If you run an ecommerce business, shipping can be one of your most significant expenses. However, with the right strategies and tools, you can optimize your shipping process for efficiency and cost savings.

In this blog post, we will discuss the USPS ecommerce shipping best practices for efficient and cost-effective shipping. But before we begin, let’s understand what ecommerce shipping is.

Understanding ecommerce shipping

Ecommerce shipping entails receiving and processing orders, packing the purchased items, printing shipping labels, and managing returns. Well, this might sound a bit simple, especially if you've seen a smoothly run warehouse.

But in the real sense, all the moving parts create a complexity depending on the sizes and types of your product, where they should be delivered, delivery options, and the shipping speed you provide, among others.

So, what does the process involve?

Once you have received the orders, you first ensure you have the ordered inventory in stock, then verify the client's shipping address and all the relevant information to the order.

Lastly, the items will be picked, processed, and prepared for shipping using the chosen shipping method of your liking.

USPS ecommerce shipping best practices

The United States Postal Services have been the leading carrier for most American citizens since time immemorial. Due to this, they have been constantly trying to improve their services to cater for the increasing demands of small businesses.

The following are some of the USPS ecommerce shipping best practices you can take advantage of if you want to ship through the American Postal Agency.

• Use USPS Flat Rate Boxes

USPS Flat Rate Boxes are an excellent option for shipping ecommerce products that fit within their dimensions. With Flat Rate Boxes, you pay a fixed price regardless of weight or distance. This can be a significant cost saving, especially for heavier items or orders that are shipping long distances.

• Take Advantage of USPS Discounts

Another one of the common USPS ecommerce shipping best practices is taking advantage of the agency's discount services.

The USPS offers discounts for businesses that use their services frequently. This can include volume discounts, commercial pricing, and other incentives. Be sure to check USPS’s website for details on their business discounts and programs.

• Invest in Shipping Software

Shipping software can help streamline your shipping process and save you time and money. Look for software that integrates with your ecommerce platform and provides features like batch processing, address validation, and automated tracking updates.

Shipping software can also help you compare rates across carriers to find the most cost-effective option for each shipment.

• Offer Free Shipping on Orders over a Certain Amount

Many ecommerce businesses offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount as a way to incentivize customers to buy more.

By setting a threshold for free shipping, you can encourage customers to add more items to their cart, which can increase your average order value and offset some of your shipping costs.

• Use USPS’s Online Shipping Tools

USPS’s website offers a range of online shipping tools that can help you save time and money. For example, you can purchase and print shipping labels, schedule pickups, and track packages directly from their website.

By taking advantage of these tools, you can streamline your shipping process and avoid time-consuming trips to the post office.

The USPS online shipping packaging considerations

While knowing how to go about the shipping process is important, how your shipment arrives at clients’ doors is a good representation of your brand, meaning you need to take care of a few considerations;

• Choosing your packaging

There are endless ideas for ecommerce packaging to be used by ecommerce shipping companies. Still, the best packaging material depends on several factors, like the package and its size.

Image alt text: USPS ecommerce shipping best practices. A box filled with wood wool for cushioning.

Author credit: By Meanwell Packaging - https://www.flickr.com/photos/195311218@N08/52176619543/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=120365144

Other vital considerations you need to take into account include how the items packed inside will settle, move around, and how the package will be opened upon delivery. Packaging Fragile products like medical supplies and glasses will need padding inside the package.

Still, you will need to further consider specific factors if you’ll be shipping perishable or temperature-sensitive products.

• Custom packaging

Custom packaging can significantly set you apart from your competitors and provide your customers with a memorable unboxing experience.

And this doesn’t have to be extravagant. You can use your brand logo to customize the package or a branded sticker attached to the label or wrapped in excellent tissue paper.

• Eco-friendly packaging

USPS ecommerce shipping has been a blessing to American citizens and even people across affiliated territories, giving them hope and opportunities. However, all these shipping and benefits do not mean they don't generate waste.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, packaging accounts for not less than a third of the waste within homes. We are in the 21st century, where everyone embraces brands that use eco-friendly packaging materials.

Therefore, when you are choosing a packaging solution, consider incorporating some eco-friendly materials, such as compostable mailers or biodegradable packaging fillers. This is especially vital if environmental-friendliness is a crucial value to your brand.

• Keep your packaging simple

Finally, you need to ensure your packaging is as simple as possible. This is because most shipping cost calculations depend on the size and weight of your product.

Also, it would be best if you accurately informed your affiliated ecommerce shipping companies. So, it is essential to fix these little details to reduce shipping charges.

How to optimize your ecommerce shipping strategy?

Sustaining USPS ecommerce shipping best practices implies that you need to take care of various tasks. For instance, you apply your digital marketing efforts alongside the best shipping software system available to streamline and optimize the USPS online shipping strategies.

Here are some tips and strategies you can use to optimize your ecommerce shipping strategy. Read on:

1. Use Data to Understand Where Your Shipping Strategy is Going Wrong

Gaining clarity from your past shipping efforts can help you in your future shipping efforts – plain and simple.

Through this data, online sellers can identify where their greatest shipping spend is, where opportunities to save money are, and what efforts may not be as streamlined as possible. These details collectively welcome e-commerce businesses to improve their efforts and save money along the way.

2. Benchmark Carrier Rates and Services

By understanding the costs involved in shipping, you can optimize your shipping strategy. For example, UPS and FedEx provide similar services; however, they still differentiate their rates based on location, shipping destination, and delivery options.

This can affect bottom-line functions, and you need to be aware of these details at all times. Another way you can improve your shipping strategy is by ensuring that your 3PL partner has annual rates so that it becomes easier to calculate the cost and offer the best service to your customers.

3. Provide Easy- To-Navigate Check Out Experiences

Among the most frustrating parts of shopping online for customers is the checkout process – which includes payment and identifying shipping options. But this does not – and should not – be the case for your e-commerce business.

Whether you require customers to log in or offer guest checkout experiences, your goal should be to provide an easy-to-use checkout experience for online buyers.

From the number of clicks it takes to make a purchase to the amount of necessary information they need to input as part of their checkout process, your goal should be to provide clarity and efficiency in your online checkout experience. These details should also include your shipment options as part of this journey.

4. Introduce Parcel Auditing into Your Shipping Management

When working with 3PL partners likeUSPS, and UPS, it's your right as a sender to capture refunds or money back on your shipments when deserved. With parcel auditing, your e-commerce business can gain clarity and control over your shipping spending thanks to the automated parcel tracking that parcel auditing provides.

This automation allows you to do what your company does best… sell, sell, sell… and leaves the monotonous task of identifying when and why your business deserves refunds through complex software that easily integrates into your shipping management.

5. Incorporate Packaging as Part of Your Shipping Strategy

Customers turn to online shopping for various reasons, including the experience of welcoming an online purchase to the comfort of their homes.

At this moment, what was digital now becomes tangible and connects with the customer, unlike any online touchpoints can.

Image alt text: USPS ecommerce shipping best practices. A USPS delivery truck on the way.

Author credit: By Alexander Marks (aomarks) - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85619

It's for this reason alone that the packaging of your inventory becomes an important part of your e-commerce shipping experience. To help strengthen this experience for your customers and your brand, aim to make your packaging complement your brand experience.

• Ship Items Quickly and Efficiently
• A fast and efficient process for shipping products is critical to success as an eCommerce business. After all, customers want their items quickly and don't want to wait weeks for them to arrive.
• Use A Shipping Partner That You Trust
• When it comes to shipping your products, it's essential to use a shipping partner that you trust. After all, they will be handling your products, and you want to make sure they are in good hands.
• Package Items Securely To Prevent Damage In Transit
• It's important to package items securely to prevent damage in transit. After all, you don't want your products to arrive damaged, and you certainly don't want to be responsible for any damages that occur during shipping.
• Offer Multiple Shipping Options For Customers
• Offering multiple shipping options is a great way to give customers choices and flexibility. After all, customers want to be able to choose how their items are shipped, and they appreciate having options.
• Track Packages To Ensure On-Time Delivery
• Tracking packages is a great way to ensure on-time delivery. After all, you want to be able to track your packages and make sure they are delivered on time.

In conclusion

Efficient and cost-effective ecommerce shipping is key to running a successful online business. By following these USPS ecommerce shipping best practices, you can optimize your shipping process for savings and efficiency while still providing your customers with a great experience.