The Truth About Finding the Cheapest International Shipping

Businesses navigate to find the cheapest international shipping company . But, of course, there are different factors that affect their decision. 

First, they check how this will affect their profit margin especially for sellers who engage in cross-border selling.

Second, finding the most affordable international shipping rates are challenging because of rising costs. The cost of shipping gets affected by factors such as inflation rate, energy prices, and cargo loads. Therefore, businesses and shipping companies must coordinate  with each other regarding any changes.

In 2018, a report from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals found that logistics companies' costs rose from 11.4% which is around $1.6T in 2018. The factors that led to this increase were synchronizing deliveries for online processes lead to quicker delivery transactions, eCommerce expenditure What do you need to know about the cheapest international shipping?

Before choosing a specific courier to help you dispatch your items and deliver to your customers, you need to gather facts about your logistical needs. Now, we present you these questions to help you discover more about the shipping company that you need.

The shipping cost is usually determined by the weight and dimensions of the package to be shipped. Before you choose the courier company that you want to work with, make sure that they provide you with different options especially if you ship light to heavy items. This way, they will be able to provide you with the information that you need.

Make sure to ask about flat-rate shipping, especially for your international shipments. Inquiries help you find the cheapest international shipping for you and your business.

Where will you ship internationally?

Shipping internationally differs depending on the location. Cross-border shipping for eCommerce businesses does not always cater to every location. Some areas only have limited courier services which charge differently.

Now, make sure that you utilize an international shipping rate calculator to help you gauge your costs without shelling out much resources.

What service options will you offer?

When you see the word shipping, different modes of transportation come into mind. A number of people will think of air transportation while others will think of either land or sea.

Other factors that you need to check:

• Timeframe of service
• Equipment used for shipping
• Technology to track parcels
• Reverse logistics

Finding the cheapest international shipping company encompasses different factors. Don’t just look at the flat-rate option!

How to manage expectations from international customers?

According to a survey cited in Supply Chain Dive, “fast delivery times and easy return policies were the most important factors consumers consider when choosing among online retailers.” Remember that when your customers experience slow shipping or even expensive transactions, it results in total cart abandonment. Surely, you don’t want that to happen, right?

Remember that international shipping might be impossible to do, so limit yourself and your business from promising same-day shipping or even next-day shipping with free returns or refunds.

Who manages the other steps of the logistics process?

Now, some eCommerce companies are managed by a small team that handles the daily operations and process of the business. However, coordinating the logistics of the shipping may take a lot on the internal logistics team.

Therefore, eCommerce businesses need to look for an international shipping company that will handle warehousing, finding international and logistics partners that will meet your needs

How to get customer loyalty when you find the cheapest international shipping?

Now, make sure that you know and comprehend the cheapest international shipping. Back in 2018, Amazon spent around $28B on shipping alone. That set the record for the eCommerce giant. Shipping fees are hefty especially for Amazon but small businesses may find it quite challenging if they do inefficient research and planning.

Finding the cheapest international shipping helps you cultivate loyalty among your customers. In order to manage the expectations, make sure that you need to change how you deal with abrupt complexities and unforeseen circumstances when you ship internationally.

Remember to you ask your customers what they expect about the service, refunds, returns, and even the delivery itself.

On the other hand, when you have sufficient business transactions in a certain country (not your home country), you’ll need to collaborate with a shipping company that you can trust to manage transactions in that specific country.

Some factors that you need to consider:

• How the shipping company will affect your business?
• What’s their process of managing seasonal needs?
• In terms of shipping costs, how much will you be able to save?
• How will they be able to provide the best customer experience?

In order to build trust among your customers, make sure you provide your customers with the best customer service.

What happens next?

Shipping internationally gives eCommerce business a few challenges especially if it’s their first time to transport items there. When you work with a courier company like Stallion Express, you ensure your customers that their orders will be safe and delivered promptly.
For eCommerce businesses looking forward to expanding their business, feel free to drop us a message!