With today’s gas prices on the increase, shipping prices have also gone through the roof. That being said, it is essential to know how to cut down on shipping costs. Below are 5 ways for your small business to save on these costs…
Order shipping supplies from an online supplier
If you do a little shopping around online you can find a good shipping supplies supplier that offers these items at cheap prices, some of which even include free shipping. If your business requires a large volume of shipping supplies you may want to consider buying overseas from another country such a China. Either way, you are not only getting these supplies at a cheaper price, you are also saving money on gas.
Download postage to your computer and save on gas
If your business is relatively far from where you buy your postage, this is a great way to save money on gas with prices being so high these days. With this service you can download postage to your computer and print right to your envelopes. If you use UPS, you can get a printer to print shipping labels and download software to your PC to set up each shipping label.
Schedule package pickups and save more gas money
Any one of the major shipping services will allow you to schedule package pickups at your location. Again, this keeps you from having to drive to a delivery station saving you both money and time.
Use the same box
Of coarse this is common sense but just take it as a reminder. If you have customers that make multiple orders with you, be sure to send as many as you can in one box instead of sending out each item in a different box.
Avoid Expedited shipping whenever possible
How can you do this? Make sure to be on top of your orders so you don’t fall behind. If you fall behind, call your customer and see if 2 or 3 day shipping is acceptable. And be sure to always watch where your package is going. If you are in California and need to ship to a customer in a hurry who is also in California, don’t ship overnight! If you send it by ground, it will still get there in 1-2 days anyways. So the moral of the story is always check shipping times to different regions from your location.
