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Running an e-commerce business can get expensive, especially if you manage your shipping poorly. It’s important to do your research to find out where you can reduce costs and spend your money in the most valuable places without needless mistakes. Shipping mistakes are one of the most common errors that can jeopardize businesses, but these mistakes can easily be avoided with the right preparation. Here are the most expensive shipping mistakes to avoid, and how you can prevent them from affecting your business.
Incorrect Packaging Size
You may not realize it yet if you have a new e-commerce business, but the way you package your products matters to your customers. First of all, if you cram too many items into one box, your customers will notice. You risk crushing the items as they are transported and stacked for delivery, and you limit the amount of space for adequate bubble wrap or protective stuffing. Alternatively, if you use a box that is too big, your customers may wonder about your level of waste.
Packaging size should also matter to you—larger packaging may allow for better production of your products, but they cost more to purchase and ship. When you are preparing to ship products, ensure you have a variety of box sizes available to reduce the cost of materials and provide maximum performance.
Running Low on Packing Materials
Managing your own e-commerce business is a good idea if you can handle growth, but most people will eventually seek outside services to help them scale. You may have plenty of inventory and may be using appropriate technology to manage your data but running out of packing materials is a simple mistake that can cost you time and money. You may need thousands of boxes and labels, tape, bubble wrap, and other packing materials to deliver orders on time during peak seasons or when products are trending, so if you cannot prepare ahead of time, you risk late deliveries and time wasted when reordering supplies. A third-party logistics partner will have the right measurements to prepare for peaks and will always have quick connections for packing materials, so you never run into this problem.
Overpaying for Shipping
Offering free shipping to your customers is a great way to improve conversion rates and prevent your customers from abandoning the cart. However, you need to make sure you are making enough from each order to prevent loss of revenue. Working with a logistics partner can help you save money on shipping, as they will have access to better carrier rates and even discounts. When you share information about your shipping rates to your customers, be sure it is clear and understandable to improve your customer service.
Incorrect Labeling
If your warehouse does not incorporate technology in this day and age, you’re in trouble. Technology offers incredible time-saving and cost-saving advantages to reduce errors along every step of the supply chain. For example, it enables you to scan the barcodes on parcels and print appropriate shipping labels. This automatic processing saves time, prevents fees, and ensures accurate deliveries.
Incorrect Address
Delivering your products to the wrong customer because of data mix-ups or incorrect address entry can be a serious problem. It shows your customers that you are unprofessional and disorganized, and when a customer realizes they still have not received their order and it has been misplaced, you risk losing valuable business. Address verification systems are extremely important in e-commerce because they check and correct misspelled customer information to ensure deliveries are sent to the right location every time.
Choosing the Wrong Shipping Carrier
It is very important to take your time and carefully consider your options before choosing your shipping carrier. Impulsively choosing the wrong carrier can mean hefty shipping costs that drain your profits. Ask yourself if your business can afford to have multiple shipping carriers, depending on the locations of your customers and the kinds of products you ship. Another option is to partner with a third-party logistics company that has multiple warehouses across your target area and that provides its own shipping. This service may appear to cost more upfront, but the number of services and access you receive will pay off in the long-term.
Failing to Follow Regulations for Each Country
If you are shipping outside the country, keep in mind that there may be different regulations, taxes, forms, etc. that can add time and money to your shipping process. There are specific requirements for shipping in each country, so it would be wise to team up with a partner that ensures accuracy and efficiency and knows the regulations of the countries you ship to.
APS Fulfillment, Inc. Can Help You Avoid Shipping Mistakes
Whether you’ve already run into these mistakes or not, it’s important to be aware of the possible outcomes these mistakes can lead to. Preparing ahead of time is the surefire way to prevent revenue and customer loss because of needless mistakes. With the help of a third-party logistics partner, you can improve your shipping process and benefit from their reasonable costs, manpower, delivery speed, and more.
APS Fulfillment, Inc. is experienced and prepared to help you handle your supply chain processes so you can focus on your core responsibilities. Our professionals will bring you solutions to your fulfillment challenges and help you avoid costly shipping mistakes. We provide services such as real-time inventory management, e-commerce fulfillment, fulfillment solutions, and fulfillment markets. There are endless benefits to working with a third-party logistics company that uses the best-quality software systems to manage your warehouse, so if you’re looking for the right company, look no further than APS Fulfillment, Inc. You can contact us by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (954) 582-7450.
