different factors, such as what type of shipping method is used. The most costly and fastest shipping method is air freight shipping. Air cargo is much quicker than ocean freight, for example, it shortens China-USA freight shipping time from 20 to 30 days by the ocean to only 3 days by air. If your customers are mostly international or distant from your place, let’s look for a shipping company that provides air cargo.
Another factor affecting price is the volume shipment, such as space and weight. When your business ships products frequently to customers, make sure that the shipping carrier, which you choose, offers you a good discount for regular shipping service.
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Reliability
Apart from affordable shipping, retailers should consider how trustworthy a shipping provider is. A serious company will offer you a certain guarantee and security, such as insurance. Most shipping providers cover the insurance for goods from the beginning to the end of the voyage, which is usually a minimum of $0.6 per pound.
Delay and Damage Policies
With respect to unexpected events, such as products damaged or your customers are unwilling to receive packages, how does the shipping company you choose will react in these situations? It is paramount to check the courtier company’s policies.
In case your customers are not at home to collect products, a shipping provider should schedule a certain time to deliver or leave a slip in the customers’ mailbox. A good shipping carrier will be responsible for your goods and have a contingency plan for these events.
On the other hand, retailers should be aware of the shipping company’s policy on covering damages. How much do they reimburse for any damages?
To wrap it up,
Whoever delivers the products to your customers is a representative of your store. If the shipping company fails, you are getting a bad name. Ergo, it is a must to take careful considerations to decide which carrier is the best choice.
In common practices, retailers tend to select two to three shipping companies at the same time. It is useful when customers can browse a wide range of shipping costs and pick the most affordable. With a POS system such as ConnectPOS, retailers won’t take time to manually add in the shipping fees corresponding to the locations.
Contact us for out-of-box technological solutions to grow your retail business. Wish you the best of luck!