TheUnstitchd
The last few years might just be the perfect time for you to build and own a small business. Thanks to the continuous rise in shipping items, whether locally or internationally, every customer is now within your reach. The demand for items is there; the question is – how can you save more money on shipping?
As a business owner, you want to lower down your operating and shipping costs. That’s how you will generate more profit, which, of course, will help your business grow. If you can, assess your costs and see which aspects you can lower down without compromising the quality of your items and service.
One of the main cost aspects you can cut down is shipping. With that, here are 5 shipping hacks you can do to save money.
1. Pack the items as small and light as possible
To keep your shipping costs low, you have to pack your items properly. If you have full control over how your items’ packaging looks, choose something that’s light and has the smallest dimensions. It will cost you less when shipping lighter and smaller items compared to bulkier ones. Your customers might even appreciate more eco-friendly packaging.
You can still keep your business’ branding on point even if you go for smaller packaging. If you look at it, it will be a win-win situation; you spend less on packaging and shipping. As you know, the lower costs you spend on production, the higher your profits will be!
2. Use quality packing materials
If there are any costs in shipping your items that you shouldn’t skimp on, it’s the packing materials. It’s easy to think that using less or cheap packing materials is a way you can get your costs lowered down – it’s actually not. Your packing materials should be durable enough to withstand the whole shipping process.
By ensuring that your products are secure throughout the shipping process, you lower the chances of getting the items sent back or refunded due to physical damage. This is why it’s worth it to invest in quality packing materials rather than opt for cheaper ones. At least with its quality, you’re assured that the items won’t be damaged after being hauled to various shipping systems.
3. Pick out a courier with the best prices
Aside from the package’s weight and size, shipping costs will also be affected by the courier you will be using. Shipping rates vary from one courier to another. So before you settle for one courier, do your research and see where you can get discount shipping. Or, at the very least, give you the best prices for the item you’re going to ship and its destination.
Take some time to look at the shipping rates of various couriers. You will see how the prices differ and how much you’re going to save if you choose one over the other. Remember that you don’t have to stick with one courier for all items. Some couriers offer less for larger items while pricing more for smaller ones. So, don’t depend on the courier itself! Instead, choose your courier depending on the size and weight of the items you’re going to ship.
4. Automate your shipping
Like with most processes, doing things manually can cost you money. This is what you want to avoid if you want to save up costs on shipping. One way to avoid this is through automation.
Automated shipping will mean using a software to print labels for orders automatically while syncing them on the system. This completely eradicates the hassle of going through things one-by-one – a process that can’t only be tedious but can also be prone to errors. With these systems in place, you don’t have to worry about shipping the item to the wrong address or getting the orders mixed up.
5. Reuse packaging and packing materials
Customers appreciate and support small businesses that are conscious of the environment now more than ever. So if there’s a way for you to incorporate this into your business model, then do so! It’s not just a way to show your customers that your business cares for the environment, but it’s also one way for you to lower down your costs as well.
You can reuse shipping material from your returned orders or use those that come alongside your raw materials when you purchase them! Don’t forget to encourage your customers to recycle the packing materials used for their orders, too.
Summary
As a small business owner, it’s also your responsibility to ship the items you’re selling. Shipping prices will depend on the package’s size and weight and the courier you choose. However, all of these are also within your control. You’re going to be the one to decide which courier you’ll be using to deliver your orders.
You can also lower down your costs by choosing quality packing materials and reusing ones from returned orders. Ultimately, the best way you can save on shipping costs will be researching which courier will give you the best price.