Shipping For Online Ecommerce Retailers
Direct Shipping Costs - The 3 main options for shipping small packages in the US are the USPS, UPS, and Fed Ex. All three offer a form of Ground (slowest and cheapest service) as well as several expedited (overnight, 2 day, etc.) delivery services. Volume speaks when you ship with UPS and Fed Ex so talk to your rep about volume discounts that will kick in once you hit certain volume thresholds. Watch out for residential delivery charges with UPS and Fed Ex. USPS pricing is generally lower - but service time are also generally slower and there are less shipment tracking options for the order as well. There is a hybrid solution in which a company (could be UPS, or DHL, or several others) acts as a "mail integrator". These companies pick up on their own trucks but then take the packages to the USPS who takes care of the final delivery. This set up works best in a business to consumer model and requires a minimum daily quantity of packages (usually about 250 per day).
Your Time - Again, is printing shipping labels the best use of your time? The excitement and desire to grow a business is what motivates most online business owners. Focus on helping customers fill their shopping carts.
Sellers can now print shipping lables at home or their office, that is a great service to save the time. Vipparcel is a leading vendor to provide such service with no monthly fee. They are completely fee FREE and never charge for anything but the postage itself. Print at you own pace, pay as you go.
Posted on September 26, 2018
