Choosing a courier service for an online store

A big cost issue in e-commerce is the cost of shipping packages. It is usually paid by the buyer. However, it is known that the client pays attention to the cost of courier services, and this in most cases affects the purchase decision. Therefore, it is important to try to establish good cooperation with the courier company. When choosing this kind of company, you should start by comparing all the offers and choosing the best ones.

What is important to remember

Long gone are the days when a package could be sent or received only by mail. Currently, the scope of courier services is expanding and choosing a delivery company is much easier. When starting to work with such services, it is worth considering some aspects of cooperation, namely:

Negotiate tariffs - the starting amount does not have to be final.
The volume of parcels sent is important when determining the price. If this is a start-up business, check the offers of courier brokers. Thousands of parcels are sent through their services, so the prices here are much lower, even taking into account commissions.
The advantage of courier brokers is a large selection of carriers. You can offer customers several different methods for collecting parcels, and this will undoubtedly have a positive impact on business.

It is important to choose the best option and conclude a contract with the most suitable courier service. This will help to avoid many problems, both legal and financial.

How to choose a courier service

Using courier services allows you to bring the package much faster than using traditional mail. However, when choosing a delivery person, keep in mind that he works at a certain time and can visit the client only at strictly appointed hours. Usually it is possible to determine when the courier will arrive at the customer. Depending on the region and the itinerary of the trip, it can even be in the evening hours. Each shipping company may have different delivery times. Usually it is 1-2 business days, but you should read the contract and determine everything exactly. Thus, the company reduces the waiting time for a parcel for its customers.
The most profitable option is to sign an agreement with the company on permanent cooperation. But then the entrepreneur is tied to one carrier, whose prices will depend on the volume of parcels sent. Here it is important to check whether this carrier insures the goods, or whether the company must do it on its own. Usually insurance is included in the price of the order, but it is worth checking and possibly insuring packages with a more expensive range.

Courier services and business size

If the company issues a small number of parcels, the employee can independently deliver them to the place of reception. Such a service, of course, will cost less, and the goods will be delivered to the client earlier. However, it is necessary to have processing facilities for the transportation of parcels.
In addition to couriers, there is a large selection of parcel stations on the modern market. In this case, the client gets the opportunity to pick up his purchase at the selected point of issue of orders. This is an advantage for most consumers, because they do not have to wait for the package - it is waiting for them. From the point of view of the store, this option is usually more profitable and less expensive.
Of course, when choosing a courier company, one should not forget about the National Post. Despite varying opinions about this service, it tends to be the cheapest option.
It is a good idea to combine the entire sales process into a single holistic mechanism. When thinking about outsourcing activities, we should not forget about execution. The selected company will be responsible for the entire logistics area so that the entrepreneur can take care of sales.
Companies offering expansion-fulfillment services usually have discounted rates set for couriers, cooperate with several entities and have a fixed, low delivery cost regardless of the number of parcels. You should look for a service where business owners are offered preferential terms of cooperation. Thanks to this, an entrepreneur can save a lot - paying for the order and delivery, he wins in time, which he can spend on business development and thereby increase profits.