Shipping may seem simple on the surface, but there are many
layers to the process. Here are five common shipping mistakes you may be making
and not even realizing it.
1.
Not
Keeping Track of Price Changes
Shipping prices change regularly,
and you’ll be unhappy if you get hit with a bigger bill than expected. The USPS
quietly increased the pricing on many of their mail services less than a month
ago, but unless you were watching for these price changes you likely would not
have noticed. Not only does this result in unexpected expenses for you, it
often results in lost time. When pricing changes paperwork often changes, which
can end up delaying your shipments and making your customers unhappy. This will
usually happen at the start of the year, but it is smart to check on pricing
periodically.
2.
Using the
Wrong Packaging Materials
When you have a product you’re
trying to get out the door, you want to ship it quickly. Unfortunately this can
lead to poor decisions. Maybe you decide to re-use your boxes. Maybe you don’t
have the right box size, so you package an item in a box that is too large.
This type of behavior can lead to very negative results. Boxes get weaker the
longer they are used, making them less able to protect the items inside.
Shipping products in the incorrectly sized box can not only make a difference
in pricing, but it can lead to the product being damaged.
3.
Not
Giving Customers Shipping Options
Customers like to have options
when it comes to shipping. For some, they are willing to wait several weeks to
receive their product if it means free shipping. Others will pay extra to get
their product as soon as possible. Offering these different options will give
you appeal to a larger customer base. If you have a customer that needs a
particular item within days and you can’t do that, they will go to your
competitor. Likewise, if you have a customer on a budget but have no cheap
shipping options, they will find someone who does.
4.
Not
Listening To Customer Feedback
This includes both negative and
positive feedback. You may be tempted to ignore that one bad review or skim the
good ones, but reviews, feedback forms, and emails are a valuable source of
information that can give insight into your business practices. Pay attention
to opinions on delivery times. Note if anyone had any problems with objects not
arriving in perfect condition. Look for what your customers wished you offered,
and then start to offer it. You’ll never improve without feedback from your customers.
5.
Having a
Poorly Organized Shipping Area
This is a huge problem because it
costs you a lot of time. If you have boxes and packaging materials spread out
with no organization, it will be a huge waste of time trying to find the items
you need. Not only that, it can lead to you not being able to find the correct
box or void fill, leading you to use subpar materials that can damage your
product. Make sure everything has a place and keep it organized.
