9 Best Practices for ECommerce Shipping

9 Best Practices for ECommerce Shipping

Planning to venture into an eCommerce business? As a thriving industry, an eCommerce business opens a lot of possibilities for entrepreneurs. But it is not just about having the right product that can attract consumers. You also have to look into the prospect of ensuring quality and dependable eCommerce shipping services to gain customer satisfaction and earn repeat clients.

To help you, here are some of the eCommerce shipping best practices that would help build a good business image and impact your bottom line.

eCommerce Shipping Best Practices that You Need to Follow

1. Create Your Teams

There are several aspects involved in eCommerce shipping. You need to have members who can work with you in completing a range of tasks. Create teams that will be designated to perform specific functions. Some of the teams that you should consider creating include those that will cover roles under marketing, fulfillment, customer support, and web design–all of which have a role to play during the shipping process.

2. Identify Your Goals

In every strategy, the goals you are aiming for should be set clearly. What are the things that you want to achieve with eCommerce Shipping? This is a factor that will also determine the type of shipping to go with. 

3. Provide Appropriate Solutions

It’s not just about the goals you’ve set. You should also be able to provide solutions to achieve those. Know the steps that must be taken to realize your objectives. Some examples are listed below.

  • Increase conversions – one way to get more people to purchase your product is by preventing them from abandoning their carts. Once at the checkout stage, completing the transaction should be simple. You can provide multiple shipping options and show the upfront costs.
  • Get higher order values – make the most of each transaction on your website by encouraging customers to buy more. Set a certain amount to spend for them to be qualified for free shipping, expedited shipping, or product freebies.
  • Reduce operational costs – decreasing your eCommerce shipping expenses can be as easy as finding a fulfillment provider that can offer more affordable rates as compared to doing the shipping on your own. A good fulfillment provider can even connect you with carriers in multiple locations to bring you closer to customers in various locations which means lower shipping costs.

4. Know Your Carrier Options

As much as possible, you should work with a carrier that can ensure fast and on-time delivery. Research your options. Know their policies and find out if they do overnight and holiday shipping. Their shipping procedures would impact your customers’ satisfaction.

5. Choose the Right Provider for a Specific Shipment

There are products for shipping that require a different treatment than usual. Look for a shipping provider that can perform according to the demands of a cargo. For instance, you wouldn’t have a problem with oversized shipments with a provider who can accommodate goods in various sizes.

6. Know the Red Flags.

You should also be able to mitigate risks with a provider. The quality of services they provide should support your needs and help you gain customer trust and satisfaction. Do they often cause delays in shipping without justifiable causes? Did customers complain about damaged goods because of poor packaging or careless handling? When the levels of service are compromised and the provider is causing harm to your business, it would be better to find another provider that can serve your requirements better.

7. Declare Your Shipping Costs

Customers hate unpleasant surprises and these usually come in the form of undeclared shipping costs. As mentioned earlier, the checkout process should be hassle-free and won’t cause frustration. It won’t be ideal to disclose shipping costs only at the end of the checkout process. It wastes the customer’s time and may lead to cart abandonment. 

Did you know? 

High shipping costs lead to around 55% of cart abandonment

8. Be Proactive

Send notifications to customers regarding the status of their delivery. Communication is one of the factors that build strong customer relations. Studies also show that 82% of consumers prefer retailers who proactively communicate every fulfillment and delivery stage. Notify your customers about the status of their orders to build a positive experience that will add value to the products you offer.

9. Take Responsibility

Some problems may arise during eCommerce shipping. While some of those are no longer within your control, you still have to let your customer know that you are taking responsibility for whatever issues that may arise. Even when you are not at fault, your customer won’t know this so you have to step up and make things right for them. In the end, investigate the problem and discuss the situation with the provider who is at fault. This will ensure that greater care will be given to your goods next time and the same problem won’t be encountered again.

ALSO READ: HOW TO REDUCE FREIGHT COSTS TO INCREASE YOUR REVENUE

When followed, these best practices for eCommerce shipping can help businesses. Take control of the things that you can change and commit to customer satisfaction. Eventually, these tips can improve your business and your bottom line.

Want to work with a reliable courier company in the Philippines? Worklink Services, Inc. offers freight solutions and courier services to help you with your eCommerce shipping requirements. Send us a message today so we can help you.

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