Ecommerce stores send packages to customers using various shipping options. These are the main ways online retailers send packages to customers and the ones that the majority of shoppers expect when they shop online.
Free
Customers usually expect free shipping when they place orders. It’s possible to make this happen for your company regardless of its size, by baking the cost of free shipping into the cost of your merchandise or if you have a minimum spending requirement per purchase.
This technique can boost the efficiency of your shipping overall because there will be less weighing, measuring, and pricing to manage for your products. It’s easy to send products out knowing that the shipping cost is included or the minimum spend threshold is met and then proceed to the next customer’s order.
Economy/standard
This is typically the most economical method of eCommerce shipping used by couriers to deliver items to stores. However, it’s more time-consuming to deliver and is best used for products that aren’t time-sensitive. Some people may be content with this choice if they want to save money and aren’t in any hurry.
Flat-rate
Flat-rate shipping is a form of shipping that isn’t dependent on the size or weight of the item. Instead, the retailer packs as much of the product into one flat-rate package as is possible.
The method is generally offered by the USPS However, other shipping companies do provide this service. Many ecommerce stores opt for flat-rate shipping because it’s a cost-effective way of getting many more products to the buyer in a single shipment.
Same-day delivery
Same-day shipping delivers products to the customer’s location on the same day their order is placed , or it delivers the product the same day the customer made the purchase. The majority of online stores will and should clarify the type of same-day shipping they use, so that customers know exactly the time they’ll receive their purchase.
This is usually the most cost-effective for larger companies like Amazon as well as Best Buy who have the infrastructure to handle near-immediate deliveries and delivery.
2-day shipping
Due to Amazon’s standardization of two-day shipping, retailers all over the world are now offering (or seeking to compete with) this speedy delivery option. For instance, both Target and Walmart provide free two-day delivery on select items in their online stores.
As with same-day delivery, this ecommerce shipping option isn’t the most cost-effective until your brand has scaled enough that you can afford the infrastructure necessary to maximize your shipping services and regularly deliver items to customers.
International
International shipping can be described as any method of shipping (even the ones mentioned above) that delivers and transports parcels outside of the retailer’s domestic or regional shipping region. It is usually between countries , but it can also occur between continents.
Freight shipping is the cheapest way to move packages from one region of the globe to another. It is particularly beneficial for e-commerce businesses that require massive quantities of merchandise from the destination country to their home warehouses.
