For any eCommerce merchant, there are a few basic things you need to know, regardless of what you sell. One of the main things is shipping. If you sell physical products, you’re going to need to ship them, and thanks to eCommerce giants like Amazon, your customers will expect their packages sooner rather than later. So what can you do to make your business stand tall next to the Goliaths of business? Fyresite has broken down the best practices to make shipping a breeze.

Why is Shipping Important?

Did you know that 66% of consumers choose a retailer based on the number of shipping options available? That’s two-thirds of your potential customers! And if they don’t like what they see, they will move onto another store, and spend their money elsewhere.

On top of that, 62% of consumers expect orders to arrive in 2-3 business days or less. This can be problematic, as the average shipping time, depending on the shipping solution, is between 1-8 business days.

With consumers expecting more and more, eCommerce merchants need to be competitive with their shipping.

Common Shipping Companies

While big corporations have their own shipping solutions, the majority of eCommerce merchants don’t have that option. That’s why it’s important to fully explore what shipping options you have available. Here are some common ones that merchants use.

USPS

USPS is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States government that is responsible for postal services. There are multiple shipping options offered, with the shipper being able to choose based on weight and how quickly the package needs to be shipped.

USPS offers domestic and international rates. Unlike the majority of shipping companies, USPS will charge you the same to ship to Alaska or Hawai’i as it would the continental 48. International rates are higher, and need a customs form filled out.

Exact rate will depend on the package weight, size, where it’s being sent from and where it’s being shipped to.

USPS also offers their own eCommerce shipping solution for merchants.

UPS

UPS is one of the world’s largest shipping carriers. They are an American multinational shipping & receiving and supply chain management company.

Shipping rates will vary depending on location, size, weight, and other factors. They offer flat rates within the US. They also ship internationally for a higher fee.

UPS also offers their own eCommerce shipping solution for merchants.

FedEx

FedEx is a shipping company that offers multiple different shipping options. They also help ship internationally and allow you to stay compliant with customs.

Shipping rates will vary depending on size, location, if the package is going to a residential location or not, weight, and other factors.

FedEx also offers their own eCommerce shipping solution for merchants.

Shopify Shipping

Exclusively for Shopify merchants, Shopify Shipping simplifies your shipping workflow. Connecting Shopify merchants with multiple carriers, which vary based on fulfillment location, fulfill orders faster, and manage them all in one place.

Shopify offers discounts up to 88% on carriers when they are shipped through Shopify Shipping. You will be able to check order status through Shopify, regardless of what carrier you shipped with.

Using Shopify Shipping, you can manage your shipping costs on your same bill as your monthly Shopify subscription. The price of the individual packages will depend on the carrier you choose, where you’re shipping from, how heavy the package is, along with other factors.

When you use Shopify Shipping, shipping insurance of $200 is added to every eligible label, at no extra cost to you.

Interested in finding out more about Shopify? Read our blogs here or look into our Shopify services here!
Shopify Shipping Overview

Considerations

There are some things that every eCommerce merchant should think about when choosing how to ship their goods.

Cost

What shipping solution would be the most cost effective? Are you offering free shipping, flat rate shipping, or free above a certain amount? What volume of sales are you experiencing or expecting to experience? If you’re expecting a high volume of sales, it would be better to find a solution that gives you a discount for buying many labels.

Location

Where are you shipping from? Where are you selling to? Are you shipping domestically or internationally?

Capability with ECommerce Platform

Does the shipping company/solution work well with your eCommerce platform? Is it easy, or does it cause unnecessary extra steps?

While this all may seem like a lot of questions, shipping is a very important part of eCommerce, and answering these questions can help you find the shipping solution that is best for your business.

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