Running an online business will see you face all sorts of unfamiliar challenges.
You will have to focus on SEO, online advertising, website “traffic”, and a whole host of other aspects of business that you could turn a blind eye to when operating a brick and mortar store.
One part of running an online business that you really do need to pay attention to, and that isn’t often talked about, is shipping. Once you’ve generated a sale, your journey really isn’t over.
You need to ensure that the products make their way from you to the consumer in a manner that will leave smiles on faces all round. Here’s a little more information that could help you to achieve this!
Choosing Safe and Secure Packaging
If you’ve ordered anything online and it’s arrived in damaged or faulty packaging, or hasn’t even been present upon arrival, as the packaging has come loose and the contents have escaped, you will know how frustrated you can feel.
Don’t let your brand become associated with frustrating experiences! Sure, secure and solid packaging may cost more than cheaper and flimsier options. But it’s worth it for the sake of delivering goods from you to your customer in one piece!
Offering Multiple Shipping Options
It is extremely important to offer multiple shipping options to your customers. Sure, the majority will opt for the cheapest option available, which tends to be economy and can generally take between three and seven business days to get the package from A to B.
But increasing numbers of people are conducting last minute shopping and want their parcels fast, even if it means paying a little more.
Make sure to offer next day delivery or express delivery options as well as standard economy. This creates choice and will cater to more people’s needs.
You may also want to consider offering international shipping options, which will allow you to send a parcel to an overseas destination. This opens your brand up to an even wider audience!
Offer Reasonable Costs
Small businesses don’t want to dip into their profits in order to fork out for customers’ postage on their behalf. Many customers will understand this. But don’t use shipping as a means of making a little extra cash in your transaction.
Consumers aren’t naive and many will be familiar with standard shipping costs for different types of items. If they notice that your costs are much higher, they will know that they are being conned and they are likely to take their business elsewhere.
Instead, make sure that you are only charging the genuine costs of packaging and sending items.
These are just a few aspects of packaging and shipping that you may want to focus your attention on! Offering reliable and reasonable shipping can help to provide customers with a positive experience and can encourage them to buy with you again in the future. So, don’t underestimate its importance!
