Different Ways to Ship a Package
When you’re shipping products to your consumers and clients, you need to make sure that you’re getting the best possible deal out of it. In today’s dynamic and interconnected market, product shipping and transport have become an integral part of most businesses.
You can drastically increase your client base by offering shipping across the state and country lines. This is why so many retail businesses are looking into the most effective shipping solutions for their type of product. Here are some of the best ways to ship different kinds of products.
1. Flat rate shipping
When your business is looking for better rates, it’s important to figure out what type of package is eligible for special shipping. Different materials and products will have different rules when it comes to transport. Take clothing for example.
Retailers that center around selling apparel and clothing will be happy to know that they have several advantages when it comes to shipping through channels like the USPS. They offer multiple options and different ways to handle shipping costs.
Priority mail is one such example that retailers can take advantage of. By using flat rate boxes, retailers can get their products to consumers via priority mail without paying any extra premiums. They’re often shipped at a reasonable rate and the postage cost for orders remains consistent over time. There are also discounts that will incentivize shoppers to purchase products in bulk to get the best possible deal out of the purchase. The rates compare very favorably to businesses like FedEx.
2. Special handling procedures
Different products will require different handling to get them from point A to point B without damage or loss of function. For items such as clothing and construction materials, this isn’t much of a pressing matter. However, there are countless products that need to be shipped under specific circumstances in order for transport to be worth the trouble.
Once a product arrives at a destination in another country, proper storage becomes a very important factor. Does the shipping service utilize national warehousing or their own storage facilities? Depending on the country, this could be a very important distinction. Sensitive items can require specific temperature and moisture for their care, which means the storage facilities of the destination need to accommodate this.
Care must be taken when transporting fragile equipment and materials. If your package has to arrive at its destination without a single bump on it, you have to make sure that the shipping company has a reputation for great care with delicate packages.
3. Bidding out extra space
Most businesses aren’t yet aware of the multitude of different shipping options that they could have at their disposal. For small and medium-sized businesses, there are even more options that can accommodate small and infrequent shipments. Take a look at the creative shipping methods companies like uShip are utilizing.
They don’t ship the products themselves. Instead, they help match people and businesses with regular transport companies that have extra space left over. Trucks are constantly going back and forth between different states and countries, and they aren’t always filled to the brim with products. In most cases, there’s some space leftover that isn’t being used.
UShip organizes small scale bidding for this leftover space that anyone can take advantage of. Often, the amount of space left over is very large, making way for some creative shipping options. It’s an especially good method for transporting objects that are too large or irregularly shaped to go through regular shipping. Plus, it often ends up being cheaper than other options.
4. Long-distance shipping
For international shipping, you will require several transportation methods to get your products across long distances. Shipping to another country often requires that the package goes through air or sea transport before making its way to land. Afterward, it needs to be transported via truck to the storage facility or business of your choice.
This can be done through several different companies, but this only complicated the logistics of the shipping process. If possible, aim for transport operations like General Carrying that offer multiple methods of export and import for products. Coordination is a very important factor when it comes to shipping large numbers of products over long distances. When there are many operations involved, mistakes are bound to happen and you might end up losing products along the way.
5. Improved customer experience
Your customers and business partners will want the shipping to go according to plan, and then some. It’s imperative that your shipping option offers many of the benefits that consumers expect from today’s shipping. For starters, it has to be relatively quick. It’s not uncommon for consumers to choose businesses and their products simply because they offer convenient shipping times.
Speaking of convenience, many consumers will also expect cheap shipping prices for their chosen products. With shipping becoming cheaper every single day, some businesses are even offering free shipping over a certain fixed price. This can be a bit too unattainable for specific kinds of businesses, but it’s something to strive for. Transporting in bulk is a great way to reduce costs for many kinds of products that aren’t worth shipping individually. With enough items ordered by different clients, you can even disregard the cost of shipping and offer it for “free”.
Keeping products in ideal conditions during transit is another requirement for many consumers. With delicate and mint-condition items having high value, consumers are willing to pay extra to receive them without damage.
Conclusion
If your business is in need of shipping options, there are many that you can choose from. They all offer a wide variety of benefits that might be attractive to your business. The best option depends on the type of product you wish to ship and the number of units that need to be shipped. In many cases, the distance is also a very important factor. Before making your decision, consider the above points and determine which factor is most crucial for your business and its products.