Contributed post
Businesses have lots of overheads to contend with from energy bills to rent. One which companies tend to forget about is the price of shipping. Many modern firms deliver packages in return for money. ECommerce sites are that big right now that it’s the best way to make a profit. The problem is the expense of shipping across the world and the country. To make it a viable earner, SMBs must cut the price to the bone so that it doesn’t impact their bottom line.
It’s easier to say than do, yet it isn’t an impossible target to hit. Here are four pieces of advice that can make it happen.
Figure Out Service Needs
A business needs a great service to get it packages to its customers on time and in good condition. Bosses, therefore, choose the one which stands out the most and has the highest quality features. It sounds like a plan, yet the logic is flawed because the characteristics might not relate to your needs. Consider a countrywide promise. To deliver to the other end of this great island, an air carrier will seem appealing. However, UPS has fantastic ground coverage that will reach up to 500 miles.
Go Digital
How on earth can you deliver parcels remotely? Until drones fall in value, you can’t do it physically. Still, there are goods and services which don’t need dropping at the front door. Think about gift vouchers and promotion codes for a moment. Customers that want a gift card can simply go online and have it delivered to their email account. Because it’s a number, there’s no reason to waste money on transportation costs. You should consider how to manage PO Box online too. With regular service, you can forward mail to anyone anywhere in the world for a tiny fee.
Box It Off
Overheads play a major role in the cost of shipping, with many firms spending too much on materials. Boxes need to fit the shape of the product, but that’s about as far as they have to go. Any that have excess room leftover are a waste of money and will cost the business a pretty penny. With this in mind, always opt for the smallest container wherever possible. A clever trick is to use the dimensions of the item and then order boxes which correlate.
Shop Around
The odds are high that you will have to hire a third party to take care of the business’s needs. That’s fine, but don’t think the first quote you find is an indicator of the price throughout the industry. Some companies will undercut their rivals to secure new revenue. All you have to do is show the signs of wanting to cut a deal. Alternatively, you can haggle over the price and, hopefully, cut a chunk off the price. The only way to do this is to get online and find a range of rates.
Do your shipping processes cost too much? With any luck, these tips will help to reduce the costs.