Considering Shipping as your Business Grows

As your small business grows, there are various areas you need to scale up and others you need to streamline. When it comes to shipping, an increase in orders may lead to you reconsider your shipping and fulfilment options. More consumers are turning to delivery for many of their purchases with Metapack's Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2021 showing 31% of consumer plan to visit the shops less frequently. This means new and growing businesses need to get their shipping spot on to keep customers coming back for more.

We live in a time where some suppliers can deliver goods in 24 hours or less, so consumers demand more from every company they work with, and as a small business grows, their ability to ship goods needs to keep pace with customers' expectations, even with orders increasing.

Customers want transparent and trackable shipping, putting fulfilment processing in the spotlight and highlighting stages of the supply chain which previously may have been kept under wraps. Customers also want reliable reverse logistics with returns processing as quick and effective as the original purchase. The right shipping provider, therefore, is completely essential for small business success and continued growth.

The Many Hats of the Small Business Owner

Small business owners are often responsible for many aspects of their business, with fewer employees under their employment. Daily responsibilities may cover everything from production to accounting, day-to-day operations to sales and marketing and of course, supply chain. Not all aspects of business can be managed effectively in-house and freight shipping is one effective way small businesses can work with reliable partners to help ensure their shipping is always consistent and meets customer expectations.

Partnering with freight service providers leaves the small business owner with more time to focus on their core business interests and invest their time in areas they consider specialisms rather than dedicating hours to an area which can be easily handled by an effective partner.

Another benefit of freight shipping is that your freight partner has the infrastructure and experience to manage the increased workload and minimise any disruption to your production and shipping schedule. Freight shipping may help you get your products to a wide range of customers and help you expand to new markets. Your partner can help improve and streamline your shipping services through:

1. Streamlined quote process

If you regularly ship goods to customers, a reliable shipping partner can streamline this process so pickup, and delivery can be scheduled quickly. Our simple quote system gives you an instant price and delivery timings which allow you to plan your deliveries appropriately. Research by Dotcom Distribution found 87% of online shoppers consider shipping speed as a key factor in their decision to shop with a brand more than once, so speed really matters.

2. Flexible shipping methods

A freight company can tailor services to your business' requirements, with a range of different delivery methods available dependent on your needs. Options such as LTL (less than truckload) allow you to share the cost of shipping with other shipments when your goods don't fill a whole trailer and not having to wait for a full load can be instrumental in maintaining your delivery times promised to customers.

3. No guesswork

The right shipping company can provide you with tracking so you can in turn give your customer peace of mind that their goods will reach them in a timely manner, and they can keep track of the route they take. Similarly, determining freight class is no longer a matter of guesswork or estimation, as your shipping partner can give you an exact quote.

Considerations for Small Business Shipping

As your business grows, you need to consider how you'll manage your shipping requirements, and many businesses soon realise their original approach cannot be scaled easily. When considering a shipping partner, keep the following in mind:

Price

All businesses have budgets, and you need to think carefully about the costs you can afford for your shipping contracts. Paying extra for a premium, high quality service which delivers quicker may be worthwhile if it helps retain customers and attract new ones due to your good reputation.

Reliability

Before opting to partner with any shipping provider, you need to be able to check in on the quality of their work and reliability. The level of service offered by different couriers varies, so research and read reviews to get a full picture of the company you're thinking of working with.

Speed and Scale

As we've mentioned throughout this article, a small business needs the ability to scale up quickly and deliver speeds in line with their customer's expectations. Your shipping partner should be able to offer a flexible and scalable service which can adjust dependent on your business needs. It is important to have a clear picture of what you need so your partner can provide the service you require. Be ready with your expectations in terms OF shipping speed and also information about the quantities you're hoping to ship and how often you need to ship also.

Grow your Business with Unparalleled Shipping

Consumers are moving towards a much more digital-first shopping and purchasing mindset. This makes shipping and deliveries more important than ever before. Both bricks-and-mortar and online-only businesses need to be able to reliably ship their goods if they expect to grow and flourish. Teaming up with a reliable shipping partner with experience across different regions and working alongside well-known worldwide trusted carriers ensures your customers' shipments are safely and speedily delivered.

Pallet2Ship® has major accounts with the world's largest and best courier companies.

The services offered on this website are identical to those offered by the carriers themselves!

All orders are processed automatically and there is no need to manually fill in any paperwork. Once you have booked with us, your collection will be arranged directly with the relevant courier company.

Your receipt and tracking details will be immediately emailed to you, and allow you to track the progress of your package through to delivery.