7 Small Business Shipping Tips to Save Money

A very important aspect of every small scale business ownership is the ability to cut down on the costs of running the business. Saving money is important for all business sizes, but the impact of the money saved or spent is so much higher for a small scale business. This is because a small scale business requires as much money as it can find to invest back into the business so the business can continue to grow.

While the areas to focus on to save money are various, some are easier to streamline than others. Say for any business, cloud documenting software could be a great money saving solution, but it also one that shows impact after a considerable amount of time since there is a hefty investment that needs to be made first. There are also other business areas where saving money requires very little to zero investment. All the business really needs is the knowledge of money saving ways and the drive to implement them.

Shipping is one such business area that can save a small business a considerable amount of money without demanding a big investment to start the saving process. Below are some small business shipping tips to save yourself money:

1. Bulk buy packaging and shipping material

One of the biggest and recurring costs involved in the shipping process is buying the packaging materials. Keep in mind that saving money on packaging material by buying lower quality materials is not advised since the ramifications can cost your business way more money that one can save.

When it comes to buying packaging and shipping materials for small business, know exactly the things you will need with as much accuracy as possible. Then, buy them in bulk so you have more bargaining powers, resulting in more savings for the business.

2. Re-use packaging

One often overlooked hacked when it comes to packaging materials is the use of packaging materials that your product components are shipped to you. Say you make products that require buying hardware from sellers.

The packaging materials used by your sellers to ship you those products can be used by you to ship your products forward. This is not only great for the environment, but also hugely beneficial for your business too.

3. Package efficiently

Most shipping services will charge money on the size of the shipment and the number of boxes in the shipment. Many times, you can reduce the size of the shipment by packing your products more efficiently.

Many small businesses have started to pack products being delivered to the same place together to save on shipping costs. Efficient packaging ensures that you are also spending lesser on the packaging materials, and also have space to ship more products.

4. Shop around

Businesses often do not consider the impact of shopping around for a shipping partner before finalizing a deal. Shipping services basically do the same job of taking your products from place A to B. Yet, they all differ based on the add-on services they offer, their rates and even their area of expertise.

Always shop around to find a shipping provider who understands your small business, because they can help you save a lot of money by offering services that are beneficial for your products.

5. Use multiple shipping services

Do not put all your eggs in one basket. As mentioned above, shipping services often have a business they specialize in. If you have multiple products, maybe a combination of two shipping services is the most cost efficient for your business. Just keep in mind to not over complicate things by tying up with too many service providers.

6. Be accurate

Do not estimate things when giving out shipping orders. Try to be as accurate and specific as you can when answering questions regarding what needs to be shipped. This includes information about what is being shipped and its weight amongst other things. The more accurate you are, the lesser the money will be used because of estimations as opposed to specificities.

7. Become a member of a business association

Leverage is one of the most important things small business do not have enough of when getting into conversations around bargains and deals. Many small businesses enrol as members of associations that are tied up with shippers who provide shipping services to the association’s members at discounted rates. This is a great way of being sure about the quality of shipping service you will receive, along with the added benefit of getting those services at a favourable rate too. Being part of such associations also opens up more information avenues for you to learn more effective ways of saving money for your business.

Shipping costs may look unimportant to businesses, but the bills can rack up fast if they are not given the attention they deserve. Next time you have a shipping decision to make, keep the 7 small business shipping tips mentioned above in mind to ensure you are getting a profitable deal.