With giant retailers raising the bar with 1-day or even same-day deliveries, providing fast shipping is continuing to be crucial for keeping customers happy and driving more repeat purchases. However, as a smaller company, it is nearly impossible to match the shipping speeds that giant retailers offer.
Obviously, no one has an operating budget to build an infrastructure like Amazon. Still, there are quite a few strategies you can try to expedite your fulfillment and transit times, even with limited resources. So in this newsletter, I wanted to reveal some of my top tips for making your ecommerce delivery faster:
Understand Your Shipping Landscape
First things first, let’s get a lay of the land. Understanding your shipping options is crucial. Are you using the best courier services available? Sometimes, switching to a regional carrier can offer quicker delivery times for local orders. It’s all about finding that sweet spot between cost and speed.
- Leverage Local Couriers: Local couriers can deliver faster in your city or region than the big names. One way to help you find these couriers is through using freight brokers, which are middlemen between shippers and carriers.
- Mix and Match: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Use a mix of carriers based on delivery destinations.
- If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them: If all else fails, consider using Amazon’s fulfillment services for your products, also referenced as FBA. You can learn more about it at https://sell.amazon.com/fulfillment-by-amazon.
Inventory Management: Location, Location, Location
Where you store your products can make a huge difference.
- Strategically Located Warehouses: Using fulfillment centers closer to your customers can drastically cut down shipping times.
- Dropshipping: Consider dropshipping for products that are far-flung from your main inventory.
Negotiate Reduced Rates with Shipping Carriers
Leverage your position as a small business with carriers.
- Reach out to carriers like USPS, FedEx, and UPS and try to negotiate business discounts. Consider using a service like Ship Station to find the best rates quickly.
- Take advantage of any available small business shipping rates.
Quick and Effective Packaging
The way you pack can speed things up or slow things down.
- Pre-Printed Labels: Have them ready to slap on as soon as an order comes in.
- Efficient Packaging Process: Streamline how you pack orders. Time saved here is time saved in shipping.
Proactively Set Customer Expectations
Transparency is key with customers. Keep it transparent; if you can deliver sooner, that boosts your credibility.
- Display guaranteed delivery estimates across your store
- Notify shoppers of any carriers experiencing delays due to weather, peak season, etc.
- Allow customers to select their anticipated delivery date during checkout.
By focusing on these key areas, you’ll be surprised at the shipping speeds you can offer, even as a small ecommerce retailer. Just remember that fast fulfillment requires an obsessive attention to detail.
Continually analyze your metrics, talk to customers, and find ways to chip away at delivery times across your operations. Remember, even the smallest of marginal gains can truly pay off.
To Your Success,
Josh