by If you run an ecommerce business and would like to grow your business, the next step to expand your business into the international market. This means that you would have to look into offering international shipping.
Recent studies have shown that almost 70% of online shoppers shop internationally. This indicates that online shoppers expect international shipping, and many ecommerce businesses are now trying to meet this demand. When businesses offer international shipping, it creates more opportunity to sell to consumers.
Consumers who shop online expect their orders to be delivered quickly and at the same time enjoy affordable shipping rates. While it can be tempting to offer your customers the lowest available shipping rates in order to stay competitive, this may also impact your profit margin. Therefore, it is important that you can find ways to reduce your shipping costs.
If you are new to international shipping and would like to know how to spend less on shipping and how you can make better decisions to scale your business, do read on.
- Firstly, you need to ascertain which country you will ship to and what the products you will be shipping.
- Familiarize yourself with country’s rules and regulations. Make sure that your products or the components are prohibited or restricted items.
How To Keep International Shipping Cost Low
When it comes to shipping costs, you do not want to overcharge your customers or make a loss. As such, it is important that you set your price correctly. Below are a number of factors that can affect the cost of your shipment:
Size – It will cost more to ship large and items because they take up more space. Smaller items that are lightweight are more cost-effective to ship and easier to pack. Weight your package and reduce the dimensions. If you use a box that is too big, you would have to pay more because it takes up space. Larger boxes lead to larger dimensional weight and hence increase the shipping costs.
Distance – The further the distance that your item needs to travel, the more fuel is required.
Customs – Different countries have different customs costs. Remember to check the laws of the country you are shipping to.
Timings – If your items required expedited shipping, you will have to factor it into the price.
Find International Shipping Companies
Many people often feel overwhelmed and apprehensive when thinking of international delivery because of the costs and rules that they have to abide by. There are also many international shipping companies in the market today and searching for the most cost-effective and reliable shipping company is stressful. Luckily, online resources such as Shiply are available to help. This online platform helps to connect shippers with rated international shipping companies. Just fill up the necessary details on their website and within minutes, personalized quotes will be sent to your mailbox. Most often, the quotes are up to 75% cheaper than usual rates. You can start to compare all of your options in one place.
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