It’s true that there are many different shipping methods available, but how do YOU know which one to choose?
Do you want to offer free shipping?
Ship your package to arrive in 2 days? Or 3-7 business days?
Or is it time-sensitive and it needs to get there as soon as possible? Is same-day delivery the way to go?
What options do your customers want and what shipping methods are they willing to pay for?
It can all be confusing and overwhelming. That’s why we’re breaking down some of the top choices so that you can make an informed decision when deciding on your shipping strategy.
Table of Contents
The Importance of Shipping
The importance of shipping services can’t be understated. It’s one of the largest expenses that eCommerce platforms and their entrepreneurs face. It’s also one of the top reasons for shopping cart abandonment.
People all over the world are shipping products every day to either deliver them or they are storing them for drop shipping options.
Offering different shipping methods for your products can be a beneficial way to increase your revenue and boost your online business performance.
9 Shipping Methods for a Better Checkout Experience
Ground shipping
Ground shipping, also known as economy shipping and standard shipping, is a delivery service that is typically the most economical of all the options provided.
The downside to this shipping method is it can take 3-5 business days or a few weeks to get a package delivered to a customer’s location.
Another con is the general lack of security and exact turnaround when it comes to carrying out this type of shipping service. It’s a bit of a roll of the dice without any assurance kind of shipping method, particularly when bad weather is involved.
Tracked vs untracked delivery shipping methods
When using ground shipping as your default shipping method, some shipping carriers may offer you the option to send your packages with or without tracking.
The difference between tracked vs untracked (or a registered shipment) is that a tracked package will have a tracking number associated. And untracked shipments do not have any form of tracking meaning you and your customers will not know if it’s been delivered or not. Nor any delivery issues along the way.
While non-tracking a shipment may save money, if your customers’ purchase order value is over a certain dollar amount, you may want to choose tracked or registered shipping so that a signature is required for their proof of shipment.
Air shipping
The term “air freight shipping” refers to the transportation of cargo by air in a commercial aircraft. While it’s the fastest shipping method available, it’s not always necessary, especially in cases of local delivery.
Air shipping is your best option for international shipping as well as for expedited shipping across the country.
Same-day delivery
Same Day Delivery is the fastest way to get your package delivered. Some carriers offer this shipping method, but it’s typically only available within a certain physical location or shipping zone.
The delivery time will depend on the distance and shipping carrier availability. But in some cases, customers can place their order as late as 4 PM for the next day.
Expedited shipping
Expedited shipping is a delivery option that promises faster transit times than regular shipping methods. For most domestic deliveries, expedited shipping is usually overnight or one business day delivery.
Delivery speed, as well as shipping costs, is a huge deciding factor for your customers, so it’s important to be transparent to avoid confusion and customer experience complaints.
Because expedited shipping is faster, shipping rates are typically more expensive.
Expedited shipping is a service offered by major carriers to businesses or consumers who want their packages delivered more quickly.
With standard delivery, a package within the same country might take 3 to 5 days for delivery, however, expedited shipping frequently helps to decrease the time to just 2 or 3 days, or even to the same day.
International shipping
International shipping is the term used to describe when packages are taken from one country and delivered across borders to other countries.
Shipping costs vary greatly, as do shipping options and shipping carriers, so if you’re planning to ship internationally it’s important to do some research into what your options are for transporting items.
Rail shipping
The least used fulfillment process option and the odd-ball-out of the bunch of eCommerce shipping methods, shipping your products or goods via intermodal rail can save you big!
Shipping with rail has its advantages like cost-saving shipping charges, speed of delivery, reduced carbon footprint, and superior package handling.
Curious about how you can get the ball rolling on Canadian rail shipping? Visit our partner site at RailGateway.ca.
Pickup in store
While offering pickup in-store is not a shipping method per se, offering local pickup is a smart shipping strategy.
Don’t assume that your consumer is aware of the pickup location near them. Many customers are so caught up in making a purchase that they don’t even realize or believe there may be alternatives.
The added convenience of being able to pick up their package in person can be the deciding factor for shoppers who are looking to buy online but don’t want the inconvenience of waiting for shipping or dealing with returns.
Free shipping
Offering free shipping is the number one way to reduce shopping cart abandonment and increase conversions.
Most online stores offer free shipping to their customers by using ground or economy shipping methods to keep out-of-pocket shipping costs low.
Another option is to offer free shipping on all orders over a certain order value amount. This is common practice amongst eCommerce shipping platforms.
If you’re running a business and you’re not offering free shipping, chances are your competitors will be and that’s where your customers will go.
Shipping Costs For Different Shipping Services
Generally speaking the shipping cost from cheapest to most expensive is:
- Ground flat rate shipping non tracked
- Ground, economy, or standard flat rate shipping, tracked
- Registered small package delivery
- Rail shipping orders (dependent on weight limits)
- Air shipping
- Expedited shipping
- Same day postal services and delivery
Tired Of Shipping Costs Eating Into Your Profits?
It’s all well and good choosing the best items at the lowest prices for your bottom line, but what if your customers want more? Not having a shipping strategy in place could actually be losing you money! Get the best rates for your online store with ShipSimple.ca. You could save up to 75% off your first shipment – let us show you how.
Online eCommerce Shipping Options
If you’re ready for a change and you want to save money, time, and resources, it’s time to take your shipping online with ShipSimple.ca.
ShipSimple is an easy-to-use shipment calculation tool that will help you find the best price at the click of a button!
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Shipping is a huge part of the online shopping experience. After all, it’s one thing to find the perfect item at an unbeatable price but if shipping costs are too high or you can’t get your order shipped quickly enough then your customer will likely move on and shop elsewhere.
Whatever decision you make for your online store, including the shipping method you choose, this is a decision that will impact your bottom line.
If you’re not sure what eCommerce shipping delivery methods are available to you and your business then it’s time to get started with ShipSimple.
Manage orders, and shipping labels, and provide your customers with accurate rates all from one simple and easy-to-use cloud-based shipping software.
You have nothing to lose. Get started for FREE!
There you have it! Which shipping method will you choose? Get social with us and let us know.
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