While the technologies used to manage and ship products have changed dramatically over the last century, the business model for shipping companies looks almost the same. For decades, shipping companies have offered small businesses a single pricing formula based on weight and distance.

Think of it this way: a 40” smart TV weighs 20 pounds. So does a 20-pound dumbbell.

But the box the TV comes in is 43”x23”x5”, and the dumbbell can fit in a giant shoebox. With traditional shipping models, you’d pay the same amount to ship both a 40” smart TV and a single dumbbell to your store in Duluth even though the TV box will take up more space in the truck.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has developed an innovative program to meet the modern needs of many small businesses by changing shipping prices for small packages.

Welcome to USPS Priority Cubic.

What is USPS Cubic mail?

Under Cubic, businesses are charged based on the package’s dimensions instead of the package’s weight. This means it costs less to ship small, heavy packages with Cubic than with traditional methods.  

And Cubic doesn’t just offer lower prices. It includes USPS priority mail delivery within 1 to 3 business days and free package tracking.

It’s a great deal if your business regularly ships things like clothing, candles, food, small home goods, books, subscription boxes, etc.

 

If it’s so great, why isn’t everyone using Cubic?

Cubic is a very specific program with strict rules that make it an excellent solution for some businesses but not others. 

If you want an in-depth overview of Cubic, check this out, but here are the basics:

  1. USPS Cubic mail is only available to businesses that ship at least 50,000 packages annually.
  2. Packages shipped with priority Cubic shipping have to weigh less than 20 pounds.
  3. USPS Cubic box, soft package, or priority mail poly bag dimensions must be .5 cubic feet or less with sides less than 18” (about the size of a shoebox).

What’s the Cubic formula?

USPS Cubic pricing is based solely on the size of your package. Here’s how to calculate your Cubic shipping price (sorry for the math):

1. Measure your package’s length, width, and height with each dimension rounded to the nearest quarter inch. For example, say that shoebox with your 20-pound dumbbell measures 14 x 8 x 5”

2. Multiply the dimensions (height x width x length) and then divide that number by 1728 (the number of cubic inches in one cubic foot). For your shoebox, it looks like this:

14 x 8  x 5 = 560

560/1728 = .3240

3. Round the decimal to the next tenth, meaning the .3240 of your shoebox rounds up to .4 cubic feet. (Note: you always round up, never down, with USPS Cubic).

4. Congratulations! Your package qualifies for USPS Priority Mail Cubic. 

Is Cubic right for your business?

We know that what you really want to know is, “How much will this save me?” Check out this chart:

 Zone 1–2Zone 3–4Zone 5–6Zone 7–8Zone 9
Priority Mail$23.20$29.20–$35.85$49.80–$59.75$69.35–$80.50$140.35
USPS Priority Cubic$7.32$7.32$7.32$7.32$7.32

A 20-pound Zone 1 package (something shipped 1–50 miles) costs $23.20 to ship with USPS Priority Mail, and the price increases as the distance to the destination increases.

But that same 20-pound package shipped with USPS Priority Cubic starts at only $7.32 to ship.

But here’s the deal—that $7.32 is the commercially listed starting price USPS offers.

EHub has negotiated low rates for our customers.

This means that you’ll still be saving money even after you pay for our API. But you’ll also get easy-to-print labels, order tracking history, address verification services, and insurance options.

At EHub, we know that shipping is essential, but overpaying isn’t. Drop us a line today to see how we can simplify your shipping and save you money.

If you’re like most business owners, this photo of someone being literally boxed in by shipping containers probably feels familiar.

Ask yourself:

If you nodded your head emphatically to any (or all) of these questions, we can help. 

EHub is an integrated platform that simplifies shipping by connecting your eCommerce systems. We have agreements with major carriers that allow us to get you more competitive rates without sacrificing customer service.

We’ve also perfected the art of international shipping. Let us teach you our ways.

 

What is international shipping, anyway?

Domestic shipping involves shipping goods or documents from and to locations within a single country’s borders.

By contrast, international shipping (also known as cross-border or global shipping) is precisely what it sounds like: importing and exporting goods across national borders by land, air, or sea. 

While the definition is simple, the application tends to trip people up. 

If you are ready to start shipping outside the United States, there are a few things you need to know right off the bat:

  1. International shipping will take longer and cost more. Don’t waste time fighting it. Embrace it and find the best solution for your company.
  2. Customs and duties, both in the originating country and the receiving country, are all forms of import/export taxes you can’t avoid.
  3. Because every country has unique import/export requirements, it’s easiest if you start shipping to a country that is part of a strong US trade agreement.  Mexico and Canada are the easiest since the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) simplified taxes and other requirements, but 20 other countries also have free trade agreements with the US.

 

Domestic vs. international shipping

As long as you aren’t shipping something liquid, fragile, perishable, or potentially hazardous, all you need to ship a package domestically is a shipping label.

International shipping is more complicated, with restrictions on the types of goods that can be shipped and more documentation requirements. 

Navigating all these regulatory requirements can be confusing and overwhelming, but if you’re ready to take your business to the next level by expanding to a global customer base, keep reading.

 

What qualifies as international shipping?

Shipping from the US to Canada is considered international shipping, even though they share a border because two sovereign nations are involved. On the other hand, if you want to send a package to Hawaii, 2,285 miles from the US mainland, you have multiple domestic shipping options.

But is shipping to Puerto Rico or Guam considered international shipping? They aren’t sovereign nations, but they aren’t states either. Do you need to fill out forms and pay duty taxes?

Here’s a basic rule of thumb:

LOCATIONINTERNATIONAL SHIPPING?
Any one of the 50 US statesNope (all carriers)
Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands(US territories in the Caribbean)USPS: Nope (no customs forms or duty tax)Fedex/UPS/DHL: Yep (regular customs forms)
American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands (all other US territories)Yep (all carriers)
Every other countryYep (all carriers)

What can I ship internationally?

Requirements vary between shipping providers (between the USPS and FedEx, for example), but there are limits on what you can ship within the United States. Generally speaking, things like airbags, ammunition, explosives, gasoline, illicit drugs, and marijuana (including medical doses) cannot be shipped domestically.

In addition to the list of prohibited items, some products have restrictions on domestic shipping, including:

All items prohibited and restricted for domestic shipping cannot be shipped internationally. Additionally, you can’t use priority mail express to send packages containing currency (coins, banknotes), securities of any kind that are payable to the bearer (like traveler’s checks), precious stones and metals, and other valuables to other countries. 

international shipping (also known as cross-border or global shipping) is precisely what it sounds like: importing and exporting goods across national borders by land, air, or sea

What documents do I need to ship outside the US?

Remember your pre-Covid trip to Cancún? Before you landed, the flight attendants had you fill out a tourist immigration form listing where you were coming from, what airline you flew in on, where you were staying, and when you’d be leaving. 

After landing, you likely gave this form to an immigration officer before going through customs, where you had to fill out another form “declaring” whether or not you were bringing restricted items and/or large amounts of cash into the country with you.

Most governments treat packages like tourists and require similar documents to accompany them across borders. The most common forms needed for international shipping are:

Depending on where and what you’re shipping, you may also need a/an:

 

International shipping with training wheels

EHub is basically international shipping with training wheels. We have carrier and cart integrations that can save you the time and stress of figuring out documentation and tax requirements while capitalizing on your expansion opportunities.

Shipping, savings, simple. Get in touch with us today to get started.

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.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming soon. How are you preparing for the big day?

Don’t wait too long before you start planning your Black Friday promotion. More than half of customers start doing their research on Black Friday sales in early October.

So, if you want to maximize your sales for Black Friday, now’s the best time to get started. Here are some of the best tactics you can use to build your list before Black Friday comes:

Use Email Popups on Your Homepage

When visitors first land on your website, you can get their attention with an email pop-up that includes your exciting Black Friday offer. It’s a great way to optimize your traffic and supercharge your list.

For example, if you’re offering a special 20% discount on all orders for Black Friday, you can create a pop-up with your special offer and ask the customer to opt in. Here’s an example of how that can look like:

Stores can use a tool like Privy to set this up for their website. The platform comes with countless templates to choose from, along with A/B testing to help you create high-converting pop-ups.

Add a Promotional Bar on Top of Your Website

Another way to inform visitors of upcoming sales is through an action bar near your navigation. It’s an excellent tactic to leverage the holiday season and win more sign-ups.

Ensure your short action bar includes an exciting offer and a deadline. An extra tip to make your bar more effective is to add a countdown timer to emphasize that time is running out.

Optimize Your Social Media Pages for Black Friday Sales

Social media is one of the channels for generating leads during the holiday season.

For example, you can add a sign-up button on your Facebook page so they can join your list. They’ll be led to a landing page where they’ll have to sign up with their information, just like Dollar Shave Club in this example:

Something else you can do on social media pages is to include banners that announce your upcoming Black Friday sales. Consider pinning posts on Twitter and Facebook that provide all the information customers need about your promotion.

Run Segmented Ads on Facebook and Instagram

Another tactic to use on social media to generate leads is running ads.

The first and most vital step of running a successful social ad campaign is to use previous customer data to segment your ads. It ensures your message is getting in front of the right people.

Make sure to include engaging imagery and copywriting in your ad. Since you don’t have a lot of characters to write, keep the ad as straightforward as possible with a clear CTA.

Here’s a great example from top retailer Target:

In this ad, they’re giving customers a preview of the deals they expect to launch during Black Friday.

Provide Loyal Customers With VIP Access to Pre-Sales

Your loyal customers are vital to your success. 41% of a company’s revenue comes from only 8% of its customers. On top of that, it’s around 2-3X more expensive to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one.

This Black Friday, something you can do to grow your leads is to offer loyal customers early access to sales. It’s your way of rewarding them, making them feel valued, and getting them excited to make more purchases once the big day comes.

Create a Referral Program for Black Friday

A referral program is perfect for spreading the word about your Black Friday sales and boosting your list. Each time a subscriber refers your brand to one of their friends and family, they get to win a special prize for their efforts.

Here’s an example of how you can set this up during Black Friday:

You start by providing subscribers with a 10% discount and encourage them to share it with the people around them. Each time one of their friends redeems the coupon, they win another discount for 20% off on their orders.

Boux Avenue is a top lingerie brand that uses referral programs to promote their sales. In the example below, customers have the opportunity to receive some loyalty points if they refer a friend:

Collect Customer Data During Checkout

Customer checkout is the perfect time to collect leads for the upcoming Black Friday season.

As they’re about to finish their purchase, you can ask customers to sign up for your email/push notification list or SMS number so they can be up-to-date with the latest Black Friday sales.

For example, you can offer them a Black Friday coupon in exchange for their information. Avoid being too pushy, and make sure to emphasize the benefits that come with signing up for your list.

Host Special Black Friday Contests and Giveaways

A classic tactic for Black Friday is to run contests. It builds excitement around future Black Friday sales and drives more subscribers to your email, SMS, or push notification list.

What’s also great about contests is the many ways to style it. Some of the different giveaways can include:

Here’s how Shein Organized a Black Friday Contest to promote their brand last year:

Use Traditional Marketing Methods to Promote Your Sales

Do you have a physical store on top of running an eCommerce business as well? If so, you can use traditional tactics to grow your list for Black Friday.

Let’s say that SMS is a big part of your Black Friday strategy. You can add signs to your store and have business cards with your text number so customers can contact you. If you can, billboards can work, too.

Conclusion

The main takeaway is not to put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to building your list. By using a diverse choice of tactics, such as social ads, referral programs, and contests, you can build a solid list of customers that are going to be ready to purchase on Black Friday. Now, it’s up to you to get out there and start promoting your sales!

A vital shipping program is central to e-commerce success. Very few e-commerce companies, however, know how to set one up. This guide will walk you through how to set up shipping on your Shopify store [and more].

It doesn’t matter if you have the best user experience and products on your website. Without the right shipping strategy to satisfy customers, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.

For example, a customer finds a product they like from your store and adds it to their cart. They discover your high shipping rates and start hesitating in their purchase. They search the web and look for cheaper alternatives. Next thing you know, they’re ditching their cart and going to your competition.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn everything about setting up a shipping strategy on Shopify to ensure this never happens. Here’s what we’ll cover (click any topic to jump ahead):

  1. Why you need a shipping strategy.
  2. Shopify’s default shipping options.
  3. How to set up shipping zones and rates from the Shopify admin.
  4. Should you offer free shipping?
  5. How to offer free shipping on Shopify.
  6. How to pick the proper packaging for orders.
  7. The best shipping tactics you can use to boost your business.
  8. Useful shipping apps you can download off Shopify.
  9. Use our Shipping on Shopify checklist to get started.

Let’s dive in.

Why You Need a Shipping Strategy

Your shipping strategy is what could make or break your online sales.

Don’t believe us? Check out these statistics:

One thing to note is that your shipping strategy will change over time. For example, you might change your shipping carriers, price, unboxing material, etc.

What’s important is defining a game plan now and continuing to adjust as you grow.

Understanding the Different Default Shipping Options on Shopify

When you sign up with Shopify, the platform offers three different plans: Basic, Shopify, and Advanced.

Each plan you choose has different options and discounts when it comes to shipping. Depending on your Shopify plan, you might be eligible for reduced shipping rates from these three carriers:

Let’s take a look at how each Shopify plan differs from each other:

 Basic PlanShopify PlanAdvanced Plan
Monthly Price$29/Mo$79/Mo$299/Mo
What does the plan consist of?All the basics for starting a new businessEverything you need for a growing businessAdvanced features for scaling your business
Shipping Discountup to 64%up to 72%up to 74%
Print Shipping LabelsYesYesYes
USPS Priority Mail Cubic pricing YesYes

As you can see from the table above, the higher you upgrade, the more discounts you’ll get on shipping and labels. While each plan offers the possibility to print shipping labels, the basic plan doesn’t come with USPS Priority Mail Cubic pricing.

While Shopify offers reasonable rates, you’ll still gain more value using a shipping app. With Essential Hub, we connect all your eCommerce operations so you can get the best discounts and save up to 35% on shipping.

Shopify Shipping – How to Set up Zones and Rates

Once you decide which plan is the right fit for your business, it’s time to get started on your shipping strategy. The first thing you’ll have to do is set up your zones from the Shopify admin.

What Is a Shipping Zone?

On Shopify, a shipping zone is a specific location based on region or country. It defines where your package is shipping from and to which destination.

Your shipping zones play a vital role in setting up your rates. Typically, the farther you ship the item, the higher shipping costs will be.

Here’s how you can define your shipping zone from the Shopify admin:

Step 1: Go to the Shipping Section From Your Admin

From your admin dashboard, click on “Settings” at the bottom left on your screen. Click on “Shipping” to start setting your zones and rates.

Step 2: Click on “Manage Rates”

Once you land on the shipping section, hover over the “General shipping rates” section and click on “manage rates.”

Step 3: Scroll Down and Click on “Create Shipping Zones”

On the “manage rates” section, You’ll get to see all of the products that you added to your store. Scroll down underneath to get access to your shipping zones.

In the example above, we already defined some specific rules for shipping in the US. We’re offering shipping for product orders of $25 and up.

To create a new shipping zone, click on “create shipping zones”.

Step 4: Name Your Shipping Zone and Add Countries

In the textbox, add a name to your shipping zone to differentiate it from others.

When you create your zone, you can search and select countries where you want to ship. Once you choose them, click Done.

Step 5: Add Any Rates You Want for the Shipping Zone

Once you create your shipping zone, you can start adding rates that apply to it. You can set your own prices and let the shipping carrier do it.

Should You Offer Free Shipping?

As you set up your shipping zones and rates, you may ask yourself — should I offer free shipping or not?

You already know that customers love it. 91% of online customers will leave an eCommerce store if they don’t offer free shipping.

As practical as it may be for customers, free shipping might not be appropriate for your business. There are many different factors to consider before offering free shipping.

Here are a couple of things to consider before you make the jump and offer free shipping on your store:

You’ve Calculated Your Profit Margins

First, you’ll have to do some math to determine if free shipping is right for your business.

Keep in mind that you’re the one who’s going to have to cover the shipping costs. That often means you’ll have to increase the price of your product to cover costs.

You also have to be careful when raising the price of your item — you want the price to cover shipping and marketing costs but not high enough that it scares away customers from buying from you.

A good strategy on Shopify is to offer free shipping when a specific amount of items are ordered, which we’ll get into later.

Your Supplier Offers Free Shipping

Whether or not you should offer free shipping also depends on your supplier.

If the supplier you choose offers free shipping, then it’s ideal to offer free shipping to your customers. In this case, it won’t be fair to charge them for shipping costs.

If they don’t offer free shipping, however, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to cover the shipping costs and make your customers pay for them.

The Competition Is Offering Free Shipping

If competitors in your niche are offering free shipping as part of their strategy, then it’s best that you do the same.

You don’t want your store to be falling behind everyone. However, even if the competition isn’t offering free shipping, it could still be a way to make your business stand out from the crowd.

Online customers value free shipping during their purchase. If they explore their options and see that you’re the only one who offers free shipping, they’re most likely to pick you.

Your Customers’ Location

Ask yourself: where are your customers located? Are you only shipping to the United States, or do you have customers overseas as well?

The customer’s location has a significant influence on your shipping costs. That’s why it might be better for your store to offer free shipping only to specific locations.

How to Offer Free Shipping on Shopify

Once you’ve considered all these things and decided if your business will offer free shipping, it’s time to set it up on Shopify.

There are various ways you can set up your free shipping options from the Shopify admin. You can offer free shipping based on the following criteria:

Let’s take a look at the different steps and ways you can set up your free shipping:

Step 1: Go to the Shipping Section From Your Admin

Similarly to setting your shipping zones, click “Settings” at the bottom left of the Shopify admin. After that, click on
“shipping.”

Step 2: Click on “Manage Rates”

Once you land on the page for “Manage Rates,” you want to scroll down and click the specific zone where you want to offer free shipping.

Step 3: Click on “Add Rate”

To set up your free shipping, click on “add rate.” It’s where you can create specific conditions for free shipping to apply.

Step 4: Type in Free Shipping and Click on “Add Conditions”

When you click on “add rate,” you’ll receive this popup on your Shopify admin:

In the text box, type “Free Shipping” to differentiate the rate from others. Next, click on the “add conditions” button to define the conditions of your free shipping.

Step 5: Offer Free Shipping Based on Product Weight or Order Price

When you click on “add conditions,” Shopify offers you two choices: either provide free shipping based on weight or product price.

If you want free shipping based on order price, check the “Based on order price” box. You’ll be able to provide a minimum order amount for customers to qualify for free shipping.

However, to offer free shipping based on item weight, check the “Based on item weight” box. Here’s what will pop up on your Shopify admin:

From there, type in the minimum item weight, and you’re good to go.

Choosing the Right Kind of Packaging for Your Orders

Packing is one of the most significant factors of a successful shipping strategy. You don’t want to make the mistake of spending more than you have on packaging or choosing the wrong material to transport your product.

Here’s how your store can select the proper packaging to fulfill your orders:

Determine Your Packaging Budget

First, you’ll need to assess your current budget for packaging.

How much money you’re willing to invest determines the packaging material you’ll use. For example, a popular brand option is corrugated cardboard, which ranges from around $.075 to $0.95.

It’s also possible to get free packaging from Shopify’s three leading carriers: DHL Express, UPS, and USPS. You can order your free shipping supplies online or pick them up. Check out free shipping supplies from the USPS here.

Pick the Appropriate Packaging Weight and Material

Since the shipping cost relies on the size and weight of your products, you want the packaging to be light. Your box should be big enough to transport your product but not heavy to the point it inflates your shipping costs.

For the best delivery, your order must be protected with suitable material. Here are examples of different types of packaging material you can choose from:

Paper and Cardboard

Cardboard is one of the best packaging materials for shipping. It’s low-cost, durable, and is easy to customize to reflect the look and feel of your brand. It’s particularly useful when it comes to shipping heavy products.

Poly Mailer

Poly mailers are lightweight and adjust to different product weights. They’re ideal if you’re shipping products that don’t need much cushioning, such as socks or shirts.

Plastic

What makes plastic practical for shipping is that it’s lightweight and flexible. As a result, you’ll be able to ship more items with less packaging material.

Airbags

Airbags are handy when filling up empty spaces in your packaging box. It’s something you want to consider if you sell items with sharp edges. They also act as cushioning for fragile objects.

Glass and Jars

The glass looks great aesthetically, and its transparent material makes your product visible. The obvious disadvantage, of course, is that it’s pretty fragile and can break during transportation.

To pick suitable packaging for your product, find and assemble different materials. From there, select the best fit for the product you plan to ship. While the outside might be plain, you can still create an incredible unboxing experience with a few simple additions inside the packaging.

Make Sure the Packaging Gets From Point A to Point B

It doesn’t matter how fancy your packaging looks. If your packaging can’t travel without being damaged, it will be useless.

It all goes back to picking the suitable material for packaging. If your packaging material isn’t strong enough, customers will receive broken or damaged products.

It will cost you less to invest in adequate packaging design than replacing damaged products.

Tactics You Can Use to Boost Your Shipping Strategy

As you can see from the above, Shopify makes it easy to set up and manage your shipping. If you want the best results, however, you also need some strategy.

Use Third-Party Shipping Software

If you’re handling one or two orders a day, then you won’t mind using the Shopify platform to print shipping labels. Once your volume rises, however, you’ll want to use a software program to help. Effective shipping software provides better rates, automation (always selecting the best price for the desired service level), and the ability to print labels either all at once or one at a time.

Essential Hub integrates with different software solutions to provide our clients with the best system for what they need. If you have any questions about the software, please reach out using the contact form at the end of this post.

Offer Free Shipping Without Hurting Your Profits

As mentioned earlier, free shipping is an effective way to capture customers’ attention and stand out from competitors. It’s a marketing tactic that can skyrocket your sales and continually drive new customers.

There’s a catch; however, remember that you need to think about how free shipping could potentially affect your profit margin. While free shipping can boost sales, you’ll have to cover all shipping costs as well.

One way to effectively do this is to offer free shipping when customers pay a certain amount in your store. It could help you squeeze in some cash to pay for shipping.

Let’s say, for example, that your average order cost is $22. To invite customers to pay more in your store without feeling like they’re being tricked into buying more, you can offer free shipping for orders above $25.

Alternatively, you can offer free shipping on any order with a particular product. You can choose those that you know have higher margins and can cover the cost of free shipping.

Another option is to offer a membership program for customers who seek free shipping. Customers are charged a yearly or monthly fee in exchange for free shipping on items.

It’s all about testing what works and making changes from there.

Make Your Order Fulfillment and Return Policies Clear

Your store needs a concise order policy that sets clear expectations between you and your customers. Setting clear expectations is a simple tip when getting started in shipping.

Online shoppers want access to all relevant information about shipping. They need to know where you ship to and when they can expect the item to arrive.

One thing that matters to them, in particular, is your shipping cost.

For example, if part of your strategy is to offer free shipping, you need to mention this the second visitors land on your home page. Doing so could completely transform your conversions.

When announcing free shipping on your website theme, make sure you make it work in the Shopify backend by setting it as a rule. This can be done by making an announcement under your theme settings.

If you’re delivering overseas, customers need to know exactly how much they’ll pay to cover shipping. Nobody likes nasty surprises.

Here are some questions that your shipping policy should cover:

Charge by Flat Rate

Flat rate shipping consists of offering a single rate for shipping an item, regardless of weight or size.

It means that the value or size of products doesn’t get taken into account. For many eCommerce brands, this simplifies the shipping process and encourages buyers to spend more.

For example, for each order, you could offer a flat rate of $5.

Setting up a flat rate is a good strategy if you’re starting out and don’t know how much your shipping costs will be. However, you can still offer different rates based on how fast the customer wants to receive the item.

For example, if customers really want to get your product in two days, you can set up a special rate for two-day shipping on Shopify. They’ll receive the item faster, expecting that they’ll have to pay a higher flat rate.

Get Insurance for High-Value or Fragile Items

If you’re selling an expensive or fragile item, you want to ensure you get insurance to protect it in case issues arise.

Insurance is handy if your product gets lost, stolen, or broken during shipping. When something goes wrong, you’ll need to prove the item’s value, and the insurer will pay you back the total amount.

While insurance is helpful, remember that you might have to raise your shipping rates to cover it. Logistical services such as USPS, UPS, and DHL only offer free insurance for items up to $100.

Alternatively, there are some really great services out there, like Route, an app we will review below. They let the customer add insurance at checkout and manage any issues with lost, stolen, or damaged packages.

Actively Engage With Customers During Ship”
ing With Email Marketing

Once the item gets shipped out, it’s an excellent time to engage with customers and improve their experience with your brand.

A good tactic is to send email updates to your customers once the item ships. You can also feature sales and promotions for other products that could interest them.

Check out this perfect example from The Dollar Shave Club. Each time a customer buys from their store, they receive an order confirmation email with the shipping date and items they can buy before the product ships:

Offer Same-Day Delivery

Offering same-day delivery can boost your sales and make you stand out from other stores. 61% of customers will pay extra bucks to get their products shipped the same day.

Same-day delivery is a great way to boost customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Best Buy, for example, has rolled out same-day delivery since 2015:

To take advantage of same-day delivery, customers must order with Best Buy Before 3 p.m. local time. It’s available seven days a week, and shipping costs depend on the product.

When offering same-day delivery, you need to measure how it’s impacting your sales. If more transactions are driven thanks to it, and it’s enough to pay for shipping, then it’s a good strategy.

To set up same-day delivery on Shopify, take advantage of their same-day app – you can find it on the app store. To set up local delivery, you’ll need to turn on one of your locations as available. You can do this through the Admin panel settings Shipping and Delivery button Local Delivery section (click manage next to a location).

Create An Incredible Unboxing Experience

Your goal as an online store should always be to stand out from the crowd. One excellent way you can do this is to ensure customers remember to open your packages every time.

A unique unboxing experience makes your business memorable and leaves customers hungry for more. As a result, you’ll create a loyal customer base that will repeatedly return to your site.

Here are some ideas of how you can do this:

The best part is that you don’t have to spend much money creating custom packages for all the different sizes you ship. With stickers on the outside and cool stuff inside, you can make any package stand out!

Useful Apps That Will Up Your Shipping on Shopify

Before we conclude, there are many apps you can use on Shopify that make the shipping process so much easier for you and your customers.

Here are the best apps you can integrate on your Shopify store to better manage shipping at each stage of the product delivery:

1. Free Shipping Bar

Free Shipping Bar is a tool that displays your free shipping offer in a bar on your website that you can easily customize. Its goal is to encourage customers to add to their carts and buy more.

As customers add more to their cart, the Free Shipping Bar will show them progressive messages on how much they have left before they get free shipping.

You can congratulate customers once they have landed on a free shipping offer and measure the results of each bar to see which free shipping goals create more sales.

As a bonus, its currency detection features make it easy to auto-detect the local currencies of visitors. The platform then converts the free shipping amount with real-time exchange rates.

Pricing:
 

2. Parcelify

Parcelify makes it simple to create custom rates for your Shopify store.

With Parcelify, you control the shipping pricing and options that customers see during checkout. Customers can get live, accurate rates of what they’re actually paying for shipping.

Parcefily also comes with local delivery and in-store pickup. With cheaper options to receive their product, you’ll satisfy customers and drive more repeat purchases.

Pricing:
 

3. AfterShip

Tracking and managing each customer shipment can be a time-consuming headache. Aftership cuts the work in half by tracking all shipments across 600+ carriers in one place.

AfterShip is currently being used by more than 30,000 Shopify stores worldwide. You’ll be able to keep customers updated on the placement of their orders and when they can expect delivery.

As a result, your store will see a drastic decrease in customer inquiries and complaints.

Pricing:

4. Tracktor

The modern customer has higher expectations than before. One of those expectations is expedited shipping and being able to track down exactly when their item arrives.

That’s where Tracktor comes in.

Tracktor makes it easy for customers and store owners to track down the delivery of a shipped item. The platform integrates with hundreds of carriers across the globe, so you can track exactly where the package is going.

The best part? You can do all of this from a single app. Customers won’t have to come to you and ask, “Where’s my order?” anymore. As a result, you’ll boost customer satisfaction and reduce support costs.

Pricing:

5. Route – Shipping Insurance

Route

No one can predict what can happen to your product during shipping, which is why getting insurance is so important.

Route is a tool that offers insurance on any item that gets lost broken or stolen during delivery. Customers gain peace of mind knowing that their purchases are guaranteed, and you get to keep more of your revenue.

Since Route covers the cost of refunds, you won’t be losing any money. The app is also 100% free for merchants and only takes a few minutes to set up on your store.

Pricing:
 

6. Aftership Returns Center

As frustrating as custom returns can be, there’s software you can use to handle returns more efficiently. Aftership Returns Center uses automation to track and manage your returns like child’s play.

When you integrate Aftership into your online store, you’ll be able to:

Pricing:

7. Sales Box

Sales Box offers an exciting way to manage shipping and personalize offers for your customers.

Your store can set up different shipping fees and promotions for individual products or countries. Right under the “add to cart” button, customers will have all the shipping information.

Each sales box is fully customizable and easy to edit. No coding knowledge is necessary — you get instant access to templates that make your offer stand out.

Pricing:

Next Steps

There you have it! By following our tips and tricks above, you should have a solid roadmap of where to go with your shipping strategy. It might require some testing, but soon enough, you’ll be able to blow customers away with your fantastic service and delivery.

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Shipping Tips for you Small Business

In modern-day commerce, your closest rivals could be located anywhere in the world, and they could be anything from a small home-based business all the way up to a high-volume operation. As a small business, are you really ever going to get the same shipping rates, savings, and discounts as your larger, higher-volume competition?

Maybe not. However…

There are many different types of shipping software, and lots of new ways you can optimize your small business shipping arrangements. In this post, we’re offering you a few key tips on the topic of small business shipping. With this, we hope to inspire some new practices to help you on the path to lower shipping rates, better customer experience, and ultimately, higher profits for your business.

1. Avoid Using a Single Carrier

One of the most limiting things you can potentially do for your business is a failure to accumulate many shipping options. Be prepared, as there’s a little leg work to do, and you need to have a solid understanding of your key parcel data. Not just with regards to your volume, but also your product weights, sizes, packaging, and any service-level agreement (SLA) requirements.

The more data you have, the more clearly you will be able to articulate your needs to any potential shipping partners. You should try to obtain quotes, SLAs, and contracts for multiple carriers, and this should include regional, national, and specialty shipping providers.

Don’t completely rely on any single carrier like UPS or FedEx. There are scenarios where each carrier makes the most sense, and it’s important for you to understand how they can work together.

Yes, it will take time, but, in the long run, you will see a real benefit to these efforts.

2. Audits

While this may not be the most appealing of tasks, it could be exceptionally fruitful in terms of the ROI. If you don’t already have a process in place to check your shipping invoices, then it’s time to get one! When you ship with guaranteed delivery options like overnight or 2-day, you’re entitled to a refund when they’re late. But the carriers aren’t going to do this for you.

A regular audit, such as monthly or quarterly at most, might not just reduce your shipping costs, but it can also give you an indication of the service levels from a specific carrier too. Either way, it’s a win-win.

Earlier in this post, we mentioned the importance of using shipping technology for your small business. Manual auditing could be time-consuming, but there are also many automated options that can save you time and money! LateShipment.com is just one of many options to consider.

3. Harness Small Business Shipping Technology

It’s safe to say we all use technology in business. However, not everybody will be maximizing their use of technology in small business shipping. The best type of shipping software will help you manage your orders, check against multiple carriers for the cheapest shipping option, print labels, track packages, arrange pickups, and more!

Nowadays, all the top small business shipping software companies will offer seamless integrations with most of the popular ecommerce platforms, such as BigCommerce, Shopify, Amazon, Woo-Commerce, and many others.

With intelligent automation working for your business, you will be able to realize a more streamlined, cost-effective, and less time-consuming approach to your small business shipping.

4. Packaging

At a time when consumers and companies alike are looking at ways to reduce their costs, reviewing your packaging is another essential task, and it’s something that’s firmly within your control.

According to a recent ecommerce survey, over 70% of consumers aged between 18-30, and over 60% of all shoppers state they are more likely to buy products from brands who use sustainable materials. Furthermore, another survey of a similar nature demonstrates that consumers tend to have a higher opinion of companies that use paper-packaging, instead of plastic or other unsustainable materials. The best thing is that eco-friendly packaging doesn’t always equal more expensive packaging, so it’s worth looking into.

Did you know that many carriers now give away free packaging?

For instance, USPS has hundreds of free shipping supplies on their site, as do DHL Express, FedEx, and UPS. All of these are worth a look!

Earlier in this post, we mentioned the importance of getting a handle on your data in order to rate shop across multiple carriers. You can go further by understanding how close your existing packaging is to cheaper rates if you were to make things ½” smaller or ½ lbs lighter.

5. Free Shipping Alternatives

Regardless of the type or size of the products you sell, you might not always be able to afford to offer free shipping across your store. However, there are a few alternatives that you can still consider.

 

One way of incentivizing customers who want free shipping is by setting a minimum order value. This tactic will often encourage people to order more and push up average order values while giving the customer a feeling of value in the process.

This is something that lots of major brands are doing, but it’s also highly applicable to smaller businesses too. For your loyal customers who order from you on a regular basis, give them the option to pay a small annual or monthly fee in exchange for free delivery.

The applicability of this depends on the size and type of products you sell. However, a flat-rate shipping charge provides customers with complete transparency with their shipping costs, and it makes it easier for them to see the exact cost of their order. In many cases, this also acts as an incentive for customers to place larger orders as they try to take advantage of the fixed shipping cost.

By including your shipping costs into your prices, this gives you a way to promote ‘free delivery’ as part of your offering. If you’ve put some of the earlier shipping tips for small businesses into place, and optimized your company’s shipping operation, then you can still offer value to your customers, without having to cover the cost of shipping out of your own margins.

Bonus Tip – Reviews

People trust online reviews. One of the ways smaller shippers can compete with their larger counterparts is by building up a quality online profile, with lots of positive reviews. So, if you haven’t already optimized your shipping to include an insert or incentive for leaving a review, then doing so is a great idea!

Shipping Tips for Your Small Business

Final Thoughts

With poor or no planning, shipping can end up being complicated, costly, and it can heavily impact your reputation and the overall customer experience. For smaller businesses that don’t have the demand for volume shipping, getting the right partners, processing, and pricing in place is essential.

Online shipping is so much more than an operational process. It’s also an opportunity to build loyalty, improve your customer experience, and it can also be crucial to your profit margins. In some cases, the flexibility and strength of your online shopping options could also help you make a sale in the first place.

We hope you’ve been able to find at least a couple of shipping tips for your small business.

Have a question or want to know more? Let us know!
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