Any ecommerce business owner needs a clear and transparent shipping and delivery strategy to improve their business's bottom line. In fact, 54% of online shoppers say they would make repeat purchases if a business has clear delivery conditions. This tells us that there's an untapped business opportunity ecommerce shipping, and that automating your shipping process can positively impact your business success.
Automated shipping means leveraging technological tools, such as software and other automation systems, to streamline and optimize the shipping and delivery process. This software includes:
- Label generation
- Package tracking
- Delivery route optimization
- Automating shipping company selection and payment
In this article, we’ll explore three tips to help you improve your ecommerce shipping automation to increase your business efficiency, minimize shipping errors and costs, and provide enhanced customer experience.
Calculating the Shipping Cost
It's not easy to put a standard price on every shipment you deliver because the costs vary based on several factors. By understanding these variables and other additional charges that might apply, you can have a clearer picture of how to calculate your shipping costs. These factors include:
Size and Weight Specifications
Carriers categorize the size and weight limits of orders and packages differently. Various factors include, but are not limited to, packaging materials, boxes, crates, and pallets required for specific types of shipments and merchandise. In addition, Navis Pack & Ship partners with multiple freight and shipping carriers to give customers options that fit their unique situation and budget.
Dimensional Weight
Another factor that affects the shipping cost is dimensional (DIM) weight, which refers to the density of a package and the amount of space it takes up in relation to its actual weight. Typically, carriers use the DIM weight to calculate the shipping bill if it exceeds the package's actual weight.
Shipping Distance
The distance the shipment travels, whether domestically or overseas, may also affect your shipping costs. Typically, trucking and delivery companies use dynamic geographic zones to determine the distance between the origin and the receiving destination. In summary, the longer the distance, the higher the shipping fees.
Tracking and Coverage Required
Tracking and insurance also impact the shipping cost in several ways:
- Tracking – Most shipping companies include tracking prices in the overall shipping fees, although other carriers provide tracking solutions for additional charges.
- Shipping Coverage – Shipping coverage is an additional add-on to your business insurance coverage, and is designed to protect your in-transit cargo against damage, theft, loss, or vandalism. The coverage cost depends on various aspects, such as the value of the items being shipped, the type of items being shipped, and other factors. To learn more about shipment coverage, call your local Navis Pack & Ship today.
Branded Packaging
Packaging is a crucial part of the buying process. As an ecommerce business, you must recognize the impact of investing in the proper packaging. Branded packaging is a promotional tool that boosts sales while minimizing marketing costs. In addition, it gives products an identity, making them stand out from a wide range of similar goods. Branded packaging can significantly improve your brand perception, especially in this era of social sharing. When customers share videos and images of their delivered orders, their actions affect other potential buyers' purchase decisions. In fact, 40% of online shoppers are likely to recommend premium packaged products to their friends and families. The desire to show off and recommend products motivates shoppers to share images and videos of the products they've bought. In summary, branded retail packaging resonates with the emotional journey a customer may take when receiving your products. When your packaging meets or supersedes a customer’s expectations, they feel encouraged to share your images and videos about your brand. With this approach, your customers become your marketing tool. It's through excited customers that your ecommerce brand can create a lasting impression and encourage social sharing.
Establish a Return Strategy
Having an effective return strategy is as crucial as your shipping strategy, and when done right, it can build customer trust and loyalty. That said, you should see returns as an opportunity to improve customer experience and optimize your marketing strategy to avoid future returns.
Automate Your Return Strategy to Save Time
Any return is unique and requires the warehouse team to inspect the product, identify the blemishes, restock the inventory, and update the customer service team regarding the status of the returned goods. Automating your returns process can streamline the process, doing all the heavy lifting on your teams' behalf, resulting in a more efficient operation for online retailers and improved customer experience.
Have Flat-Rate Return Shipping Fees
Instead of having varied costs for returns shipping, it can be more efficient to choose a flat-rate return shipping fee as it provides several benefits to your business and customers, including: ● Offering a predictable and consistent cost for customers
- Simplifying the returns process
- Reducing shipping fees for the online retailer
- Improving the overall returns experience
- Providing a clear and straightforward shipping option for shoppers
Automate Your Shipping and Cargo Tracking Process with Navis
Whether you’re shipping industrial parts, pallets of promo material, or homemade artwork, Navis Pack & Ship makes it easy to automate your shipping process. Our packing, crating, and shipping solutions can help you improve asset utilization and expand your ability to add capacity without compromising productivity. If you're ready to experience business transformation through automated shipping, find a Navis Pack & Ship location near you. We'll explain our logistics capabilities and how you can maximize your returns using our solutions.
