{"id":30602,"date":"2019-10-15T15:11:51","date_gmt":"2019-10-15T07:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/?p=30602"},"modified":"2023-01-18T14:00:38","modified_gmt":"2023-01-18T06:00:38","slug":"small-business-logistics-6-ways-to-save-big-money-on-shipping-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zegal.com\/en-hk\/blog\/post\/small-business-logistics-6-ways-to-save-big-money-on-shipping-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Business Logistics: 6 Ways to Save Big Money on Shipping Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\"\"
Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

Most small businesses tend to focus on the sale. However, getting customers to the checkout page on an e-commerce site is not where brand loyalty and the customer experience is defined.<\/span> That is built in a business\u2019s e-commerce delivery strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The post-purchase experience is more impactful than ever before.<\/span> Shipping services play a major role in customer retention, customer expectations, and customer satisfaction. A negative shipping<\/span> experience can quickly erode brand trust and affect your bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if not managed correctly, shipping can be a costly expense. For small businesses, this is a difficult task to manage, particularly as your business expands into <\/span>international e-commerce<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

And with large enterprises like <\/span>Walmart<\/span> or Amazon offering free shipping or one-day shipping, <\/span>many<\/span> small businesses ask themselves, <\/span>\u201cHow can I reduce sh<\/span>ipping costs?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To effectively compete and ship for success, here are <\/span>six cost-saving solutions<\/span> that businesses can implement today to reduce their shipping expenditures.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Analyze your shipping requirements<\/span><\/h4>\n

One of the first things to do as a small busin<\/span>ess is to challenge all of your existing assumptions regarding shipping. Local, regional, and international shipping all have different shipping requirements. <\/span><\/p>\n

What might work locally <\/span>may be far too expensive or time-consuming to work internationally.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t assume shipping methods or freight categories all work the same. For example, air freight is speedier than ocean freight, but that speed comes at a cost. If urgency of delivery is not an issue and your business is shipping heavier cargo, then ocean f<\/span>reight is right for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, <\/span>consider the shipping materials your products need<\/span> and the costs associated with <\/span>that.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Reducing the weight of your packages can significantly lower shipping costs. If the products were damaged during shipment in the <\/span>past, a product redesign may better protect the product during shipping and also provide cost-saving benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evaluating your primary shipping patterns will help you better project your freight shipping requirements. Knowing your requirements and understanding shipping charges will give you negotiating power to lower your freight shipping rates.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Pass on the costs<\/span><\/h4>\n

Once research on shipping requirements is done, it’s time to address a core component of shipping: free shipping offers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Free shipping is ubiquitous in the world of e-commerce. <\/span>Online customers have now come to expect free shipping as <\/span>standard. But often, small businesses do not have the same margins as a large company to absorb this cost.<\/span><\/p>\n

One strategy for offering free shipping is to slightly increase prices. Including the cost of shipping into the total price of the product will hel<\/span>p offset the cost of free shipping. Your product pricing should state as such.<\/span><\/p>\n

If building shipping into the price limits your business\u2019s ability to keep prices competitive, another option is to<\/span> include stipulations to your free shipping offer. <\/span><\/p>\n

Conditions<\/span> for free shipping offers can include:<\/span><\/p>\n