Steps to take when creating your shipping strategy

Use this checklist to guide your eCommerce business in creating a shipping strategy. By committing to provide your customers with a seamless delivery experience, you can build trust in your brand and effectively retain customers.

Set your eCommerce logistics up for success by doing the following:

• ‍Step 1. Set your shipping policy.‍‍
• Step 2. Find the right couriers for your business.
• Step 3: Purchase shipping supplies
• Step 4: display shipping rates and information on your store
• Step 5: Delivery a smooth post.purchase experience.

Step 1. Set your shipping policy.

A strong domestic shipping strategy takes the following into account:

• Understand where your customers are & choose which destinations to ship to.
• Research shipping restrictions and how it can affect your shipments.
  • Common products with restrictions include liquids, alcohol, batteries, and CBD.
• Determine if your shipments require special handling.
  • Get special labels for fragile items and dangerous goods.
• Consider purchasing shipping insurance if your products are valued over $100.
• Decide what packaging you will use.
  • Popular choices include poly mailers, padded envelopes, and boxes.
• Create shipping automations to save your preferences and make fulfillment faster.
  • Program software with product dimensions and weights to automatically find the best shipping solution for each order.
  • Opt to use flat rate solutions for shipments over a certain weight to save on shipping.
  • Choose solutions with frequent tracking updates for difficult destinations.

Step 2. Find the right couriers for your business.

Partner with reliable couriers so you can efficiently and affordably reach every customer. Setting up your shipping strategy early can help define how and what to charge your buyers.

• Research & compare different shipping providers.
  • Choose from postal services, express couriers, and regional couriers.
• Decide what rates to offer.
  • Couriers offer rates based on actual weight, volumetric weight, and flat rates.
• Negotiate shipping rates with your courier of choice.
  • Alternatively, create an Easyship account for instant access to multiple courier solutions
• Link your own courier rates, or leverage our global pre-negotiated rates to automate your shipping process from store order to label generation on Easyship.

Step 3. Purchase shipping supplies.

Invest in packaging that will protect your items during transit.

• Consider using free packaging supplies provided by major couriers such as USPS, FedEx, and UPS.
• Buy proper shipping supplies.
  • Basics include a thermal printer, labels and pouches, packaging fillers, boxes, padded envelopes, poly mailers.
• Consider using your 3PL's custom packaging solutions if you're looking to provide a branded, unboxing experience.

Step 4. Display shipping rates and information on your store.

Use shipping as a marketing tool by promoting effective shipping policies and competitive shipping rates.

• Connect your negotiated shipping rates to your store checkout.
  • Include time-sensitive, economical, and best value solutions.
• Create your shipping policy in minutes with Easyship's Shipping Policy Generator.
• Publish your shipping policy on your website.
• Include shipping information on your product pages to build trust with customers.

‍

Step 5. Deliver a smooth post-purchase experience

It's crucial for SMBs to provide a positive post-purchase experience to prove they can deliver on their promises – in turn, building trust in their brand.

• Sync all sales channels to a shipping software such as Easyship to automatically generate shipping labels for every order.
• Personalize your packing slips. This utilitarian document can help you get user generated content by encouraging customers to leave reviews or share your brand on social media.
• Continue the conversation with branded order confirmations and tracking emails to keep in touch with customers during delivery.
• Increase revenues by upselling on your tracking page. While customers track their order, take advantage by promoting new product launches, upcoming sales, and special promotions.

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