Small Business Tips: 5 Things To Know About Shipping Packages
Posted on: 18 February 2015
If you run a business where you ship items that a customer has purchased, there are a few things to know. The following tips will help you ship packages quickly and effectively:
1. Get a Postage Meter
To make the shipping process easier for your small business, get a postage meter for your office. This is a scale that lets you weigh the packages you are shipping so that you can calculate the shipping costs. You can get an advanced digital one that lets you enter the zip code of the destination it is being sent to, and have an option for printing postage directly onto the package.
The alternative is to get a digital scale and calculate the cost of shipping on your own, before printing the postage from your computer.
2. Offer Premium Shipping
Customers always like to have options when they are making a purchase, especially when it comes to choosing how their item will be shipped. If the item your customer purchased is something you already have in stock, consider offering other shipping options.
Give them the option of priority or express shipping, which typically ship in only a couple days, as opposed to a week or longer. They will of course pay more for this premium shipping in exchange for the faster delivery time.
3. Customize Packaging Materials
Impress your customers by customizing all of your packaging materials. Get custom-printed packing boxes of different sizes, so that they know who it is from right away. You can also get the mailing label, invoice, and packing materials inside the box printed with your business logo and colors. It may seem like a minor thing, but customizing packaging materials makes a big difference in how your customer perceives you.
4. Get Package Tracking
You should have package tracking on all items you ship to your customers, even if you don't provide this tracking number to them. It helps to have a number you can give your customers so they can also keep an eye on the package. This prevents phone calls to your business asking if the item has been sent yet, and gives the customer some peace of mind that their purchase is on its way. It also lets you know if the package has been delivered or is going to be delayed.
5. Insure High-Priced Items
If you are sending high-priced items in the mail, such as diamond jewelry or precious antiques, have it insured. You may need to go to your local post office for the insurance information, but this offers you extra protection on the items you send to customers. If it is lost or stolen during its shipping route, you will have added protection so that you can send another item to the customer and not lose out completely on the lost money.
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