With Amazon having scored the majority of e-commerce sales last year, Amazon sales keep rising. Therefore, it’s no surprise that marketplace selling is big business. Robust inventory assortment and management can help sellers strengthen their eBay sellers strategy, yet these key details alone won’t help marketplace sellers reach their fullest potential. To ensure sellers meet customer demands and stay competitive among fast-moving marketplaces, shipping must be a top priority.
To help keep up with this growing commerce avenue, sellers must ensure their shipping strategies are as robust and efficient as possible. Consider the five tips below.
#1: Offer Shipping Options for Your Customer to Choose From
Let’s face it, not everything is black and white. When it comes to eBay sellers’ strategy, shipping is everything. Options for shipping can vary based on various factors – including the location of delivery, package size, and surcharges that may apply. Because of this, it’s essential to offer your customers variety when shipping their purchases. The most popular options for e-commerce shipping include ground delivery, LTL freight carriers, same-day or overnight delivery, and free shipping. However, you must have a solid understanding of the rates applied by each carrier option. Thus, minimize your shipping expenses while maximizing your shipping efficiency. Introducing multiple carriers into your shipping strategy can also help you accomplish this goal – ultimately helping you have control over your shipping costs.
#2. Acquire Free Shipping Boxes from USPS
Reducing expenses is a standing goal for online sellers. Paying for boxes represents both substantial and unnecessary additions to your shipping costs. The cost of shipping boxes can dramatically reduce margins, adding as much as $7 to each sale made. What many business owners don’t realize, however, is that USPS will mail shipping boxes to your home or business at no charge. If you send your products through Priority Mail, Flat Rate, Priority Mail Express, or International Shipping, it does not necessitate expensive packaging or a trip to the Post Office. USPS offers various box dimensions – including a free option for various product sizes. Depending on your marketplace business size, this benefits smaller marketplace businesses. In conclusion, free supplies can help your company reduce shipping overhead and increase eBay sellers’ strategy.
#3. Prepare Responses to Customer Queries
Time is valuable and in demand for any business owner or marketplace seller. And when it comes to time, giving customers attention should always be on your to-do list. Respond to shipping inquiries and other questions they may have. However, these efforts can be time-consuming in the online selling and shipping business. To reduce this time in performing this often-repetitive task, create scripted responses to some of the most common customer questions. Save time and resources by selecting the appropriate answer for each query from an arsenal of pre-scripted responses. This strategy gives each customer the best-worded answer to their shipping questions every time. Now you can focus your resources on more pressing demands, such as shipping.
#4. Select Shipping Packages Based on Parcel Size
Quality control continues throughout the shipping process. Amazon and eBay have strict shipping policies. Sellers not adhering to these policies can face fees or penalties with both platforms. One policy many sellers often overlook is to send packages in the correct sized box for the respective enclosed items. When a shipping box is not fitted to the items within the package, it can become compressed and destroy products throughout the shipping process. Amazon requires that you provide 2 inches of cushioning between your products and the box itself. The space ensures items are secure enough not to move within the package. Ensure your fulfillment standards meet these expectations to ensure your customers are not disappointed upon the package’s arrival. Another tip? Have a variety of package sizes available for your fulfillment team to quickly and be ready to use.
#5. Review, React & Reconsider Your Shipping Approach
Data and analytics are vital assets to any business; as a marketplace seller, these are extremely important to consider. You strengthen your company’s operations when you allow data and analytics to deliver insight into your shipping performance. Incorporating regular reporting into your shipping strategy can help identify where you may be spending too much. Identify ways to improve shipping efficiency and insight into your best practices, missed opportunities, and more. Explore more about how data and analytics can help your business here.
Bonus eBay Sellers Strategy Tip: Include Parcel Auditing
From late deliveries to duplicate charges to incorrect dimensional weight charges and more, many “fine-print” details makeup carrier contracts… and expenses. As a result, your shipping strategy must include understanding when and why you are being billed incorrectly for your shipping expenses. Incorporating parcel auditing as part of your strategy should be a must. More details here on why this is a valuable component of any marketplace seller’s shipping business. eBay sellers’ strategy involves gaining money back at no upfront expense to you!
Finally, shipping can be a powerful eBay seller strategy to differentiate marketplace sellers from their competitors and meet customer expectations. It only works if you put your strategy into action. You are identifying a plan that your entire commerce team can support. Marketing to fulfillment to customer care and every other touchpoint of employee interaction is critical for marketplace success. Therefore, trust your business is prepared to compete in the constantly changing online selling landscape with shipping strategies. Finally, you can be proud of them while counting they are helping you meet your marketplace goals.
