Whether it’s your side hustle or a dream that you’ve turned into a career, owning and running a business is no easy feat.
And if your business involves shipping, you know saving money and maximizing profit is imperative.
This quick reference of small business shipping tips can help save you time and money so you can focus on building your enterprise and living your life.
Streamlined Shipping
Waiting in line at the post office? It feels wasteful, time-wise. That’s why it’s crucial to be strategic with your shipping approach.
Here are six practical and effective shipping tips for small businesses:
1. Use a Virtual Mailbox to Receive Product Returns
A virtual mailbox is a must for small business owners who travel frequently or work from different locations. Utilizing this modern-day tool allows you to:
- View and control your mail from anywhere in the world with just a few clicks.
- Accept returns – your virtual mailbox service will hold any packages you receive until you’re ready to pick them up. Or they’ll forward them when and to any location you choose.
- Use your virtual mailbox address as your business’s official address for invoicing, legal papers, and on your website and collateral materials.
- Save huge money on physical office space, which can directly impact your bottom line.
2. Price Shop Shipping Options from Different Carriers
While the United States Postal Service (USPS) might seem an obvious choice, other shipping carriers might be better suited for your needs.
To make sure you’re maximizing convenience and cost, keep the following in mind:
- Even though USPS is a great all-around choice, other options might work out better depending on what you’re sending.
- For example, UPS has competitive costs when shipping large items, but an option like Sendle could save you money if you’re mainly sending small packages.
- Comparing the cost of shipping from various carriers can help you create a mosaic of multiple services to save you money over time. It takes some vigilance, but staying dialed in to the differences helps you maximize savings.
3. Tracking for All of Your Packages
One of the best tips for small business shipping is to make sure that all of your deliveries have a tracking number. You can share that tracking number with your customers so everyone has peace of mind throughout transactions.
Major carriers, like USPS, UPS, and DHL, will give you a tracking number that you can look up online or through an app.
Utilizing tracking consistently is a simple and cost-effective tip that can make shipping for small businesses so much easier and keeps customers happy.
4. Consider Shipping Software
Don’t have time to wait in line at the post office? Integrate a shipping software into your e-commerce platform that lets you:
- Print shipping labels and packing slips.
- Measure the dimensional weight of your packages and pay for postage online.
- From there, all you have to do is drop your packages off with a third-party carrier like UPS or USPS that works with your chosen software.
Some shipping software companies can even get you discounted rates on postage, so keep your eyes peeled.
5. Take Advantage of Free Packaging Materials
Did you know that USPS has free packaging materials available to customers for certain mail classes? Post offices are often stocked with free helpful items, including stickers, return labels, and boxes in various sizes.
Also, some shipping software services take it a step further by allowing you to order free shipping materials online.
6. Print Shipping Labels at Home
If you have a printer, you can use it to print your shipping labels for several different carriers. For example, if you have a USPS account, you can use the Click-N-Ship feature to pay postage online and print your shipping labels and tape them on.
Then, all you have to do is either drop off your package at the post office or schedule a pickup. UPS, FedEx, and others also have these features.
No doubt about it, the days of waiting in line at the post office just to pay for postage and print a shipping label are ancient history.
Get a Professional Virtual Address for Your Business
Keeping the above tips in mind will help your small business keep shipping affordable and efficient.
And a virtual mailbox from Anytime Mailbox is a simple way to streamline and includes the following features:
- The ability to check and manage your mail from anywhere in the world with just a few clicks on your smartphone or computer.
- The option for Anytime Mailbox to hold packages until you’re able to pick them up or forward them to a location you choose.
To get started:
- Choose an available address from Anytime Mailbox’s list of locations, either within the U.S. or abroad.
- Review the variety of plans and features that you need for your business. Plans start as low as $6.99 a month.
Once you have your address and your plan, you’re ready to continue growing your business, serving your customers, and shipping with ease.
After all, you’re the Captain of your ship—and it goes without saying—of your shipping.
Enjoy the journey…
