Amazon FBA Shipping Rates: Is It Worth It or Not?

If you’re constantly scrolling on social media, you’ve probably seen gurus offering their courses for Amazon FBA, or if you’re selling on Amazon you’ve probably encountered the term Amazon FBA. You’ve likely scratched your head and asked, what Amazon FBA is and are Amazon FBA Shipping Rates worth it?

To give you a few statistics, out of the 10,000 sellers on Amazon, 66% of them use FBA. It is pretty popular. Don’t worry if you don’t have any clue about it because we’ll be tackling all about Amazon’s FBA Program -- Amazon fulfillment services tracking, Amazon FBA shipping rates, and how to ship directly to Amazon FBA.

Getting to Know Amazon FBA Program

First and foremost, we’ll discuss what Amazon FBA is.

FBA means Fulfillment by Amazon.

As the name suggests, Amazon shall be the one to fulfill your orders. What you’ll do is to simply ship your products to Amazon’s warehouses and Amazon will be the one to pack, ship and provide excellent customer service to your customers.

Due to their amazing fulfillment service, they’ll help you scale your business and give you access to Amazon Prime members. Did you know that out of the 300 million active customers on Amazon, 90 million of them are Prime members?

Amazon’s Prime is a paid subscription program where users get more benefits than a regular customer on Amazon. Usually Prime members can have access to the one-day or next day shipping service of Amazon.

It’s also notable that they spend more money than the average customer. An Amazon Prime member spends an estimated $1,300 per year. However, only brands that are under Amazon FBA have access to Amazon Prime members.

This means you need to try registering your business on Amazon FBA so you can sell to Amazon Prime members.

How Does Amazon FBA Work?

With Amazon FBA, Amazon does the heavy work for you. Unlike the merchant-fulfilled network where you handle the packaging and shipment of the order, they’ll be the one to handle the fulfillment of orders.

The process is pretty simple. First, you’ll send your items to Amazon’s warehouse known as the Amazon fulfillment center. You must inform them of the product you will be shipping to them and they’ll advise you of the warehouse to ship the products.

Second, Amazon will store your products. You’ll need to pay an inventory storage fee and a fee for the fulfillment of your products. We’ll discuss these fees later.

Third, Amazon will process your orders. If your customers live overseas, the process will be called fulfilled by Amazon international shipping. Once an order is made, they’ll be the one to update your inventory and eventually ship your products.

The fourth step is following up on the customer. They offer customer service for the shipped product to make sure customers received the item. The last step is handling the computation of your sales. Amazon shall compute all your sales every two weeks and deduct the necessary fees.

That’s everything about the process of Amazon FBA. It’s pretty easy!

Finally planning on registering under the Amazon FBA program? Here are the shipping rates for Amazon FBA and other corresponding fees for this program.

Benefits of Amazon FBA Program

Curious to know the advantages and benefits of Amazon FBA? We presented below some of the most notable benefits of using the Amazon FBA Program.

Competitive and Fast Shipping Deals

Affordable and fast shipping deals are important factors that push customers to buy in your store. They often love it when you can provide them with free shipping and same-day delivery.

Even based on the study conducted by NRF, 65% of consumers say they look up free-shipping thresholds before adding items to their online shopping carts. Aside from it, they found out that 39% of consumers want their products to be shipped quickly while 29% have backed out of a purchase because two-day shipping wasn’t free.

By selling on Amazon, your items are eligible for free shipping and two-day delivery that Amazon Prime members love. Through it, your products will rank high on Amazon search results and put it in the path of consumers.

Customer Service and Returns Provided

Among the services that Amazon FBA will offer you is customer service. They’ll be the one to handle the follow-up on the delivery and satisfaction of the customers regarding the shipped product. On the other hand, customers love it when they receive top-notch customer service. They’re also more comfortable to buy in your store knowing they can return the item in case it has any defects.

Selling Outside of Amazon

Amazon FBA isn’t just for Amazon sellers. It can also be for sellers who sell outside of Amazon who owns their own business website. By availing of Amazon FBA Program, your customers can enjoy one-day or two-days shipping!

Help Scale Your Business

Since Amazon will handle the fulfillment of your orders, you can focus your attention on scaling your business. Instead of worrying over the logistics part of your business, you’ll just have to think about the marketing and planning of your store.

Rank High on the Amazon Search Results Page

Based on Amazon’s A9 Algorithm, Amazon’s FBA products get to be ranked higher than non-Amazon FBA items. By ranking higher, it will allow you to get more sales. Some other factors may come to play such as fast shipping. Generally, you can see that most top ranked items are FBA products.

Understanding Amazon FBA Fees

If you finally want to take advantage of Amazon FBA, there are a number of fees you need to know of.

Amazon FBA fees depend on these three primary factors:

The weight of the product
Size of the product
Channels where the products are sold

The two main Amazon FBA fees you will be dealing with are the following:

Amazon Fulfillment Fees - This is the fee that Amazon charges you for fulfilling your order. Amazon FBA shipping rates are part of the fulfillment fees. The fee shall cover the picking, packing. shipping and customer service given by Amazon on your customers. It is worth noting too that the fee is computed per unit.

2. Storage Fees - Aside from the fulfillment fees, you’ll also be paying for the storage cost of your product. You’re basically renting the space that your items are occupying. The fee shall depend on the space your items occupy.

Amazon also has categories for the product size. Determining the product size is important since the size and weight is needed to determine the fee.

Standard Size – For an item to be considered under the standard size category, it’s weight should be less than 12 lbs. The dimensions are also less than 15 x 12 x 0.75.
Large Standard Size - For an item to fall under the large standard-size item category, it should weigh less than 20 lbs. Furthermore, its dimensions must not be more than 18” x 14”x 8”.
Small Oversize - For an item to be considered under the small oversize category, it’s weight should be less than 70 lbs. The dimensions are also less than 60 x 30 x 130. .
Medium Oversize - For an item to be considered under the medium oversize category, it’s weight should be less than 150 lbs. The dimensions are also less than 108 x 130.
Large Oversize - For an item to be considered under the large oversize category, it’s weight should be less than 150 lbs. The dimensions are also less than 108 x 165.
Special Oversize – If a product is over 150 lbs and dimensions are 108 x 165.

Amazon FBA Fulfillment Fees

We mentioned earlier that fulfillment fees should be based on the weight and size of the product. You’re probably wondering how much is Amazon shipping or does Amazon FBA pay for shipping? The answer to shipping rates are below while it is worth noting that you do have to pay for Amazon FBA shipping.

Amazon FBA Shipping Rates for Non-Apparel

Standard Shipping Fees for Standard Sized Products

Size	Fulfillment Fee
Small standard-size (10 oz or less)	$2.50
Small standard-size (10+ to 16 oz)	$2.63
Large standard-size (10 oz or less)	$3.31
Large standard-size (10+ to 16 oz)	$3.48
Large standard-size (1+ to 2 lb)	$4.90
Large standard-size (2+ to 3 lb)	$5.42
Large standard-size (3+ lb to 21 lb)	$5.42 + $0.38/lb above first 3 lb

Standard Shipping Fees for Oversize Sized Products

Size	Fulfillment Fee
Small Oversize (71lbs or less)	$8.26 + $0.38/lb above the first two pounds
Medium oversize (151lb or less)	$11.37+ $0.39/lb above the first two pounds
Large oversize (151lb or less)	$75.78 + $0.79/lb above the first 90 pounds
Special oversize	$137.32 + $0.91/lb above the first 90 pounds

Amazon FBA Shipping Fees for Apparel

			Before February 18, 2020	February 18, 2020, and after
Size tier	Shipping weight	Packaging weight	Fulfillment fee per unit	Fulfillment fee per unit
Small standard	10 oz or less	4 oz	$2.81	$2.92
10 to 16 oz	$2.88	$3.11
Large standard	10 oz or less	4 oz	$3.59	$3.70
10 to 16 oz	$3.68	$3.81
1 to 2 lb	4 oz	$5.16	$5.35
2 to 3 lb	4 oz	$5.66	$5.95
3 lb to 21 lb	4 oz	$5.66 + $0.38/lb above first 3 lb	$5.95 + $0.38/lb above first 3 lb

Amazon FBA Fees For Non-Amazon Products – Multi-Channel Fulfillment

One of the few benefits of Amazon FBA is they allow you to sell on channels outside of Amazon. For example, you have a website for your products, and you want to avail of the services of Amazon FBA to fulfill your orders.

Fulfillment fees for products sold outside of Amazon are generally higher than items sold on Amazon.

It also has three shipping options: Standard, Expedited, and Priority. The fees for each shall be explained in the table below.

Standard 3-5 business day shipping
Size tier	1 unit order	2 unit order	3 unit order	4 unit order	5+ unit order
Small standard: 4 oz or less	$3.95	$2.75	$2.39	$1.89	$1.79
Small standard: 4 to 10 oz	$4.95	$3.45	$2.95	$2.29	$1.99
Small standard: 10 to 16 oz	$5.79	$4.05	$3.45	$2.89	$2.59
Large standard: 10 oz or less	$5.49	$3.85	$3.29	$2.69	$2.39
Large standard: 10 to 16 oz	$5.79	$3.90	$3.40	$2.89	$2.59
Large standard: 1 to 2 lb	$5.95	$3.95	$3.45	$3.35	$2.95
Large standard: 2 to 21 lb	$5.95 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$3.95 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$3.45 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$3.35 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$2.95 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb
Small oversize	$10.99 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$6.80 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$5.80 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$4.80 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$3.80 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb
Medium oversize	$15.30 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb
Large oversize	$78.30 + $0.80/lb above first 90 lb
Special oversize	$143.30 + $0.92/lb above first 90 lb

Expedited 2-day shipping
Size tier	1 unit order	2 unit order	3 unit order	4 unit order	5+ unit order
Small standard: 10 oz or less	$5.69	$3.99	$3.29	$2.89	$2.49
Small standard: 10 to 16 oz	$5.89	$4.19	$3.49	$3.09	$2.69
Large standard: 10 oz or less	$5.79	$4.09	$3.39	$2.99	$2.59
Large standard: 10 to 16 oz	$6.29	$4.59	$3.89	$3.49	$3.09
Large standard: 1 to 2 lb	$6.99	$4.99	$4.19	$3.69	$3.29
Large standard: 2 to 21 lb	$6.99 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$4.99 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$4.19 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$3.69 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$3.29 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb
Small oversize	$11.99 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$7.80 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$7.30 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$7.15 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb	$6.85 + $0.38/lb above first 2 lb
Medium oversize	$16.80 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb
Large oversize	$78.30 + $0.80/lb above first 90 lb
Special oversize	$143.30 + $0.92/lb above first 90 lb

Priority next-day shipping
Size tier	1 unit order	2 unit order	3 unit order	4 unit order	5+ unit order
Small standard: 16 oz or less	$12.80	$7.30	$6.30	$5.80	$4.30
Large standard: 16 oz or less	$13.80	$7.80	$6.80	$5.90	$4.80
Large standard: 1 to 2 lb	$13.85	$7.85	$6.85	$5.95	$4.85
Large standard: 2 to 21 lb	$13.85 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$7.85 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$6.85 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$5.95 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$4.85 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb
Small oversize	$20.80 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$11.30 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$8.20 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$7.70 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb	$7.30 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb
Medium oversize	$31.30 + $0.39/lb above first 2 lb
Large oversize	$78.30 + $0.80/lb above first 90 lb
Special oversize	$143.30 + $0.92/lb above first 90 lb

Amazon FBA Monthly Storage Price

Aside from the fulfilment fee being paid, you also have to look out for the storage fee. It is particularly advantageous when you store your product in Amazon’s warehouses. It will be easier on your part to ship your products, thus leaving you with a satisfied customer and a good rating on your product listing.

The monthly storage fee is computed and charged between the 7th and 15th day of the month following the order. For example, your order was placed and shipped July 4, then you’ll receive your storage fee in August.

The following table shows the storage fees based on the product-size and month.

Month	Standard-size	Oversize
January - September	$0.75 per cubic foot	$0.48 per cubic foot
October - December	$2.40 per cubic foot	$1.20 per cubic foot

There will also be additional storage fees for dangerous goods and long-term inventory.

To know more about the details, you may check Amazon’s website.

There will also be additional storage fees for dangerous goods and long-term inventory.

To know more about the details, you may check Amazon's website.

Other Fees

Aside from the fulfillment and storage fees, there are additional fees that can be charged to you. It's best to take note of these first before you plan on vailing Amazon FBA.

FBA Removal Fees - Whenever a product is removed, a fee shall be charged based on the number of items removed.

Size Tier	Shipping Weight	Removal/Disposal Fee
Standard Size	0 to 0.5 lb	$0.25
0.5+ to 1.0 lb	$0.30
1.0+ to 2.0 lb	$0.35
More than 2 lb	$0.40 + $0.20/lb above first 2 lb
Oversize	0 to 1.0 lb	$0.60
1.0+ to 2.0 lb	$0.70
2.0+ to 4.0 lb	$0.90
4.0+ to 10.0 lb	$1.45
More than 10.0 lb	$1.90 + $0.20/lb above first 10 lb
0 to 1.0 lb	$0.60

Returns Processing Fee - This is a fee for any product returned on Amazon. The fee shall be equal to the fulfillment fee for a product. If there are chances that a number of units were returned as part of one order, then the fee per unit shall be higher the total fulfillment fee. Take note that the returns processing fee is based on a unit per shipment.
Monthly Selling Fees - This is the fee for using Amazon’s platform.
Referral Fees– These are the fees whenever you sell an item on Amazon. Think of it as Amazon’s commission, and it will depend on the category of your product.
Returns Processing Fee - This is a fee for any product returned on Amazon. The fee shall be equal to the fulfillment fee for a product. If there are chances that several units were replaced as part of one order, then the fee per unit shall be higher than the total fulfillment fee. Take note that the returns processing fee was based on a unit per shipment.
Monthly Selling Fees - This is the fee for using Amazon's platform.
Referral Fees– These are the fees whenever you sell an item on Amazon. Think of it as Amazon's commission, and it will depend on the category of your product.

Is Amazon FBA Worth It?

Amazon FBA is a great program that can help you scale your business. Their services are highly competitive so that both Amazon sellers or outside Amazon sellers can benefit from it.

However, to ensure your business's success through the program, you must carefully calculate your fees and re-check them.

We do understand that there are several fees when joining this program. Hence, we advise you to think about it first before jumping into it.

Do you need help shipping to Amazon Fulfillment Warehouses?

Do you wish to choose a cheaper and competitive shipping service to ship your goods to Amazon's warehouse? Then you may try out our shipping service! Here at Stallion Express, we offer the best and quality shipping service to your goods.

You can even save up to 60% on shipping to Amazon FBA USA, especially if you wish to ship internationally! To know more about our services, you may contact us at +1 877-863-7447 or email [email protected].

Pramod Bhat

A Quick Guide on Standard Shipping from Outside Canada

When it comes to managing your business, you’re always looking for opportunities you can grab. These opportunities shall help you expand your business and earn more sales. Among these are shipping from outside your country. If you’re living overseas and plan to target the Canadian market, you might think of standard shipping from outside Canada to ship your products.

This is a great opportunity that you should pursue. Based on Pitney Bowes, 62% of retailers offer cross-border selling, and 70% of consumers shop online internationally. The figures show us that consumers and retailers are jumping into the eCommerce business. It has even been estimated that in 2020, cross-border eCommerce shall account for USD 900 billion Gross Merchandise Value.

International shipping shall open you to a lot of opportunities. It may seem scary at first because you’re moving out of your comfort zone, but with the right guidance and tips, we’re sure that you’ll prevail. To help you out in shipping your goods, we’ll tackle the difference between standard and expedited shipping and the best shipping services you can avail for your business.

What is Standard Shipping and Expedited Shipping?

Shipping is an essential aspect of your eCommerce business because it’s how your customers get to have your product. The way everything is handled affects your customer’s impression on you. Moreover, customers tend to have different opinions on the pace of shipping their products.

Some need their items urgently while others are satisfied with the normal delivery time. If you have been ordering online, you may have encountered the terms standard and expedited shipping. These two terms are often interchanged, so to clear any confusion, we discussed the two in detail below.

Standard shipping is what we usually call regular shipping. Since it does not include overnight shipping, the usual delivery time is five to seven days. It’s also cheaper than expedited shipping. Less urgent goods can be shipped through standard shipping.

Expedited shipping is faster than standard because trucks carrying the goods rarely stop while shipping the products. These trucks have two drivers who work in shifts for the speedier delivery of goods. Hence, the delivery of these goods usually takes two to three days only. The price is also higher than expedited shipping. Time-sensitive products should be shipped through expedited shipping rather than standard shipping.

Amazon offers standard, expedited, and priority shipping.

Suppose you’ve been buying or selling on Amazon. Then you may have experienced the terms express and priority shipping. For you to not get confused, the terms express, priority, and expedited have close meanings. The difference lies in how the shipping company uses it. On Amazon, express shipping refers to next day delivery while expedited refers to one to three day delivery time.

Everything you Need to Know about Shipping within Canada

If you are shipping within Canada, these are the things you need to know.

How long does Canada Standard Shipping Take?

Shipping in Canada as a small business, these are the shipping options and times you should be aware of:

Shipping Option	Delivery Times
Standard Shipping	3 to 6 business days
Express Shipping	2 to 4 business days
Priority Shipping	1 to 3 business days
Two-Day Shipping	Within 2 business days
One-Day Shipping	Within 1 business day

Your package shall arrive based on these delivery estimates.

The seller determines shipping rates within Canada that are not books, music, DVDs, and videos. These rates are pre-calculated, and you can see it on your Order Summary page. However, shipping rates for books, music, DVDs, and videos are fixed.

	Books	Music	DVD	Video
Domestic	$6.49	$3.49	$3.49	$6.49
United States	$7.99	$7.49	$7.49	$7.99
Other International	$14.98	$7.99	$7.99	$14.98

Shipping Services in Canada

Stallion Express offers the most affordable and efficient shipping rates for your packages. You can ship anywhere in Canada by using our shipping service. We offer the lowest price on shipping than any other courier service you can think of. Wouldn’t you like to save up to 50% of shipping across the country? Plus, you and your customer can track the parcels once you delivered it in our hands to your customer’s doorsteps.

For easy tracking and fulfillment of orders, you can integrate your store with our state-of-the-art system. What’s more? Your customers can receive your packages within 2-8 business days! Aside from domestic shipping, we offer international and Amazon FBA Shipping too.

Everything you Need to Know about Shipping from Canada to the US

If you wish to ship from Canada to the US, you’ll need to know the destination country's policies first. In the US, you will be subjected to customs fees and import duties. We’ll talk about shipping from Canada to the US customs fee, documents, shipping price, and shipping services.

Customs Entry and Documents

When you are shipping from Canada to the US, you’ll need to follow their shipping policies and cross-border rules. The United States Customs and Border Protection regulates and monitors the trading of goods between Canada and the US. The customs entry can be declared as Section 321, Informal entry, or Formal entry.

Section 321: Shipments with a declared value of $800 or less are not subjected to duty.
Informal entry: These are goods with a declared value of more than $800 and less than $2,500.
Formal entry: These are packages that are worth more than $2,500.

The documents you need when you are shipping from Canada to the US are the following:

Bill of Lading
Commercial Invoice
Electronic Export Information
IRS business registration or Social Security Number
USMCA Certificate of Origin

Customs Duty

Customs duty is also called import tax. To calculate your customs duty, you need to know the right Harmonized Tariff Schedule of US (HTS) codes first. This code represents a type of product that helps the US government monitor goods imported in the country. For a smoother transaction, you can just let the US Customs calculate your duty then pay for it. Or you can pay the import tax before it arrives at US Customs.

Shipping Price

When calculating the shipping fee from Canada to the US, it will depend on the shipping method you used.

Standard International Shipping usually takes 8 to 16 business days.
Expedited International Shipping usually takes 4 to 7 Business Days
Priority International Courier usually takes 1 to 3 Business Days

So, how much is shipping from Canada to US?

Standard Shipping	Books and Audiobooks	CDs	Videos	DVDs
Per shipment	$7.99	$7.99	$7.99	$7.99
Per item	$1.99	$1.99	$1.99	$1.99
Expedited Shipping	Books and Audiobooks	CDs	Videos	DVDs
Per shipment	$11.99	$11.99	$11.99	$11.99
Per item	$3.99	$3.99	$3.99	$3.99
Priority Shipping	Books and Audiobooks	CDs	Videos	DVDs
Per shipment	$14.99	$14.99	$14.99	$14.99
Per item	$4.99	$4.99	$4.99	$4.99

Need a reliable shipping service?

Well, we have you covered. Here at Stallion Express, we will help you expand your business by carefully delivering your packages from Canada to the US. Working closely with USPS, we will make sure that your customers receive your package between 2 to 4 business days. You don’t also have to worry about the price because you can save up to 75% on shipping costs. It’s genuinely such a great deal. If you wish to know more about our service, you can contact us today.

Everything you Need to Know about Standard Shipping from Outside Canada

Canada is one of the countries that are worth considering when you plan on expanding your business. Based on Statistics, projected revenue in 2020 for the eCommerce industry shall be $29.8M, while user penetration is expected to hit 77.1% in 2024. Moreover, we found out that two-thirds of online purchases by Canadians come from other countries. With this in mind, we can affirm that selling in Canada shall help you reach a new market and expand your business.

Selling on the Amazon marketplace gives you access to Amazon’s customers. It will also be accessible on the part of the customer to purchase products internationally without leaving the market. We’ll discuss everything you need to know when shipping from outside Canada.

Know what products can be imported

To start shipping to Canada, you’ll need to determine if your item is prohibited or not. It may lead to complications at the border once customs find out that your item is restricted or prohibited from entering the country. Moreover, it’s best to check your items first before selling them in the marketplace.

Inform your customers about duties, tariffs, and taxes

When it comes to the duties, taxes, and tariffs, your customers are responsible for it. It’s best to inform them beforehand, so they won’t be surprised when they see their total bill upon checkout.

There are three taxes customers need to know when importing goods into Canada. These are the goods and services tax(GST), the harmonized tax (HST), and the provincial sales tax (PST).

As for the tariffs, it shall depend on the country where you manufactured the product. NAFTA removes tariffs for products made in the US. However, if it was manufactured outside of the US, then tariffs may apply.

Choose a Shipping Option

There are numerous shipping companies and shipping options to choose from when delivering to Canada.

The most common shipping option is the standard shipping where goods are delivered to Canada in 7 to12 business days. However, there are other available delivery options that they can choose. When giving shipping options, you should present these three because your customers may want the variety. The table below shows the price for each delivery option.

Standard Shipping usually takes 7-12 business days

	Prime Member	Non-Prime Member
Urban	Free	$4.99/Shipment + $1.49/lb ($3.28/kg)
Rural	Free	$6.99/Shipment + $1.49/lb ($3.28/kg)
Remote	Free	$36.00/Shipment + $1.49/lb ($26.99/kg(

Expedited Shipping takes 5 to 9 business days

	Prime Member	Non-Prime Member
Urban	$3.49/Shipment	$6.99/Shipment + $1.99/lb ($4.39/kg)
Rural	$3.49/Shipment	$11.99/Shipment + $1.99/lb ($4.39/kg)

Priority Shipping takes 2 to 4 business days

	Prime Member	Non-Prime Member
Urban	$5.99	$11.99/Shipment + $1.99/lb ($4.39/kg)
Rural	$8.99	$13.99/Shipment + $1.99/lb ($4.39/kg)

Key Takeaways

Shipping from one place to another does require time and patience. However, customers love it when they receive their packages as quickly and hassle-free as possible. They often like it when they don’t have to pay for the shipping fee or get discounts on their shipping costs. Having a variety of shipping options helps a customer choose which would work best for them.

Standard shipping is the most common type of shipping option. It’s also cheaper than expedited shipping. However, when it comes to the promptness of the delivery of the packages, it is still better to use expedited shipping. The sad part of it is you have to pay more than the average shipping cost.

What if you find a shipping company that can give you fast delivery at a very affordable price?

Here at Stallion Express, we make sure that your packages arrive at the destination in a smooth and fast way. We also don’t ask for exorbitant amounts of money for the shipping cost. Aside from it, we offer full tracking of parcels, friendly customer service, insurance for packages, and integration to our system. Are you interested to know more about our services? Give us a call now, and you’ll be able to talk to our friendly shipping agent!

Jenna M

Amazon Global Shipping and Mailing Service Made Easy

Most e-commerce sellers make a fair amount of money when working with Amazon. However, most of these sellers limit themselves to only selling to their local marketplace. If you are an Amazon seller, do not commit the same mistake! Selling your products on Amazon globally would allow you to scale your business massively.

In this article, we will provide you a breakdown of the things that you need to know when it comes to Amazon Global shipping and mailing service so you can start selling internationally.

Amazon Global Selling (AGS)

Amazon Global Selling or AGS is a program in which sellers are allowed to list and sell their products in any of the retail giant’s marketplaces in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.

Europe	Asia-Pacific	Middle East and North Africa	Americas
Amazon.de (Germany)Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom)Amazon.fr (France)Amazon.it (Italy)Amazon.es (Spain)Amazon.nl (Netherlands)	Amazon.jp (Japan)Amazon.com.au (Australia)Amazon.sg (Singapore)Amazon.in (India)	Amazon.ae (United Arab Emirates)Amazon.com.tr (Turkey)	Amazon.com (United States)Amazon.ca (Canada)Amazon.com.mx (Mexico)Amazon.com.br

Source: Amazon Global Marketplace

Where and How to Start

If you’re already certain that you want to expand your business into a new international marketplace, the first thing you need to identify is where.

Once you’ve decided on which marketplace you wish to expand your business, it is crucial to do thorough market research. There are several things that you should consider such as your end-consumer preferences, culture, language, marketing strategies and most especially, which mailing and shipping services work best for you. Learning these things will help you tailor your products to meet your target consumer’s needs. Failing to do so will cause great economic hardship for your business.

Also, it is worth noting that selling internationally is a supply/demand situation. If you decide to get started at an international marketplace, the wisest thing to do it is by starting with your best-selling products rather than your entire catalog.

AGS Fees, Payments, and Taxes

Managing Payments

Managing payments from your Amazon store is not as difficult as you might think. You can get the payment for your products in a couple of ways. You have the option to set up a local bank account yourself or you can make use of Amazon’s international payment solution or ACCS. Opting for ACCS will allow you to receive international payments in your local bank account in your own currency. However, you will still need to create an account with Amazon and pay an additional fee for their service and transactions.

Dealing With Local Taxes.

It is expected that you should pay goods and service taxes when shipping goods internationally. Before selling in your chosen international marketplace, make sure that you did an in-depth research about the laws and regulations when it comes to international shipping. It is your responsibility to make sure that you comply with all the local tax laws and make any required payments promptly to avoid back payments and penalties.

Handling Your International Logistics

Finding a reliable international shipping and mailing service is one of the most challenging aspects when selling on Amazon on a global scale. How you decide to fulfill your orders will depend on the quantity and the type of products you want to sell.

You can choose your mailing and shipping done via Amazon FBA or yourself (FBM)

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is an Amazon program that aims to make Amazon Sellers’ shipping experience hassle-free. Amazon fulfillment centers can hold millions of items so there will be no minimum for the number of products you can send .

You can choose to fulfill orders yourself or use Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) in all marketplaces.

Some of the biggest benefits of FBA are the following:

Smooth logistics and shipping. FBA allows sellers to outsource the entire shipping process, taking advantage of the company's expertise and experience when it comes to logistics. If your business has higher sales, this would mean extra time handling the logistics- making you perfect for an FBA program.
Discounted shipping rates. Amazon passes discounts on to sellers in the form of reduced shipping costs when sending your inventory to Amazon. Your customer will also benefit from this because plenty of orders on Amazon are eligible for free shipping.
No more dealing with returns. You don’t have to worry about angry customers anymore because Amazon will be taking care from inspecting returns to handling all of the administrative aspects. However, take note that Amazon charges returns processing fee for a minimal cost.
Managing customer service. Amazon offers 24/7 support via email, chat or phone. That will ease your buyer’s mind, and takes a heavy load off your plate.
No inventory minimums and unlimited storage. No need to worry about storage space because signing up for FBA means you are free to use Amazon warehouses no matter how much or how little space you need for your products.
Fast delivery. With hundreds of Amazon’s fulfillment centers all over the world. No matter where you are sending your items, you can rely with them that your products will be delivered within the promised time.

Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)

Fulfillment by Merchant or FBM is when you choose to be in control of the entire handling of the mailing and shipping process. Instead of paying and shipping your inventory to Amazon, you will be using your own resources to send the item directly to the buyer.

When to Choose Fulfillment By Merchant

When you are selling items that are exclusive, FBM would be the best choice for you. This will build the credibility of your online store and its products. It is also beneficial for small businesses when the mailing and shipping process does not become overwhelming and possibly affect your customer’s and Amazon’s standards.

The advantages of opting for FBM are listed below.

You can control every aspect of your business.
You don’t need to pay additional fees to Amazon.
Growing your brand is more achievable.
Less paperwork for the seller when working directly with the buyer
You have a greater grasp of the inventory in stock, products that sell, and what changes are needed for higher sales.
Since you will be arranging your shipping service provider, you are aware of all finances every step of the way.

FBM comes with several disadvantages as well.

You have to handle returns. Incorrect shipping is a common problem for FBM sellers.
Dealing with angry customers and manage your own customer service
Since Amazon favors FBA sellers to win the Buy Box, you may have to price your items lower than FBA sellers.

Pro Tip: Make sure you hire a reliable shipping service that can perform a highly

disciplined shipping operation to avoid shipping mistakes.

FBM vs Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)

It is worth noting that Seller Fulfilled Prime or SFP is different from FBM. SFP is a fulfillment method that is a combination of both Fulfillment by Amazon and Fulfillment by Merchant. Like FBA, you are given access to Amazon Prime customers- and handle the shipping process and the customer service yourself just like how FBM works. To qualify for SFP, you need to meet the several requirements listed below.

You need to have a professional account.
You should have fulfilled a minimum of 30 premium shipping in a span of 30 calendar days with a tracking ID of no less than 94% of orders, have an on-time delivery rate of not less than 96%, and a cancellation rate of no more than 1%.
You must work with Amazon-approved Buy Shipping Service carriers.
A feedback of no less than 4.5 for the preceding 30 calendar days.

It’s Your Time to Go Global

Now that you have a greater grasp about the ins and outs of Amazon Global Selling, and your shipping and mailing service options, it is the time to finally go global!

When you sell your goods on Amazon Global, you have limitless options of what to sell and where to sell. A thorough market research will help you identify which market to enter and which of your products are likely to perform well.

When you’ve established a strong presence in a new country and already comfortable managing your sales, customer service and return, you’ll be ready to expand your business into another international marketplace.

If you are looking for a reliable shipping and mailing service near you for your Amazon shipping needs, Stallion express is the company you need. Our company offers the best way to ship internationally and is trusted by thousands of online sellers in Canada. We ship to the US., Canada or even around the world. When it comes to reliable international shipping in Canada, Stallion Express got you covered!

Jenna M

Stallion Express partners with AfterShip to help 8,000 Canadian eCommerce sellers with tracking their shipment worldwide

As online shopping continues to grow, so does the demand for better and more transparent tracking updates.

Today, December 18, 2020 Stallion Express, Canada’s #1 eCommerce shipping solution has announced an exciting partnership with AfterShip, a worldwide shipment tracking platform for over 200 top brands and over 50,000 Shopify stores to improve consumers’ post-purchase experience.

This partnership helps over 8,000 Canadian eCommerce sellers with a complete shipping solution - from easy label creation, transparent end-to-end tracking and proactive updates during the entire shipment journey to delivery.

“This partnership provides an edge to our SME clients over their competitors, who are not equipped with this automated tracking ability,” said Pramod Bhat, CEO of Stallion Express. “It works across all our courier partners, such as Canada Post, USPS and UPS, as we have full data integration with AfterShip.”

Tracking is streamlined for both merchants and shoppers in time for the holiday shopping season. Previously, shoppers are sent a Shipment ID, a tracking number from the carrier and a third number for the last mile delivery. Now, tracking is made easy with one tracking number, one dedicated tracking website and a free AfterShip app available in iOS and Android.

“We are thrilled to empower Canadian Shopify merchants to grow by engaging their shoppers after sales with automated delivery updates,” said Andrew Chan, co-founder of AfterShip. “Shoppers can be notified immediately if delivery goes wrong so that issues can be resolved earlier, which is critical to customer retention.”

About Stallion Express

Founded in 2015, Stallion Express provides faster, smarter and affordable shipping for Canadian eCommerce sellers to grow their business. Whether it’s domestic shipping within Canada, cross-border shipping to the U.S. or International Shipping to support your brand worldwide - we’ve partnered with a strong network of reliable and affordable carrier partners.

With our client base of more than 8000+, Stallion Express has saved over $4 million in shipping costs for over 5 million parcels. For more information, please visit https://stallionexpress.ca/

About AfterShip

Founded in 2012, AfterShip is a shipment tracking platform for online retailers to improve consumers’ post-purchase experience. Integrated with over 740 carriers worldwide, AfterShip tracks over 6 billion shipments per year. Currently, over 200 top brands and over 50,000 Shopify merchants utilize AfterShip to give their consumers peace of mind from shipment, anticipation to delivery. Partnering with leading eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, Magento and Squarespace, AfterShip provides branded tracking pages and sends proactive delivery updates. Major marketplaces like Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, Wish and Lazada and brands like Lowe’s, Wayfair, Siemens, HP, Aesop and Farfetch employ AfterShip to customize their own shipment tracking solution and add value to their merchants and consumers. For more information, please visit https://www.aftership.com/

Contact

Stallion Express
Diana Zheng
877-863-7447
[email protected]

AfterShip
Tom Ho
646.319.1849
[email protected]

Aman Chopra

Aman looks after the content marketing department at Stallion Express. He is passionate about helping businesses grow by providing informative and up-to-date trends in the eCommerce industry. Outside the office, you can find him on the soccer field cheering on Real Madrid.

Learn How Much is Shipping: Canada to US

Sending out mail, parcels, or any package to a location seems very tedious, especially with the current global situation. However, more and more shipping companies offer different shipping prices to and from Canada. Here, we share how much is shipping from Canada to the US.

What do you need to know about shipping from Canada to the US?

Every country creates rules and regulations that almost every business in every industry follows. However, catering to orders or requests from Northern states such as Canada becomes logistically challenging. People always tend to look for the cheapest shipping rates in Canada that will also provide the best service quality.

First, you need to know that shipping your parcels to Canada seems a bit complex due to their taxes that differ from other countries. Some say that Canada has become stringent with their packages, that even a small figurine will cost you more than $10 to ship to the USA. For small business owners, they could be a hefty fee in the long run.

How much is shipping Canada to the US?

Shipping with Stallion Express provides the cheapest shipping rates in Canada. They help you fulfill your orders without getting locked in due to expensive and stringent contracts.

Ship your toys, figurines, or even your action figures without getting the extra charge. You can learn more here.

To know the precise numbers and details, check out our calculator and put in the details about your package. There, you’ll learn how much you’ll save when you check the USPS rates versus how Stallion Express will handle your products. You can save at least 50% to 70% for every small parcel you’ll ship!

By availing of the service, make sure that you prepare all the necessary documents before booking the appointment. Prepare the labels, invoices, and the needed declarations, especially if it's an international shipment. If you are not sure about how to package your parcels, you can always check out the supplies on-hand at their branches.

Make sure that you get all the precise measurements of your package. Since Canada uses the metric system, it’s best to measure it using the English system as it’s what the United States of America (USA) has been using.

For example:

Package Size	National Carrier	Stallion Express
4oz (113g)	$17.62	$4.39 (75% off!)
15oz (425g)	$19.72	$7.62 (61% off!)
2lbs (1kg)	$21.90	$11.27 (51% off!)

Please take note that these prices are calculated with a location pointed to New York (13021). Prices are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).

Please make sure that your packages follow the rules and regulations by the Customs regulations.

3 helpful tips before shipping your package from Canada to the US

When you do a quick search, results show that one of the best ways to obtain the cheapest shipping rates in Canada is to make cross-border shipments. However, doing so can be tedious and may require you to pay attention to details.

We came up with tips that we know can help you and your business deliver from Canada. Shipping packages will have never been this easy.

Make sure you conduct research - Doing a quick Google search has become more comfortable and accessible through your phone. Use all the free resources that you can access as both countries provide information online.
Give allowance for your packages - Be prepared if there are delays especially if it’s during the holidays. Roads may get slippery, and things may happen while in transit.
Accomplish all the necessary documents - While preparing your package, make sure to fill in all the essential documents’ details. Communicate with the chosen courier and schedule for pick-up or drop-off.

Choosing the right courier for your packages involves trust and confidence in the shipping company that you prefer. You check if they have good reviews, a high trust rating, and if your peers and colleagues recommend them. Choose Stallion Express for your packages, so that you can ship faster, smarter, and cheaper.

Aman Chopra

A Comprehensive Guide to Ecommerce Shipping Options and Fulfillment

The eCommerce industry is one of the most popular and continuously growing industries in the world. More and more customers are buying online while businesses are making use of the platform to sell their products. The rise of the eCommerce industry has put extra emphasis on the shipping of packages. Hence, businesses are offering them good eCommerce shipping options.

When it comes to shipping orders, customers would love it if it’s free and fast. Perhaps in a perfect world, customers will pay for the shipping fee, but the truth is that they prefer not to pay for shipping. With Amazon offering free shipping and same-day delivery to its Prime customers, sellers are often torn between offering discounted shipping rates or not. Hence, shipping has become an essential part of online businesses.

Shipping costs for eCommerce is often the make or break for a customer when purchasing a product. If they deem a purchase to be too costly, they’ll switch to another store which shipping service is cheapest. To minimize these scenarios, you have to offer them good shipping options.

By doing it right, you can boost sales and value from customers. To help you grow your small business, we’ll be presenting a comprehensive guide on eCommerce shipping. We’ll be tackling the different shipping options you can try and application extensions to convert your customers into purchasers. Plus, some tips on how to apply a good shipping process.

Read on to get some insights!

Getting Started with eCommerce Shipping

eCommerce shipping is a shipping service that ships the products of small and large businesses to their customers to make shipping more manageable. eCommerce shipping has come to mean differently, such as it became useful in providing the best online experience for the customers. It became an essential point on whether a small business shall succeed or not.

Substantially, eCommerce shipping has become more competitive as businesses like Amazon make shopping faster and cheaper. At first, shipping companies such as FedEx and UPS were helpful when you’re just starting. Eventually, you’ll need to choose shipping services that will help you deliver your goods faster. Moreover, you have to provide different shipping options to your customers.

Here at Stallion Express, we offer fast and efficient delivery services for your domestic and international needs. Plus, we offer them at an affordable price!

Importance of eCommerce Shipping

Ecommerce shipping is important to build and cement your relationship with your customers. As a business owner, you need to understand that your customer’s satisfaction is a driving factor that can make or break your relationship with them. You can give them the best deals, discounted prices, and excellent customer service, but it is through shipping that customers can touch their orders.

We all know that you can control most aspects of your business, but once your item is handed over to the shipping company, it is out of your hands. If your item is delivered in bad shape then it affects your relationship with your customer. It might even come to a point where they won’t ever buy in your store again.

With this, shipping does affect your business. Aside from this, your shipping cost also affects your relationship since expensive shipping costs can lessen customers’ interest. Based on a study, 41% of shoppers decide to leave their cart when they see that the cost of delivery is higher than the expected price.

If you have small business shipping in Canada, you need to pick a reliable shipping service that can offer border shipping services at an affordable price.

Ecommerce Tips and Tricks

Tip #1: Clarity is Gold!

When it comes to shipping, your first rule is to be clear with your shipping policy, return policy, and fulfillment criteria. This will help you have a smooth shipping process because all the information that customers need shall be penned down in an easy-to-understand manner. You can post your policies and process on your website for them to find easily.

An example should be including the fees for shipping a package and guaranteed days for them to return the item in your shipping policy. Be as clear and concise as possible, so customers won’t have to ask for clarification. It will also avoid miscommunication on both ends.

Tip #2: Hire the Right People

Hiring the services of the right people to handle your shipping is essential to the success of your eCommerce business. For example, you need people who will handle the marketing and fulfillment of customer orders. A good marketing team shall handle the strategies in informing your customers about the methods, promotions, and best deals. They help spread the news about your product to the right audience and answer customer inquiries.

As for the fulfillment of parcels, your team shall be the one to handle the packaging of the items. They are also responsible for sending it to the shipping company. Aside from hiring the right people, hiring the right shipping services you can trust with handling your packages shall help you maintain a good relationship. They ensure that the packages arrive in the receiver’s arms without any damage.

Tip #3: Be Aware of the Rules

We all want to achieve a smooth and easy shipping process when it comes to delivering our packages. To do so, you need to know the prohibited and restricted items in a specific country. Better yet, check if your product is acceptable in the countries you are targeting to avoid further problems when selling the product.

Besides knowing the right items to ship, you also need to process the right documents in customs and properly weigh your products. Weighing your products shall help in determining the right shipping cost that you will charge for your products. Make it a point to continuously update the weight of your products and shipping costs. Better yet, integrate the shipping carrier to your website.

Tip #4: Best Shipping Deals

Offering the best shipping deals is what drives customers to click the “Add to Cart” button. They love it when you offer them free shipping, overnight shipping, and same-day delivery! It may seem a challenge, but if you have reliable shipping service, then you don’t have to worry. These couriers will provide you with reliable customer service, fast shipping, and discounted shipping prices. All you have to do is to contact a shipping agent and ask for their best offers.

Tip #5: Frequently Update your Customers

Customers need to be kept in the loop when it comes to their packages. You can send them their tracking details and the shipping courier's website, so they may also personally track their packages. They’ll appreciate it even more if you ask them for their feedback and offer them gift certificates for their next purchase. These steps improve your relationship with your customers, which can turn into loyalty in the long run.

Establishing your Shipping Process

Now that we have gone over the tips and tricks, we’ll tackle the steps to plan your shipping process.

Step 1: Determine Your Shipping Policy

We’ve mentioned before that one of the tips in eCommerce shipping is to be clear and concise with sharing information. One of these is the shipping policy. Your shipping policy is a document that details information about shipping, such as method, and delivery method.

When it comes to your shipping policy, clearly define and publish it on your website where customers can easily see it. This enables them to look into your policy first before making a purchase. Oftentimes, the best policy is the one that fits both your company and customers’ needs. To create a good policy, these questions can help you out:

What eCommerce shipping options will you be offering?
How long will your customers receive their package? Will you be offering same-day, next-day, or overnight delivery? What kind of products will you be shipping? If you are selling perishable goods, you need to inform customers that they will receive it earlier than expected.
What shipping carrier do you work with? Do some customers ask if can you ship alcohol via US postal service? Also, do you ship internationally too? Does your shipping carrier offer Canada to US shipping services?

Step 2: Determine your Fulfillment Model

There are several methods in fulfilling your shipping orders. Pick among the four that suit you and your business well.

In-house fulfillment

In-house fulfillment is when you’re the one who handles the fulfillment of your orders. You handle the inventory storage, packaging, and shipping of products. Self-fulfillment differs for small and large businesses. Usually, if you’re a small business, then you’ll be the one to handle everything on your own while large businesses have their teams with designated tasks.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is when the sellers serve as the middleman between the supplier/manufacturer and the customer. The supplier shall be the one who handles the production, packaging, and shipping of the item. The process is the seller shall be the one to market the product and contact the customer. Once the customer has placed an order, the seller shall send it to the supplier, and the supplier shall prepare the order for it to be shipped to the customer.

The advantage with dropshipping is you, the seller, don’t have any physical inventory. You don’t have to worry if your stock hasn’t been sold yet because all the items are in the supplier’s warehouse. You’ll just have to put a mark-up on the price for you to earn.

Most sellers start with this method since they don’t need capital for purchasing their inventory. All they need to do is to market the products and handle customer service. Just take note that the delivery time may be longer when your manufacturer is located overseas.

3. Amazon FBA

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) from the name itself means Amazon shall be the one to handle the shipping of the products. The seller simply sends the products to Amazon’s warehouse, and Amazon shall be the one to pack, ship, and offer customer service to the customer. Since Amazon will be fulfilling your orders, you’ll pay them a fulfillment and storage fee.

There are a lot of advantages if we use fulfillment by Amazon. One of them is you get to have access to Amazon’s prime members who make up most of the sales on Amazon. You’re also qualified for Amazon’s next day or two-day shipping deals. Imagine the number of customers who will buy in your store due to these amazing deals!

4. Outsourcing fulfillment

You’ll be hiring the services of a professional fulfillment company to ship your packages on your behalf. Most eCommerce businesses work with these fulfillment companies since they don’t have to worry about manpower, key processes, equipment, and technology. The fulfillment company shall be the one to handle everything.

Step 3: Pick your eCommerce Packages and Materials.

When it comes to choosing the packaging of your products, you need to know which materials and size you will be using because, at the end of the day, you want your package to arrive in a safe condition. You can start choosing padded envelopes, bubble wraps, and poly mailers since these are often more cost-effective than boxes.

If you wish to make it easier on your part, you can choose to use the carrier’s packaging. USPS, FedEx, and UPS have their packaging that is easy to use and free.

If you wish to customize your packaging, you can also do so. It has been recorded that 40% of online shoppers tend to buy from a store that offers branded packaging. Plus, customized packaging affects their perception of the brand because they believe the packaging speaks for the brand. Hence, if you wish to customize your products, you can use these three tips.

Use Eco-Friendly Packaging

Did you know that ⅓ of the total waste is due to packaging? As a business owner, your primary goal isn’t just to make money but also to take care of the planet using eco-friendly materials. With this, it is advisable to use eco-friendly packaging. You’re not only safely delivering your products, but you’re also helping the planet Earth.

Keep the design as simple as possible.

When it comes to your packaging design, you want it to reflect your brand and your product. You don’t want to overboard because the weight and size of the product are factors for the shipping cost. By keeping it simple, your customers can save money.

Choose your Packaging Wisely

There are endless ideas when it comes to packaging your product. However, it should depend on the size, shape, and material of the product. Use strong packaging that will protect fragile items while using a bigger one for spacious ones. Be honest with your customers regarding the shipping cost.

Step 4: Purchasing Insurance

We all know that once you handed over your product to the shipping company, several events could happen that are out of our control. By purchasing shipping insurance on your packages, you’re protecting yourself and your buyer from financial problems due to theft, damages, and missing products. Because, more likely than not, you’ll have to send a replacement or pay for the lost or damaged product.

This is best for high-value products, too. It’s a good thing that FedEx and UPS packages cover insurance for items of up to a declared value of $100 or less. The U.S. Postal Service also provides an insurance of up to $100 on services like Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Express International. However, if your package's declared value is more than $100, you need to purchase additional insurance.

Step 5: eCommerce Costs

The shipping cost is a driving force when it comes to making or breaking your relationship with your customers. Most of the time, they prefer that you offer them free shipping or discounted shipping. As much as you want to offer the best for your customers, many factors come in determining the shipping cost.

Package Size

The bigger is the size of your package, the more costly it will be. However, there are times when a small package can cost more than a larger one.

Weight of the Package

We mentioned above that a small package could cost more than a larger package. This is due to the weight of the product. The heavier it is, the more costly it will be on the part of the customer.

Distance from the origin to the destination

The distance between the point of origin to the destination is calculated before shipping the package. To help you compute the shipping cost, each carrier has a shipping rate calculator that you can use.

What is your eCommerce Shipping Option?

Free Shipping

Customers love it when you offer them free shipping! It’s a great marketing tool to drive traffic and sales to your business. However, free shipping can be a loss on your part. The key here is to be creative in pricing your items.

The best way you can do it is to price your products higher to compensate for the delivery free. You may offer two products for free delivery. It’s up to you on what deals you will be offering to your customers.

Flat Rate Shipping

Flat Rate Shipping is another shipping strategy that works well with online businesses. You call it flat rate shipping since the shipping fee is fixed, no matter how much your orders cost you. For example, the website stated a shipping fee of $6 on all orders. May your order be worth $30 or $100, your shipping cost will be $6.

Based on studies, flat rate shipping is the second-most preferred shipping option by customers because it is clear, simple, and cost-effective. You can apply the flat rate shipping fee on all orders or choose which orders it will apply. The flip side to this is you will cover the shipping fee, thereby gaining an expense on your part.

Some orders may cover the shipping costs while others do not. If a customer hoards products for a flat rate shipping fee of $15, you may have to cover the additional cost due to the weight and number of products. So, it's best if you plan first before you apply this shipping option.

Real-time Shipping

We can think of real-time shipping as an exact shipping rate. The shipping cost will be displayed during checkout. It will be based on the customer’s destination and package. The advantage with this shipping option is it allows sellers to charge the precise amount of delivery fees to their customers.

You won’t have to worry about losing money or covering the cost because your customers will be charged with the exact amount of delivery fee. The disadvantage with this is customers won’t often like paying for the exact fees. It can also be confusing when there are many items purchased by the customer. To make the process seamless and easier, use a shipping rate calculator.

What is your Fulfillment Process?

After planning your shipping policy and method, we’ll now pick your shipping carrier and fulfill your orders.

Pick a Reliable Shipping Company

When it comes to handling eCommerce shipping packages, choosing a reliable shipping service is a must. You can pick among USPS, DHL, FedEx, and Stallion Express. With Stallion Express, you can ship your parcels at an affordable rate!

Prepare Customs Form

If you plan on shipping internationally, you need to prepare the different documents that may be asked by the customs. You can check your country’s postal office the documents you needed to furnish before shipping the parcel.

Don’t Forget to Send Order Confirmation Emails.

Before fulfilling the order, you need to confirm the order to make sure you sent the right item. Double-check the item and securely pack it.

Schedule a Carrier Pickup

Once you are done securing the documents and packing your item, you can schedule a pickup with your shipping carrier. Different shipping carriers have different schedules. You may need to contact their shipping agent first to schedule your pick-up.

Follow-up on Customers

Your responsibility with your customer doesn’t stop upon handing the package to the shipping carrier. Following up on their satisfaction with their order shows you care about their experience and their thoughts. It’s also a way of asking feedback with your products. By doing so, you’re adding value to your customers and cementing your relationship with them.

Conclusion

Shipping your parcels is an important aspect of your business that you shouldn’t simply ignore. Many factors may come into play when your items are being shipped, so knowing how to handle these scenarios is a must. Moreover, picking a shipping carrier that will reliably handle your orders can drive customer satisfaction.

If you want to work with a shipping carrier that offers reliable and affordable shipping rates, then pick Stallion Express. To know more about our services, you may contact us at +1 877-863-7447 or email [email protected].

Pramod Bhat

The Basics of International Shipping and Tracking

This year revolutionized everything especially for eCommerce and small businesses. Almost everyone chooses to have their groceries shipped and even their other necessities. Aside from that, even employees buy their materials online so they have reduced contact with other people. Generally, this keeps both customers and businesses safe. However, what do you need to know about international shipping and tracking? What do they need to know about how to fill out international shipping addresses accurately?

With almost everyone working remotely, most transactions are done online. You need to stand out from your competitors and stay updated with the current and latest trends especially when it comes to your customers. According to the 2018 Pitney Bowes Global eCommerce, it’s noted that 56% of customers felt disappointed because there were challenges in shipping. The top responses from the 56% of customers mentioned that there were delays in shipment, expensive fees, lost and unfulfilled orders, wrong items shipped, vague policies, and poorly-packed items. Hence, businesses need to prepare a plan on standard international shipping of their products.

As you read this article, we will be sharing things you need to know about international shipping and tracking, tips on economy international shipping, and the do’s and don’ts of shipping for small businesses.

What do you need to know about international shipping and tracking?

Before jumping into planning and sorting out the products in your warehouse, make sure that you know everything about shipping either locally or internationally. Read on and learn some facts and helpful tips that will help you create and implement a functional shipping strategy.

Iron out your order fulfillment and return policies

Creating your own shipping strategy means your customers may buy and check out your product or remove it from their carts altogether. One peculiar thing about shipping strategies is they also serve as marketing tools.

The strategy begins with your website as it is the first place where customers go. Make sure that the order fulfillment policies are located front and center of the website where it is easily seen. Thinking of offering free shipping to your customers sounds good. So, if ever you’ll move forward with it, make sure it’s the first thing they lay their eyes on when they click your website.

One of the reasons why businesses move to a digital platform is because of the convenience it brings. Customers don’t need to drive or to commute to the physical location and spend time finding a parking slot for themselves. In an eCommerce business, with just a few clicks, you see the different collections and products they offer.

Another thing about the digital platform is international shipping and tracking becomes easy. People choose different methods of shipping whether they be economy, standard, or priority. Putting different choices for shipping methods proves to be one strategic move to best serve your customers.

Offering free shipping to your customers

A study conducted by 2018 Pitney Bowes Global eCommerce shared that 91% of the customers leave an online store if it lacks quick and free shipping. These statistics show that free shipping is no longer just a delivery method but also a marketing strategy. However, when you offer this to your customers, this affects your profit margin. Just because a free shipping option brings in a number of customers does not mean you forget about the cost of shipping expenses for every sale you make.

In order to utilize free shipping wisely, make sure you provide your customers with different choices of shipping methods. First choice would be requiring a minimum amount spent for free shipping to apply.

To illustrate:

You’ll require at least a total amount of $350 before customers get the free shipping option.

At least 66% of customers expect to spend a minimum of $25-30 worth of purchase before availing of the free shipping option. Eventually, this increases the amount every customer spends during a sale.

With free shipping, you can always offer this seasonally especially during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or even Prime Day. Other companies add other options such as free shipping during a specific time or during standard delivery times (e.g. business hours). Another option would be offering same-day delivery but this means additional cost on the part of the customers.

Flat rate shipping

Most people easily understand this as it’s basically self-explanatory. Flat rate shipping means that there’s a specific price assigned to a specific item. This means that the cost does not depend on the dimensions, weight, and the value of the product.

Customers get a look at the total payable they incur. Businesses get the final say when it comes to setting the flat rate for shipping. People benefit from this option especially when they plan on buying larger items such as appliances or pieces of equipment. Flat rate shipping may also be an option for international shipping and tracking.

Table rate shipping

This is the exact opposite of flat rate shipping. Companies get to customize their shipping options. With table rate shipping, businesses choose how much the shipping costs would be with regard to factors they determine.

These factors include:

Destination
Product dimensions
Weight
Quantity of products ordered

To illustrate:

The business charges you for deliveries with a specific location and a different fee for locations outside the area.

Businesses may choose to charge a fixed shipping fee for a single item and a different fee for other items purchased. To know which rates may apply to you, you may visit this international shipping rate calculator and find out.

International shipping and tracking

When you understand how things work and what shipping strategies you’ll apply, studying about international shipping and tracking may be the next step for you. As previously mentioned, shipping has evolved into a marketing strategy that most businesses think to be beneficial for their growth. Expanding your business to an international market brings more customers and sales.

One of the many things that you need to consider is the country you want to expand to. Research on the import and export policies of the country. Factor in the taxes and the documentation necessary when shipping products there. Work with a courier company that ensures the safety and security of your items.

Benefits of international shipping and tracking

The shipping industry continues to evolve as new technologies arise. In order to ship orders efficiently and quickly to customers, courier companies use tracking codes in order to monitor where the parcels are. Customers adapt to various technologies used by eCommerce platforms to have a seamless shopping experience.

International shipping is something new especially for businesses and courier companies. One of the main features of this is it provides transparency for the shipment. Now, as you continue reading, we will share the other benefits of international shipping and tracking.

Revolutionizes the shipping experience for customers

When you are capable of tracking your parcels, it prevents losing shipments altogether. You get to monitor if it left the point of origin and is currently in transit to its destination. Tracking the shipment raises awareness on the part of customers and businesses if there are some unforeseen disruptions or even delay on the arrival to the destination.

Diminishes delays and unforeseen fees

When you track a shipment, it relieves companies and customers of worrying where the shipment could be. If businesses see the issues that happen during the shipping process, they easily make vital changes to prevent delays and unforeseen fees due to changes in schedules. Without the ability of international shipping and tracking, additional expenses and delays arise.

Creates customer loyalty

Customers and businesses encounter different levels of stress when processing shipments. A heightened level of stress exists especially when valuable items are being shipped. In order to reduce this anxiety about not getting products shipped punctually, companies choose a courier that offers tracking especially for international shipments.

Therefore, international shipping and tracking help customers and businesses establish a great relationship and loyalty with each other.

Takeaway

Customers feel pensive and anxious about their orders and shipments. Their stress levels are at their highest when items are valuable and very essential. A number of eCommerce companies collaborate closely with shipping companies that provide tracking information about shipments. One of the many good things about shipment tracking is that it creates a good relationship between customers and businesses.

International shipping and tracking benefits both customers and companies. Stallion Express gives customers a way to see and track their shipments locally and internationally. Moreover, you can also create user profiles, check your transaction history, and more importantly, experience a life-changing shipping experience. Start booking your shipments with Stallion Express and register now!

Pramod Bhat

Answering a Common Amazon Question: Why Should I Get Shipping Insurance?

When it comes to shipping packages, certain situations may arise that are out of our hands. Some of these situations are: packages being lost during transit, damaged parcels, or stolen orders. These situations affect our business because customers would have a negative impression of us. You may have heard of the term shipping insurance. You might have asked yourself the question, "should I get shipping insurance?"

Based on Statista, 30% of online packages were returned to merchants due to faulty or damaged goods, and 18% due to delivery issues. Customers prefer to shop at Amazon due to its fast delivery service. Having a delayed and damaged product can affect your shop's performance. Hence, cargo insurance is essential to protect your goods. In this article, we'll talk about seven reasons why you should get insurance for your packages.

What Does Insured Shipping Mean?

Before we dive into why you should get cargo insurance, let's tackle what it means. Insured shipping means the shipper is reimbursed for goods that were lost, damaged, or stolen during shipment. The amount refunded shall depend on the declared value and coverage. We'll discuss it more later.

Reason #1: More containers are getting lost at sea every year

Each year, containers are getting lost at sea due to catastrophic events. Based on the World Shipping Council, 350 cargoes were lost at sea in 2011, while in 2019, there was approximately 16,000 lost cargo. Although the number of lost shipments is quite high in 2019, you may be happy to know that it's only 1% of the total cargoes shipped each year.

The estimated number of lost cargoes vary each year due to the reporting of lost cargoes. Lost cargoes are only reported upon inventory check or if they contain hazardous materials. Moreover, lost cargoes are due to negligence on the shipment and handling of the packages while en route to the destination.

Some of these common forms of negligence are the following:

Failure to properly weigh the package, which can result in the containers being incorrectly stacked. Hence, it may fall overboard during transit.
Failure to secure the bindings to keep the packages in place
Improper loading of goods resulting in them moving around while in transit.

Having cargo insurance can protect you from these events.

Reason #2: Packages Arrive in Poor Condition

Based on a study conducted by Statista on UK shoppers, 7.4% of packages are damaged upon delivery. Another study conducted says that 1 out of 10 packages arrive damaged on the customer's doorsteps. Based on the UK P&1 Club, which is an organization that represents shipowners, they found out that 25% of cargo claims were from physical damage to the goods, while 9% was due to theft.

Some of the reasons for damaged goods are the following:

Overloading
Improper packaging of products.
Lack of export packaging.
Fragile cargoes are not correctly handled.
Improper use of securing equipment.
Poor condition of container.
Lack of effective container inspection.
Wrong choice of box.
Lack of clear carriage instructions.
Wrong use of temperature controls.
Heat sensitive cargoes are packed near heated tanks or in direct sunlight.

These scenarios damage your goods, which can greatly affect your relationship with your customer. Most of the time, they will leave negative feedback on your store. Having negative feedback can decrease the number of your customers and ruin your chances of creating a good impression on your customers. To avoid this scenario, you need to add cargo insurance to your packages.

Reason #3: Cargo theft kept increasing every year

The number of packages being stolen are increasing each year. It's more rampant during peak seasons, such as Christmas and Halloween. Based on Statista, around 2.8 million worth of goods were stolen during shipment in 2018. Electronics and clothing were the most commonly shipped items. Hence, these were strongly targeted by thieves.

Reason #4: Fortuitous events may happen

We mentioned earlier that catastrophic events play a part in lost shipment. These events can lead to a shipload of cargo being lost in transit or even while in the warehouse. One example is the Tianjin explosions in China's port. In case you encounter these catastrophic events, you'll probably regret not getting insurance for your packages.

Reason #5: Limited carrier liability

You see, carriers' liability in case of loss is limited. Their responsibility can be based on the contract or by law. Most goods with a declared value of $100 or less shall be covered by insurance from the carrier, but goods with a declared value of more than $100 are not. High-value items are at risk of loss, theft, or damage. With this, the importance of having insurance is a must.

Reason #6: Peace of Mind

By having insurance, you don't have to continually worry about your packages once you hand them over to your shipping company. It will provide protection against damages, theft, or loss. In case everything goes wrong, you won't have to worry about any expenses or loss on your customer's end. The insurance shall help you calmly sleep at night, knowing you and your customer's interests are protected.

Reason #7: Avoid any financial loss

The insurance company shall be the one to pay your customer for the damages if their goods were stolen, damaged, or lost in transit. The money spent by your customers shall be reimbursed while you won't have to worry about any expense since the insurance company already handled it. If you don't have insurance, you would be scratching your head because of the financial loss.

Getting insurance for your packages

After highlighting the reasons why you should get insurance, we'll talk about the different coverage, costs, and types.

What does shipping insurance cover?

Before you start making a claim, you need to know if it is covered by insurance. Usually, shipping companies cover insurance for items with a declared value of $100. However, if it the declared value is more than $100, it won’t be covered by insurance. Getting coverage for these items is essential.

In the case of UPS, USPS, and FedEx, they do not cover precious stones, cash, and coins. Moreover, some high-value items can only be covered for a limited amount. For example, FedEx will only cover up to $1000 for artworks and plasma-screen television. To know the insurance coverage, you need to contact an agent and decide which insurance coverage you will pick.

Types of Insurance

Carrier Insurance

From the name itself, this is the insurance provided by the shipping company. It is super simple to purchase since you'll just add it to your shipping cost. However, it's best to note that there are some disadvantages to it. For one, carrier insurance tends to be limited as to its coverage. We've mentioned earlier that shipping companies only cover a specific value, item, and destination. Some international destinations are not covered by insurance.

Also, it takes time to process your claims. You'll need to be the one to file a complaint, and you have to do it in the given period for filing claims. Certain documents need to be submitted, such as proof of damage, loss, or theft. Moreover, the shipping company shall investigate to know who's fault it was, because if they find out that you have poor packaging, you won't receive anything.

If you wish to purchase carrier shipping insurance, you need to read and understand the documents before signing. It's best to cover all the grounds to avoid any surprises.

3rd Party Parcel Insurance

Another type of insurance is 3rd party shipping insurance. This insurance company focuses on protection and is in no way related to the shipping company. Most insurance companies offer affordable rates than carriers. Also, they tend to have wider coverage and easier reimbursement processes. But just like with the carrier insurance, you need to thoroughly read the terms and discussions to avoid any surprises.

Costs of Insurance for Packages

The cost depends on the value of the items. Below are samples of costs from FedEx and USPS.

FedEx

Declared Value	Cost
Up to $100	$0
$100.01 – $300.00	$3
Every additional $100 value over $300	$1

USPS

Declared Value	Cost
Up to $50.00	$1.65
$50.01 to $100.00	$2.05
$100.01 to $200.00	$2.45
$200.01 to $300.00	$4.60
Every additional $100 value over $300 (for a value up to $5,000)	$4.60 + $.90 per $100 increase
Up to $50.00	$1.65

Key Takeaways

Should I get shipping insurance?

The answer will be, you do.

It will protect you and your customer, but it will also save you the burden of the financial loss due to catastrophic events. Choosing the right type of cargo insurance can be a bit hard. Luckily, at Stallion Express, we offer insurance for your parcels. We offer affordable shipping rates and insurance for your domestic and international packages. Moreover, you can access our state of the art system to integrate your orders.

Do you want to know more about our service? Give us a call.

Nicasio Co III

Guide to Canada Border Shipping Services in 2021

U.S.-based online sellers don't have to cross between oceans to begin expanding their business internationally. All they need to do is cross a border going to Canada to set the stage for transboundary e-commerce growth. Luckily, the infrastructure is already laid out, considering the centuries-old trade relationship between the two nations. There is no shortage of border shipping services to support global expansion.

This article will guide you through Canada border shipping services, the reasons why it is lucrative to start in Canada for e-commerce international efforts, and factors to consider when shipping goods from the U.S. to Canada.

Why you should choose Canada to start global e-commerce expansion

In terms of strategic location, the length of the International Boundary line of the US-Canadian border (excluding Alaska) is around 3,987 miles, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Twelve U.S. states share international boundaries with Canada, including Michigan, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Washington, North Dakota, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, and Pennsylvania, based on the data from the International Boundary Commission. This means there are several ways to ship goods, especially to key states of the U.S. such as New York, Montana, and Washington.

Moreover, Canada is one of the four countries with the highest cross-border online shopper penetration, as stated in the P.R. Newswire report. When you look at the numbers, there were 19.8 million online shoppers in Canada last 2018, and 5.21 million users are expected to add to that number by 2021, as stated in the International Trade Administration. For these reasons, you won't have a problem expanding globally since online shopping is a booming industry in Canada.

Canada border shipping services guide

Step no. 1: Prepare your shipment

In this step, you must acquire a Business Number (BN) in Canada and Employee Identification Number (EIN) in the U.S. You can get these from the Canada Revenue Agency and Internal Revenue Service, respectively.

Once you get hold of these I.D.s, identify the tariff classification by gathering the product composition details, descriptive literature, and product samples. You will use this information in the next step. Then, determine where your goods originate, starting from where you get the individual parts of the product and where it is assembled.

It will help you a lot if you hire a Canadian and American customs brokers that will take care of your shipment documents, pay any applied duties, respond to customs concerns, etc. They will also help you to obtain permits in selling goods that fall within these categories:

Consumer goods
Textiles and clothing
Agricultural products
Drug and health products
Vehicles and automotive products
Live animals
Animal products
Information and communications technologies
Plants, seeds, and forestry products

Step no. 2: Determine the tariff classification number

Since you've gathered what you need to classify your products in step no. 1, you can now search for the tariff classification number. It will help you estimate how much you will pay for duties when importing. Keep in mind that Canada and the U.S. have the Harmonized System or the "H.S. code," which refers to the classification number.

Besides the tariff classification number, prepare necessary customs documentation such as the Bill of Lading, Canada Customs Invoice (CCI), andCommercial Invoice (CI).

Step no. 3: Calculate your duties and taxes

Now that you've identified the tariff classification number, the next step is to estimate your duties and taxes.

Let us tackle the duties first. This will depend on the type of goods and where they are made. You may reduce duty rates under NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) by determining the tariff treatment, such as the Most Favored Nation (MFN), General Tariff (GT), General Preferential Tariff (GPT), and the NAFTA United States Tariff (UST).

After estimating the duties, compute the goods and services tax (GST) that will be collected by the Canadian federal government, and if you're delivering to Canadian provinces, figure out how much the provincial sales tax (PST) is. However, if you're shipping in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island, research on the Harmonized sales tax or HST. In Quebec, they call it QST or Quebec sales tax, and RST or retail sales tax in Manitoba.

Step no. 4: Ship the goods

It is time to choose the best courier to ship your goods. At this stage, you are deciding which shipping service is cheapest and making sure that it is a bonded carrier.

Given that it is only cross-border shipping, it is logical to choose ground service shipping. What is ground service shipping? As defined by USA Today, it is a "freight transport of tangible goods by land ("ground"), whether by train or truck.”

On the other hand, why should you work with a bonded carrier? You don't have to wait at the border to get an entry number, and it can enter Canada or the US from any service point. According to Legacy Permits, a bonded carrier can deliver goods without customs release and move goods "in transit" through Canada, where a release by CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) is not required.

Step no. 5: Prepare customs clearance

Whether you've found a bonded carrier or not, you must have a complete customs clearance on hand. Gather and organize all invoices with detailed information. Label and mark each package that corresponds with the invoice. Ensure that the country of origin is visible in the packaging. Provide a detailed description of each item in the package. It would be better if you let an authorized customs broker handle all of these legal matters.

Step no. 6: Keep your records

Record-keeping is a required step since the customs documents will be audited six years following the shipment. As stated in the Government of Canada website, in retention of information, also known as keeping records, you:

“...should retain copies of all documents for their records, as these documents and any other evidence of export are subject to audit and must be retained for verification purposes.”

4 Factors to consider when shipping goods from the US to Canada

Shipping to Canada's remote provinces

Since Canada consists of remote regions, you must expect that delivering orders is more complicated and expensive. Study the cross-border customs, duties, and trade policies of Canada to avoid any problems.

Canadian shopping behavior

Here are the stats you should keep in mind when selling to Canadians, based on the 2020 Canadian Online Shopper report* from CanadiansInternet:

86% will buy more often when there is a free shipping option.
67% will abandon their cart if the seller doesn't offer free shipping.
79% will stop ordering from an online seller due to a negative return experience.
75% may increase purchase frequency if the shipping is faster.
71% will buy from online sellers that offer personalized discounts and rewards.

*Note: 5,000 Canadians were surveyed in this report

Currency and language

In addition to the stats above, make sure that your prices are converted to Canadian dollars. They also prefer shopping on an e-commerce website or product page in both English and French for Quebec customers.

Electronic logging devices

Ask your courier if their trucks or commercial vehicles are equipped with electronic logging devices. Canada adopted this practice in December 2019, which applies to trucks that weigh more than 10,000 lbs. with the model year not earlier than year 2000.

Key takeaways

We hope that this guide will help you to achieve your business goal of expanding internationally. Just make sure all your documentation is organized and correct to avoid getting held by customs, which may jeopardize your shipment schedule. Better yet, hire an experienced customs broker who will take the weight off your shoulders so you can focus on more important matters like selling and marketing your products. You may also seek help from a shipping and logistics solutions company that offers border shipping services.

You don't have to look anywhere else because Stallion Express provides top-notch border shipping services customized depending on your preferences. For inquiries, you can call +1 877-863-7447 or email [email protected].

Claudine Joy Rada

Candy Rada is a dedicated professional with tons of experience in content writing for the shipping industry. As a literature degree holder, she excels in creating engaging content with strategies that enhance brand visibility. She enjoys playing with her cats, reading dystopian books, and joining trivia games in her free time.

Factors to Consider when Picking the Best Shipping Partners for eCommerce

We all know that Amazon is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world. Their net revenue increased by over $47 billion, from $232.9 billion in 2018 to $280.5 billion in 2019. Customers flock to their website due to their famous same-day and two-day free delivery service. However, these shipping services give headaches to competing businesses. How can they offer free and fast delivery service when their customers live in another country? The answer would be quick and reliable shipping partners for eCommerce.

Shipping partners for eCommerce come in various forms. You can choose between shipping couriers or shipping solutions. Shipping couriers are private firms that offer shipping and mailing service from the shipper's location to the customer’s address. They also provide border shipping services such as shipping services from Canada to the US. A shipping solution integrates several shipping couriers to create a centralized shipping service. Some of the famous shipping couriers are UPS, USPS, DHL, and FedEx, while shipping solutions are WooCommerce, Amazon, and BigCommerce.

In this article, we'll talk about the factors you need to consider when picking the right shipping partner for your business. Determining the right shipping partner shall help you give the best shopping experience to your customers.

Factors you need to consider when looking for the best shipping partners for eCommerce

Before you start looking for shipping partners for eCommerce, you first need to consider these factors to gauge which shipping partner to choose. You want the best for your business, so you have to pick one that will help you grow your business.

Transparency and Accountability

Two things you need to look for in a shipping carrier are transparency and accountability throughout the whole process. When a shipping company is working with an eCommerce business, they should be transparent about the number of days they would need to deliver the package. It's best to have a tracking system that both the customer and seller can use. Considering that the eCommerce industry is a competitive market, knowing the whereabouts of your packages is a must.

Aside from providing transparent reports, your shipping carrier must be accountable for every step of the process. You'll be putting your trust in them, so they need to be responsible when it comes to handling your packages. Any mishaps that may arise should be their responsibility.

Reliability

Before you choose a shipping carrier, you need to read and understand the fine print. Ensure that the carrier is trustworthy. Serious companies can offer you certain guarantees and security when using their services. They should ensure basic things, like proper package handling and delivery time.

Customers usually don’t care about other aspects of shipping. However, they do when their order shows up in bad condition.This is why you need to look at the shipping partner's track record. Check their reviews, both positive and negative, so you'll know what they are like. If possible, you can talk to their previous customers for feedback.

Flexibility

When looking for a shipping partner, look for someone flexible enough to also expand as your business further grows. Since the work requires shipping from one location to another, there may be fortuitous events that can happen, which might affect the delivery process. How they manage this should matter to you because it will affect your business. You should know whether they have other options or what their plans are for these situations.

Aside from being prepared for uncertainties, your shipping partner should be flexible. What if your product became instantly in-demand due to a celebrity sharing it with her followers? You and your shipping partner should be prepared.

Shipping Rates

The shipping cost could mean the difference between a buyer purchasing from your store or backing out due to high shipping costs. However, choosing a shipping partner with cheap shipping rates can be a double-edged sword. They can offer affordable fees but poor delivery services.Your package may arrive late or damaged, or can become lost during shipping. The result can lead to unhappy customers and negative reviews.

You need to look for reliable and affordable shipping services. It's best if you know the factors that determine shipping prices so you can decide if the price given to you is reasonable. Take note of the following:

The dimensions and weight of the package

Shipping carriers would price goods based on the dimension or weight of the package, whichever is higher. Some packages are light but take up a lot of huge space, while there are packages placed in small boxes but are pretty heavy.

The distance to the destination

The cost per shipment changes according to the area. It is based on local, regional, national, or international areas.

Shipping Speed

In a world where Amazon offers same day and two-day delivery services, you'll need to amp up your game and provide competitive shipping options. To do so, you need to look for a shipping service that offers multiple shipping options. You can ask them if they offer expedited delivery or express shipping. By knowing these details, you can relay to your buyer the expected delivery time.

You also have to consider the pick-up schedule of the shipping company. Ask them about options available, reception logistics, and delivery times. Also, check how you will send a request for a pick-up. By taking note this information, you can plan how long you will need to prepare the orders.

The Type of Products they Ship

You should also know if the carrier can ship your products or not. There are shipping carriers that do not ship a specific product to a certain country. Hence, you need to be aware of the shipping carrier’s rules, especially if your product is high-value.

Coverage

The shipping coverage of a business will affect its success. The more area you can cover, the more you will grow. Hence, you need to look for a company that offers broader coverage. Ask for the areas they cover and the quality of service they provide for each area. Will they offer border shipping services or shipping services in Canada? It's also helpful if they offer you a fixed rate for national and international coverage. Compare the speed of shipping, rates, and services they provide, then pick the more promising one.

Offer additional support and customer service.

Besides a fast and reliable shipping service, you want to look for a partner that offers extra support services. What if the package arrived in a damaged state? What if the receiver wasn't at home when the delivery arrived? Do they go back the next day to try and deliver it again? Do they leave a slip in their mailbox for them to pick it up at the courier office? Do they return the package to you if they can't deliver?

Knowing these things shall help you decide if the shipping partner is right for your business. Aside from fulfilling orders, your shipping partner should help your business expand and that means providing a holistic service to your customers. You want a shipping partner that will take care of both your packages and customers. Ultimately, your shipping partner should support your company's goals.

Do they offer Insurance options?

It would be beneficial if your shipping courier offers insurance coverage for your packages. We don't know what may happen to the boxes while they are shipped. It will help if your shipping courier offers such an option.

Do they have an updated system and new technology?

Since you are selling online, your shipping partners should also be up-to-date with the tools and technology to facilitate shipping. Your shipping partner must have the ability to integrate with other companies to complete the task. Choosing a shipping service that has a tracking service is a good idea. It will help you and your customer track the goods and know if the package has already reached the destination.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to picking the best shipping service, you need to look for a company that will understand your needs and help you grow your business. You shouldn't only choose the one that offers the cheapest prices, but you have to choose based on service and quality.

It's a good thing that here at Stallion Express, we offer the best and affordable shipping services. We also have state-of-the-art shipping systems that you can integrate with your business seamlessly.

You don't have to worry about your packages because we will take care of them and offer additional support to help you scale your business. Contact us now!

Pramod Bhat