2.14 billion people worldwide purchased services or goods online in 2021, which is 27% of the world’s population! In addition, e-commerce is expected to account for 22% of the total global retail sales in 2023.
All this to say: e-commerce is doing well, and it’s here to stay.
If you’re thinking of pivoting careers or have already gotten started on a new business, then it’s important to consider the e-commerce shipping solutions available. Selecting the right one means not only happier customers but also a happier budget.
In this article, we’ll list seven types of shipping solutions you can consider, so you’ve got plenty of options to weigh up.
- Self-Shipping
Shipping orders on your own can be the most cost-effective shipping method. You’ve got complete control over the whole process, and if you make the products within your own home or office, it’ll be easy to pack up and send them out. This is also great if you want to add personal touches to your shipments, as you can personally select stickers, write thank-you notes, and pack in small gifts.
However, this option is only viable for very small businesses. It’ll be difficult or impossible to keep up with the orders, even if you have an assistant or two. Needless to say, it’ll be time-consuming to do, especially during peak seasons.
- Dropshipping Service
If you’re not planning on making products yourself, but don’t want to purchase, store, and ship items yourself, then dropshipping services are ideal for you.
It’s cost-effective, plus you don’t need to make a large upfront purchase to invest in inventory. In addition, you have lots of flexibility for inventory.
You’ll work with third parties, who are usually manufacturers or wholesalers, so you’ll find some outstanding deals if you look enough. You’ll then list their products in your online shop, and when a customer buys these things, your store sends the customer information to the manufacturer or wholesaler. They’ll fulfill the order, meaning you don’t have to deal with shipping at all.
The experts at synaptech.io can set up your shop, so purchases go smoothly between all the parties involved. Their solutions can even grow and scale with you, so there’s no interruption in services.
- Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Service
3PL services are ideal for e-commerce owners who purchase from several manufacturers and wholesalers but don’t do their own warehousing or shipping. This works in a similar fashion to dropshipping but with some additional benefits.
For example, these companies often have good relationships with carriers, so this keeps shipping costs down. And they’ll handle the entire shipping process from start to finish, so you won’t have to hire your own staff to do this. They can also scale up quickly on demand, meaning they can meet the demands of peak seasons.
However, 3PL services are usually better for more well-established businesses, as they’re more expensive than the other choices.
The above three are the general types of shipping you can select. Regardless of which e-commerce shipping solution you choose, you’ll have to choose specific methods, which we’ll cover in the next sections.
- Two-Day Shipping
Two-day shipping is the industry nowadays; long gone are the days when consumers wait patiently for a week to receive their purchases. Amazon Prime has set customer expectations, and you need to keep up with them.
At the very least, your products should match this shipping speed to keep up with the bigger e-commerce companies. Typically, this can be done with a 3PL service, as they can leverage their carrier connections. You probably won’t be able to offer two-day shipping on your own unless you charge a higher shipping cost to your customers or you eat those (neither of which are ideal).
- Overnight Shipping
In addition to two-day shipping, consider adding overnight shipping for the more impatient customers. This can also help you stand out against the e-commerce crowd, which has lots of retailers shouting.
While your customers won’t necessarily get their purchases the next day, you can promise that they’ll get them on the next business day. So as long as they don’t order on a Friday or Saturday, they won’t even have to wait a full day. Now that’s quality service!
- Same-Day Delivery
There are some consumers who must have instant gratification, so you might want to cater to them. They’re more than willing to pay for speedy shipping, so it’s ok to have a higher price tag here.
The only issue with this shipping solution is it takes a lot of coordination to ensure your customers get what they pay for. After all, you may have only a few hours to get the products from the warehouse into their hands.
Surprisingly, you can either self-ship or work with a 3PL service. If you choose the former, then research your choices carefully to pick a company that’s trustworthy and reliable.
- Expedited Shipping
Expedited shipping is excellent for customers who don’t want standard shipping but can’t afford to or don’t care enough to use the other options we’ve just listed. It’s a little faster, but the exact delivery date won’t be certain.
This is a good one to add to your shipping solutions if you want to fight cart abandonment. If you can show these users that they’ll get their purchases quicker than expected, then they’ll be more willing to complete their orders.
Consider These Ecommerce Shipping Solutions
With this range of e-commerce shipping solutions, you have many options to keep your customers and bank account happy.
You don’t have to select just one, either. You can start with self-shipping, then progress to 3PL services once you get off the ground. And by offering more shipping choices than standard, you’ll offer flexibility for your customers, which can motivate them to purchase.
Keep reading our blog page for more ideas on running your e-commerce business.
