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Mistakes are an inescapable part of life. They are the primary tool by which we learn. In business, however, mistakes can often be costly. And when discussing eCommerce shipping, the potential to make mistakes can be especially high, and can result in a less-than-desirable customer experience.
That’s why this week on the blog we’re going over some of the most common shipping mistakes and how to avoid the potential loss of time and money that could result from making them.
Keep an Open Line of Communication
One might assume that offering a fair price on shipping and an estimated delivery date on orders would be sufficient enough for a good customer experience. This kind of assumption can be dangerous for your eCommerce store.
In fact, studies have shown that 97% of eCommerce customers expect consistent updates on their orders throughout the shipping journey![1]That number you can’t ignore.
How to Avoid This Mistake
Always provide tracking information with all orders sent out from your online store or marketplace.
Check for Multiple Rates
Getting one rate for your shipment is certainly an easy solution, but the easy solution is oftentimes not the most optimal one. In the case of shipping rates, this is absolutely the case.
Ensuring you get multiple rates for your shipment allows you to not only select the most cost-effective rate available, but it also allows you to pick the right service for the shipment.
How to Avoid This Mistake
Prior to booking a shipment, compare quotes from multiple carriers, and book with the one that offers the best price and service at that time.
Protect Your Shipments
Much like with the above-mentioned point, there is certainly simplicity in using the same packaging for all your shipments. But easy doesn’t necessarily equate to better.
Improper packaging may save time and money in the short term, but improperly packaged goods can quickly lead to damaged goods, which can cost far more in the long run.
How to Avoid This Mistake
Always ensure that you’re using the correct size packaging and the right dunnage specific to the items you are shipping.
Be Accurate with Your Measurements
Weight and shipment dimensions are the two most crucial factors in shipping costs, and as such carriers take the accuracy of both very seriously. Shipment dimensions and weight are commonly audited by carriers en route to ensure accuracy.
What happens if those numbers don’t add up? A shipper can expect substantial remeasure and reweight fees, as well as further potential surcharges.
How to Avoid This Mistake
Don’t rely on the measurements listed on packaging, but instead measure the packaging yourself from the outside. Always use a proper shipping scale to get an accurate weight for your shipments and round up all measurements to the nearest whole number.
Stop Paying Too Much for Shipping!
If you think the rates you’re getting on shipping are the best they can be, that may be the biggest mistake on this list. Thankfully, ClickShip is ready to make sure this mistake is a thing of the past!
We partner with North America’s leading LTL and parcel carriers to offer you better rates on all your shipping, in real time, right at checkout. Our easy-to-use, multimode platform integrates seamlessly into the leading eCommerce platforms and online marketplaces, offering you a complete eCommerce shipping experience all for zero upfront and monthly fees!
Contact one of our shipping experts Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm EST at 1-877-335-8740 or by email at customercare@clickship.com and let ClickShip help keep your eCommerce on the right track!
[1] https://simpleglobal.com/blog/e-commerce-order-tracking-why-it-matters/
Written by Brandon Draga
Brandon Draga is a full-time content writer at Freightcom, the leading shipping solution for businesses in Canada. When Brandon is not writing content to help businesses with their shipping needs, he can be found at local skate parks or writing fantasy novels.
