Any business that deals with physical goods needs solid infrastructure to distribute its products to customers and keep the business pumping. In fact, on this blog we’ve spoken before about how you can save on delivery costs.
Still it might not be clear to some as to why shipping is one of the most important factors your business should be focusing on.
Here’s the reason:
With increasing competition in the ecommerce and retail space, companies are fighting to provide the quickest turnaround time in ordering and delivering. They’ve gotten so efficent to the point that these days customers expect a lot from companies in terms of quick delivery times.
Now, not only do they want a much wider choice of delivery options, but they also want to pay as little as possible.
Handling the shipping yourself can be a gamble. Get it wrong and you’ll quickly see your customers dropping like flies. A bad delivery service has been rated as one of the worst things a customer an experience. So, why risk it when you can hire a third-party shipping service?
How a third-party shipping service can save you money
The majority of businesses today outsource their shipping needs. Not only is it much more convenient, but it’s also often cheaper too. This is largely due to economies of scale – companies that specialise in logistics and delivery only can get bulk discounts and focus their manpower on delivery services.
There are a number of other ways third-party shipping services can save you money, but the main ones include:
- You won’t need to invest in transportation, warehouse space or additional staff
- Due to high competition, you’ll find some really impressive deals
- You won’t need to carry out as many audits
The fact you won’t need to worry about sorting out your own transportation, warehouse space and hire additional staff is what is going to save you the most money. When you’re trying to grow your business, these expenses can be extremely draining, leaving very little to invest in other areas of the company. So, hiring a third-party shipping company can save you a small fortune when you’re just starting out.
The fact third-party shipping companies are so popular these days has also meant providers are having to reduce their rates and offer better deals than their competitors. Businesses can take full advantage of this and lock in to some pretty great cost-savings. There’s a lot of third-party companies to choose from, but providers such as Smiths News Trading Limited are definitely one you’ll want to check out. All you need to do is drop the parcel off at your local parcel store and they’ll take care of the rest.
Finally, you won’t need to perform as many audits as your warehouse and shipping processes aren’t carried out in-house. This further saves you money and a lot of hassle.
Overall, using a third-party shipping service delivers many benefits to growing businesses. The financial benefits are the most attractive to companies, but they can also help to improve your reputation and make shipping more convenient.
Final thought: Build a brand
While improving your delivery times and cutting costs can bring you more profit, consider taking actions that have more enduring effects. In a bloody arena of commerce and retails companies duking it out on cheapest prices and quickest delivery times, you can stand out of the crowd with a solid brand.
This will keep customers coming back to you, and identifying with your company. They’ll be less likely to be affected by higher prices and longer delivery times, giving you more wiggle room.
