Have you ever had trouble with shipping products? Everyone that has experienced this process knows how painfully problematic some of the steps of shipping can be.
Shipping is the physical process of transporting merchandise to other individuals, maybe in the same city or in a whole other country. Although it is meant to make the transportation easier than it would be without the shipping service, it is still a headache for anyone that is not completely familiar with some of the workarounds that exist.
For example, when shipping boxes: There is a lot of fear regarding stuff that can be easily broken or damaged if care isn’t taken. Why not cover the walls of the box with Styrofoam them? Or some other material that protects it from the outside world.
This was just an example though. In this article, we are going to be revealing X ways to improve your shipping experience.
- Safely packaging products
One of the biggest issues with the transportation of merchandise has always been the state of the product at the other end. Sometimes, the product arrives broken, the box is kneaded or dirty because of some other material that got poured over the package. It can happen.
The solutions aren’t magical, they are all very self-explanatory, but surely avoids the issues of the customer asking for their money back.
Choose a more durable packaging. When shipping boxes, if a cheap box is not doing it for you, consider filling the inside of the box with wasteful materials and cheap stuff that will be perfect to fill the empty spaces of the container. Once that is done, make sure that it is heavier than previously. Remember: Loads of packages will end up going right on top of your box, so make sure it is resistant enough.
Use a proper pallet for your shipment with a suitable material like wood or plastic. This also strengthens the package and allows it not to get kneaded so quickly inside the shipping transports.
- Proper communication with suppliers and other teams
Sometimes, you might be on the receiving end, and you have to communicate with your suppliers, with the shipping agency, or even with the customer itself.
Reaching out to the individuals of the other side of the spectrum can be extremely beneficial if you want to be sure that everything goes slightly according to plan.
- Keeping in touch is important!
First, select your suppliers carefully. Many suppliers can be found through the internet, and the same rule applies to manufacturers. If you are running a store and is having a rough communication, maybe it’s their issue, not yours.
If you trust you have a healthy relationship with your suppliers, communication is never excessive. Monitoring the whole process is your right as a consumer and store manager.
With consumers, ignoring their problems is the worst thing you can do. The customer is always right, and try to be comprehensive if something goes wrong with the shipping. They know it is not necessarily your fault, but they need to receive what they have bought, so consider building a strong relationship of trust between you and the clients, and it might result in more business in the future.
- The cost is too high!
This problem is the easiest to solve by far, and that is due to the enormous variety of options that you have as a client.
First, consider only buying and using Discounted Labels or Supplies. These are very common practices that can be done by finding a website that has the feature of purchasing and printing these labels, allowing for a cost reduction on the shipment.
Use different carriers and shipping agencies. As a consumer, you always have more than one option, and although they all might look the same, they have distinct features that try to convince you, as a potential client, that they are different and have additional benefits for you. Consider taking a look at various different carriers.
We hope that this solves most of the shipping problems!
Remember: The consumer is always right.