Tips to Avoid the 8 Common Blunders in Ecommerce Shipping
Date: December 10th, 2019
How to Use Software to Reduce Mistakes in Shipping
Online selling has taken an excellent course in the ecommerce industry today. More and more people are turning to buy goods online.
Selling goods online is all about customer satisfaction. E-merchants have found shipping as one of the most fundamental factors in online trading.
It is easy to make mistakes in shipping when you bypass instructions and rules. If you’re going to ship products then you must familiarize yourself with the processes involved in the transportation of freight.
How to Avoid Common Shipping Mistakes
The following tips will help business owners avoid common problems and improve efficiency in shipping;
1. Pay attention to your clients' comments and feedback
Listen attentively to their changing needs. Time is of the essence when it comes to delivery. Clients want products to arrive on time, without delays or inconveniences.
That explains why you must choose courier companies that are efficient in delivering packages on time.
2. Ensure you employ the most appropriate packaging techniques
Your clients expect to receive their products safely without any signs of damage.
Remember that packaging determines the cost of the carrier. It's, therefore, essential to pack the items you want to deliver wisely to avoid unnecessary costs.
One way to promote your brand and identity is through proper packaging. For that reason, try to do the best when packaging for customers to avoid mistakes in shipping and build brand reputation.
3. Keep a list of the items you ship.
With a record of your previous deliveries, you will have a clear image of your business. Keeping a list of items you ship makes it easy to prepare an inventory.
An inventory will help in managing available supplies for sale. Through this, you can increase your sales volumes.
4. Note that shipping charges and policies are not permanent.
These tweaks occur either annually or mid-annually. Always keep yourself up to date with shipping rates and regulations.
Staying on top of your shipping activities by tracking changes helps you avoid last-minute surprises, such as loss of freight and inconveniencing your clients.
Charges in shipping vary by weight, size, and type of the supplies. For instance, you will notice a significant gap between the cost of shipping electronic supplies and rates for delivering clothing.
5. Save on time by automating processes
Automation saves you time and energy. Shipping software is handy when it comes to website management and fulfilling orders.
With these tools, you can get more productive because you won't do most of the tasks manually.
Remember to customize your invoices and packing slips; this makes you look professional, organized, and focused, thus attracting more clients.
6. Get the facts to avoid making mistakes
Try as much to avoid estimating shipping costs.
Take, for instance, in the case where you have a shortage of packing materials. And out of the blues, a client requests for quick delivery, and the item is quite smaller than the available packing boxes.
Quickly you assume the costs and drive to the carrier only to find that the prices are higher because the weight and size have changed.
Doing enough research will save you money and time. Researching will also open you to relevant information and opportunities you never knew.
Understanding shipping dynamics keeps you on track and improves your shipping efficiency. Use shipping software to understand and learn more about the process.
7. Let shoppers decide when and how they will receive their package
Clients are different in many ways. Each customer has their preferences, which is their right.
You should allow your clients the freedom to choose when and how to receive products. Some clients may not be in a hurry to receive deliveries, while others may be dying to have their goods as soon as possible.
Let your clients understand the costs of premium services if any. Let them know that time, distance, type of package, and means of delivery impacts on the cost of shipping.
8. Track your shipments from time to time
This will help you establish situations hampering seamless delivery.
You can only know the status of delivery if you track it. Probing into your purchase will help you get compensated by the carrier's shipping errors such as incorrect deliveries, late deliveries, and package mishandling.
Remember to automate how you track your cargo to save time. Find the appropriate software to help you track your shipment avoid mistakes in shipping.
Conclusion
These tips will help you avoid the eight common shipping mistakes. Refer to this blog anytime you have problems with your shipping activities.