American consumers spent $211.7 billion last winter on online shopping. It’s not enough to have great product photos online; you need to have the right shipping partner. Customers expect their packages to arrive in the best condition. So finding a shipper with great reviews should be a top concern.
As competition increases with eCommerce, the shipping benefits of a reliable partner will make you stand out. No amount of social media attention will distract consumers from a bad-quality shipment.
Follow these shipping tips to find your ideal shipping partner today.
Tips for Finding a Shipping Partner
Every business needs to have clear expectations from its shipping partner. You need to outline your goals from the beginning if you want to set up a good relationship with a shipping company. It’s important to ask about the size of the packages they can deliver and the quality you want from your partner.
If you sell high-quality, expensive products, the shipping timeline will make a difference to your customer. People pay for prompt shipping, so you need a reliable partner that can deliver quickly. Otherwise, your brand reputation will suffer from late deliveries and rude couriers.
Consider the Quality of the Shipping Partner
Writing down your shipping requirements in detail, including the dimensions, timeline, and price, will help you when talking with potential partners. If this is your first time hiring a shipping service, you can find example shipping guides and eCommerce tips online.
Explaining what you require to the shipping companies and if they can meet your standards, you know it’s a good match. Otherwise, you can save time and look for other opportunities.
You should ask the company about the delivery timeframe and ensure they are willing to deliver to different locations. Depending on your business, your shipping partner will have to deliver internationally or locally. So, you have to know from the beginning if they offer short or long deliveries.
The delivery speed needs to be quick and efficient. You can ask the company how many clients they have to get an understanding of how busy they are with shipments. If you’re worried about speed, you can pick a smaller shipping partner with fewer clients. These services can normally allocate more time to your business if you have large orders.
Examine Tracking Features
Most eCommerce businesses don’t have one office base, so you need to rely on up-to-date tracking software to check orders. Customers would like to have the option of tracking their packages online to help them arrange a delivery time. Your shipping partner needs to have the latest software for tracking shipments.
Tracking features provide transparency, and a trustworthy company will want to share the delivery process with customers. If there are any delays, you can contact customers quickly and inform them through tracking software.
Customer complaints are minimized if there’s a clear tracking feature. So you must have a partner that offers this service. A shipping company that can integrate the tracking software into your eCommerce platform is great for customers. But it’s not essential.
Most importantly, you have access to deliveries and overlook the process.
Customer Service and Price Plans
Shipping costs can add up quickly if your partner includes high delivery fees. Before you sign up with a shipping company, you have to ask about the total cost. The balance between quality and quantity means you shouldn’t settle for the first cheap deal you find online.
Do some research to compare price plans and examine the other qualities of the company. Usually, you can find price packages for bulk orders or discounts for returning customers. So, the price might fall from the original number if you get in contact with the customer service team.
Employees are the best indicator of a company’s culture, and you should be able to talk openly with the team of staff. If you find it hard to ask for advice or clarification during a consultation, it will most likely not work with that partner.
Customers will regularly interact with customer service teams, so learning about their chat features is important. You’ll want to know if they use AI chatbots or have a group of agents, as this will influence your customer experience. Looking over the review section on the website will provide helpful information from previous clients.
The reviews should be excellent and consistent if you are hiring a professional shipping partner. It’s also a good place to look for FAQs about specific requirements like delivery speed and distance.
Benefits of a Good Shipping Partner
As a business owner, your focus should be on making your products suitable for clients and relevant. Shipping should be the last thing on your mind when you open your emails for the day. So, if you have lots of customer complaints to answer because shipments are late, you lose time and money.
A good shipping partner is like a reliable friend; they are there to support you in running your business. You want to be able to send out and deliver packages smoothly so your customers keep coming back to your shop.
Shipping companies should be available for short-notice deliveries and long journeys. You need to consider these qualities when searching for a partner that will support your high standard of service.
Don’t overlook the importance of prompt delivery when growing your brand. This small detail can be something that separates you from hundreds of similar companies. So, invest in the right partner if you want to succeed in eCommerce.
Quality Shipping for Your Brand
You’ll know quickly if a shipping partner matches your business culture. Do they respond to messages quickly? Are they transparent about their service?
With a quick search online, you can find more information you need about a company. On our website, you can see that we deliver overnight, same day, and offer a 90-minute service. You won’t find a more reliable shipping partner for your eCommerce business.
Plus, we have built-in help phone features so the courier can keep logistics departments updated on delays.
Call our team and start using our shipping services today.