Shipping Items From Online Marketplaces 101

In the world today, buying and selling thrive online. The exchange of goods and services transcends borders and locations around the world.

According to forecasts, global eCommerce revenue will grow to $4.2 trillion by 2025. A fraction of this revenue comes from online marketplaces. As a result, merchants are utilizing tested strategies to scale up their business, and one of these strategies is shipping.

This blog post will go over how to ship items from online marketplaces and practical strategies to implement.

Why is Marketplace Shipping Important?

Marketplace shipping has become an essential aspect of any online business because it is the only way customers can receive their items. Since customers expect that their products arrive on time, the modern online marketplace has to adopt new shipping technologies and delivery methods to meet customers' expectations.

One of the leading causes of cart abandonment is the lack of an organized shipping strategy, meaning that marketplace shipping is vital to any online business.

In fact, 68% of the primary reasons for cart abandonment are delivery issues and high shipping costs. On the other hand, free shipping is a proven powerful sales driver for eCommerce businesses.

How Does Marketplace Shipping Work?

Shipping online is not a difficult task if you have a sold shipping strategy in place. Unfortunately, there is no standard shipping strategy. You'll want to follow this step-by-step process that can help you create an optimized shipping strategy for your business.

Step 1: Order processing

There is always a corresponding tracking number attached to every purchase made for delivery purposes. When a customer's order is processed, it is called the order processing stage.

Processing an order will help you verify the necessary data. And with a software management system, you can notify your customers that their order is being processed. This stage also involves updating the inventory and closing the purchase order. Afterward, tasks are assigned to the team in charge of delivery, who take it up from there.

Step 2: Order packaging

When it comes to order packaging, two critical things come to mind to ensure your package's safety. The first is to ensure that customers receive their packages in good condition. This step is achieved by paying attention to the packaging materials used to ensure that goods arrive safely. The second is the brand signature and identity.

You want to package your customers' orders based on the item. Compared to other things, fragile and electrical devices will be handled more delicately. Also, you want to consider the dimensional weight of the package and how much it can impact shipping costs for your business.

Step 3: Logistics and delivery

Companies need to rely on trusted and tested logistics companies for effective and timely delivery. Partnering with third-party logistics companies can help make the whole process easy and lower the cost of shipping.

3PLs handle the delivery of items to customers while relying on modern technology and software. This type of software will help you choose the best courier services. Plus, 3PLs offer you real-time updates and notifications on your shipment. This way, you can track your goods and notify your customers.

Step 4: Returns

Returns remain an inevitable part of the eCommerce business. Customers might have to return items already delivered to them for one reason or another. Therefore, it's advisable to have a solid return policy in place. You can add return labels inside every package so that your customers can have an easy returns process.

How Does Facebook Marketplace Shipping Work?

Facebook marketplace shipping is quite similar to other platforms, although specific differences set them apart. For Facebook, here is the overall breakdown of listing an item on the Facebook marketplace and how to set up shipping:

• The seller chooses items to sell for shipping on the marketplace
• The seller creates a new listing for items on FB Marketplace
• Buyer finds the item through browsing Facebook categories
• The buyer places an order or messages the seller (seller or buyer can pay for shipping)
• The buyer's full address is displayed to the seller on a shipping order
• The buyer gets tracking information for their order, which entails the business days to ship
• Order is delivered within ten business of placing the order
• The buyer can message the seller for help if there's an issue with the order
• The seller's payment will be released 15-20 days after marking the item as shipped and entering a tracking number. It could also be five days after the item is delivered upon receiving delivery confirmation

People from all parts of the world can exchange items via Facebook Marketplace. However, due to the presence of scammers, there are a few things to consider. Ensure you do a thorough profile check, confirm location, and use only the payment options within the Facebook purchase protection.

Related post: How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace

Best Practices for Marketplace Shipping

Here are a few things to keep in mind about marketplace shipping:

Set realistic goals

Setting goals is an essential aspect before taking any step. Marketplace shipping requires you to set realistic and attainable goals, especially regarding your shipping strategies.

This practice will require you to focus on many aspects of your business, such as expanding your business to reach a wider audience, researching alternative shipping services, and exploring ways to increase conversions.

Offer your customers a shipping options

Having multiple shipping strategies will go a long way in helping you achieve successful marketplace shipping. Some options include live rates, same-day delivery, free shipping, and many more.

Here is a brief breakdown of how some eCommerce shipping models work:

• Live rates: Charges you (via your bank account) the exact amount the carrier would charge.
• Same-day delivery: Speedy delivery that helps you improve conversion rates
• Marketplace free shipping: You bear the delivery costs, but you get more customers

As your business expands, you can consider using all of these strategies.

Assemble a team of experts

You will need a team of people with expertise in various vital sectors to make the work easy. For a start, you can consider having groups that help with web development, marketing and another one to handle fulfillment.

The web developers will help you create an effective site so that your customers can easily access the available shipping options. A marketing team will communicate shipping promotions and direct traffic to your site. Finally, the fulfillment team helps to ensure that every order is sorted accordingly up to delivery.

Utilize a shipping platform

A shipping platform for eCommerce businesses is extremely helpful. From their team of shipping experts to their reliance on software and technology, shipping platforms will make your shipping experience hassle-free.

A shipping platform will help you calculate shipping costs, track your shipments, and process returns to maintain customer satisfaction.

Marketplace Shipping with Easyship

Marketplace shipping is becoming increasingly popular. Even brick and mortar stores are expanding their horizons to the eCommerce space, making the competition high. You'll want to implement strategies to upscale your site and get the necessary conversions to stay ahead.

Great marketplace shipping options by utilizing a shipping platform can help you achieve eCommerce success. Partnering with a 3PL like Easyship is even better.

With access to premium features, you can focus on other aspects of building your brand and providing quality services to your customers. Easyship offers you the following shipping features:

• Shipping Dashboard: Manage orders and create shipments instantly in the Shipping Dashboard. Plus, keep track of all your delivery lead times in one place for your business and generate shipping labels
• Shipping Policy Generator: Our shipping policy generator helps merchants and crowdfunding campaigns generate their shipping policy by providing tracking and insurance options
• Easyship Branding Suite: Easyship provides a delivery experience consistent with your brand. Add your logo and advertising materials to your packing slips, landing pages, and tracking emails

Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and learn how to create your shipping strategy for your online marketplace

Marketplace Shipping FAQ

Can you ship items with Facebook Marketplace?

Yes, you can ship items via Facebook Marketplace. However, using a shipping platform like Easyship can help you create an optimized shipping strategy for your business.

How does Facebook Marketplace shipping work?

Facebook marketplace shipping works similar to other eCommerce marketplaces like Mercari or WooCommerce. However, there is no selling fee like in other marketplaces. You can also utilize a shipping platform to receive the best shipping rates.

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