Shipping is frequently the “make or break” factor in an online purchase. If it's too expensive, not available through their preferred carrier, or cumbersome in some way, a potential consumer will happily abandon their shopping basket and go elsewhere to find what they want.
However, there are numerous strategies to avoid losing customers due to a simple delivery option. Some numerous add-ons and extensions can assist you in expanding your store's shipping options, and they go far beyond merely adding another carrier or switching to flat costs. You may charge more precisely, split up orders, and even bypass the delivery process entirely with the appropriate extensions.
Today, we're discussing more complex available shipping methods to consider while selling online, to help you expand your company and make your customers happier. These extensions will offer you the power to increase your options considerably and convert more of your consumers into paying customers, from location-based pricing to local pickup.
Continue reading to learn about shipping choices you may not have considered previously!
Examples of Different Shipping Methods
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There is no shortage of different shipping methods that you can add to the checkout process, from location-based fees and order size/weight-based charges to local pickup and per-product delivery.
1. Shipping at a Table Rate
Customers who live closer to your store should not have to pay the same delivery fee as those who live in the farthest shipping zone. It makes more sense to offer more reasonable rates to buyers who are close by while still providing fair prices to those who are further away. Right? This is precisely what the table transportation method facilitates. It enables you to charge varied shipping charges depending on your clients' locations, as well as the size and weight of products. When supplying customers in several shipping zones, it's an excellent eCommerce shipping option.
It allows you to create shipping zones and define individual delivery options by ZIP or postal code, state, region, or nation. If your online store shipping delivers to several shipping zones and destinations, table rate shipping is ideal for you. It allows you to define shipping options and rates for each zone with great flexibility.
2. Box Shipping at a Flat Rate
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This shipping technique allows you to charge your customers appropriately based on the quantity of boxes/master cartons shipped. If your shipments fluctuate in size and weight and you want to charge your clients based on the number of their orders, this is a fantastic choice for you.
The idea behind flat rate box shipping options is that packing and sending a large, heavy box full of merchandise costs more than mailing a tiny parcel. In that instance, basing your shipping prices on the height and weight of your boxes makes more sense.
As you might think, basing your costs on the height and weight of your boxes necessitates complex arithmetic and product configuration, and you'll need to determine and enter the exact dimensions of your products and shipping boxes. After you've completed the setup, you'll be able to specify how much you want to charge for various shipping box sizes, as well as charge different rates for different zones.
3. Shipping Charges Per Product
If your store sells large things that come in bulky boxes or items that are oddly shaped and don't fit into boxes, you'll need to figure out a means to charge and ship them without losing money. Allowing per-product shipping rates as an eCommerce shipping option throughout the checkout process will simplify things for you. You can charge extra costs for some or all of your products and product variations using this delivery option.
When you sell a customer a desk or a bike with an extra component that requires a separate box, this is a good illustration. This strategy allows you to bill each item appropriately and independently.
Invest in product-specific shipping. You may need to override your available shipping rates on select items or offer heavy and large product variations requiring special delivery if you have a few items that require additional shipping and/or handling expenses.
4. Ship to Various Destinations
Customers want to send gifts to their loved ones throughout the holidays, and they enjoy doing so by shipping pieces of their orders to multiple addresses. You can allow your customers to ship to many addresses in the same order using this delivery method.
It's one of the eCommerce shipping options you should think about including in your checkout process, especially around the holidays. Instead of placing many purchases for their holiday shopping, your clients can submit one large order that will be split into multiple pieces at checkout and mailed to their addresses. It's a strong and convenient shipping option that will allow you to meet your customers' many destination needs while also giving you a competitive advantage. So, if your consumers have requested this feature, go ahead and invest in multi-address delivery, and you'll have an easier time expanding your Christmas sales.
4. Pickup Locally
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Having a local pickup option in your store's checkout process is a terrific idea. This option allows your customers to come into your store and pick up their products instead of having them sent.
This technique should be available as a checkout option for merchants who have one or more physical locations where customers can pick up their goods, as well as companies who are already selling locally and wish to expand online.
It's also a good alternative for shops who want to give customers additional options by splitting orders between local pickups and shipping, or who want to provide discounts to those who pick up their things locally. It not only saves the merchant money and time on shipping, but it also allows customers to have a seamless digital and physical shopping experience and receive their things sooner.
5. Shipping Requirements
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Let's imagine you offer licensed items that aren't available in some parts of the world, or you simply don't want to deal with the inconveniences of shipping some of your products overseas to specific nations.
In that situation, you'll need to restrict your shipping options by informing your customers ahead of time about where you can and can't ship before they complete the purchase process. Conditional shipping allows you to limit products based on the location of a buyer. You can create several criteria for your store's products to prevent customers from making purchases that are too expensive to ship or ordering items that aren't accessible in their region.
6. Invoices or Packing Slips Should Be Printed and Included
Even though eCommerce is all about digital transactions and payments, physical invoices and packing slips continue to be used. These prints are still used in accounting by companies, organizations, and businesses!
However, physically producing invoices and packing slips can be time-consuming. It's more practical to have a system in place to generate them automatically. If you work in a B2B environment or have customers who specifically request printouts, including them in the checkout process ensures that you can print them as soon as you need them. Printouts are also useful for including a copy of your return policy or other important buying instructions with your orders.
Benefits of Using Multiple Shipping Options
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While using a single shipping carrier saves time, using numerous shipping carriers has its own set of advantages.
∙ Increasing Your Negotiating Leverage
As an eCommerce business owner, you can frequently negotiate better pricing with a single carrier than the average job. However, you are still at the mercy of that carrier, and you may become complacent as a result. That's because many shippers who have an exclusive arrangement with a carrier don't keep up with what other carriers have to offer if their present carrier is meeting their needs. In addition, similar to cable providers, carriers may not offer their best shipping options or rates to existing customers.
∙ Selecting the Best Shipping Options for the Job
While a single carrier plan can save time because you know who you'll be shipping with at all times, not all carriers are made equal. Some carriers are simply better than others when it comes to managing certain types of goods. As a result, if you use multi-carrier shipping options, you'll pick the carrier that's optimal for each cargo (for example, domestic vs. international shipping, oversized shipments, etc.). Again, this may take some time, but the result could be worthwhile.
∙ Risk Reduction
Placing all of your shipments in the hands of a single carrier is akin to putting all of your eggs in one basket. And, of course, shipping entails a significant amount of danger. A carrier's service levels may fluctuate, or service to some locations may be discontinued, leaving you rushing to locate another carrier. You may notice that your carrier has become sloppy, losing an increasing number of items in transit. Alternatively, inclement weather may drive a carrier to its knees, affecting your capacity to ship merchandise on time. For these reasons, having a backup plan is usually a smart idea (i.e., a deal with another carrier).
∙ Meeting Customer Requirements
A consumer may have a preferred carrier. Alternatively, a B2B customer may request that you transport their packages on their behalf. You won't be able to meet these requests if you have an exclusive deal with a single carrier, which could lose you a customer. If you travel to another carrier to meet the request and break your exclusivity agreement, you may be penalized with increased shipping charges in the future or lose your preferred shipper designation. However, if you use a multi-carrier strategy, none of this will be a problem, and you will be able to meet your clients' needs.
∙ Greater Returns Flexibility
30 percent of all products ordered online are anticipated to be returned (compared to less than 8 percent of products purchased at brick-and-mortar stores). Returns handling is therefore crucial for eCommerce businesses.
When comparing carriers, eCommerce retailers may opt for lower-cost shipping options that are less capable of handling reverse logistics for products that aren't returnable or are only returned seldom. They may then choose a more expensive carrier that specializes in reverse logistics for products that are frequently returned (this will require some historical study).
How to Set up Shipping For Online Store with Strikingly
You may now add many shipping choices to your Simple Store, each with a separate delivery charge! You may now, for example, set up Standard and Expedited delivery options and let your clients pick between them at checkout. Alternatively, you can set up one Standard Shipping option and one In-Store Pickup option.
1. Go to Store > Shipping in the editor. A list of shipping alternatives can be found on this page.
2. Select 'Add Shipping Option' from the drop-down menu.
3. As needed, choose your Shipping Rule, Region & Rates, Option Name, and Shipping Guidelines.
4. To enable this option, click the 'Save' button.
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Conclusion
Shipping is unquestionably a difficult element of any e-commerce operation. Every company will face its own set of obstacles that must be addressed and conquered to build the best shipping options. It will take time and tinkering, just like so many other parts of your new eCommerce site, to figure out what works best.
Understanding all of the variables and changing your best shipping options as your business expands is important to long-term success. Don't let it get stale once you believe you've got it figured out. Reevaluate every six months to guarantee you're giving your consumers the finest service and experience for the best price.
