Proper packaging and smart shipping is worth the effort. These simple tips and tricks will help you avoid spending too much money, wasting time on fulfillment, and failing to protect the products you send.
Choose the right packaging
Choose boxes that fit your items without leaving unnecessary excess space, or adding excess bulk. How much you’ll pay to send your item is determined by the size and weight of your package, and nothing adds to your costs more than paying for superfluous space.
Tip
Test a few different sizes and styles of shipping products to find ones that work for a wide a range of products.
Standardize your systems
Take thinking out of the equation for packers by coming up with clear guidelines.
Tip
Create a checklist that breaks down each step of the process so every employee knows the necessary steps -- from picking the right-sized box to knowing how items should be placed, and how to properly seal containers before they're shipped.
Organize your warehouse effectively
Organize the area where products are warehoused and packed. Keep best-selling items close to the packing area (or pre-pack them if you prefer) and store them on easy-to-reach shelves. Don’t put heavy items up high – it makes them harder to access. If certain products are often sold together, make sure they’re kept next to one another in your warehouse. Label aisles and shelves with large, clear signs – so no one has to spend too much time searching for items. Finally, set up your packing area so all necessary materials (such as scissors, tape, and labels) are laid out in a logical, orderly fashion.
Tip
Reserve space to store items that have been sold but not packed, and clear another spot for orders that have been packed but are waiting to be shipped. The less clutter and confusion in your system, the better off things will be.
Prepare for busy sales periods
Every retailer knows the weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays (starting with Black Friday and Cyber Monday) will involve serious increases in sales. There will also be other stretches of the year when you’ll be busier than usual. Expedite order fulfillment during peak periods by preparing packaging materials in advance.
Tip
Prior to peak periods, bring in extra staff to pre-build shipping boxes, fill them with packing peanuts or bubble wrap, and attach basic labels. If there are certain products you expect to sell a lot of, pack a whole bunch of orders in advance. The more work you do ahead of time, the easier it will be to ensure your deliveries arrive in time for key holidays.
Invest in quality packing materials
Resist the temptation to cut corners when it comes to buying boxes and packing materials, such as foam caps, polystyrene peanuts, and bubble wrap. The extra money you spend on higher quality products will add up over time, but those costs will be offset by avoiding losses from damaged and broken items.
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The added protection you get from using top choice materials lets you ship items in smaller boxes, reducing shipping costs.
Communicate your shipping policies
Don’t forget about the questions and concerns of buyers when it comes to shipping and delivery issues.
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Build a FAQ page for your website which answers common questions about order fulfillment, returns, and delivery times. Update it to reflect any changes at busy times of year and include contact details for customers who can't find the information they need.
Verify addresses for new customers
From time to time, buyers will input an incorrect or out-of-date address into an order form. Send a shipment there, and it will end up back at your business or lost.
Tip
Before shipping to any new customer, verify their destination address is correct. A proactive few seconds of your time could save you headaches and hassles later on.
You can also use our AddressCompleteTM tool to verify your customer’s address instantly and easily.
Use a shipping calculator
Before you set shipping prices for your products, make sure you have a sense of what it’s actually going to cost to get them to your customers’ mailboxes. The best way to do that is by using a shipping calculator. Enter the dimensions and weight of your package, and the destination, and you’ll get an estimate of the final price.
Whether you’re starting a new business, or looking to update current protocols, your packing and shipping procedures can probably use a once over. Make these processes as efficient as possible to save time and money in the long run.