The ecommerce boom has led many established retailers to shift their resources online, and new businesses are making their debut in ecommerce. The increased volume of ecommerce traffic has also led to increased customer demands and expectations, with shipping being a major one.
Nowadays, when a customer shops online, they expect convenience, ease of access, and timely ecommerce shipping. Businesses that don’t offer fast, easy, and affordable shipping often struggle in the sea of competitors.
A lot goes into creating an effective and affordable ecommerce shipping strategy to satisfy customer demand. That is precisely why we have compiled a brief guide to help businesses navigate their ecommerce shipping needs.
Should You Use Ecommerce Shipping Software?
In the early days of an online business, shipping may not be much of a concern as there are only a few orders.
However, increased traffic will make it difficult for owners or employees to continue to fulfill orders themselves. Thus, it is essential to invest in a shipping solution to ensure that customers continue to receive their orders in a timely manner.
This is where ecommerce shipping software can be incredibly beneficial.
Ecommerce shipping software makes the shipping process more streamlined and
Before going further, it is essential to note that shipping software differs from fulfillment software. Fulfillment software and services are more robust and designed to help a business throughout order processing. This includes managing inventory, packing, handling returns, and shipping.
Ecommerce shipping software, on the other hand, is designed to assist purely around the shipping process, including:
- Calculating shipping rates
- Printing labels
- Tracking deliveries
- Managing relationships with carriers
Ecommerce shipping software can be an excellent way for blossoming online stores to adapt to increasing rates of traffic and orders.
Types of Ecommerce Shipping
The reality is that there is no one correct strategy for ecommerce shipping, as it depends on the particular business and its traffic, margins, product, and more. There are various ecommerce shipping options, and it really comes down to the fastest and most
A few of the shipping models include the following.
2-day shipping
Amazon Prime has rocketed the appeal of
Same-day delivery
This type of shipping typically requires having products strategically placed in various warehouses near more populated areas. This way, products can be rapidly distributed to those who need them.
Overnight shipping
Overnight shipping can be a great way to really stand out to customers in the sea of
Ecommerce international shipping
Offering international shipping can be an excellent way for
This option may be off the table for those in the early stages of their ecommerce business, but it may be worth considering as traffic increases.
When it gets to this point, it may be a good idea to look into ecommerce shipping companies that offer this option.
Hybrid shipping
Hybrid shipping means that orders will be picked up from the seller and relayed to local sorting facilities or carriers to be then distributed to the customer. While this can effectively cut down on shipping costs, it often means it will take longer to get to the customer.
Some examples of hybrid shipping providers include UPS SurePost and FedEx SmartPost.
Ecommerce Shipping Costs
The bottom line is that the costs of ecommerce shipping can vary depending on several factors, including the product, size, packaging, shipping model, and more. Here are some of the costs to consider when deciding on a shipping model:
- Packaging: The costs of packaging the product and preparing it to go out. This can include items like boxes, poly mailers, tape, bubble wrap, and more.
- Carrier fees: The price for postage and labeling to complete transporting the product to the destination.
- Processing and fulfillment: The time and labor costs it takes to process each order and prepare it to be shipped.
Note that these are only the
For instance, a business fulfilling orders themselves will also have to cover various overhead costs, such as:
- Warehousing/storage
- Employee wages
- Business space lease
- Software
- Printers and other equipment
- And more
So, it may make sense for a business to fulfill orders themselves in the early days of their business with a handful of orders.
However, these costs can quickly add up and snowball when they are stuck processing more orders than they can handle.
Remember that the right shipping solution may need to be changed and adapted as a business grows.
Ready to Take Your Leap Into Ecommerce?
For those ready to start their own ecommerce business, Ecwid is here to help! We have created an
We want to make your journey into ecommerce as easy as possible. If you want to learn more, you can head over to the Ecwid Academy to learn everything you need to run a successful online store, or click here to get started for free.
Good luck on your ecommerce journey!
- Ecommerce Shipping Basics for Online Sellers
- How to Ship a Package: A Complete Guide
- How to Calculate Shipping Costs for Your Online Store
- Top 10 Ways to Save Money on Shipping
End-Year Shipping Deadlines- How Business Owners Can Save With
Flat-Rate Shipping - 6 Free Shipping Strategies and Their Alternatives
- International Shipping: Picking a Provider & Shipping Around the Globe
- 6 Things You Can Ship with USPS Padded Envelopes to Save Money
- How UK Sellers Can Save Money and Time on Shipping
- The 6 Cheapest Ways To Ship A Package with USPS
- How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Package?
- Your Guide To International Shipping Address Formats
- How Measure a Box for Shipping
- Cheap Shipping Boxes and Where to Find Them
- How to Ship Internationally
- How to Negotiate Shipping Rates