Customers will want to know this upfront and it is important to take the shipping process very serious.
Once you have the idea of what products you will be selling and have everything setup to do business online, the next large step is to evaluate who you will be using for shipping. Customers will want to know this upfront and it is important to take the shipping process very serious. Poor shipping practices will mean the difference between positive reviews and negative ones. Internet buyers have little patience for terrible packaging, products arriving damaged, or products that are arriving well after the purchase was made. Below are your three primary options for shipping products.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
The Cheaper Option for Light Weight Products
The benefit to going with the United States Postal Service (USPS) is that they have extremely affordable shipping costs on products that are under about two pounds in weight. Keep in mind that when I suggested that you find a product you should keep in mind shipping expenses. Many items sold are under two pounds and therefore a good portion of the items can be sold via USPS for less expense than the other two primary carriers. The opposite is true if you start getting heavier than this. The price will start increasing dramatically if you have oddly shaped and large, heavy items to ship.
Products can not be tracked accurately and no guarantee on delivery date
The downside to using the USPS is that the tracking system is not done very well. Generally, you cannot track exactly where the items are, you simply know if they were delivered or not.
Another huge flaw is that the USPS does not guarantee a quick delivery. Especially during Christmas time, the postal service can get backed up and items can take weeks to be delivered. It is very likely that clients will be unhappy if this occurs.
FedEx
The shipping company for heavy items
If you feel as though the benefit outweighs the problem of the cost of shipping large heavy items, then you should certainly check into FedEx. On anything over three pounds it is very likely you will find them to be the cheapest of the three shipping carriers.
Good Tracking System
FedEx has really done a good job with their tracking system. I have never had a problem with their system. Your clients will see that you shipped the item, that the item is in route, where it is exactly at, and when the item should arrive.
UPS
A little excessive in price
UPS has been around for quite a while. They do offer good service but FedEx is usually the best option for heavy items, USPS is the best for lightweight items when it comes to price. UPS probably falls somewhere in the middle for items that range two to four pounds in weight.
The primary benefit here might be that you have one close to you so that it is easy to drop off items. You may be able to justify paying just a little bit more for the benefit.
UPS started the great tracking system
UPS really does pride itself in having a good shipping service. They seem to do a really good job of getting products to their delivery address on time and safely from what I have seen. Their tracking system is much like FedEx and they have been using the system for quite sometime now. You are able to see where the package is at all times and receive an accurate delivery date.
Online Selling Start-up Guidelines
Some people have always wanted to but never got around to setting up their businesses because of factors such as a lack of e-commerce knowledge while some just got too scared to make the move. Start selling online with these easy start up guidelines.
Why Businesses Choose Single Page Checkout
Single page checkout can dramatically increase conversions. In the checkout page, you will find all the information needed to be filled out for the transaction to go through- billing information, shipping information, shipping method and the total amount that needs to be paid.
Social Marketing: The Key to Success for Any Business
Social Marketing was created in the 1970s as a means to gain more merits by seeking the society’s approval through identifying their wants and needs - today it is stronger and bigger than ever thanks to the Internet.
