You’ve got your product, an absolutely genius product. You’ve got your website and Allied Wallet processing your profits. Don’t limit your orders domestically. You can accept so many different currencies with Allied Wallet; and while it may seem like a headache to sell products internationally, it’s more manageable than you think.
UPS has based their recent advertising on their ability to simplify logistics, making it easier for businesses to ship their products quickly and cost effectively. In this series, we’ll be discussing logistics from a small business perspective. We’ll focus on international fulfillment and show you how easy international sales can become.
1. Scour Your Opportunities
Understand that there are several shipping companies and options that can suit the needs of your business. Do your research and you’ll find that these companies will strive to earn your business, even by undercutting one another if you’re shipping in volumes.
2. Exhaust Your Resources
Speak with sales representatives from each of the major companies and see what they can offer you. Don’t be afraid to tell them you’re getting better rates from other companies. If you have an office in a commercial area, you’ll be surprised at their occasional visits and their willingness to discuss rates.
3. Negotiate Your Deal
Negotiating is important because you can increase your profit by working with a shipping partner who is flexible and functional with your business model. Fees and small charges add up and build into hefty sums that you or your customers will eventually assume.
4. Optimize Your Processes
You’ll find that you can save money if you ship things more cost effectively. Consider shipping more items at once because bulk shipping means discount pricing. Pricing also depends on square footage and weight. When shipping, remember to maximize space based upon the company’s weight and size constraints. If you’re re-selling someone else’s packaged products, it should be safe to put them in a similar-sized box for shipping. But if you make t-shirts or lamps, there are different aspects you’ll need to consider.
5. Get Crafty
When shipping larger items, remember that it’s important to break them down to keep the volume/weight ratio from adding to your costs. Large, odd-shaped items often cost more to ship. Find packing materials locally. Sometimes bigger shipping companies offer packaging materials at no additional cost.
Be sure to review your rates and restrictions and make yourself aware of any and all fees or penalties. Shipping can be a very choppy current when you sail outside your domestic borders. The paper work alone can be noticeably more complicated. It’s important to have all your customs declarations and paper work completed and organized before proceeding to ship. If your paperwork is incomplete or unorganized your products can get docked in customs on either end of the delivery, costing you time, effort, and profit. Allied Wallet encourages you to scour, exhaust, negotiate, optimize, get crafty, and review carefully. Stay on board with us for…
