Choosing a Shipping Company to Deliver Your eCommerce Shipments: Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing the right partner is crucial in any business. And in eCommerce, the partner that can boost you or bring you down is a shipping company. After all, smooth package delivery is one of the key factors in customer satisfaction.

Some eCommerce businesses delegate shipping-related tasks to a fulfillment service provider. Others decide to manage them on their own. Both options can be beneficial as long as you pick a reliable partner. And to do that, there are a few mistakes to look out for when selecting a carrier for your eCommerce shipments.

Let’s go through them one by one.

Hunting for the lowest shipping rates only

Nowadays it’s very easy to check the shipping cost in a shipping rates calculator. All you have to do is to measure the average weight and size of your packages and type it in. Then, you’ll see how much sending a parcel might cost to your business.

And it’s super tempting to go for the shipping company that will show you the lowest price! But don’t be in a hurry. The desire to reduce expenses and increase profit is natural for any business. However, you need to take low rates with a grain of salt.

The best thing to do is to compare the prices offered by different shipping companies. If one carrier’s rates are obviously lower than the others, it’s a signal that something might be off. There could be hidden costs that the company is not open about. Or their prices might include only the basic services that don’t cover all your business needs.

Failing to check the actual delivery range

Whether you’re shipping your goods across the country or beyond it, you should check if a shipping company truly provides services to the area of your interest. If you’re an eCommerce business that delivers within the USA, make sure that the carrier covers all the states in which you plan to operate.

And there are many international shipping companies that offer worldwide shipping. But this doesn’t necessarily include every single country in the world. Even if a carrier specializes in package shipping to Europe from the USA or vice versa, it may not deliver to all countries in the indicated region.

That’s why it’s important to check the actual list of countries available for delivery. It’d be an unwelcome surprise to receive an order and find out that the customer lives in an area which you cannot ship to through your chosen carrier.

Not paying attention to special needs of your products

Another thing to consider is whether the carrier can ensure that the needs of your products are met. Package deliveries are becoming faster, but you can hardly transport a parcel to a customer without warehousing it at some point.

This means that the shipping company should be able to provide warehousing conditions favorable to your goods. It’s essential when selling delicate products. And it’s no less important when dealing with seemingly ordinary items. For instance, if you’re shipping books, you wouldn’t want them exposed to extra humidity.

Forgetting to study carrier’s reputation

eCommerce businesses can choose from a variety of shipping companies. This can be both a good and a bad thing. It allows you to look for the best solution for your business. But it also makes it easy to get lost between competent and unprofessional carriers.

To avoid falling into the hands of scammers, analyze the company’s reputation. Take a look at the reviews left by their clients, scan through the comments on social media. They should be a good indicator of whether the shipping company is trustworthy or not.

Selecting a shipping company to partner with for your eCommerce deliveries is no simple task. But it can be overcome and bring satisfying results if you avoid the mistakes detailed above.