For an eCommerce company to thrive, it needs to be a well-oiled machine all the way through, from how customers order to how those orders are processed to how they’re shipped out. Unfortunately, for many in eCommerce, shipping is a less-than-efficient process. And in too many of those cases, the company has no idea.
So is your eCommerce shipping process wasting your time? Here are four warning signs:
You’re getting way too much exercise at work
You’re doing a lot of unpacking and repacking shelves to get to the products your customers ordered. Your muscles are getting stronger, but you’re falling behind. Then, you’re running those products over to packaging, then running those packages over to get labelled, then running the labelled packages to the loading area: great for your cardiovascular health, less so for operational efficiency. Because that time you spend lifting and scrambling could be used to tweak your marketing plan, post something to your social media channels or come up with a new product offering.
Simply reorganizing where things are in your warehouse (or garage) can make a world of difference. If you don’t know where to start, a simple chit chat with a logistics expert will help.
You’re on the road to a nasty case of carpal tunnel
You’re manually managing all your customer, customs and shipping information. And you’re probably making mistakes along the way — especially if you’re shipping a lot. This leads to returned packages, more time and money wasted, and very angry customers (especially around the holidays). And then, before you know it, you’re shipping less.
The right shipping partner will automate that entire process for you. A few taps of a screen or clicks of a mouse and voila: your shipment is ready, your information is accurate, your forms are complete and your customer gets their order on time. They’re happy. You’re happy.
You can hum your shipping partner’s “on-hold” music by heart
Your shipper is delivering late or damaged or to the wrong address. So you’re on the phone with them. A lot. And when you’re not talking to them, you’re listening to their muzak; or worse, their terrible ads you have no choice but to sit through as you wait for a real person. That’s the WORST use of time. It’s costly. It’s frustrating. And you know that it’s never going to end. You’re going to have to call again and sit through the mind-numbing hold music or messaging again. That’s when you know it’s time for a different solution ⎯ one that makes it easy across the board.
You spend way too much time doing math
You want to offer free eCommerce shipping because you know that 90% of customers see free shipping as the #1 incentive to shop more. But to make that happen, you have to get super creative with your numbers. Instead, consider getting equally picky with a shipping partner who can get your costs down enough to absorb a free shipping offer.
If you’re in the eCommerce business, you’re in the time-saving business. It’s why people shop online. So practice what you preach and save yourself the hassle of wasted time ⎯ just like your customers do.
