You Need Fast Shipping: Why Having Fast Shipping is Important
In today’s eCommerce world, it seems like we’re all competing with the likes of Amazon Prime and other free delivery services that offer things like next-day and two-day shipping and delivery as standard practice. COVID caused everyone to reconsider their agility and adaptability in the marketplace and many companies realized that when it comes to shipping, there is much room for improvement.
Sure, you can’t force carriers to get your products there faster. You can’t buy out the USPS and guarantee overnight delivery for free to every customer that you have, no matter what they buy. However, you can make sure that your shipping practices are up-to-date and offer the quickest, most efficient options for getting things delivered to your customers, no matter where in the world they are.
Why Amazon is the Standard
In the height of the pandemic, as people hurried to find ways to get the products that they needed, Amazon stepped in and stepped up, ramping up its Prime service to include things like next-day delivery, guaranteed two-day delivery, and some type of digital credit or discount if you were willing to wait an extra day or two for your delivery. They hired drivers and warehouse workers by the thousands, and they set to change the way the world sees commerce.
No longer are people used to waiting 10-14 days for delivery. No longer are online shoppers willing to spend a small fortune for expedited shipping and delivery when companies out there are doing it for free. If you get lucky, you’ll come across the occasional customer that favors the small business and will pay the extra price anyway, but that’s getting rarer and rarer with each passing day. So, as a small business, how are you supposed to keep up?
Find a way to make your shipping faster, cheaper, and more tailored to the needs of your customers. Considering that 99% of consumers in the U.S. state that quick delivery is an important factor in their online purchases, you can’t afford not to.
What Counts as “Fast Shipping”?
There are several different arguments that there is no single “fast shipping” solution that is effective for all businesses. Ideally, you would be able to deliver the products in the shortest amount of time possible. The caveat? You might think you’re already doing that. However, unless you’re consistently getting comments about how unexpectedly quick your shipping was, you’re probably not quite there.
Some people consider shipping to be fast if it takes less than a week. Others might want 2–3-day shipping and only count that as “fast”. More might think that a company doesn’t offer fast enough shipping until, or unless, they offer things like overnight delivery and more.
How to Ship Faster for Less
One of the issues for small brands, of course, is the cost. You can ship things overnight and get orders delivered the next day—for a price. In addition, buyers don’t typically want to pay that price; leaving you to figure out how to make up the costs yourself. After all, when the competition is offering similar shipping that has comparable rates, you need something to measure against. Figuring out how much you’re charging people for shipping is a minute detail in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, there are ways that you can reduce shipping costs and get access to better shipping methods. With the right solution, you can even get access to; inventory management, printing and production assistance, and a dedicated partner that handles all of your returns and order-related issues. This takes an entire department off your plate.
So even if you’re not saving money upfront, you’ll reclaim the expense over time in the form of cost savings.
Making Fast Shipping Worth the Investment
Some carriers have astronomical charges for the various shipping services that they offer. Others may have more affordable options to choose from, but you will need to look at what you’re actually getting. That way, you know that you are getting quick shipping and not pulling the money out of your own pocket. One of the best solutions for brands today that are trying to keep up with the likes of Amazon is to use a 3PL.
Third-party logistics allows you to outsource every single aspect of the shipping process. If you find the right partner, you can outsource everything after the sale is completed. This can include; pulling the inventory, picking and packing the order, shipping and delivery, and even handling the occasional return when it arises.
Having a 3PL partner is an affordable investment that will cost a lot less. Plus, they’ll do a lot more for you than just ship items.
When you work with a third-party logistics provider, you get the chance to have the fastest shipping for all of your deliveries. You also get the benefit of longstanding professional relationships with shippers that may provide more options or flexibility for people trying to ship items to their customers in a better way. These companies can handle everything mentioned above:
- Inventory management
- Order picking and packing
- Shipping
- Delivery
- Returns and customer service
Imagine how much more free time you’ll have, how much your customers will appreciate the dedicated service, and how much more affordable it will be when you hire a third-party partner rather than doing all of the work yourself.
Get Fast or Get Off the Market
Today, customers have no patience or time for slow shippers. They are understanding, to an extent, of supply chain kinks and pandemic-related shortages. However, there are still several people who just complain about how they can’t grow and how they spend a small fortune on shipping because of various economic factors. If you’re the type of person who’s just looking to find a better solution for your current situation, now is the time to give it a try.
Keep this information in mind and you’ll be set up with some of the fastest shipping available in no time at all.