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Tips For Businesses To Ensure Smooth And Efficient Shipping

The effort to ship smart and package properly is worth the results. This begins by using the right packaging. The shipping boxes should fit properly without excess bulk or space. The shipping cost is determined by the weight and size of the box. Different styles and sizes of boxes can be tested to find the ones that work for the most products.

 

Clear guidelines make packaging more efficient. A checklist can be created to ensure every employee understands the process and the correct steps to take. This includes placing the correct number of items in the box, choosing the correct sized box and sealing the containers properly prior to shipping.

 

The warehouse should be well organizing for packing the products. The most frequently sold items should be near the packing area or pre-packed. The storage shelves should be easy to reach. Any products sold together should be side by side in the warehouse. Aisles and shelves should be labeled with large signs to make the items easy to locate. All materials including labels, tape and scissors should be easily accessible in the packaging area. Space can be reserved for items that have already been sold and packed orders waiting for shipping. The packing will be smoother if confusion and clutter are eliminated.

 

The time prior to Christmas beginning with Black Friday means substantial increases in sales. Every business has busy periods during the year. Packaging materials can be prepared in advance to make order fulfillment faster. Additional employees can be brought in to build the shipping boxes ahead of time, fill them with bubble wrap or packing peanuts and attach the labels. Products expected to achieve high sales can be packed in quantity in advance. The more work accomplished prior to the orders arriving will help ensure the deliveries arrive on time.

 

It is important to invest in high quality materials for packing including bubble wrap, polystyrene peanuts and foam caps. The additional expense will add up because it will help avoid losses from items becoming broken or damaged. This will also enable the items to be shipped in smaller boxes and reduce the cost of shipping.

 

Shipping policies should be disclosed to the customers to answer any concerns or questions regarding shipping and delivery. Common questions regarding delivery times, returns and order fulfillment can be answered on the website using a FAQ page. The page can be updated during the busiest months of the year.

 

Buyers can input the wrong address or an old address on the order form. This means the shipment will either be lost or end up back at the business. It is important to verify the address is correct for any new customer prior to shipping. The few seconds this requires will save money, hassles and frustration in the future. There are also tools available to verify the address of a customer easily and immediately.

 

It is important to know what it will cost to ship a package prior to actually sending it to the customer. This can be accomplished with a shipping calculator. The destination, weight and dimensions of the package are entered and the tool provides an estimate for the price. Most new and existing business can update their current protocols for shipping. Ensuring the efficiency of these process will save both money and time in the future.

 

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Uploaded on July 20, 2018