If you're in e-commerce, you know that shipping is probably the most important part of your relationship with your customers. From the moment an order is placed, the entire process must be streamlined to get it to the recipient in the shortest possible time. But what if it's a shipment to another country?
Whether you are focused on the local market or are considering opening borders, we explain how you can optimize the international shipments of your eCommerce.
Basic aspects of international shipments of a eCommerce
International shipments on eCommerce are more complex than domestic shipments. And if we talk about going outside Europe, things get even more complicated as the logistics change from one market to another.
The first point to examine will be your pricing strategy: will you include them in the price of your product to offer free shipping or will you charge them separately?
Although the first option is more attractive, the price of your products will be higher than your competitors'. In the second option, the price will lead the customer to proceed with the purchase, but they may abandon the cart when they see shipping costs they were not expecting. The price of shipping does matter!
But in addition to the pricing strategy you choose as a company, you have to take into account the costs of the shipment itself, the regulations of each country and the requirements that may be requested by customs. Fortunately, nowadays most of the carriers specialized in ecommerce offer services that facilitate both international shipments and the tracking of the same and the returns that may be generated.
On the other hand, the growth in the logistics sector itself derived from the development of eCommerce has allowed services to continue to improve and adapt to the needs of each company. You can opt for direct pickups at your warehouses or centralize shipments to simplify logistics and reduce your costs.
It is important to offer several delivery options and do not forget to study the behavior of your customers, have you noticed any preference for a particular carrier or its prices?
But as the first decision in the international shipments of your eCommerce is yours to make, at Digital 1to1 we take care of putting you in contact with the best options. We work with digital solutions experts that stand out for the innovation in their processes and services. Do you want to know them?
Merging markets
When you have your pricing strategy clear and you know how the markets you are going to open work, it is time to establish the amount of shipping costs. To do this, you will have to identify the different logistics providers that cover the markets you want to target and compare prices and conditions.
Ideally, each order should be charged according to the size and weight of the shipment. However, with this option you would miss out on economies of scale and strategies aimed at multiple shipments.
The key to optimizing international shipments from eCommerce is to offer a flat rate per destination.
With this strategy, you make it easier for your customers to place larger orders by gaining shipping cost advantages. You kill two birds with one stone by increasing your average ticket and simplifying management with carriers and shipments.
Metapack
Metapack is a leading provider of intelligent solutions in the e-commerce market. It has a delivery management solution that is cloud-based and allows any company to have full control of the shipping, returns, tracking and customer service processes, mainly.
Through its platform, different delivery options can be chosen according to location, product type or customer preferences. In addition, it reports the status of shipments in real time at all times. The portal can be customized for any brand and is available in multiple languages.
Moreover, it can be integrated with customer management or CRM platforms and other third-party systems through APIs. Other features include information on customer experience, market opportunities and trends, personalized customer communication, shipment volumes and various audit and analysis reports.
Supported payment methods
Once the order is placed, it is time for payment. This can be another drawback when shipping internationally on your eCommerce if you don't work with the right solutions. Each market has its own currencies and payment methods.
Your strategy to optimize shipments will be one that facilitates the buying process and boosts sales by adapting to the needs of each market.
Today, there are a multitude of payment platforms that will help you simplify the process and speed up collections. Customer confidence will increase and shipping time will decrease as the order is processed faster.
Klarna
Klarna offers a flexible payment method solution that can be added as an option among those available in an e-commerce. Brands such as Ikea, H&M, Adidas, Asos or JD already use this system.
By selecting this method, the customer can choose between different options for payment of their purchases: Pay now, an instant payment with their card; Pay on delivery, which issues an invoice; and Pay in three installments, which includes three flexible interest-free payment options.
For companies that include this system, the sales amount is automatically obtained with the purchase. This benefits both retailers and their customers and boosts the increase in sales and the average value of each order.
Logistics suppliers for your eCommerce
But in addition to the conditions for international shipments of your eCommerce, you should also evaluate the other services offered by logistics providers, such as delivery time or order tracking. The latter is one of the most important aspects for customers who want to know where their package is in real time.
To reduce costs and speed up shipments, most carriers divide their container space among different companies. By centralizing shipments, the cost is spread out and reduced. And while efficiency may be greater if you have your own services, working with specialized companies has its advantages.
It is important that you have customizable internal tools, such as a good CRM that will allow you to set up customized tracking panels that will help you keep a comprehensive control of both the delivery process of the products as well as the stock and the state of the warehouse.
Rolando Digital
Rolando Digital is a cloud-based logistics start up; a tool that easily integrates with any online store and allows you to have full control of your logistics, as well as your product catalog and customer service.
From the system itself, the entire process is monitored and suggestions are offered to reduce transportation costs and increase sales. Its functions include packaging optimization and the search for the most suitable carrier for shipment; process automation to reduce errors and increase team productivity; catalog optimization with prices that automatically adapt to those of the competition; publication of catalogs in marketplaces; improvement of the shopping experience and customer relations; and dashboards with graphs, reports and KPIs to improve performance and decision-making.
Do you want to meet suppliers that offer you logistic or payment solutions to facilitate international shipments of your eCommerce?
Don't wait any longer, at Digital 1to1 we love to identify new business opportunities and make them possible. Click here and get in touch with us.
