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Corey Kogan
All You Need to Know About E-commerce Shipping In 2020
The e-commerce shipping industry, just like many other industries, is evolving due to the everyday advancement in technology. This year, the industry is set for massive transformation through the adoption of automation and advanced tech tools. As at last year, about 79% of US e-commerce users said that with free shipping, they are likely going to buy more things online. This means there will be a rapid shift from the cart system this year. This year, shipping will be a lot more important for e-commerce sales than it has always been. This article is aimed at helping you position your business for this change and increase your productivity this year.
8 Necessary Steps of the E-commerce Shipping Process
1. Understand What Constitutes a Shipment
When starting out your shipping process, the first step to take is to understand what constitutes a shipment and which is best for your e-commerce business. A shipment varies in that it is created based on an order that has been placed by a customer for one thing or several things. This understanding will also help you to know whether an order requires a single shipment or multiple shipments.
2. Make Use of a Shipping Software
As your e-commerce business grows, there will be the need to know how to manage an inventory and keep it organized. This cannot be done manually, there will be a need to get shipping management software. With this software, you can list your products on several platforms and still keep effective track of all of them per time.
3. Choose the Best Carrier
There are a number of shipping carriers made available for several e-commerce businesses ranging from UPS to FedEx among others. At this stage, you are to choose the best shipping carrier that works for you. In doing this, you are expected to take into consideration the costs of the carrier; the insurance provided for; the delivery arrangements; and the network it has for effective delivery.
4. Ascertain a Shipping Method
Shipping can be done by road, by air or by sea, all coming at different costs. It is important that at this stage, you ascertain the best shipping method for your e-commerce business. For the sake of diversity, you can make use of more than one shipping method depending on the product you’re selling.
5. Determine Your Business Audience
Here, you are to determine what kind of audience your business will be targeted at. Are you going to be taking international or local orders? Will your shipping method be to specified cities, states or process? You need to answer these questions and analyze your answers to make the process a lot more effective.
6. Put In Place an Effective Communication Structure
After an order has been placed by a customer and shipment made, the transaction is not yet completed. There has to be a system that allows customers to track their orders and this system has to be built on effective communication. Incomplete or an intercepted delivery will affect the reputation of your company which is why this should be taken seriously.
7. Invest In Correct Labeling and Effective Packaging
You should properly label and package your customers’ orders and their ordered products. When products are not well labeled, they can be misplaced or wrongly shipped. Poor packaging, on the other hand, can cause damage to the product and the company’s reputation.
8. Be Conversant With Rules and Regulations Governing Shipping
To have a successful e-commerce company on an international scale, you have to be conversant with and adhere to the shipping rules and regulations of different countries. On a local scale, you just have to be conversant with the rules and regulations of the base nation. From understanding these rules and regulations, you will know what products can be shipped or not. You will also know the necessary documentation that needs to be made before shipping.
5 Major Shipping Trends to Focus On In 2020
There are several changes in the shipping sector of e-commerce, most of which are influenced by technology. So to succeed in 2020, there are several factors that must be taken into consideration. These five factors will make your business outstanding.
● Global Reputation
All over the world, there is a huge decline in the demand for local products. A lot of people want imported goods primarily for the tag that comes with it, and also for the presumed quality. Analysts have it that by 2021, more than 30% of the global population will be shopping online. This is a big business opportunity for you if you can give your business a global reputation.
● Technological Inclination
Technology is experiencing a rapid advancement that has never been seen in human history. Technology has not only made work easier, faster and better, it has also improved the organizational structure of many industries. The internet is filled with several shipping automation software and tools that customers can use to track their orders at every given time.
● Dual Presence
Dual presence means harnessing more than one platform for your products. Gone are the days when sellers are comfortable with one platform. These days, especially in 2020, there will be a need for shipping businesses to have more than one presence. With a presence on multiple channels, comes an increase in sales and overall business productivity.
● Better and Faster Delivery
Customers want their orders delivered to them almost as soon as they pay for their order. What this means is that to succeed in the shipping business in 2020, you have to subscribe to a better and faster delivery system. You should choose instant logistics even if it will attract extra cost. Many online buyers don’t mind paying that extra cost if same-day delivery is guaranteed on their purchases.
● Customized Premium Packaging
Have you ever wondered why many companies invest a lot of money in design and packaging? This is because it helps them to publicize more about their brand and the services they provide. In 2020, there will be a shift in packaging to allow customers to choose their packaging options. The new trend will have personalized customer packaging that is unique to each user and sustainable. This way, customers can make more purchases.
While there is going to be a lot of transformation with regards to e-commerce shipping this year, you can position your company well to fit into these changes. With good positioning, your company can harness the many opportunities that these changes bring. It can also come up with more creative and innovative ways to make shipping effective for the company and its customers.
