How eHub’s API can turn your clunky shoe of a shipping process into a sleek glass slipper that won’t disappear at midnight

What is a shipping API?

An API (application programming interface) is a software program that enables communication between separate apps. Any time you use Facebook Messenger, search for a hotel on Travelocity, or use PayPal to purchase something from a website, you’re using an API.

Shipping APIs are magic wands that let e-commerce businesses automate and uncomplicate their shipping processes by allowing their website or shopping platform to interface directly with shipping carriers’ systems. Properly installed, shipping APIs can:

If you’re looking at those bullet points and thinking, “I spend so much time on those things,” then eHub is ready to be your fairy godmother.

As a premier shipping aggregator, we have a proven track record as domestic and international e-commerce shipping experts committed to providing our customers with transparent, easy-to-understand shipping management services.

Keep reading to discover how our API is the magic bean you need to grow your business.

Alakazam vs. Presto Chango: the differences between a shipping API and a shipping software platform

Businesses that haven’t fully automated their shipping processes often use the terms “shipping API” and “shipping software platforms” interchangeably, but they aren’t quite the same thing.

A shipping API comprises unique code that exists solely to connect existing software platforms. Because APIs work behind the scenes to move information between your selling channels and your preferred carriers, there isn’t a portal or user interface where users do their work.

By contrast, shipping software platforms must be opened to access their features.

Here’s a non-shipping example of the difference between the two:

Say you live in Chicago, but you need to go to Dallas for a convention in two months. Here are two possible ways you could end up booking your flight:

This example is a little oversimplified, but it gives you a good idea of the principles underlying APIs and platforms.

In this scenario, the first option (Google Flights) is an example of an API. Google Flights’ API searches multiple travel websites for selections that match your parameters and brings all the information back to you on the same page. After you book the ticket, the API sends your personal and payment information to Delta to complete the booking process.

The second option, booking directly with Delta, is an example of a software platform. You might end up on the same flight as you would have if you’d used Google Flights, but all your information stays within Delta’s system the whole time.

Knowing which option—a shipping API or a shipping software platform—is suitable for your e-commerce business depends on multiple factors, including the size of your company, the number of packages you ship, whether you ship internationally, your budget, and how much time you have to get your system up and running.

The following chart can help you make your decision:

SHIPPING APIsSHIPPING SOFTWARE
Works best for mid-size to large shippers (but can absolutely help small businesses)Any size business
Work completed in existing workflowsWork completed inside the program
Developer-led installationsQuick, easy installations
Immediately functionalRequires extensive employee training

Making it work—integrating a shipping API

To be fully functional, shipping APIs have to be installed by a software developer. They have the spells er, and technical skills needed to successfully connect platforms that may be built using different programming languages.

EHub’s shipping API has over 200 existing integrations, including for major carriers such as UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL, as well as shopping platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento.

You can find our complete list of integrations here but know that if we don’t have an integration for your platforms, our talented developers can build one in a snap.

Whether you work on a platform we support or need a custom integration, EHub’s expert team takes pride in guiding you through the entire implementation process so that your processes are as efficient as possible.

Don’t believe us? Check out what our client Sean Clark, CEO of Black Label CBD, says about our implementation process:

Ingredients in the potion: shipping API features

APIs aren’t “programs” like Microsoft Word. They are more like the spell check, word count, and design settings within Word itself.

When you are looking at shipping APIs, you should be looking for a company whose API enables multiple features, including:

EHub’s shipping API offers all the features above, and then some. We’ve negotiated global discount rates with all major carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.) that are lower than their published discounts. We can help you track and insure your packages or use your performance data to drive new efficiencies.

But the most significant difference between EHub and our competitors is the personal touch we’ve made our calling card. Instead of relying on automated chatbots or outdated FAQ pages on a website, our customers know they can call our in-house support team or reach out to their sales representative before, during, or after implementing EHub.

Not to brag or anything, but we’re basically a crystal ball that can answer all your questions.

Mastery is its own form of magic

Okay, this may surprise you a little, but EHub isn’t actually magic.

But we are a company of shipping experts and developer pros who are so good at our jobs that we make it look like magic. If your shipping management program is ready for a bit of abracadabra, let’s talk.

Thanks to Amazon Prime and other large retailers, 75% of consumers expect free delivery on e-commerce orders, even for orders less than $50. When you contrast that statistic with the fact that non-Amazon US retailers sell over $82.5 billion internationally, it’s easy to see the challenges and the opportunities facing small businesses considering going international. So, let’s answer the question: Why is international shipping expensive?

Why is international shipping so expensive?

The expense of international shipping often scares small business owners, but that’s because they don’t know the intelligent shipper savings tips that can save them money and make the expansion they’ve dreamed of possible.

Formulating international shipping rates is complicated, but there are five areas where you can cut costs: package dimensions, fuel surcharges, minimum package charges, value-added services/accessorials, and customs.

  Package dimensions

Shipping companies use the square footage and weight capacity (or similar metric) of their transport vehicles in their rate calculations, which means larger, heavier boxes cost more than smaller, lighter ones.

Smart shipper savings tip: Small businesses looking to expand into international markets can reduce their initial costs by selecting a few products with similar dimensions that can be packed in standard boxes. This will allow you to buy your packaging in bulk and accurately forecast your international shipping costs.

  Fuel surcharges

You pay fuel surcharges for domestic and international (aka cross-border) shipping, but since international shipping involves longer distances with sometimes dramatic differences in fuel prices between countries, international fuel surcharges are substantially higher.

Fuel surcharges are the average, not the actual, fuel cost your carrier pays to deliver your products. Your carrier agreement likely has terms setting a base fuel rate and a base fuel mileage as part of its terms. When the fuel price exceeds your agreed-upon base fuel rate, the surcharge kicks in.

Small business savings tip: Fuel surcharges aren’t set in stone, and they don’t have to be a mystery. A reputable carrier will be upfront about how they calculate their fuel surcharge. It’s also often possible to negotiate a lower fuel surcharge with your carrier(s).

Formulating international shipping rates is complicated, but there are five areas where you can cut costs

  Minimum package charges

One of the primary methods carriers use to protect their profits is minimum package charges, meaning the lowest price a carrier will accept to deliver a package. If you aren’t careful, this fee can cost you a lot of money.

Say your minimum package charge is $7, and your carrier service agreement has a 50% discount on packages shipped to London. You have a package that would typically cost $10 to send across the pond, which, with your discount, should cost $5. But that minimum package charge means you’ll pay $7, and the 50% discount you had budgeted for is now only a 30% discount.

The same thing goes if you are sending a tiny package of earrings to a shop in Notting Hill. Instead of paying the $4.25 it actually costs, that sneaky $7 minimum will cost you an additional $2.75.

Smart shipper savings tip: Like fuel surcharges, minimum package charges can be negotiated. Start tracking how many of your shipments are affected by the minimum package clause in your agreement. If you’re regularly paying more than you should or not getting the total discount in your contract, ask to renegotiate your minimum package charge.

  Value-added services & accessorial fees

Many of the features consumers take for granted are actually value-added services (VAS) or accessorial fees that you, as the shipper, have to pay for. Examples of these fees include:

Small business savings tip: Small businesses, especially e-commerce businesses, ship internationally are much more likely to be adversely affected by these fees. As with minimum package charges, data is your friend when negotiating these fees (which you can do).

First things first, you need to keep track of which charges show up the most often, which accessorials are the most expensive, and what packages/locations are most likely to trigger those charges. Then, examine your operations. Can you pack your products in smaller boxes? Can you use more than one carrier? Can you verify addresses before releasing packages for shipment?

After you’ve lowered your expenses as much as possible on your end, you can negotiate which fees you are assessed and how much you are charged with your carrier.

  Customs/duties/taxes

This is one area you have to budget for. Customs and duties are taxes charged at both ends (export/import) of international shipping, and you can’t avoid them.

Small business savings tip: An international e-commerce shipping software can help you build an accurate estimate of what your customs costs will be so you aren’t ever surprised.

Level up with international shipping solutions for your business

If you want to save money on your international shipping, optimize your packaging, understand your carrier agreement, and negotiate your fees. Click here to find out more about how eHub’s e-commerce shipping software can help you do all of that and more so you can capitalize on opportunities for international trade.

Black Friday is the most significant event for commerce all year. But are you ready?

While it’s essential to plan out your discounts and promotions, many tools make your life easier to prepare for the peak season. Here’s our top list of Shopify tools you can use to take your Black Friday sales to the next level:

Let’s dive in.

1. Countdown Sales Timer by Pixel Union

Urgency is your best friend when it comes to driving sales during Black Friday. You need to highlight the limited-time nature of your offer so that customers have no choice but to make a purchase right away.

That’s where the countdown sales timer by Pixel Union comes in. The app makes it simple to add an action bar on your website that lets visitors know how much time is left to benefit from your offer. No coding knowledge is necessary to set up the timer on your store.

Pricing:

2. Privy

Privy is a tool you can use to create email pop-ups that get the visitor’s attention and invite them to sign up for your list.

Privy will come in handy when customers on Black Friday are about to abandon their carts. You can set up a pop-up offering a discount on the product if they don’t finish their purchase so they can follow through.

It has countless templates to style your pop-up, whatever you’d like. Privy also has A/B testing to experiment with what works best for your pop-up — sometimes, a simple change in color or copy is all it takes to transform your results.

Pricing:

3. Referral Candy

Referral programs are great for spreading the word about your Black Friday sales. Each time a customer refers your discount to one of their friends and family, they receive a special prize. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Referral Candy helps you set up winning referral programs that grow your list and drive new customers. You can create special Black Friday discounts that turn customers into brand advocates and share your sales with people around them.

You’ll be able to generate extra sales with not so much effort on your end.

Pricing:

4. Rise: Gift Cards & Loyalty

If you plan to use gift cards as part of your Black Friday strategy, then Rise is the tool for you. Customers can send their gift cards to their friends or relatives seamlessly with their email addresses.

You can set up as many rules as you want to boost customer loyalty and satisfaction. Rise also allows Shopify stores to issue gift card returns and run bulk discount campaigns.

Pricing:

5. Klaviyo

Email marketing is a big part of running a Black Friday campaign. With customers getting bombarded by brands left and right, however, it can be challenging to make your emails stand out from the crowd.

Klaviyo is an email platform that makes it easy to send engaging, personalized emails that convert. You can segment email campaigns for wherever the customer is at in their purchase, such as if they abandon their cart or are browsing your products.

The tool dives deep into the mind and behavior of your customers so it can structure the best emails. As a result, you’ll always be able to send the right message to the right person during Black Friday.

Pricing:

6. Back in Stock & Restock Alerts

While your goal should be to make as many sales as possible, selling out on items too quickly can make you lose potential opportunities. There are customers out there who wanted your product, and they didn’t get the chance to purchase.

Back-in-stock alerts solve this issue by allowing customers to sign up so you can notify them when your item is back in stock. That way, if you plan to restock after Black Friday, customers can get another chance to buy the product.

You can also use this to gather presale orders. Collect emails from customers who want to be notified when the product is ready for sale!

Pricing:

7. Carthook

An excellent tactic to boost your average order value is upselling. It’s a sales technique that consists of persuading customers to buy other complementary products on top of their original order.

Carthook is a platform that allows businesses to offer three upsell offers for the customer once they make a purchase. It auto-fills the checkout page, so customers don’t have to re-enter their payment information.

You can style your Black Friday upsells however you want with trust symbols, customer testimonials, and countdown timers.

Pricing:

8. Sales Pop Master

Social proof is a powerful tactic to win more sales in e-commerce. It offers trust to the customer and boosts your brand reputation.

With Sales Pop Master, you can showcase social proof in your Black Friday offers to make customers feel they might miss out on something big. By clarifying that the offer won’t last forever, you will be driving extra sales and acquiring more customers.

Pricing:

 

Final Thoughts

From driving urgency to delivering a better customer experience, these tools should provide you with everything you need to spur additional website sales this Black Friday.

Aside from implementing these platforms, however, you need a strategy to promote your Black Friday sales and grow your list before the big day. Check out our last post on how to grow an epic list of hungry customers before the holiday season.

It goes without saying that Amazon is the undisputed king of e-commerce. The platform is currently taking almost half of the e-commerce market.

There are many good reasons to seek website sales from Amazon. The platform provides access to more than 300 million users worldwide. You’re selling on a website that has a good reputation and that consumers trust.

When people shop from your Amazon store, they’re not really your customers. They belong to Amazon. While there are definitely a lot of benefits, however, there are also some disadvantages that come your way.

This comes with many drawbacks. First, you lack control and must comply with the company’s rules. If Amazon decides to drop you, there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Second, not owning the customer means you can’t communicate with them. Upsell them. Find additional ways to add value and interact with them.

While we aren’t discouraging you from selling on Amazon, what we do recommend is that you have a strategy for directing Amazon customers to your store – without breaking any rules.

So, without further ado, here are the best tactics you can use on Amazon to get more sales on your own website:

5 Tips for Success

1. Sell Product Bundles on Amazon While Offering Individual Products on Your Website

A great way to combine the best of both worlds is to offer bundles on Amazon but make individual products only available on your website.

For example, let’s say that you’re a company that sells razor blades and shaving accessories for men. On Amazon, you could sell bundles that consist of blades, cream, and gel.

If the customer wants to buy one of the products individually, such as the razor blade, they must go directly to your website.

2. Make Your Username on Amazon Your Website Name

A simple way of driving more traffic to your website via Amazon is to make your username on the platform the same as on your website.

For example, your website’s name is “coolsocks.com.” You can use the same name for your Amazon username if available. If not, you should do your best to make sure your username approximately resembles it.

Along with making the username the same, make sure to frequently refer to your company’s name on your Amazon profile’s different pages. That way, if the customer were to research your name on Google, they’ll easily land on your website.

3. Include Inserts into Your Amazon Package

It’s worth noting that Amazon has strict rules against inviting customers to visit other sites. However, there’s still a way you can get around this while remaining compliant with Amazon.

As part of your package, for example, you can include a thank you note with some info that connects the buyer with your customer service team.

Another tactic you can use is to encourage customers to register their products on your website. When doing this, however, don’t give a direct link to your store. Instead, create a separate landing page and link to it on your card.

If you link directly to your website, Amazon can close your business on its platform. You can always include a link to your home page on the product registration site.

4. Encourage Customers to Follow You on Social Media

As an e-commerce business, you’re likely marketing your brand on social media. While you can’t link Amazon customers to other sales channels, you can still invite them to follow and like your business on social.

For example, you can include your Instagram or Twitter username on your package. Even better, if branding is part of your packaging strategy, you can encourage customers to share a picture of their box on social media.

To get the best results with this tactic, you want first to make sure that your social media pages are on point. Check out our blog post on how e-commerce brands can get the most out of social media.

5. Use Amazon Buyer Data to Run Facebook Ads

Amazon’s platform comes with buyer data that shows you which type of customer has purchased from you before. Brands can use the same data to run Facebook ads for their target audience and win more sales on their website.

With Custom Audiences, you can target users with similar demographics. As a result, you’ll be reaching people with the same interests and attributes as your Amazon buyers.

Wrapping Things Up

Directing your Amazon customers to your website can be like walking through a minefield. A straightforward misstep and boom, Amazon could take down your store in a second. With these five tactics above, however, you can still get the best of both worlds and leverage website sales from Amazon for your site.

Instagram is a must-have for e-commerce brands.

The highly visual platform makes it the perfect place to promote your products and spread the word about your brand. And there are currently one billion users active on the app.

To make the most of Instagram, you need to be doing more than just posting pictures of products. You need a strategy that promotes your brand and attracts followers.

In this blog, we’ll dive into nine tactics you can use to engage your followers and successfully grow your audience on Instagram:

Switch to an Instagram Business Account

To get the most out of Instagram, the first thing you should do is switch to a business account.

Making the switch will make your Instagram account look more professional. It can pull your contact information from Facebook while keeping Instagram shoppable links.

The business account also comes with advanced analytics on your page, such as:

The additional perks don’t stop there. With a business account, you can promote posts as ads and add links to products on Instagram stories. However, you won’t be able to set your account to private.

Apply for a Verification Badge

Next, to take your credibility even further, your business should consider applying for a verification badge. It assures your customers that you’re the real deal and not some bogus account.

Here’s an example of what a verification badge on your profile looks like from Peak Design’s Instagram page:

Collect User-Generated-Content from Customers

Collecting user-generated content (UGC) is one of the best ways to promote your brand on Instagram.

The reason why you want to do this is that UGC is considered 2.5X more authentic than branded content. After all, who’s better to judge your products than your own customers?

Check out this great example from top beauty brand Glossier:

They often feature pictures from their own customers on their Instagram page. It’s a great way to boost social proof and invite customers to become brand advocates for your business.

You can even include some of your UGC content from Instagram on your website homepage for instant credibility. It’s something that Onzie does on its homepage, under the “Styled On Insta” section:

Tap Into Influencer Marketing

Another tactic related to UGC is collaborating with an influencer to promote your products.

There’s a reason why some companies are willing to invest millions of dollars in celebrity endorsements. When people see someone they admire promote a product, they’re more likely to buy it themselves.

It’s something that Daniel Wellington does regularly with their hashtag #DWPickoftheDay. They select the best influencers that use their hashtag and republish their picture on their own Instagram profile:

When it comes to finding the right influencer, follower count isn’t everything. You also want to look at their engagement rate: if an account has 100K followers but only 100 likes per post, you can already know that something is suspicious.

You don’t need to spend much to find influencers willing to work with your business. The first step is to research and find those that align with your brand and have a similar audience you’re trying to reach.

Once you’ve targeted some people who fit that description, reach out and ask about their process for working with brands. Influencers who want to be paid upfront for promotions are common; if you’re considering one of these, ask for numbers about past posts and what kind of return you should expect.

The best kind of influencers only work with brands they believe they can sell – so they will ask for a commission or percentage of the sale. This is a great way to collaborate – they are motivated to move your product, and you are only out the cost of samples and pay when sales are made.

If you know the cost to acquire customers through Facebook or other sales channels, agreeing to a 10 or 15% commission will make sense if you usually pay more to run ads.

Most brands will want samples, so make sure you create a memorable unboxing experience for them as well! While it is a lot of work finding the right ones to work with, it can be very lucrative if you can cement a long-term relationship that works for you and them.

Set Up a Click-Able Storefront

With Instagram, you can integrate your product catalog seamlessly with Instagram Shop. Users can explore your products directly from your Instagram page without landing on your website.

Here’s an example of how it looks like from Watch company MVMT:

All the customer has to do is click on “shop” to get instant access to the various watches MVMT promotes. It makes shopping more accessible for customers and creates a better online experience overall.

To make things better, you can even tag your products in Instagram pictures. Customers can click on the product link right away as they browse through your posts.

Use Instagram Ads

Instagram is a great platform to run targeted ads to promote your products. According to recent statistics:

One thing that makes Instagram ads so effective is that they look just like any shared post on the platform. As a result, they come across as less spammy to the customer.

Instagram ads get run through the Facebook Ad platform. You can run ads for sales or to raise brand awareness – either way, you can leverage the options on Facebook Ads to match your goals. For example, you can ask Instagram to find people similar to your existing customers.

Use Broad and Unique Hashtags

Using broad hashtags that apply to your brand and industry will make you come up in more searches. Including hashtags means you want to be found for that particular keyword. But don’t just use anything – make sure the hashtag actually works for what you’re trying to post.

Unique hashtags mean that anyone looking at your posts will recognize your content for yours. Having a single, unique hashtag that no one else uses will pay off in the long run as your brand awareness grows.

Organize Contests and Giveaways

A fun way to grow your following and generate new leads is to run contests for your audience on Instagram.

Contests and giveaways have been a classic business tactic for a long time. Now, with social media, it’s never been easier to run competitions that engage followers and make you stand out from the crowd.

By making your offer exciting, you’ll be able to reach new people who’ve never heard of your brand before. Here are some of the different types of contests that you can run on the platform:

Keep Track of Analytics

Lastly, to make sure you’re getting the most out of Instagram, you want to keep track of how your page is growing over time. That includes keeping track of things such as follower base, likes, which photos get the most engagement, etc.

By keeping track of analytics, you’ll be able to identify which form of content works the best with your followers. You can then start publishing high-quality content consistently to boost your engagement.

Final Thoughts: How to Make the Most of Instagram

There you have it! With these nine tips, you should have a solid idea of where to go with your Instagram strategy. Now it’s up to you to try these tactics and see what works best for you.

For new businesses, winning in your local market is just the start. As your e-commerce store starts to scale, you should look at options for growing international sales.

Growing your business overseas requires a lot of preparation, research, and planning. Here are our best seven tips for a successful transition to an international market:

Study the Market and Product Demand

Before you aim for a new market, see if your products are getting attention in other countries.

Are you getting a lot of traffic worldwide? Do you already have repeat customers from places outside the US? Answering these questions should provide you with insights on how to adapt to a new market.

You can look at this using Google Analytics. If you don’t have the tracking pixel installed on your website, you can learn more about doing it here.

Also, research to find out if there’s a high demand for the type of product you sell. If there’s a need that’s not met in one country, you can be there to fill that gap by growing international sales.

You can also use Google Trends to see what people are searching. 

Translate Your Website to the Local Language

Make sure that international customers can understand your website in their own language. No one will buy your item if they can’t read your product description.

However, don’t settle for simple translation tools such as Google Translate. You want to make sure to hire a professional translator who can write good e-commerce content.

Otherwise, there may be inaccuracies in your copy that might throw off your audience.

Aside from translating your website, also make sure that your store converts prices into their local currencies. Many tools on Shopify help you do this, such as Transcy, for example.

Do Research on the Country’s Culture and Customs

While translating your website is a must, it won’t be enough to adapt to a new market overseas. You’ll also have to research the country’s culture and customs.

For example, selling products made out of ivory is illegal in many European nations, such as Italy. Countries also have different definitions of what they consider “ethical marketing” as well.

Find brands that align with yours that are currently selling in those markets. You can research to see what they are doing, even contact the brand and ask them what it is like.

Get International Payment Options Ready

As you get ready to scale overseas, start thinking about how you’ll be accepting international payments.

The preferred payment method of the customer will depend from country to country. For example, cheques are still commonly used in France, while German buyers prefer to purchase directly.

Consider adding PayPal as a payment option on your website. The platform makes it possible to take payments from over 200 countries in 25 currencies. It also has a good reputation regarding security and purchase protection.

While translating your website is a must, it won’t be enough to adapt to a new market overseas. You’ll also have to research the country’s culture and customs

A not-so-fun part of expanding your business overseas is getting yourself legally ready. Some countries will require specific documentation before you can operate in their territory.

You’ll also have to research how you plan to pay taxes in the country. You’ll have to adhere to the laws determined by the IRS and the tax authority of the country you’re selling in.

Figuring all of this out by yourself can be a headache. That’s why we help our customers take the stress off their backs by handling all the documentation needed to ship internationally.

Provide Excellent Customer Support

A vital factor to consider as you shift your business overseas is how you will handle customer service. Remember that your customers will be in different time zones and may not speak English.

To overcome these roadblocks, you can invest in chatbot technology to answer customer questions anytime. Another strategy is to hire an international remote team that can provide customer support even during late times.

Make sure you include tracking information for any shipments, as well as posting expected transit times for overseas shipments.

Make International Shipping Affordable to Customers

Lastly, your shipping strategy could make or break your success overseas.

Unexpected shipping costs can drive your potential customers overseas away. In fact, high shipping costs are one of the most common reasons why customers abandon their carts.

If you’re a small or medium-sized business, however, it can be difficult to find competitive rates on international shipping. Many roadblocks can get in the way, such as paperwork, negotiating deals with carriers outside the US, and managing international returns.

At eHub, we help take care of international shipping so you can get started selling internationally right away. We have hundreds of connections with carriers worldwide to ensure you get the best rates every time – especially internationally!

Wrapping Things Up

If you’re serious about growth, international markets offer a unique opportunity to scale quickly. It will require careful planning on your end, but the results can be very lucrative in the long run.

eHub can help you transition seamlessly as you enter a new market. Our platform allows you to scale your shipping to multiple countries without having to negotiate rates or hurt your profit margins. Contact us today for a free demo to learn more.

Shipping delays can negatively impact your brand reputation and sales.

If your item doesn’t arrive on time, customers won’t feel they can trust you with their money and won’t return to your store for more.

Even worse, they can post negative reviews and spread the word to their friends and family. It doesn’t take long for bad reviews to spread.

Why do Shipping Delays Happen?

Even if you think everything’s under control, no one can truly predict what happens to your package once it leaves the warehouse. Your item’s delivery could get delayed for various reasons, which include:

World Events

World events can have a significant impact on shipping operations. Just take a look at what happened this year with COVID-19 — with new social distancing measures put in place and thousands of business shutdowns, many stores had a hard time making sure their package got into the hands of customers.

With more e-commerce orders than ever, all major carriers are struggling. The USPS has had the most challenging time since they have the most significant volume.

Unexpected Weather and Natural Disasters

Sudden weather changes can prevent your orders from arriving on time to the customer’s doorstep. It’s something that’s unfortunately beyond your control, but there are tactics you can use to handle the situation (which we’ll get into later).

Domestic & International Customs

Your package can get held back if it doesn’t respect customs procedures. For example, if you’re trying to ship ivory products to Italy (where the material is banned), your package might even get destroyed. That’s why you need to do your research on customs before shipping the item to the customer.

Shipping insurance protects you from any drastic financial loss and takes extra stress off your shoulders

Holidays

E-commerce sales tend to skyrocket during holiday seasons or important dates. As a result of record items being ordered, carriers can’t consistently deliver to your customer on time, which is not practical when everyone expects to receive their gift quickly (or by a specific date).

Poor Inventory Management from Your 3PL

Your item’s shipping delay could also result from poor management of your 3PL.

While investing in a logistics provider can provide you with many benefits in the long term, choosing the wrong one can be detrimental to your brand. Check our blog post on picking the right 3PL for your business to avoid making this mistake.

The Best Tactics You Can Use to Handle Shipping Delays

Get Shipping Insurance

Preparing yourself in advance goes a long way. Before shipping the item to your customer, you should consider investing in shipping insurance to protect yourself from any trouble during delivery.

Shipping insurance protects you from any drastic financial loss and takes extra stress off your shoulders. If the customer demands a refund because of the delay in delivery, you’ll have the means to give it to them without hurting your profits.

Be Upfront With The Customer

When your shipping is delayed, you’ll need to let the customer know what’s going on, especially as the world still battles with COVID-19.

Make sure to follow up with them via email, social media, and SMS. Apologize, explain the current situation to the customer, and how you plan to solve it. Holding yourself accountable proves to the customer that you’re someone they can trust.

Offer Order Tracking on the Delayed Item

Not having an order delivered on time can cause a lot of anxiety for the customer. To give them peace of mind, you can give them a tracking number to monitor their package.

With eHub, each item you ship comes with order tracking to get updates as they happen for your customers. We can also provide insurance if your package doesn’t arrive or is stolen during delivery.

Offer Special Discounts and Deals

Shipping deals can be an unpleasant experience for the customer. To make up for it, you can offer them special discounts and promotions on future orders.

Giving customers discounts proves that you value them and take their satisfaction seriously. For example, if your package doesn’t arrive on time, you can offer free shipping for their next order or a 20% discount on future items.

Use Multiple Shipping Carriers

Regarding shipping, it’s essential not to put all your eggs in one basket. Using multiple carriers ensures your package arrives on time if one fails to deliver.

Finding suitable shipping carriers, however, takes a bit of time and search. That’s why we do the hard work for you by connecting all major carriers in one place on our platform.

Offer Multiple Shipping Options at Checkout

Providing transparency into expected delivery times is vital to the ordering experience. Showing customers two options (at least) – one for expedited and the other for slow delivery – lets them choose what will work best for them.

If you’re offering free shipping on the slower service, then the value of the expedited shipping will be improved. While many people expect free shipping, they are willing to pay for faster delivery times when it is essential to them.

Conclusion

Shipping delays don’t have to be the end of the world. Handled effectively, you can still shine in the eyes of your customers and retain their trust.

If you’re looking for a platform covering everything you need to manage shipping effectively, we can help. From inventory management to order tracking, our platform gives you all the tools you need for smooth delivery.

The checkout page is the last step in creating a customer from a visitor. Optimizing checkout is a key to reducing cart abandonment and driving sales.

Here are some essential practices you can implement on your checkout page to deliver significant results:

8 Things You Must Be Doing During Checkout

Let’s dive into each and see how you can easily upgrade your checkout.

 

Include Customer Testimonials & Trust Symbols

To get the customer to purchase, you first have to gain their trust.

Adding customer testimonials on your checkout page reassures the prospect they’re making the right choice. Seeing others enjoy your product gives them the confidence to make the purchase.

Furthermore, if they don’t know you’re brand, they may hesitate on the quality of your product and service. You can promote trust by using testimonial & review apps like Okendo, Product Reviews by Shopify, or Stamped.io.

These apps make it easy to collect and publish reviews on your home, product, or checkout pages.

Security is also a big concern for customers since you handle their payment information. A good tactic to give them peace of mind is to include security badges on your checkout page, such as the below:

If customers know their payments are in good hands, they’ll be more likely to follow through with their purchase.

 

One-Page Checkout

Any friction during the buying process will cause customers to drop their carts. No one wants to go through loops and holes to make a final purchase.

The checkout process must be as simple and straightforward as possible. The best way to simplify your checkout page and get customers across the finish line is to offer a one-page checkout:

One-page checkout works because it’s shorter and reduces the steps the customer has to go through. It’s convenient and can lead to better conversions.

However, we recommend testing multi-page and single-page to see what works best for you.

Offer Free Shipping

Free Shipping can be a powerful trigger for conversion. Customers feel 90% more motivated to buy more when free shipping is involved, so you should consider offering it on your checkout page.

As a small business, however, you may not be in a position to offer free shipping. Free shipping isn’t free to you and can hurt your profit margins in the long term if you’re not careful. If you’re wondering how to decrease your shipping costs, you may be interested in the cubic pricing program.

Optimize Your Checkout Page for Mobile

More and more customers are using their smartphones to shop. By next year, mobile sales will represent a whopping 54% of total e-commerce revenue. It’s the reason why your checkout page needs to be mobile-responsive.

You must also ensure your checkout page loads fast on mobile, especially when the customer gives you their payment information. 53% of visitors will ditch your site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

Highlight Upsell Offers

Upselling is a sales technique to persuade the customer to buy more items, upgrades, or add-ons once they make a purchase. It’s a tactic used by top brands such as Amazon, GoDaddy, and Booking.com.

Your checkout page represents extra sales for your store. As the customer is about to checkout, you can recommend complementary products.

It’s a great way to boost your customer lifetime value (CLV) and make prospects come back. Here’s an example from Dollar Shave Club for inspiration:

The best tool we recommend to help you do this is Carthook. Once the customer checks out, Carthook sends them three different upsell offers. The platform auto-fills the page with the customer’s details, so they don’t have to re-enter their payment information.

 

Use Exit-Intent Popups

Just as a customer abandons their cart or is about to leave your site, you can launch exit-intent popups to promote discounts they can use for their purchase:

Exit-intent pop-ups work well for two reasons. First off, it gives the customer an incentive to stay on your checkout page. Secondly, your store gets a second chance to make a sale.

There are various tools you can download on Shopify that help you capture the customer’s attention with pop-ups. Check out our 8 top picks of pop-up tools for boosting sales.

 

Remove Any Distractions on the Checkout Page

A key theme that we’re repeating here is keeping everything as simple as possible. To maximize your conversions, you need to eliminate any distractions that might draw the customer away from making a purchase.

There are various ways to do this. You want to avoid having any ads, navigation bars, or eye-catching graphics that might get in the way. You also don’t want to surprise customers with hidden fees they weren’t aware of before.

 

Offer “Save Item” as an Option

Lastly, there are many reasons why your customer doesn’t follow through with their purchase. They may not be ready to buy, or something distracted them as they were about to check out.

To help returning visitors, make it possible for them to save your product so they can go back to checkout whenever they have time. Amazon does this on their store with their “wishlist” feature, so customers can come back at any time to finish their purchase:

Conclusion

The checkout is the final and most critical part of the buyer’s journey. Even with the best marketing and products in the world, customers will ditch your store if the checkout process is not optimized the right way. By applying our tips above, you’ll be on your way to setting up a killer checkout page and boosting your sales.

A customer just bought a product from your store. You collect their mailing address, set up your branded packaging, and ship their ordered item.

But have you thought about what happens if your product gets broken or lost during the delivery process?

No one knows what can happen to your product during its transportation to the customer. Your business needs a game plan to prepare in case things go wrong.

What is Shipping Insurance?

When people hear “insurance,” they typically think of insurance for their health or home. But little do people know that it’s also possible to get insurance on products you ship to customers.

Shipping insurance covers the delivery fees and costs of your item in case something goes wrong during transportation. Let’s dive into the reasons why investing in shipping insurance is a smart move for your business.

Why You Should Consider Shipping Insurance

It’s impossible to predict the future, even if you think that you have everything under control. Your product could get lost or broken during delivery, leading to a disappointed customer. Some of the benefits of getting shipping insurance include:

Peace of Mind

Without insurance, you’ll be in charge of covering shipping costs and refunds if your item doesn’t arrive at the customer’s doorstep. It’s a process that adds extra stress to your workload, and you probably already have a busy schedule.

Getting shipping insurance takes stress off your back. No matter what happens to your package, you get peace of mind knowing that your item is always covered.

It Protects You From Any Financial Loss

Your item is in good hands when you get shipping insurance. The process might require a bit of paperwork, but the insurer will handle everything to ensure you get your money.

It’s also possible to get insurance for high-value items. Some carriers cover items up to $50,000, which we’ll explore later.

Getting Shipping Insurance Is Fast and Easy

Getting shipping insurance doesn’t have to be a complicated process. There are plenty of options at your disposal to get your items insured quickly. It’s even faster when you integrate a tool like eHub, which makes it simple to incorporate insurance.

The Different Types of Shipping Insurance Available

Here are the two main types of shipping insurance that you can choose:

Carrier Insurance

Different companies such as UPS, USPS, and FedEx all offer insurance for items you ship. Price varies from carrier to carrier, and each has limits on the maximum value of products that are covered.

Third-Party Software

You can also get insurance by integrating shipping software into your store. A shipping platform can ensure you get insurance on each item and offers the best shipping rates to customers.

How Much Does Shipping Insurance Cost?

If you decide to get your shipping insurance from a carrier, here’s how much you can expect to pay:

Things To Take Into Consideration Before Getting Insurance

International Restrictions

Remember that international restrictions influence whether your item qualifies for coverage or not. There are certain countries that carriers will not insure. For example, if your item gets lost in Paraguay, you won’t be able to obtain shipping insurance since it goes against US trade rules.

Certain countries also block you from importing certain goods. You cannot get coverage on items prohibited from shipping in the country you are targeting.

It’s impossible to predict the future, even if you think that you have everything under control

Terms and Conditions of the Insurance Contract

You must also be careful of the terms and conditions that come with shipping insurance. Some items don’t qualify for coverage, even if you ship them domestically.

Maximum Item Value

Carriers also offer limits to shipping insurance based on the item’s value. Let’s take a look at them below:

How to File an Insurance Claim

Next, you may wonder how to file an insurance claim on a lost or damaged product. Some carriers require you to file a claim within 60 days, while others give you up to nine months.

Here’s what you’ll need to do to get insurance for your product.

Your Package Got Lost During Delivery

If a customer reports that they’ve never received your item and can’t track it online, you’ll need proof of loss. Here are the documents that you’ll have to prepare in advance:

Your Package Got Damaged

How you respond when your package gets damaged depends on your carrier. You’ll likely have to take pictures of the damaged packaging to compare it with the package’s photos in its normal condition.

It will also be required to provide documentation such as the original invoice, recipient address, declared value, and more. The carrier might inspect the package as well.

Your Package Got Stolen

Getting one of your items stolen is a tricky situation to be in. If you’re tracking an order, but it never seems to arrive to the customer, here’s the documentation you need to prepare:

Resources to Help You Out

If you need more information on how to file your insurance claim, check out these main couriers’ resources:

Is Shipping Insurance Right for You?

Running a business can be stressful enough. If you’re seeking extra peace of mind, getting shipping insurance goes a long way. No matter what happens to your item during delivery, you can rest assured that you’ll be covered if things go unexpectedly.

Essential Hub makes it easy to add insurance on qualifying items that you ship. Contact us today to learn more!

Your shipping bill consists of vital information about your package, from details about the recipient to how much you can expect to pay for a shipment. To avoid any nasty surprises or accidentally overpaying for shipping, you want to make sure to read your invoices carefully.

In this post, we’ll look at three leading carriers (FedEx, UPS, and DHL) and the structure that each of their shipping bills follows.

Reading Your FedEx Bill

Here is the format that each shipping bill from FedEx follows:

1. Contact / Bank Information

The first thing you’ll see on your shipping invoice is your contact and bank information. Here are the different things that it will consist of:

2. Invoice Type

There are two invoice types when it comes to FedEx shipping bills. These include:

3. Shipping Information

This part of the invoice covers all of your package’s shipping information, such as:

4. Shipper Details

Next, your invoice will include all of the information about the shipper. These details include:

5. Charges

Here, you’ll see a breakdown of charges incurred at the Air Waybill level.

6. Proof of Delivery

This part of the shipping invoice confirms that your recipient received the order. The bill will show you the signature, date, and time of your shipment to show proof.

7. Overall Summary of All Charges & Total Amount Due

As you reach the end of the shipping bill, you’ll see a summary of all charges, such as taxes, discounts, and more factors that could affect the price.

8. Payment Remittance Address

Finally, the invoice ends with the remittance address to the UPS office.

To avoid any nasty surprises or accidentally overpaying for shipping, you want to make sure to read your invoices carefully

Reading Your UPS Bill

UPS is another popular option to get your shipping and packaging handled. Here’s how shipping bills from UPS are formatted:

1. Account Status Summary

On each UPS invoice, you get a summary of your account, which includes your previous invoices with the provider.

2. Payment Terms

The bill will have a section that outlines UPS’s payment terms and what they entail.

3. Outbound Shipping Charges

In this section of the bill, you’ll get an overview of any outbound shipments during the invoicing period and a tracking number for your package. It will also include information on your shipping zone and product weight.

4. Adjustments and Other Charges

There may be other additional costs that impact the total cost of your bill. These can include late payment charges, same-day pickup, and other factors.

Your package’s dimensions can also add extra charges. UPS determines how much you can expect to pay by taking into account the length, width, and height of your package.

5. Taxes

The invoice will cover which taxes you’ll have to pay for each item you ship.

6. Return Portion

If you’re paying by cheque, this section includes the amount due and the return form to fill out.

Reading your DHL Bill

DHL is one of the global leaders in the logistics industry. Here’s how to read the format of each of their shipping bills:

1. Type of Invoice

DHL has different forms for shipping bills, such as:

Your shipping bill starts by identifying which one corresponds to your package.

2. Customer’s Billing Information

Next, your DHL bill will cover all of your customer’s billing information, which includes:

3. Shipment and Package Information

This part of the bill covers the shipment origin details of the package and the destination receiver. It includes the total number of pieces associated with each waybill and the total weight of the shipment.

4. Service Description and Extra Charges

It’s possible that you chose a particular form of service and have some extra charges that impact the price of your shipping bill. They will all be covered in this section.

5. Total Due

By taking everything above into account, the invoice shows you how much you can expect to pay in total.

6. Billing and Payment Information

The invoice ends with all the bill and payment information (including the customer’s billing address), so you can proceed to pay the invoice in full.

Conclusion

Make sure you take the time to read your shipping bill carefully. While shipping invoices may defer from carrier to carrier, they all provide you with information on the recipient and consider extra charges that could impact the cost.