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When it comes to running a successful e-commerce business, choosing the right courier is crucial. Your chosen courier will be responsible for delivering your products to customers in a timely and professional manner, ensuring that their business experience is a positive one. But with so many courier options available, how do you ensure that you choose the right one for your business?
This step by step guide will walk you through the process of establishing your shipping and courier needs before selecting the ideal e-commerce courier for your particular business niche.
Before looking for a courier, it's important to assess your shipping needs. Consider factors such as...
Volume of Orders
Determine the average number of orders you receive per month. This will help you determine the size and capacity of your courier partner.
Weight and Dimensions of Products
Evaluate the size and weight of your products to determine if any special handling or packaging is required.
Delivery Areas
Determine the regions or countries you want to serve. This will help you identify couriers that cover those areas.
Timeliness
Determine the timeframe you need to deliver your products to customers. This will help you choose a courier that offers express or overnight delivery services.
Tracking and Notifications
Determine if you need real-time tracking or notifications for customers to track their orders; this will depend on your products, especially if they are perishable, such as fresh food items.
Once you have a clear understanding of your shipping needs, it's time to research different courier options. When it comes to choosing a courier company, there are several key indicators that can help you identify a reliable and trustworthy service provider. By considering these indicators, you can make an informed decision and ensure that your logistics needs are handled efficiently and effectively.
Reputation and Reputation
A reputable courier company will have a solid reputation in the industry. Look for customer feedback and reviews online, as well as industry awards and recognition. These indicators can give you an idea of the company's reliability, professionalism, and customer satisfaction.
Experience and Expertise
A well-established courier company will have years of experience in the field. This experience allows them to understand the specific requirements of different industries and tailor their offerings to meet individual needs. Look for a company with a team of experienced professionals who can provide guidance and advice on logistics strategies.
Network and Coverage
A courier company with good coverage will have an extensive network of shipping locations around the world. This network allows for efficient and cost-effective deliveries, regardless of where your packages need to go. Look for a company that has a wide network of depots, warehouses, and partner carriers to ensure a seamless delivery process.
Track and Trace Technology
A reputable courier company will offer advanced track and trace technology to keep customers informed about the status of their shipments. With real-time tracking information, you can monitor the progress of your packages every step of the way. Look for a company with an advanced tracking system that provides regular updates and notifications.
Flexibility and Customisation
A good courier company should be flexible in terms of the services offered and able to tailor their solutions to your specific needs. Whether you need express delivery, specialised shipping, or bulk shipping, you should be able to find a company that can accommodate your requirements. Look for a company that offers a wide range of services and provides personalised solutions to meet your specific requirements.
Competitive Rates and Pricing
While quality should always be a priority, it's natural to look for courier services that offer competitive rates. Look for a company that provides transparent pricing and offers flexible pricing options based on volume and frequency of shipments. This will ensure that you are getting the best value for your budget.
Excellent Customer Service
A good courier company will prioritise excellent customer service. Look for a company that has a dedicated customer support team available to assist you with any queries or concerns you may have. Whether it's over the phone, email, or live chat, a responsive and helpful customer service department can make a significant difference in your overall experience.
By considering these key indicators, you can identify a good courier company that will deliver your packages efficiently and securely.
While shipping efficiency is important, it's equally important to have a reliable customer support team. Consider the following when evaluating customer support…
Availability
Check the availability of customer support representatives, both via phone and email. Ensure you can easily reach a representative during regular business hours.
Knowledgeability
Assess the knowledge and expertise of the customer support team. Look for representatives who can answer questions and address any concerns you may have.
Responsiveness
Evaluate the response time of the customer support team. Look for prompt and helpful responses that resolve any issues or concerns promptly.
Once you have narrowed down your list of potential couriers, it's time to test and evaluate their services. Here are a few steps to follow…
Send a Test Shipment
Ship a small batch of products with each courier to compare the speed and accuracy of their delivery service.
Assess Packaging
Pay attention to the courier's packaging and handling to ensure your product arrives in good condition.
Customer Feedback
Reach out to customers who recently received orders from your chosen courier. Ask for their feedback and inquire about their experience.
Repeat Orders
Once you have selected a courier, continue to use their services and monitor their performance. Pay attention to any recurring issues or delays.
By following these steps, you can make an informed decision and choose the ideal e-commerce courier for your business. Remember, the right courier will not only ensure that your products arrive on time and in good condition, but will also contribute to a positive customer experience and the growth of your e-commerce business.
Most e-commerce companies can count on a significant uptick in business during the months surrounding the winter holidays. For businesses that sell directly to customers online, the holiday shopping season is crucial. You'll need a foolproof shipping plan and efficient fulfillment procedures to keep up with the enormous volume in such a short time. With this guide, we hope to provide you with a holiday survival guide for shipping during the peak seasons.
Contrary to popular belief, the busiest time of year for businesses like e-commerce and shipping begins as early as October and continues until the new year. After the last holiday season, it's possible that these schedules will be pushed back even more and begin sooner. Here is a rundown of the most important dates and celebrations that fall during the busiest time of year for shipping.
Despite being associated with the United States and its culture, many Europeans continue to celebrate Halloween. The potential for making a sale grows during this time of year, regardless of whether or not you specialize in selling "spooky" décor and costumes. Many companies will take advantage of the break by offering discounts and sales. Black Friday (November 24) and Cyber Monday (November 27) fall on the same weekend as Thanksgiving, officially kicking off the Christmas shopping season. Now is the season when people start looking for sales and stocking up on holiday presents.
Presents ordered over the holiday season are expected to arrive before the big day. Keep in mind the carriers' holiday cutoff dates (and add some buffer time to be safe) and let your customers know so they may plan ahead for their orders to arrive on time.
Although Christmas has passed, that doesn't mean the busiest time of year has passed. There will likely be a large number of sales the day after Christmas, since many stores hold Boxing Day sales. If you want your consumers to be able to shop on Boxing Day, you'll need to restock. In addition, Boxing Day is a popular day for returns. After opening their Christmas presents, customers may be more inclined to return or exchange their purchases on this day.
Even though the holiday shopping season is winding down, the number of returns remains extremely high. During this period, extra effort is typically required from customer service and logistical operations teams to facilitate the smooth processing of returns and exchanges.
Use available data to your advantage, give some thought to any upcoming promotions, and establish a strategy for dealing with unexpectedly high demand. In order to maximize stock and make informed judgments about when and how much of each item to reorder, demand forecasting is essential. Even if it's impossible to predict stock levels with absolute precision, there are ways to get closer to reality in your projections:
Since this is the busiest time of year for shipping, e-commerce firms need to pay close attention to carrier cutoffs for each service (even padding in extra time) and carrier transit time performance, so that they can inform customers of any delays. Customer satisfaction is directly tied to timely delivery, but delays do occur. Be anticipatory in informing clients of prospective delays in the event of a delay. Pay close attention to carrier holiday shipping deadlines when they become available, so that you may inform your consumers of the absolute latest date an order can be placed and still be received in time for the holidays. Monitoring stock levels is also essential.
Because of the surge in orders and possibly even delays from carriers, you should increase the size of your customer service team. If you want to keep up with the increased traffic and orders at your online store, you'll need to make sure your consumers can reach you when and how they like. Be sure that everyone on your team is aware of carrier cutoff dates, active discounts, the various shipping options, estimated arrival times, and the quickest ways to return or exchange things.
To prevent stock outs this Christmas season, it is important to communicate with your manufacturer or supplier as soon as possible and share your anticipated order volume. Increased demand, together with port delays and other supply chain difficulties, has resulted in longer than usual lead times. Stockouts, backorders, and promotions on out-of-stock items can be avoided with knowledge of production lead times. To further mitigate risk in the event that their major supplier is unable to restock as planned, several brands even try to vary their manufacturing mix with numerous partners in different sectors.
If you're doing fulfillment in-house, you should stock up on boxes, poly mailers, and any other supplies you'll need to avoid any delays caused by a lack of packaging materials. Furthermore, this holiday season is a great time to consider how you may make your business stand out. Custom packaging, promotional inserts, and handwritten gift notes are just a few ways to add a special touch to the unwrapping process. In today's world of social media, if you provide your consumers with an unforgettable unboxing experience, they are more likely to rave about it to their friends and followers.
Always have a clear, easily accessible returns and exchanges policy posted somewhere prominent on your website or product pages, no matter the time of year. By streamlining the returns process for customers, a well-organized returns management system can boost brand loyalty and keep sales steady. You may prevent the loss of a sale by providing a pleasant returns process, which will encourage customers to make exchanges. Make sure you're not losing money by reviewing your return policy sometimes. Examine the most frequently returned items, find out why customers are sending them back, and think about making adjustments to the products themselves or their descriptions in order to better meet customers' expectations.
If you're considering starting your own eCommerce business, you should have a crystal clear and in-depth understanding of what it takes to be successful as an online seller. Only then can you hope to attain any measure of achievement. Continue reading to find out what you need to launch an online storefront before you go out and buy an array of inventory and a domain name.
Read THE step by step guide to becoming an e-commerce seller, and you will be on the road to online selling success…
When it comes to online sales, the most successful businesses target tiny, niche markets. In online commerce, niche markets are those that don't have any competing goods or services. If you can carve out a specialised market for your goods, you'll face fewer rivals, increasing your odds of success. You should look for a market segment that is sizeable enough to support a substantial customer base yet limited in terms of competition. Starting with a product market and narrowing down from there is the best strategy for finding your niche. Finding your product's ideal market is the first step towards honing in on a certain subset within that market. If your product sells well in its chosen subset of the market, you'll be able to expand into more lucrative niches and hire additional people to help you out. Your ability to dominate a larger portion of the market increases as your business expands.
When it comes to selling online, it's not just about the major retail chains anymore. Your decision about which eCommerce sales channel to use is crucial. One of these choices might work better for you than the others, depending on your circumstances:
Dropshipping: In the dropshipping eCommerce approach, you don't keep any stock of the things you're selling. When a customer places an order on your website, you communicate with the vendor to arrange shipment. Due to the low initial investment required, dropshipping has become a common method of doing business in the online retail industry.
Wholesale: The practice of selling in bulk to merchants using an online wholesale marketplace. The ability to buy things at wholesale prices and then resell them at a higher price while still making a profit is the main attraction of wholesaling. However, you'll need to put up a lot of capital up front so that you can buy supplies in massive quantities.
Subscriptions: E-commerce stores that specialise in subscriptions typically offer a monthly delivery of a handpicked selection of products. Online courses and private clubs are two further examples of subscription-based enterprises.
Once a distribution method has been chosen, shipping details must be sorted out. Find out if your eCommerce website builder can print shipping labels and calculate delivery fees for your clients. Evaluate your own shipping expenses and determine whether or not certain destinations are out of your price range. Then do your research and find a local shipping company to partner with, that will ship to wherever on the globe your buyers live. This is one of the most important e-commerce business decisions you will make! No online customer will make a return visit to your store if their initial purchase is delivered late and/or damaged.
Business plans are written after key decisions have been made, such as the target market and distribution approach. A business plan can be seen as a tool for refining your concepts into a coherent whole. It will determine how you allocate resources and how you approach expanding your consumer base. Financial forecasts (estimates of your price and sales strategy, profit goals, and any investor data), a roadmap, and a mission statement are the standard components of a business plan.
You've identified your target demographic, zeroed in on your specialty, and settled on a product; now it's time to start manufacturing and selling. It's time to pick a host and launch your online shop.
Those interested in opening an online shop have a wide variety of options to choose from. You can also sell your wares through several different marketplace channels, such as eBay, Amazon, etc, or a selling platform like Shopify or BigCommerce , without having to set up your own website.
You can develop a whole website of your own with a typical website builder like Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, or WordPress; you just need a small section of the site to concentrate on your store's features.
Now that you have your online store up and running, you must devote your full attention to making it a huge success. You need to actively seek out, connect with, and ultimately persuade your ideal clientele. Your product does the heavy lifting of attracting buyers, but it's your brand's job to give your product a personality all its own. Branding helps you stand out from the crowd, even if your competitors all provide the same thing. Make sure the marketing materials, product names, and images all reflect what sets your product apart. Making a memorable brand is one way to gain customers without having to rely just on the quality of your offering. Once you've settled on a brand strategy, be sure to apply it consistently across the board.
Search engine optimization (SEO), paid search, social media, email marketing, and content marketing are all examples of inbound sales methods that aim to bring customers to you rather than the other way around. You will demonstrate your product's value to customers by addressing their pain points and improving their daily routines across these platforms. Start documenting your routines and behind-the-scenes activities with regular photos and videos. That way, you'll have content for your website and social media platforms on hand at all times. Working smarter, not harder, is key when it comes to marketing, maximise the impact of your content by recycling and repurposing where possible. Maintaining efficacy allows you to direct more resources toward developing and perfecting your company's business plan.
The closest your company will get to giving your customers a personalised touch is through eCommerce packaging. The best eCommerce packaging combines the appropriate box and infill for the finest unboxing experience. These minor adjustments transform the packaging of your product from a standard delivery to a totally unique one. BUT you need to remember that your shipping and production expenses will be impacted by the eCommerce packaging you use. Weight and price are crucial factors to take into account since when boxes get bigger or the infill gets heavier, the cost of shipping a product can go up. Returns are another way that packaging and filling can affect your bottom line. A well-packed order will arrive undamaged. Damaged products and dissatisfied customers will result from eCommerce packing that can't withstand the delivery process.
The following is our guide to creating packaging for your e-commerce products…
The box or bag that will be used to pack all of your products comes first on the list. When your client opens their mailbox, it will be the first thing they see. If branded packaging produces a memorable experience, it can be worth the cost (especially because some consumers reuse their boxes). Packaging options have expanded along with the quantity and variety of goods supplied via eCommerce.
For the majority of the business, corrugated cardboard boxes continue to be the preferred packaging for eCommerce. Cardboard is strong, doesn't significantly increase the weight of your product, and is recyclable. Double-walled cardboard adds an additional layer of strength and protection for items that are extremely fragile or heavy. Sometimes a product is packaged in a shipping-friendly box of its own. But occasionally it makes sense to cap it off with a simple brown cardboard box.
A plastic shipping bag is a wonderful option if you offer lightweight, non-fragile items. Bags and envelopes are compact, self-sealing, sturdy, and lightweight. For sending minor apparel orders, they are effective. Instead of over-boxing a tiny item, you can place it inside an envelope or bag. These mailers have the added virtue of being waterproof.
An effective delivery method for tiny or flat objects is a padded envelope. Some are easier to recycle because they are cushioned with shredded paper. Although less environmentally friendly, padded envelopes filled with bubble wrap are quite protective.
In order to prevent your products from shifting during delivery, you almost always need to add infill to the boxes you ship them in. Infill provides additional stability and padding to guarantee that your items arrive intact. There are numerous infill options available. One of the biggest shippers in the world, Amazon, combines brown paper and air-filled cushions. There isn't a single, perfect solution for infill. You'll need to plan according to your particular merchandise and shipping.
One of the most adaptable and flexible materials for package infill is brown kraft (brown) paper. It is simple to crumple it to fit any infill requirement or easily rip it into sheets of any size you require. The fact that Kraft paper may be recycled endlessly is another advantage. Kraft paper requires less chemical input than items made from bleached white paper. You can also find kraft that is manufactured from recycled paper.
The plastic sacs filled with air known as "air pillows" are becoming a more popular sort of infill. One of the lightest filler materials for eCommerce packaging, they are. Air pillows may be the least expensive option if you're worried about the weight of your delivery and require a lot of filler. Although they can sometimes be recycled, it's a sure bet that the majority of them end up in landfill.
The traditional filler, packing peanuts, can be messy and annoying to work with or receive. This can lead to issues with packing and unpacking, and as Styrofoam cannot be recycled, there may also be issues. However, packing peanuts manufactured from corn flour are much easier to discard and far more environmentally beneficial.
The best protection for delicate items is bubble wrap. The bubbles are enjoyable to pop too! Customers can view the bubble wrap infill as more than just packing and more of a bonus. You might want to let your consumers know that many locations that now accept plastic bag recycling will also accept bubble wrap, allowing them to enjoy their popping in a secure, environmentally friendly manner.
Infill made of shredded cardboard is a fantastic way to recycle while wrapping. All you need is a machine that transforms used cardboard into sheets that can be folded into an accordion. These sheets can be used to safely wrap fragile items during delivery. It's also simple for customers to remove and recycle at the other end.
Packaging for online sales involves more than just the supplies you employ to deliver products to clients securely. In addition to the contents, what you place inside the box can have a significant impact. Consider it the tangible representation of your brand voice.
Surprisingly, the receipt plays a significant role in the packaging process. Although it frequently goes unremembered, your customers anticipate an itemised receipt for the order. Don't just attach a receipt; make it stand out. Ensure that it enhances and supports your entire branding. Your receipt can enhance your order with a little imagination.
Stickers are perhaps one of the simplest and least expensive methods for in-box branding. They can be used to embellish the outside of the box or the carrying bag or to hold down tissue paper around the product. A few extra stickers can be added as a freebie. You will receive free promotion as a result.
The consumer of today has a wide range of eCommerce possibilities. They want to make purchases from people who share their ideals. Eco-friendly packaging can frequently assist you in demonstrating that common value and culture. But not everybody will be aware of what can be recycled. Include a remark on your label explaining how to properly dispose of the materials if you utilise compostable fillers or components, such as bags made of vegetable starches.
There are lots of businesses that rely on couriers and delivery services to keep their business afloat. Whether they’re delivering to consumers or even other businesses, this requires a timely and reliable courier service provider that will ensure they get their goods in one piece.
But how do you go about choosing the right courier service in the first place?
Well, whether you’re just starting out on your business venture or you’re scaling up and need a better provider, there are certain aspects you should look out for in an excellent courier service.
We’re now going to share these with your below, so you can take these important factors into consideration when setting up your shipping strategy.
Read on to find out more.
First and foremost, when choosing a courier for your business, you need to look at the services they offer and whether or not they’re gonna be able to tick all the right boxes. For example, if you need to track all your deliveries, then you need to make sure this is a service that they offer. Otherwise, they are not the provider for you.
There are lots of other services you might require, and in most cases, these will be listed on the company website. But if you’re ever in doubt, it’s best to get in touch with the sales or customer service team to check if they offer all the features you need.
At this stage, you might also wish to determine what is going to be absolutely essential for your business and if there are certain services you could live without. This might factor in later when you are trying to find the right provider for the right price. But we will discuss this in more detail next.
There are loads of costs associated with running a business, so it stands to reason that you want to keep these to a minimum wherever possible. Therefore, when choosing a courier service to ship your goods, you need to choose wisely and ensure that you pick the most budget-friendly provider; without compromising on service, of course.
So as you begin narrowing down the service providers, it’s important to look out for their prices and weigh this up against what they are offering.
Some providers might include prices on their website, while others may require you to speak to a sales representative for a tailored quote. Whatever the case may be, don’t rush this decision and spend some time comparing the different providers until you find the right one for the right price.
Something else that is going to largely affect the services you choose and also the service you can offer your customers is the speed of delivery.
Today’s consumers are far less patient, and in the era of Amazon Prime, they expect to get their goods quickly. In fact, only one in three (32%) consumers would be willing to wait more than two days for a parcel.
Therefore you need to account for customer demands and make sure you’re offering the quickest possible delivery times in order to keep your customers satisfied.
Of course, there will always be exceptions where rapid delivery is not possible, but it’s a good idea to do some research and find out what the average delivery speeds are and whether they offer any special services, such as same day, next day or overnight delivery.
You might have looked at a courier’s website and been happy with everything you’ve seen online. However, you can’t be sure that they’re going to deliver on promises until you begin using the services.
That’s where reviews and testimonials come in. By looking at feedback from other businesses that have used their services before, you can begin to gauge just how reliable these providers will really be.
There are several places you can look for this information. Specific review sites like Trustpilot and Google reviews make this much easier. You can also check out the courier’s website and social media profiles. This is where people are most likely to share their opinions and experiences with that courier.
Make sure to read a good number of reviews and testimonials before making your mind up. Weigh these up against each other to determine what the pain points are and what the benefits are of using that company.
You should then be able to determine whether this service provider is going to be right for you and your company.
If you are running an online search for couriers in a specific area, then it’s likely that Google will only show you relevant results. However, if you make the mistake of being too broad, you might be presented with hundreds of options, but that doesn’t mean they’re all accessible to your business.
So before you spend ages reading up on a great provider, looking at testimonials and deciding if they’re right for you, be sure to check the location and radius they cover with their deliveries.
The last thing you want to do is find the perfect service provider, only to be let down at the last minute when you realise they don’t deliver in your area.
Finally, delivery needs can change at different points throughout the year. For example, it’s very common to get busy over periods like Christmas, and you might find you are sending out a lot more deliveries.
However, there might be other times of the year when you find yourself fulfilling fewer orders and therefore needing less from your courier service provider.
Of course, this is something you can discuss when setting an account and agreeing on a price, but it’s always good to look out for those who offer more flexibility and scalability.
You want them to reflect your business needs so you aren’t spending unnecessary money on a courier service you’re not using, but you’re also not going to find yourself with hundreds of orders that you’re unable to ship out to your customers in the agreed timeframe.
Whether you run a business or you’re simply selling belongings that you no longer need, there might be times when you’re required to ship unusual items. These could be large, heavy, oddly-shaped or very fragile, but whatever the case may be, you need to prepare these correctly.
Essentially, you need to make sure that you protect and package your goods carefully. You must also know the correct weight and dimensions of your goods and ensure that they are labelled properly.
This makes it easier for courier services to know what to expect and for their team to manage and handle your packages accordingly. This way, they can make sure your goods reach their destination in one piece.
But if you’re not sure where to start with sending your goods, then this guide is for you.
Below, we’ll offer some top tips and techniques from an expert shipping provider so that you can pack and send your usual items with peace of mind.
One of the most important parts of shipping unusual items is choosing the right packaging in the first place. There are several things you need to consider at this stage; for example, will you need to use a box, bag or crate as the primary packaging for your items?
Whatever you choose, you need to make sure that your packaging is going to be plenty big enough for your item(s). It’s vital that you don’t cram these in and potentially damage your goods before you even begin.
However, you also need to make sure that the box or bag isn’t so big that your item is not going to slide or rattle around during transit, as this can also lead to damage.
Once you’ve chosen your primary package, you will then need to decide if you’re going to need additional protection, depending on the unusual item you are shipping. Some of the most common and useful materials for protecting your goods include:
These will ensure that your unusual goods sit securely within their box or bag and will add an additional layer of protection for the journey. This is going to be key if you’re shipping something that is fragile or has small, fragile elements to it.
So, the first thing you need to do is determine which primary packaging and additional protection are going to be best suited to the items you are sending.
But before you load up your packaging and stick the label on, it’s important to test that it’s going to be strong enough to make the journey in one piece. Therefore, it’s a good idea to always test the strength of your box or bag right away, particularly if you’re sending heavier items (more on this next).
You don’t have to test this with the item you’re shipping if you’re worried this could cause damage. Simply find something of a similar shape or weight and pop this inside the box or bag instead to make sure that it is going to hold out and protect your items during transit.
After all, the last thing you need is for the bottom of your box to give way and your goods to drop to the floor and break before they’ve even reached the courier.
If you’re concerned about the strength of your chosen packaging, you might wish to reinforce this with items such as corrugated card or choose a bigger, stronger box even if this costs a little more to ship.
There are lots of reasons that you might not be able to simply put your item in a standard box or padded bag and send it off.
These items might be deemed unusual and need a little extra care because of their shape, size, weight or fragility. Below, we’re going to look at how to deal with a few specific examples to give you a better idea of how to package your unusual goods. These include:
If you’re packing an oddly-shaped item, you might find that you’ve had to place it in a box that is much larger than the item itself just because of certain elements on it. For example, if you’re shipping a musical instrument or piece of furniture like a chair.
In these cases, you may need to use padding and additional packaging to fill in the gaps and pad out any additional space within the box. This will help to protect and steady your item during transit.
If you’re packing a heavier item like building materials, stone items or something made of metal, a reinforced cardboard box might not be enough, particularly if these are large items.
In this scenario, it might be worth placing the item on a wooden pallet even if you then put this inside a box. Be sure to strap the item down or tie it to the pallet in some way to stop it from moving around. Alternatively, you could use a wooden crate for packaging heavier items.
It might also be worth adding an additional label to let the courier know quickly that this is a weighty item that requires extra attention.
If you’ve got to send something that is fragile, for example, something ceramic or made of glass, you’re going to need lots of extra packaging elements such as bubble wrap or packing peanuts.
Find a box or bag that the item fits in snuggly but without being forced, and fill the additional space with the aforementioned protective packaging. Be sure to add a label that says fragile to let the courier know that they need to take extra care when handling your parcel.
Finally, if you’re able to dismantle your unusual item and package each element separately, this can drastically increase the level of protection during transit. This is particularly important if you’re shipping larger items or those with lots of different parts.
Let’s say, for example, you’re shipping a drum kit. If you send this in one piece, you increase the risk of damage, plus you’ll need a much bigger container to fit in. Alternatively, you can take this apart and wrap each individual element, giving them more protection.
Of course, your ability to take the item apart will completely depend on what it is you’re sending and whether this is practical.
There are lots of reasons to start and run an online business. It can help to eliminate some of the costs associated with having a brick-and-mortar business, it opens you up to a much larger customer base, or you could just use this to support sales alongside a brick-and-mortar shop.
Of course, there are lots of important aspects to consider when setting up an online business, such as web design, branding, how to market your products or services and shipping options. However, arguably one of the most important things is getting the right payment solutions in place so you can actually take payments.
After all, without this, how are you going to make any money?
Not only this, but today’s consumers are used to having multiple options when it comes to payment. They like to pay quickly through online portals without having to search for their card in their bag. They also like options such as buy now, pay later or the ability to pay in monthly instalments.
However, it’s worth noting that not all payment processing platforms were created equally, and they often serve different purposes. Therefore, you need to choose the option that is going to be best for your business and your customers.
If you’re not sure where to start or how to meet customer demands, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we are going to look at four top payment processing options you could choose for your online business, weighing up the pros and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.
Let’s get started!
Square is one of the easiest out-of-the-box payment solutions you can use. It is also one of the most complete, offering a huge range of online payment tools for free. That is if you don’t want to upgrade to the paid plan.
And even if you do decide to upgrade to the paid plan to access the extra features, you are not tied in by a contract, which is great news.
Some of the key features of this platform include a payment gateway, links, buy buttons, click and collect options, invoicing and recurring payments. Best of all, you can integrate Square with lots of other partner apps, such as accounting software or takeaway platforms, depending on the needs of your business.
In terms of cost, debit and credit card transactions have a fixed rate of 1.9% per online transaction, which is pretty reasonable. Though for non-European cards, these charges are slightly higher at 2.9% per transaction.
The slight downside is that these fees are non-negotiable unless your business is turning over more than £250k a year -which is a lot of money! Not only this, but customer support is only available on weekdays, which can be problematic if you get into a spot of bother over the weekend. After all, most online businesses are available 24/7; they don’t shut down at the weekend.
PayPal is probably one of the better-known payment processing platforms out there, as it was one of the earliest innovators in this field. Often, the familiarity of the brand can be reassuring to customers, and they feel safe making an online payment in this way. Not to mention that most people already have a PayPal account set up, making it very convenient.
It’s free to sign up to PayPal as a business, and there are some features that are free to use without upgrading your account. These include an integrated checkout, payment links, buy buttons, QR codes and email invoices.
However, this is not the cheapest platform when compared to others on the list. For advanced features such as virtual terminal and advanced checkout solutions, it’s a monthly fee of £20 a month. Plus, transaction fees for the standard features are set at 2.9% + 30p. Cross-border fees include an additional 1.29%-1.99%. Those with a monthly turnover above £50k can negotiate to get better fees.
As this is an online portal rather than a bank account, money is paid into your PayPal account when someone buys through your site. This can then be transferred across to your bank account in just a day or two.
Worldpay is a solid payment processor that has been trusted by thousands of businesses for decades. In fact, as much as 40% of all card payments made in the UK go through this processor, making it the industry leader.
One of the biggest selling points here is that in order to sign up, you must have a conversation with a Worldpay representative. They will tailor your quote based on your sales volumes and the type of business you have. This is ideal for getting personalised rates rather than generic monthly fees and saving your business money.
There are two different types of contracts available, either long-term or 30-day rolling and businesses are given their own merchant account. This means that Worldpay is regarded as more reliable than some of the other platforms on this list.
Transaction fees are competitive, though a continued online turnover of at least £2,000 a month is required. This can be trickier for smaller businesses just starting out. As such, this is often a better platform for more established brands.
Last but not least, we have Stripe. This is a huge international platform which is popular with businesses of all sizes, from startups to high-growth organisations. Stripe accounts are really easy to set up online without any fees, and you are not tied into any contracts. It also integrates well with other popular e-commerce platforms, such as Squarespace.
Some of the key features include a payment gateway, payment links, buy buttons and virtual terminals. Through Stripe, you also have the option to use payment solutions such as subscriptions.
Stripe’s payment system is scalable, which is great for growing business, and it offers effective sales reporting and fraud prevention tools. Another key selling point is the competitive card transaction fees, starting as low as 1.4% + 20p depending on which version of the payment processing system you use.
The downside? Stripe can be pretty tricky to set up if you’re not a web developer.
Whether you’ve opened up a restaurant, set up an accounting firm, or you’re a freelance photographer, getting the right insurance in place should be a top priority for any business owner. This means sorting out commercial liability insurance to help protect the key aspects of your business, such as your property, products, employees and customers.
However, when you run an online store, especially a small one, it can feel like perhaps this insurance is less of a priority. After all, your business is just out there in cyberspace, there isn’t always a huge amount of physical space involved, and you don’t interact with your customers in person.
So do you still need commercial liability insurance?
The simple answer is, yes, you do. There are still important aspects of your business that you need to protect; therefore, getting the right policy in place is a must.
If you’re confused by the complex insurance landscape and subsequent jargon, we’re here to help. Below, we’ve created a guide to commercial liability insurance, what this means for your e-commerce store and how to find the right provider.
So let’s dive in.
Commercial liability insurance is not just one thing. In fact, it is the general term used to cover multiple different types of insurance policies, all aimed at protecting you and your business. These different types of insurance might include public, employee and product liability insurance.
The idea behind these policies is that they protect you from potentially damaging issues that might arise, such as loss, injury, damage or theft, in different situations. These might also cover claims made by your business, an employee, a customer or even a member of the general public.
Now, you might be thinking, a lot of this sounds like something you need if you have a physical workplace with a lot of foot traffic - but what about an e-commerce store? Particularly those that are smaller and run by just one or two people.
Well, it is advised that every business gets commercial liability insurance in one way or another.
For online retailers, whether selling goods locally or shipping internationally, there are still lots of risks that you need to consider. And this is true whether you make and sell your own products or use sites like eBay or Amazon to advertise your goods.
Getting commercial liability insurance that is tailored to your e-commerce store can help you feel safe in the knowledge that you’re protected. Which, ultimately, is what every business wants.
If you’re still not sure why your e-commerce business needs commercial liability insurance, let us help. Below, we’ve pulled together a list of the potential risks you face that could end in an expensive compensation claim or disruptions to trading. These include:
These are just a few potential issues you might run into, but by having the right insurance, you can protect your stock, avoid losing income, deal with claims and stop the need to pay any unnecessary legal fees. That way, you can run your business with peace of mind and without worry.
As we said, commercial liability insurance is actually the name given to the different policies required to cover your business. The type of policy you choose in the end may vary, but you should certainly consider the following:
Products liability insurance
This protects you should one of your products harm someone or do damage to their property/belongings in any way. This policy ensures your legal fees and any compensation are covered, so you don’t end up out of pocket.
Employers’ liability insurance
If you employ multiple people to help run your e-commerce store, you might need employee liability insurance in case one of them becomes injured as a result of their work. Again, this covers you for legal fees and compensation.
Stock and property insurance
If you’ve got a lot of stock and possibly even a shop or warehouse, you need to protect these too. Stock and property policies can help to replace any damaged, lost or stolen stock. It can also be used if your property becomes damaged and anything that is stored at the property, such as products or devices like computers.
Business interruption insurance
If you are unable to trade as normal due to technical issues or perhaps issues beyond your control, such as a power cut, business interruption insurance ensures you don’t lose out on your earnings.
Cyber and data insurance
Something hugely important when you run an e-commerce store is cyber and data insurance. Firstly, it helps to get your business back up and running again if you’re hacked. It can also cover compensation and legal fees if a customer makes a claim due to loss or theft of their data.
Public liability insurance
You may or may not need public liability insurance depending on whether you have a physical store as well as an e-commerce one, or perhaps you take part in pop-up events. In this case, dealing with members of the public has potential risks, and you want to be covered against any claims they could make.
There are lots of providers out there offering differing levels of cover for your e-commerce business, so how do you know which policy to choose? Well, in this final section, we have put together some top tips to help you out:
Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to find the right policy for you in no time.
Does your online shop offer a buy now, pay later (BNPL) option yet?
If not, why not? You could be missing out on a lot of sales!
These are services that allow customers to order what they want and pay for it in instalments - usually around four to six instalments - rather than in one lump sum. This can be great news for both parties!
But if you’ve decided you want to offer a buy now, pay later service to your customers, you might be wondering how you go about adding this payment option to your website, which is why we’ve created this guide.
Below, we’ll look at some of the benefits of BNPL services for your customers before looking at the different platforms and how you can set these up on your site.
There are serval reasons why BNPL schemes are great for your customers, and some of the key benefits include:
Of course, providing a better experience to your customers also has a very positive impact on your business and some of the key benefits of BNPL for your business include:
But who offers these buy now, pay later services? Well, with lots of companies starting to see the benefits, there are more and more providers emerging all the time. That said, some of the top BNPL service providers include PayPal Pay in 4, Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm.
Although it might seem like it’s going to be a long and complicated process, setting up a new payment option through your website doesn’t have to be. To set this up, you need to:
First and foremost, you need to decide which service provider is going to be best for your business. When doing this, there are several key things you need to take into consideration, and these are:
Once you’ve done your research and decided on your provider, you can begin the technical part of setting this up on your website.
Before you begin installing your new payment option, you need to protect yourself just in case something doesn’t quite go to plan. So, as you should do before you make any changes to your online store, you need to back it up. This way, if something goes wrong, you can return your site to its original working state.
Now for the technical part of getting your BNPL systems in place. The strategy you use will depend slightly on the provider you’re using, as well as the platform you use to host your online store. Below, we’re going to cover some of the most common platforms, therefore, the most common ways to add this payment option to your website.
If you run a WooCommerce store through WordPress, it can be fairly simple to install your new payment gateway. Once you’ve selected your provider, let’s say, for example, Afterpay, you then need to download the Afterpay Gateway WooCommerce payment plugin.
Most of the big providers will have these plugins available, and they will be easy enough to find and download, then activate on your site. For some service providers, you’ll have to download a Zip folder, upload this to the Plugins section of your WordPress admin dashboard, before installing and activating.
If you’re using platforms like Shopify for your online store, the process is pretty similar. Go to the app store and find the relevant plugin or extension. For example, when using PayPal Pay in 4, you need to go to the WooCommerce + PayPal page and click Get PayPal Checkout to download the relevant extension. You can then install this before going to your settings to activate it on your site.
Finally, if you or someone else has built the website for you, then you might require a few lines of code to add this payment option to your store. The good news is big BNPL providers like Klarna make this simple enough to find; they even have online guides on how to copy the Javascript Library you need and add this to your HTML file.
That being said, if you’re not confident in your coding abilities, it might be better to seek professional help rather than messing about with the HTML, as this could essentially break your whole website.
Finally, your work isn’t done just because you’ve got the plugin or code in place - you still need to make customers aware of your new BNPL functionality. So, once everything is up and running and you’ve made sure to test the integration, you should create some advertising or content that lets customers know they can buy now and pay later.
You might wish to run some adverts on Google or social media or simply create some engaging posts to share across your channels to let everyone know. You can also ad banners to your web pages, create landing pages and run an email campaign for those already on your mailing list.
This way, you can attract both new and existing customers, letting them know that you’re finding different ways to make their experience even better when shopping with your brand.
Whether you want to switch from your existing supplier or find you’re trying to find a wholesaler for your new business, this is one of the most important decisions you can make as a business owner. After all, you want a supplier that you can form a good relationship with and that offers a greats service and equally impressive products.
But how do you go about finding the right supplier?
Well, the good news is there are several things you can look out for when choosing a wholesaler, and we’ve pulled these together in a list below.
So, before you settle on a supplier, be sure to look out for these six important aspects.
When looking for a new wholesaler, it’s likely that one of the first things you will look at is the price. After all, this is going to have the biggest impact on your profit margins.
But you need to consider cost carefully when choosing a supplier.
This is because prices between wholesalers might vary, and you want to find the best price for the best product, as well as ensuring that the prices aren’t so low that they’re too good to be true.
As such, it’s important that you shop around a bit. This will give you a good idea of industry average prices and any places in particular that are offering a good deal. This way, you can make sure that you’ve weighed up all the options when it comes to costs and choose the supplier that is best for you.
There is often a correlation between the cost and quality of the products from a wholesaler. Therefore, quality is another important thing you need to look out for. In many cases, if a wholesaler is a lot cheaper than their competitors, this could be a sign that their products aren’t of the same quality.
An important step when choosing a supplier is to weigh up cost and quality. Would you be willing to pay more in order to offer your customers a better product? Or are you looking for products with the biggest possible profit margin?
You need to think about this and weigh up your options carefully before choosing a supplier. You could even order some samples from them beforehand to get a feel for the quality of their goods.
When you partner with a wholesaler, you’ll be forming a long-term relationship with them. Therefore, you want to choose a supplier that offers a consistently reliable service, so this is something you should look out for during the selection process.
To do this, be sure to look for testimonials from other businesses that use them or perhaps look at review sites like Trustpilot and social media comments. This should help you to get a clearer picture of the service they offer and whether other businesses are happy with the treatment they have received.
After all, the last thing you want is to let your own customers down either through the shipping process or with poor/damaged products because your supplier is not reliable. This can cost you loyal customers and ultimately, cost you money.
Plus, customers will be unaware that the supplier is the problem and will leave poor reviews or comments for your business. This can have a negative impact on your reputation even though it might be out of your control.
If you go through a lot of goods or materials, you’re going to need a supplier that can get these to you in good time. As such, you need to make sure you find out about delivery and lead times. You may need a cheap courier in Ireland to help with the shipments.
To do this, speak to the supplier and find out what the average delivery time is, but also how often they experience delays or issues with their delivery. This is because you don’t want to find yourself short of products and unable to get any more in a hurry.
It’s also a good idea to choose a wholesaler that offers tracked delivery so you can keep an eye on your goods in realtime where needed.
Something you might not have put too much thought into is the location of your supplier. Of course, there are so many shipping options and couriers out there nowadays that you can get products sent quite some distance.
However, if you’re a local business, you might prefer to use local suppliers or those near your area. This is particularly true if you’ve built your reputation as an expert in your area and one that hopes to support other local businesses.
What’s more, if you are hoping to ship internationally, you might want to look for a supplier that is based further afield and can supply different areas of the business. Ultimately, you need to consider the location of the wholesaler before settling on any one particular supplier.
Finally, if you’re thinking of growing your business in the future, you want to choose a wholesaler that can scale up to accommodate your needs. The last thing you want is to sign up with a supplier, only to find you quickly grow beyond their capabilities, and you have to start all over again finding another wholesaler.
Especially if you come to love their goods and services and then have to give these up as they cannot scale up to meet your demands, so, it always pays to choose a supplier that can offer a lot more than you currently need. This way, they can grow with you and help to meet the changing demands of your business.
