Starting your own business and creating a product that many people will be interested in is only one part of the process, and if you want to be successful and gain a lot of clients, you need to think about all the parts of the brand and selling your goods. We mostly focus on the way that the product looks, what ingredients you use that will be beneficial for your customers, and we think about marketing the way we will reach new potential clients that will get us a lot of profits.
One thing that you should never forget to think about is the shipping process.
We all know that most of the time, the delivery services can be a bit pricey, and when every dime counts, we need to be smart about the way we send our goods to our paying customers. Keep on reading if you want to know what is the cheapest way to ship for a small business.
Make sure you understand what the cost depends on
Before we delve into all the options you have when choosing to ship your products, you need to understand what will affect the cost of the process, and why some shipments are going to be more expensive than others.
The first thing that will affect the price is the type of service you choose. Some will provide amazing options for not a lot of money, while others will require you to pay a specific sum that may be out of your budget. The difference in these things is the way the package is handled, the method that they use, and how fast the package will get to your customers. Some places may seem like they are extremely inexpensive, but in case the package is lost, or if there are any delays with the delivery, you will have to deal with angry customers, and you will not be able to get your investment back from the service you’ve chosen. You may also have to deal with broken goods and once again, you will not get reimbursed for this.
To make sure that you are getting the best of both worlds, you should look for a service that will give you the needed features, that will provide fast and secure delivery, and at the same time, that will not make you lose profits just because you want to send the goods to your clients. As suggested by FlagShip, you need to compare the courier services, check out their rates, the things that they offer, and how that is going to reflect on your brand.
The weight of the package that you want to be delivered will affect the costs as well, so the heavier your products are, the more expensive it will be to send them to the people that ordered them. Sometimes you can get a flat rate with a specific courier service, but that all depends on the service itself and the conditions you are okay with.
If you can, you should decrease the shipping distance, and you should not deliver items to places that are out of your area or out of your financial possibilities. Domestic shipments are always going to be cheaper than international, and on the same note, when you send things on the same continent it is going to be more budget-friendly than if you ship to counties on other continents.
The dimensions of the product may sometimes affect the price, and the bigger the item is, the more you will need to pay. In case your goods are all in a standard size, you may talk to the service and get a discount for a large batch of items.
Consider different options
Now that you know what you can do to decrease the overall costs for shipping, let’s talk about all the options that you have.
You can always use a shipping calculator to see how much you would need to invest depending on the service you’ve chosen and the type of packet that you want to send. Most of the courier websites have this feature on their pages, but if you cannot find information like that, you can always reach out to customer support and see what they are going to tell you depending on your current needs.
The United States Postal Service is one of the most commonly preferred methods when it comes to smaller packages, and they offer pretty good options for those who want to deliver things in bulk. On the other hand, UPS is the better option for those who want to ship items that are bigger or heavier and they have pretty decent fees when it comes to items that are larger and bulkier. FedEx is a great option if you need to send something fast, but know that these services are usually more expensive than the others. You can always opt for DHL if you want to get a secure and fast shipping method, but this is the most expensive option, and it is not recommended for those who need to send a lot of items on a daily or weekly basis.
Remember that there are private shipping options that are owned by individuals, and the prices for them may vary between extremely cheap and affordable and pretty pricey. If you choose to go with a service that is not known by many, and that is relatively new, this may be the best or the worst decision you’ve ever made. You can get an amazing service, or you may need to spend a lot of money and get your items lost or damaged.
No matter what you choose to go with, always compare the costs, and see which service is the best one for you depending on the goods that you want to deliver, their size, and the location of the buyer and your storage house. If possible, have storage spaces in different places in the country, so that you can choose where to send the goods from. You can also make your personal delivery business, but this may require a bigger investment. Check the costs calculators, compare services, and know that by reaching out to them and asking for more information, you can always get a better price for sending in bulk.
Nicola Holder