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Whether you are a small business or an E-commerce website, the international market is something you may want to consider. With the constant increase of globalization, affordable shipping methods, and buying power increases throughout the world, many companies are finding a new segment of their profit coming from international markets. However, if you are new to shipping products internationally, you will want to avoid these common mistakes that can drastically impact your bottom line.
The biggest potential problem startups, E-commerce sites, and small businesses face when shipping internationally is not getting fulfillment and clearing customs. Do your research on the country you are shipping to, and make sure your products meet both that country’s guidelines as well as United Nations guidelines. Not only does your product need to clear customs, but your packaging needs to as well. Many companies have custom packaging designed for their products, however, if that packaging does not meet international restrictions for clearing customs, your entire shipment can be sent back or confiscated, which will cost your company a lot of revenue. Make sure to work with a packaging company that has the proper labels for international shipping.
When many small businesses add international shipping to their company they waste money on one-to-one shipping. International shipping is very expensive. As a company, you can either absorb those fees and damage your overall revenue or you can pass the shipping fees to your customers. However, it has been estimated that shipping costs are cause for over 70% of abandoned online purchases. To save money on shipping, you should ship in bulk whenever possible. Even if you are a company of one person working out of your garage, it makes sense to ship in bulk. In order to do this, many companies utilize freight forwarding companies that offer international shipping guidance. They can plan logistics for local storage, local delivery options, and help with customs disputes.
Shipping has many variables. This is especially true when shipping internationally. When planning prices for international shipping you need to consider factors including weight, distance traveled, shipping speed, and shipping connections. You can save costs on shipping by targeting high volume cities around the world as well as increase shipping time for your customers. Shipping costs are another reason many companies work with custom packaging companies. Instead of using standard crates and packages that leave extra room, custom packaging facilities can optimize for shipping weight by providing custom dimensions.
Having a warranty on shipped products is almost mandatory for companies who want to sell internationally. Which means you have to absorb a lot of loss on damaged goods. This is another good reason to make sure your products are protected with waterproof packaging and delicate items are securely packaged.
If you are shipping internationally from Massachusetts, you should work with Crate This. At Crate This, all of our crates meet internationally set standards for shipping. We also work with your budget and product specifications to keep your products well protected. Give us a call to learn more.
