The growth of e-commerce is observed to be shooting way up specifically in the line of retail sales. This would continue to rise by the end of 2020. 

So, if you are an entrepreneur in a brick-and-mortar business, then now would be the best time to jumpstart your digital footprint. It’s a promising route for conventional businesses to pivot and get into e-commerce especially now that the numbers are up.

It’s also interesting to note that men get to spend more on online shopping as compared to women. While women and men are in equal footing as far as the frequency in shopping is concerned, men spend relatively more than women because of splurges on high-value products such as electronics and gadgets or other luxury items online. 

On the other hand, women would love to pamper themselves by buying food, wardrobe, and cosmetics which are lower in value as compared to what men buy.

The Craze Isn’t A Hype – Online Shopping is Here to Stay!

By 2040, e-commerce is said to be at its all-time high as buyers flock on online stores purchasing mainly from their mobile devices. 

It is an intensified generation of mobile users (a mix of baby boomers, generation X, and millennial consumers) who are said to grab the major pie slice or as much as 95% sales via e-commerce. They are very active in online shopping and generation X would even hit an average of around 19 sales transactions annually.

You won’t be able to focus on growing your business or developing new products and services if you are too involved in the fulfillment process. With that in mind, finding the perfect shipping company for your online shop would help you expedite or speed up your operations such as order processing, customer service, shipping, and tracking. Having the right provider on board can help optimize your shipping mechanism.

Carrier of Your Choice is Able to Ship to Your Target Locations

If you target international shipping, then do make sure that your carrier can ship to all your target areas. This is very important because you cannot optimize your shipping services if your carrier doesn’t ship to one or two of your target locations – so this can be a problem.

It would be wise to check out other carriers to see which company is a good match for your pressing needs and requirements. Also, make sure to check both local or domestic and international shipping rates and compare it to other carriers so you know which carrier can deliver optimal shipping at reasonable prices.

Choose a Carrier that Excels in Convenience

Work with a shipping company that values your time. While the price is a primary factor to consider in choosing a carrier, convenient shipping or delivery setup would be a plus factor for your online shop. Can your carrier pick up your package so you won’t have to drive and deliver to their office? Convenience definitely buys you time and saves you heaps on costs.

Learn More on Carrier Restrictions

Will your carrier have restrictions in terms of shipping hazardous materials or certain goods that would require special handling or packaging? A lot of business owners let this detail slip without asking about certain rates for these shipment types. Some shipping companies might not be able to accommodate these types of shipments at all – so you should consider these before sealing the deal.

Check Shipping Rates Per Volume

Let’s say you’re just starting out with your online shop and would be shipping smaller volumes. You would need to check on your shipper the prices or rates depending on volume. Most carriers would be able to give you a special or discounted rate for shipping large volumes when you decide to scale your business to the next level. Until then, you should create a tie-up with a carrier that has flexible and startup-friendly rates that would work for your small business.

Opt for a Carrier that Can Go the Extra Mile with You

You might be small at the moment, but soon enough your business can go bigger than what you have imagined. That is how you think in superlatives. However, any business is only as good as your own mindset. You don’t want to be shifting or changing shipping providers time and again as this would be a waste of time and money. So, look for a shipping company that will go to great lengths or is there from start to finish. Connect with a shipping company that can provide you the security and longevity now and in the future.

Consistency is Key!

We have heard this adage ton of times however, it never gets old – not even for the e-commerce and shipping industry. Reliability and consistency is a hard tandem to beat so you should always go for a shipping company that can provide a seamless and reliable shipping process for your customers. 

Meeting customer expectations is one thing but the ability to deliver at a predictable and consistent rate is what will make your company stand out among other bit players in the industry. So, go for that plus factor!

Check on the Transparency of Shipment Tracking Procedures

Customers would always want to be in the loop of real-time updates on deliveries. Keeping this priority will allow you to cement the trust rating of your online shop. Winning your customers’ trust and confidence is very important if you want your business to gain positive ratings and feedbacks.

Reliability and speedy delivery are important especially for those who shop online because it’s the convenience, price, and quick shipping that actually attracted them to the platform in the first place. They want it simple, easy and fast which is exactly the marketing edge of every online shop.

Make sure to keep your customers happy and stress-free by providing them real-time tracking of deliveries so as not to keep them in the dark when it comes to the arrival of their packages. This is what a lot of other online shops miss out on and should always be a priority for every business.

Try Out Multiple Shipping Companies

While it would be less time-intensive to stick to one carrier, having multiple options or plans B and C set up would also be a huge advantage for your online shop. This could be beneficial in a lot of ways especially if you aim to deliver fast and efficient shipping regardless of varied circumstances. 

To be realistic, varied carriers would specialize with different types of shipping so it would be a great advantage that you can provide flexible shipping arrangements and a wide range of options that fit your customers’ needs.

Your choice of a shipping company would add up to your bottom line. This can either make or break your branding strategy so you have to be cautious and critical with your choice of carrier. Having a primary provider or shipping company is the best way to handle your online shop’s shipping needs but you can always bend and stretch possibilities to provide the perfect shopping and shipping experience for your customers.