Cheapest International Shipping from Canada: Pros & Cons

In the second quarter of 2020, North America had the highest internet penetration rate at 90.7%. With the unexpected pandemic, people have relied now more than ever on the internet for most of its purchases.

As an e-commerce seller, opening your business to other parts of the globe allows you to cover a wider market for your product. While setting up an account in online marketplaces seems easy enough, getting the product to your customer in the fastest time possible can be challenging. You need to find the right balance between when to resort to standard versus express international shipping. 

Allowing your business to partner with a reliable e-commerce shipping provider that offers the cheapest international shipping from Canada is crucial. Evaluating between figuring out how to save on delivery costs and the overall customer experience takes practice.

Best practical shipping options

Picking out the cheapest international shipping rate is good for your business, monetary-wise. But not ideal for the eager customers who ordered it.

If you are selling in-demand items, then most likely, picking out the most affordable shipping fees (which takes the longest delivery time) will take a toll on your overall customer satisfaction.

For context, high delivery fees seem to be the number one frustration of consumers, more than being unable to touch the product, and the item priced too high. Seventy-seven percent discard their shopping cart after seeing the unexpected delivery costs.

So how do you find the right spot of keeping your margin while not compromising on customer experience? 

Free Shipping

As mentioned earlier, a big chunk of online buyers often do not proceed with their checkout after seeing high shipping fees. This is why offering free shipping is a very effective method. 

Ideally, free shipping would mean that you, as a seller, would shoulder the cost. However, many online retailers have figured out ways to go about this technique and still keep their profit.

1. Let the customers shoulder some of the shipping costs by integrating the amount on top of the product price. So, upon checkout, they no longer see an added shipping fee.
2. Create a price bracketing. Set a total minimum purchase price for customers to get free shipping. As the free shipping concept is very straightforward, buyers find it easier to shop for more items to get free shipping.
3. Offer free shipping on particular products that will make enough sales to cover your cost on fast-moving and highly marketable products from your store.

Flat Rate Shipping

Flat rate shipping may not seem as eye-catching as free shipping. However, this, too, is a very no-fuss shipping option.

1. No matter what the total order value is, the customer pays a flat rate. No more, no less.
2. Devise a fixed rate tier. Based on the subtotal value, customers pay a specific flat rate (for orders up to $20, shipping rate is $5; orders up to $50, the shipping rate is $10)
3. Fixed-rate tier based on subtotal value and geographical location. The further from the major hub, the higher the rate.

This shipping method is convenient for the customer because it eliminates any confusion upon checkout. As long as the flat rate shipping instructions are listed on the product page itself, the buyer will be clear about the approximate fee they are ready to pay.

Integration

Remember, people shop online for the convenience of it. So be transparent on your item listing about delivery rates and days. This way, customers will not be shocked to see some added charges.

Since there are many technical variables when it comes to shipping, one practical way to approach it is to integrate your e-commerce site/s to numerous courier services. This is done through third-party providers, or you can directly set-up accounts, individually, to major delivery providers.

The integration allows you to offer a variety of shipping options upon checkout. By incorporating your e-commerce platform, you give your customers the freedom to choose their delivery provider and package option.

This integration is an additional expense for your business, but it enables you to have more time to attend to other business matters.

In conclusion

While the idea of ultimately offering the cheapest international shipping from Canada is very tempting, it is crucial to consider that the customers’ average waiting time for delivery of goods is now between 2 - 4 days. However, expedited international shipping is costly too. Finding that balance of not overcharging your customers and keeping your margin afloat, takes some time to figure out.

Integrating your site with different delivery providers enables you to focus your efforts on other facets of your business. Having options at checkout empowers your customers to decide which shipping method and courier they prefer, therefore, resulting in conversion rates and overall customer satisfaction.

Are you interested in knowing more about how to start integrating your site? Explore your options and call our toll-free number at 877-863-7447 and talk to one of our account executives.