Choosing the Right Shipping Method for Ecommerce Fulfillment

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Fast and reliable fulfillment is critical to the success of your online business. Your top priority is getting your orders to your customers quickly and accurately, but at the same time choosing a cost-effective shipping method. This article provides you with a detailed overview so that you are prepared to select the correct shipping methods for your fulfillment business.

Shipping options: Choose from the widest range of shipping options to ensure you get the most reliable and cost-effective delivery methods for your orders. The choice of shipping companies and shipping methods depends on the following criteria:

You basically have two options: services offered by USPS or services offered by a private carrier like UPS / FedEx.

Despite all the bad press, USPS is one of the best and most reliable shipping options to deliver to the consumer for home delivery. USPS service is by far the cheapest. There are many shipping options available. First Class, Media, Priority, and Express Mail. USPS also offers flat rate package shipping for a standard price to anywhere in the US The best part about USPS is that it is the only option for delivering packages to PO locations. Box and APO. Unlike other carriers, First Class Mail charges the same flat rate if the package is sent to the next door neighbor or if it is sent by air to Hawaii or Alaska.

UPS / FedEx usually charge more. These two transports are a good option if you want a very reliable service. If your products are high in value and you want insured and guaranteed delivery, it’s okay to justify the high cost charged by UPS / FedEx. These conveyors are ideal for heavier packages. Both UPS / FedEx offer ground and air services. The cost and time to deliver a package depending on the area. The whole country is divided into several zones. Packages sent to the nearest area are delivered overnight by land and cost less compared to the farthest area, which could take up to 5 business days via ground service.

Delivery confirmation and follow-up: The terms “Delivery Confirmation” and “Tracking” are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. When UPS or FedEx “tracks” a package, it knows where it is at all times. The delivery confirmation will generally acknowledge that the package arrived at the destination zip code. You will also see if the delivery was attempted but not successful. However, the details are often confusing after that. If “delivered”, was the package left at the door? Did the postman leave it at the neighbor’s house? Delivery confirmation will often not help you in those situations. It is possible to have a lost package with “delivery confirmation” showing “delivered” at the same time.

Another limitation of Delivery Confirmation is that it is often not scanned. Cases have been reported where the package was never scanned, either on the pickup side, on the delivery side, or both. When you look up the “delivery confirmation” number online, it just says “Printed label.” Other things to note about delivery confirmation: USPS delivery confirmation in “first class” mail is restricted to items that are at least ¾ “thick. If the item is less than ¾” thick , you must upgrade to priority mail to use delivery confirmation.

Sending merchandise to the logistics center: In addition to selecting the correct shipment for the outbound shipment; You must also send the goods to the fulfillment center. Most fulfillment centers have negotiated rates for freight shipping via LTL or other shipping methods and you should compare the shipping cost for inbound shipping from your fulfillment company rather than going directly to the shipping company. Depending on the nature of your merchandise and the collection site, there could be a big difference in cost between various transport companies, your fulfillment center should be able to guide you to advise you on the best option.

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