Category Archives: Shipping Fulfillment

There’s a lot to like about the winter months: beautiful snow, winter sports, a relief from exhaustively hot weather in southern regions. But with winter comes challenges for many businesses, especially shipping companies. The good news for shipping fulfillment companies, however, is that these problems are predictable—and addressable. And remember that just because you may be doing shipping fulfillment in Florida or another state that doesn’t face too much winter weather, it doesn’t mean that you can totally ignore winter; your shipments, after all, are likely to go all over the country. Not to mention that the entire supply chain...

[caption id="attachment_5918" align="alignleft" width="461"] iStock.com/cofotoisme[/caption] 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. (more…)

Traditional consumers may not realize there’s a difference between shipping and mailing, and maybe it's not something they're dying to know about. However, for those in the logistics industry, it’s a topic of interest. When searching for a logistics partner, how do you know what their services entail if they use the term “mailing” vs “shipping?” Is there even a difference to be noted? The short answer: is yes. To learn about the difference between these seemingly identical terms, keep on reading. (more…)

There are many things to consider when setting up an e-commerce business. Some of these include delivery arrangements, inventory and stock locations, and finding the most cost-effective and least time-consuming way to organize products. Although many companies use drop shipping for their e-commerce web sites, there are many disadvantages of drop shipping that you should be aware of. Here’s what you need to know about the risks of drop shipping. (more…)

Free shipping has become an expectation from online shoppers, rather than the bonus it once was. Offering free shipping options can be advantageous for your business, but there are certain things you’ll need to keep in mind when implementing it—things like the cost of free shipping, free shipping conversion rates, and how to advertise your free shipping all play a part in how valuable it ends up being for your business. The benefits of free shipping can be immense, but owners need to assess all of the associated risks and ensure they introduce it to their e-commerce business appropriately. Check...

Online shopping and e-commerce have become synonymous with sales culture in 2017. More and more people are choosing to browse the Internet over browsing the aisles, which is why e-commerce is such a booming industry right now. Since online shopping has become so popular, it’s become increasingly difficult for online retailers to win the loyalty of customers. A strategy many companies have used is to offer exclusive deals to online shoppers to encourage them to choose their store. One of the most common perks offered is free shipping—it’s become so common for companies to offer this that it’s now expected,...

If you’re wondering how to figure out shipping and handling costs for your products, there are some important factors to consider. Product type, weight, dimensions, handling time and cost, customer location, and competition should all be considered before determining your average cost of shipping. Finding a middle ground between charging what benefits your business—and pleases the customers—is the mark you should strive for. Additionally, there are different ways to charge for shipping, and some may be more suitable to your target customers than others. (more…)

Technology has allowed for dramatic improvements in e-commerce business and enhancements to supply chains and logistics have improved delivery performance for the big-box retailers like Walmart and Amazon. This has caused customers to begin wanting—and in some cases, expecting—a larger number of services when they engage in e-commerce. Meeting these expectations and desires is an excellent way to improve the e-commerce shipping experience, but understanding what to do and how can be tricky. This guide will break down some of the more common expectations among the modern customer, and then offer some e-commerce shipping best practices to help you develop...

Shipping can be a complex and costly part of e-commerce businesses. Not surprisingly, this is why shipping is often looked at when it comes time to find ways to improve savings and profitability. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce shipping costs that any e-commerce enterprise can take advantage of. Follow just some of these tips for reducing shipping costs, and you'll begin to enjoy a more efficient and profitable business.  (more…)

Every year sees rising shipping costs as a result of both inflation and the shipping carriers making changes to try and optimize their profitability. On the plus side, these rate increases will help the carriers continue to grow and improve service. On the down side, you will be paying more. What Are the Rate Increases for 2017? All of the major shipping carriers, FedEx, UPS, and USPS, will have shipping rate increases going in to 2017. Depending on the exact service and provider, the rate increase will vary but it is generally between a 3.9% (from USPS) and 5% increase...