With the convenience of the internet, small businesses can reach customers all over the country, or even throughout the world. But this means plenty of shipping, which can lead to expensive mistakes if you do not know how to do it correctly. We’ll discuss top small business shipping solutions to help you make the process as easy, efficient, and cost-effective as possible.
1. Choose Your Audience
Shipping companies often divide the country into different zones for shipping purposes. Shipping from your zone to a customer within the same zone will be cheaper than shipping to an adjacent zone. Likewise, shipping to an adjacent zone will be cheaper than shipping to one that is several zones away or across the country. If you would like to control your shipping costs, consider marketing only to customers within your zone or the ones nearby. You can always expand your target audience later as your business becomes more profitable.
2. Consolidate Your Orders
Shipping multiple items in one package is usually more cost-effective than sending multiple packages to the same customer. To encourage your customers to consolidate their orders or to order multiple items, consider offering free shipping for orders over a certain dollar amount. This can minimize the amount you need to mark up each item to cover shipping, and it can help both you and the customer save money.
3. Cover Your Shipping Costs
Shipping can be costly, especially when air shipping or international shipping is required. Research shipping costs for each item and each shipping zone so that you have a better idea of what to charge. Basic shipping costs can be figured into the price of each item, and extra fees can be added to the order for expedited shipping, air shipping, custom shipping, or international shipping.
4. Choose the Best Carrier
Each shipper offers different shipping rates for different types of packages and shipping methods. Familiarize yourself with the services offered by each carrier, their pricing, and their restrictions. While USPS may offer better pricing for ground delivery, UPS or FEDEX can get the package there faster. Shipping hazardous items may be limited to ground transportation, while air shipping may be best for small domestic or international packages. If you have large quantities of cargo to ship, or especially large or heavy objects, LTL or FTL truck shipping may be the best choice domestically, while sea freight may be optimal for international orders.
5. Automate the Process
Software is available that can help to automate the shipping process and request quotes from multiple carriers. Alternatively, you can work with a commercial shipping service that handles all of the shipping for you, letting you focus on the more important task of running your small business.
Small Business Shipping Solutions in Las Vegas
Would you like to make shipping a breeze for your small business in the Las Vegas area? Talk to our team at AMR Group. We offer a wide range of small business shipping solutions, from air freight, RTL, and LTL shipping to international air and sea freight, as well as container shipping services. Our team can help you find the ideal combination of shipping speed and value for your clients, and we can provide reliable, cost-effective shipping for all your domestic and international shipping needs. We ship to over 60 countries globally, and we have extensive shipping, freight forwarding, and logistics experience.
Ready to get started? Call AMR Group today at (702) 800-6385 or contact us online to request a custom shipping rate for your business in Las Vegas or beyond.
