One of the greatest benefits of owning an online store is the ability to sell to customers outside of your local area. Many small business owners that have brought their stores online have expanded their customer base to all parts of the globe. And while international shipping isn’t cheap, offering it to your customers can greatly increase your sales.
But what about profitability, you ask?
Of course, there is no simple answer to that question. The good news is that many business owners have increased sales AND profits by shipping their items internationally. There are a few things you must know in order to reduce costs and make it profitable and we’ll cover those in this article.
It’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all cheapest international shipping option. There are too many variables including the types of items you sell, their weight, your sales volume, the destination countries you ship to, and your desired delivery time-frames that affect which courier company you should choose.
Let’s assume you made your first cross-border sale and you’re ready to ship your package. You probably want to find the best international shipping rates, however cheaper isn’t always better. In many cases cutting corners or going with the cheapest option means compromising on service.
Let’s take a look at the top courier companies and compare their rates and service:
Delivering over fifteen million packages a day, UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company. They have a massive network throughout the world that they can leverage to provide competitive shipping rates and efficient service. Again if price is the most important factor you’re looking for then this may be a good option for you.
DHL Express is another great option for shipping packages internationally. They offer low rates and are very efficient, especially when you’re shipping to countries in Asia, Europe, or Africa. They are not US based so they can ship to embargoed countries like Iran and Cuba.
You’ll notice that a few of the courier companies listed above have low rates, but which one has the lowest? That depends on a lot of things and often the cheapest option for one delivery may not be the cheapest for the next.
You can save the most when you compare shipping rates on an order to order basis, and that’s exactly what our program Secureship allows you to do.
Simply enter your package details like size, weight, and destination and you’ll receive a quote from multiple shipping providers. You’ll quickly see who has the lowest rate, as well as other features such as estimated delivery time.
Saving money on international shipping isn’t as easy as picking the courier with the lowest price. There are other things you should do to reduce your expenses.
This one seems like a no-brainer but it’s worth mentioning. If you have experience sending packages then you probably know that the rates go up when the size of the box goes up. Make sure you purchase the smallest boxes you can for your items. If you send items in boxes that are larger than necessary you’ll be paying more than you need to be.
This is actually one of the most important steps when you’re shipping something internationally. Incomplete or missing customs documents can mean serious delays in customs, or worse, your package not being delivered altogether. Always research the rules and regulations of the destination country before sending your package out and make sure you follow all of their rules and include all of the necessary paperwork.
Most shipping companies provide discounts for online customers. If you bring your package to their office you’ll likely pay full price for their services because they know you’re not likely to shop around for the best price at that point. Online customers, however, are very likely to search for the best price.
If you usually purchase shipping services at the couriers physical location than making this one change can save you a lot of money throughout the year.
If you’re like most business you probably receive just as many packages as you send out. What do you do with all of the incoming packaging materials? If they usually end up in the trash you’re throwing money away. Packaging materials such as packing peanuts, foam, and plastic wrap can be reused. Chances are you could easily reduce your materials cost by 40%.
When shipping packages overseas you have a lot of choices when it comes to the shipping provider. Instead of getting a quote from each company individually, save time and money by using our online service, Secureship. You’ll receive an instant shipping quote from multiple carriers so you can choose the company with the best price and features for your needs.
About the author
About Secureship
Secureship® offers an online service that helps businesses and organizations ship more efficiently and affordably.
Providing instant price shopping across multiple carriers, Secureship is the best choice for reduced rate shipping. In addition, Secureship offers benefits such as a consolidated shipping system regardless of the carrier you choose, built-in address book, convenient invoicing and shipment management.
Visit our shipping estimate tool to see how much you can reduce your shipping expenses.
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