{"id":12490,"date":"2021-06-28T09:40:09","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T16:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/?p=12490"},"modified":"2021-07-28T09:40:35","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T16:40:35","slug":"ultimate-shipping-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/amazon-fulfillment\/ultimate-shipping-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Shipping Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shipping is a huge aspect of any seller\u2019s ecommerce fulfillment strategy. It\u2019s also likely one of the most costly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Direct-to-consumer shipping can make up as much as 70% of a company\u2019s total fulfillment costs and can be a material percent of their average order value. Now more than ever sellers are highly incentivized to find ways to optimize their shipping to be faster and more affordable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This comprehensive guide is a resource for sellers new to ecommerce fulfillment, as well as experienced sellers looking to reduce costs, ship into new channels, or take their products abroad.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe fact that we can scale with DCL is really important to us. In the long term, being able to ship out of the center of the country as opposed to one of the coasts is going to be more cost effective overall for us.\u201d \u2014Jens Voges, COO at Gate Labs<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Basic Components of a Shipping Strategy<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Volume, speed, and distance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are among the first considerations you\u2019ll need to weigh. Understanding these aspects of your products and business will be crucial in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/shipping-strategy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shaping your shipping strategy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set your <\/span><b>shipping rates and methods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You need to determine what fees you\u2019ll ask your customers to take on and what you\u2019re willing to absorb. The big options are: flat rate shipping, charge real-time carrier rates, or offering free shipping. Among these there are many nuances that you can change depending on the season, cost of your goods, and specific products customers are buying.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Calculating shipping costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You\u2019ll want to choose a carrier to work with. Each offers slightly different services depending on the areas you want to ship, the size and weight of your packages, plus how quickly you want to get products to customers. Each carrier has a shipping calculator that might be a good place to start.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wwwapps.ups.com\/ctc\/request?loc=en_US\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPS Shipping Calculator<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fedex.com\/ratefinder\/home?cc=US&amp;language=en&amp;link=1&amp;lid=\/\/ship\/Pack+Rates+Corp\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FedEx Shipping Calculator<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/postcalc.usps.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USPS Shipping Calculator<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figure out <\/span><b>packaging and packing materials<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. First calculate your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/dimensional-weight\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DIM weight<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> then work from there to optimize your products for the best rates.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Insurance and tracking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. One of the secondary aspects to consider is what insurance and tracking you\u2019ll want to offer customers. This is to help improve the level of security of your parcels, but it is also more costly.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read more in our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/beginners-guide-to-shipping\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Complete Guide to Shipping<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for more detailed information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Case Study: How Willow saved 50% on shipping and labor costs by reformatting their packaging and kitting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/customers\/case-study\/willow\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/customers\/case-study\/willow\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is Dropshipping and is it Right for my Business?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dropshipping makes it incredibly easy for sellers to launch ecommerce stores because it relieves them from many hassles of the supply chain, like inventory management or shipping logistics. The accessibility and simplicity of a dropshipping business model enables anyone to start an ecommerce business quickly. Even if you only dropship some of your products, you\u2019ll be freeing up resources for the items that require more of your attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dropshipping might be a good fit for these types of products and businesses:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perishable goods (such as beverages)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Goods that aren\u2019t updated often (tools, for example)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relatively low value, high demand goods (personal care products)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High turnover products (no deadstock!)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smaller items (lower shipping)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Distinct products that can\u2019t be found locally (like specialty cereals)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read our full guide to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/dropshipping\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pros and cons of dropshipping<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (including how to dropship with Amazon, and work with a 3PL to dropship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAnything we can turn around more quickly, reduces or eliminates the need to bring things in by air. So if we\u2019re talking about bringing in a pallet of units by ocean versus bringing in a pallet of units by air, you\u2019re talking about an order of magnitude difference in cost. The speed of dropshipping ends up being a tremendous cash savings.\u201d \u2014Josh Auerbach, Chief Operating Officer at Aura<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Case Study: Increase Your Sales Volume Quickly<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read how dropshipping helped triple Aura Frame&#8217;s year-over-year growth, lower their freight costs, and provided a more flexible inventory planning method.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/customer-spotlight\/dropshipping-strategy-increased-retail-channels\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/customer-spotlight\/dropshipping-strategy-increased-retail-channels\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factoring In Transit Times<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Amazon Effect<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In recent years Amazon has created a huge disruption in the ecommerce market by offering two-day, one-day, and now same-day shipping for Prime members in almost any area of the US. This has put pressure on other retailers, large and small, to follow suit and offer competitive transit times. Fast shipping is now an industry standard and means consumers now expect it. Shopping patterns now reflect consumers&#8217; preference for fast-as-possible shipping and companies really need to match that in order to stay competitive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCustomer satisfaction is one of the most important parts of any company. You have to look at it as if you\u2019re the consumer: \u2018Do I want to buy products from this brand, even though it always takes two weeks for it to get to me?\u2019 Some companies are okay with that. But some companies really need faster times to stay relevant.\u201d \u2014Monica Hayden, Transportation Manager at DCL Logistics\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expedited Shipping<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At its most basic meaning, expedited shipping is any shipping or delivery method guaranteed to get an order to a customer faster than the standard delivery method would. Expedited services apply to orders placed by customers who need them fulfilled as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on which standard shipping services are available (depending on shipping zone, size and weight, or other factors), the exact turnaround for expedited orders can vary. If five-day shipping is the standard for a seller, and one of\u00a0 their customers selects expedited shipping, the order will be guaranteed to arrive at some point sooner than five days after the order is confirmed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/expedited-shipping-101\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">expedited shipping<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and how to implement it into your shipping strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen we opened up the aperture to a wider delivery window, it put us into a different category of postage services. We ended up switching carriers to better fit our new strategy.\u201d \u2014Mike Dalporto, Director of Logistics at Willow<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Freight Considerations\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the Difference Between FTL and LTL Freight Shipping?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LTL refers to less-than-truckload. LTL is when multiple shippers\u2019 freight is on the same trailer rather than having a single company\u2019s freight exclusively on an individual trailer. Several LTL shipments are combined into one truck to fill it as near to capacity as possible. This is a great option for shipments that are between one and six pallets or any shipment that is less than 14 linear feet because it makes the most out of the available shipping space on a given truck. This is beneficial for the shipping needs of small businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FTL refers to full truckload freight. FTL shipping is commonly used for large shipments that require taking up the entire truck, or at least close to it. With FTL, your freight is the only freight moving on an individual truck so you have exclusivity to the entire truck and theoretically are filling the truckload. You can reserve the truck with its full capacity even if you don\u2019t require filling up the entire available space. Doing so would ensure that you won\u2019t have to worry about your goods changing hands at any time or your goods being stuck with other products.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/difference-ftl-ltl-freight-shipping\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LTL and FTL<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and if either makes sense for your brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Small Parcel Shipping: Comparing UPS, FedEx, and DHL Services<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies who sell smaller items, anything under 10lbs\u2014consumer electronics, health &amp; beauty supplies, or consumer packaged goods\u2014have a few options for their small parcel shipping strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most used services for small parcel shipping are UPS Surepost, FedEx Ground Economy (previously Smartpost), and DHL eCommerce. All three have many similarities, yet some distinct differences, yet many companies may not know which one is truly right for their products and brand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits of using these specific services for small parcel shipping include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cost savings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It is estimated that the last mile costs as much as 28% of the total transportation costs. UPS and DHL leverage USPS\u2019 existing infrastructure (the post office, mail trucks, postal carriers) instead of their own to save on costs. As a result, they can reduce costs and offer sellers additional savings, all without compromising speed and reliability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Saturday deliveries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Sellers get the benefit of deliveries six days a week without incurring additional fees.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Residential surcharges<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It\u2019s common for other ground shipping services to incur residential surcharges, but Surepost, Ground Economy, and eCommerce have limited surcharges.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Available tracking<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Tracking provides the seller and end consumer the ability to track their package throughout the transportation process. However, tracking can be limited when it is handed over to USPS for last mile delivery.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>P.O. Box delivery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Most of the services UPS, FedEx, and DHL offer do not provide P.O. Box delivery, but since they use USPS for these particular services, sellers can send to P.O. boxes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Insurance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There is a $100 replacement value service insurance in the event the package is lost or damaged while in the hands of the carrier. None of the carriers\u2019 insurance covers lost or damaged packages once it\u2019s passed to USPS.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read the full analysis <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/ups-fedex-and-dhl-comparing-domestic-shipping-options-for-small-packages\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">comparing these three small parcel services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save on Shipping<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By choosing DCL Logistics brands save an average of 18% on shipping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/company\/get-started\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/company\/get-started\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is Last Mile Delivery?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last mile delivery is defined as the movement of goods from a transportation hub to the final delivery destination. The final delivery destination is typically a personal residence or a commercial business. The focus of last mile logistics is to deliver items to the end user as fast as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The COVID era increased the use of many <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/last-mile-delivery-trends\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new ways to execute the last mile<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of delivery. The use of robust analytics and real-time data have boosted customer satisfaction for this segment of logistics. Most retailers now connect their customers to real-time tracking so that consumers can see exactly where their package is and when it\u2019s expected to land on their doorstep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The uptick in micro warehousing, urban fulfillment centers, and crowdsourced delivery systems have all given rise to faster delivery times. Every company is competing with the industry standard (Amazon\u2019s same-day delivery) and striving to accomplish that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/supply-chain\/big-retailer-last-mile-delivery\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">any way possible<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/last-mile-delivery\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">last mile delivery<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the latest <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/last-mile-delivery-trends\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">trends<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affecting this aspect of logistics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shipping Internationally<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinking about launching into new markets abroad?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the US is the crown jewel of the ecommerce consumer market today, international markets are growing and you\u2019ll want to narrow your focus on a select few countries as a start and expand from there. The largest ecommerce markets outside of the US are China, the UK, Japan, Germany, France, and Canada, but sellers will need to determine which markets are the most suitable to enter and sustain growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While international sales may increase your sales volume, it will also increase your administrative output. There are so many details to get right when bringing your products to new countries and new markets. Here are a few topics you\u2019ll need to figure out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/supply-chain\/duties-taxes-tariffs-explained\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taxes, duties, tariffs, and more<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014a quick explanation of international shipping costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commonly overlooked <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/reduce-costs-on-international-shipping\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">international shipping costs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/news\/eu-vat-tax-rules\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EU VAT rules<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> explained.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/news\/usmca-small-business\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USMCA rules<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for companies doing business in US, Canada, and Mexico.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/fulfillment\/expanding-distribution-canada\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shipping to Canada<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> companies need a non-resident importer number (NRI) if they do not have an entity set up there.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To plan for great fulfillment and distribution in another country, it\u2019s important to get set up with partners who know that new market very well. If you\u2019re doing DTC sales, that\u2019s one thing. But getting set up with retailers in another country can be very profitable if done right. Read more about getting into the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/3pl\/tips-european-market-partner-spotlight-fulfillment-solutions\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">European market<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/fulfillment\/expanding-distribution-canada\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canadian market<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro tip: It is highly recommended to hire a customs broker for dedicated support if you have high volume international shipments. Their expertise is invaluable when managing trade compliance and regulatory changes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At DCL Logistics we partner with some of the top industry experts to ensure our clients have access to the best resources. Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/press-releases\/passport-shipping-launch\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">integration with Passport Shipping<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enables companies to get quality fulfillment with quality international shipping support. With turnkey DDP and compliance solutions, the Passport team offers a high-touch customer relationship seamlessly integrated with DCL\u2019s fulfillment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other Considerations That Affect Your Shipping Strategy\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you still feel you are overpaying for shipping, or are just in need of some streamlining, consider a new look at your packaging. Package design and packing materials can really affect your DIM weight, your freight strategy, and your overall shipping costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read about how simplifying <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/shipping\/package-design-affects-shipping-costs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">package design can lower shipping costs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another often overlooked aspect of fulfillment that can help save on shipping costs is kitting and bundling. If your customers are often purchasing more than one item at a time, you may notice that you\u2019re sending out more boxes that you need. By creating product bundles (also known as kitting) you can offer customers the same amount of products in fewer boxes which reduces the cost of shipping.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cInstead of shipping two parcels per order we reduced the size of the primary kit to be able to put other things in that parcel. There is a natural postage reduction when shipping only one and not two.\u201d \u2014Mike Dalporto, Director of Logistics at Willow<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It might be time to redesign your packaging to allow products to better fit into a single parcel. There is a natural postage reduction when shipping only one and not two. Read more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/3pl\/bundling-ecommerce-fulfillment\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">kitting and bundling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are in need of shipping support, DCL Logistics can help. We have a dedicated team of experts with decades of experience. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/company\/get-started\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reach out to us<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a quote or to hear how we help high-growth brands optimize their shipping strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Checklist for the Ultimate Shipping Guide\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is a checklist to get your shipping strategy started:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Track your order volume over time to get an accurate average.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chart where most of your customers are and determine the zones you\u2019ll be shipping to most frequently.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decide your optimal transit time. Is expedited shipping needed?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider if FTL or LTL is a good fit for your products and order volume?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Streamline packing materials and packaging for low cost shipping.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rate-check your shipping costs by using the various carrier calculators.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve chosen a carrier and service, pick the tracking option that works best for your product.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider if you\u2019ll want to add insurance or if the standard rate is acceptable.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Special considerations\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Small Parcel<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you need a low cost option? UPS and DHL leverage the USPS last mile infrastructure which helps reduce costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is Saturday deliveries important? It\u2019s no additional charge with most small parcel services.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shipping premium goods? There is a $100 replacement value service insurance that carriers do not pass on to USPS.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Need tracking? It\u2019s limited with USPS.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>International Shipping\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determine which country and market is the best fit for your product.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019ve determined the market you\u2019re interested in, figure out the taxes, duties, tariffs, and other additional fees you\u2019ll need to include in your overall costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\" aria-checked=\"false\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider hiring a broker, compliance expert, or other savvy international partners.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shipping is a huge aspect of any seller\u2019s ecommerce fulfillment strategy. It\u2019s also likely one of the most costly.\u00a0 Direct-to-consumer shipping can make up as much as 70% of a company\u2019s total fulfillment costs and can be a material percent of their average order value. Now more than ever sellers are highly incentivized to find [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"template-blog-chapters.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-amazon-fulfillment","category-shipping"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Ultimate Shipping Guide - DCL Logistics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Ultimate Shipping Guide - DCL Logistics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Shipping is a huge aspect of any seller\u2019s ecommerce fulfillment strategy. It\u2019s also likely one of the most costly.\u00a0 Direct-to-consumer shipping can make up as much as 70% of a company\u2019s total fulfillment costs and can be a material percent of their average order value. Now more than ever sellers are highly incentivized to find [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dclcorp-phase2\/blog\/amazon-fulfillment\/ultimate-shipping-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DCL Logistics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-28T16:40:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-07-28T16:40:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Maureen Walsh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Maureen Walsh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Ultimate Shipping Guide - DCL Logistics","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Ultimate Shipping Guide - DCL Logistics","og_description":"Shipping is a huge aspect of any seller\u2019s ecommerce fulfillment strategy. 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