How to Control Shipping Cost

Published On - June 17, 2022

Yahya Jahanzeb Competitive Research, Ecommerce Tips

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Starting an e-commerce brand isn’t just about launching an online shop, sitting back and waiting for the orders. There are lot more factors to consider when you put your brand out there. The product must be unique and so it’s shipping. But the question is how smartly and sprucely you can ship the product while following the right protocol, where you don’t frustrate your customer. Keep shrinking up the cost alongside, that goes into the shipping.

In this time of steep inflation, it’s crucial for the brands to intelligently minimize the disbursement that comes with the entire shipping process in order to sustain profitable operations.

In this article, I will shed light on the factors that can save you a lot of money so let’s begin.

1. Shrink the package

Most of the companies charge according to the package size no, matter if there is product inside is lightweight. However, you can’t reduce the weight of the product but shrink up the package;

  • Don’t use big boxes where the product can easily fit in poly mailers.
  • Use the lighter corrugated card boxes as they come in different thickness ranges, and opt for the one that can protect the product.
  • Play around with the product packaging and choose the one which is Eco-friendly, creative and doesn’t add a lot of weight to the bulk orders.
  • Look for the lightest and most suitable options to infill the package like air-filled pillows that can reduce the weight.

Small diminutions in wrapping materials can save a lot of shipping, and infill costs, and reduce the DIM weight. With these practices, your average shipping cost will surely go down.

2. Choose your shipping partner smartly

It’s a bad idea to just stick with the first shipping carrier you come across. Volume shippers or large-scale e-commerce businesses can bargain the lower rate and get a good discount offer.

Many shipping companies keep revising their charges depending on the volume, you must be checking up on that as well. Small businesses must understand that they also have an elbow room to negotiate shipping costs with the carriers.

Are you new?

If you are a start-up, you must visit the local offices, connect with them online and negotiate on the basis of shipping distance, the volume of the packages, weight and frequency of the shipping. Make yourself familiar with ins and out-negotiate and agree on an optimum offer.

 

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3. Third-party Shipping insurance

Shipping insurance can slaughter your bottom line, particularly for fragile and expensive goods. In unfortunate cases, you are not just charged for re-shipping and product return, but for the damaged goods too which can become quite a lot.

So, consider opting for shipping insurance for valuable goods. Always go with third-party insurance instead of your shipping company, which is usually cheaper.

Looking for a better solution?

As a seller you always want your ROIs improvement and a decrease in overheads and unmissable expenses, this only comes with an increase in the volume.

So, we have a solution for increasing the volume of sales to lower the contractual costs with external partners, i.e. Suppliers, couriers and packaging companies, check our full and easy guide on boosting sales and reduction in costs.

 

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4. Hybrid services

Instead of just one company delivering your package, a hybrid shipping service might involve two or three different companies. This means that rather than one company collecting your package, sorting it out and delivering it to the destination, there might be two or three different companies involved. This means that rather than just one company to contact when booking a pickup, you might need to contact multiple companies.
This can add to the cost of the service and can also cause delays.
What are the benefits of a Hybrid courier service?
One of the biggest advantages of using a hybrid shipping service is that it saves you money on delivery. Instead of waiting for a traditional courier to arrive at your doorstep, you can have your package brought to you by a different company, reducing the time it takes to arrive. This can come in handy, especially if you need your package delivered quickly.
Most of the time, however, hybrid shipping service is used when you want to combine the best features of two or more different courier services.
Sending a Package: When you’re sending a package, you want your items delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible. That’s why it’s important to use the right courier service – one that can get your package from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible.
At times, though, you might want to use a courier service that can offer you additional services like tracking, guarantees and guaranteed delivery times. This is where hybrid caterer services come in.
Generally, when you book a courier to deliver your package. It’ll be one company that handles the collection, sorting and delivery of your package. However, when you book a hybrid courier, it means that rather than just one company. There could be two or even three parties involved in the delivery of your package.
This means that your package will be passed between the different companies, which will sometimes result in faster delivery. It will also mean that the company will be able to offer better service, such as a guaranteed delivery time, as they will be able to pass your package between the different companies to get the best service available.
Shipping a package can be a frustrating experience, with hours spent waiting at the post office and packages rarely arriving on time.
However, a new breed of shipping service is changing the game. Offering customers the ability to have their items collected, sorted and delivered by a single company.
These services are often referred to as ‘hybrid’ or ‘multi-service’ shipping. They are quickly becoming the way of the future. Instead of waiting on the postman, you can get your package delivered in a few hours by a company that has partnered with a variety of different couriers.
Check out the list of low-cost courier companies; Shipping Integrations

 

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