Improve your profitability and deliver a superior customer experience by automating the management of your e-commerce shipping costs. In this article, find out how implementing this technique can bring you concrete benefits.
E-commerce shipping costs are the costs associated with sending a parcel. They include packaging, transport, handling and delivery costs. These are generally billed according to distance, weight, size and delivery options chosen by the customer.
They are either included in the product price or charged separately, depending on the company’s policy. For e-tailers, it’s important to manage shipping costs effectively to minimize costs and maximize margins, while providing a satisfactory delivery experience for customers.
However, manual management of freight charges can be laborious and error-prone, leading to additional costs or dissatisfied customers.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of automating shipping management, how to implement it effectively, and real-life examples of e-tailers who have improved their profitability thanks to this technique.
Why automate your e-commerce shipping costs?
There are many advantages to automating shipping management for e-tailers. Here are some of the most important benefits :
- Reduce human error
Manual management of shipping costs can be time-consuming and prone to errors: in calculation, in entering delivery addresses, in invoicing, all of which can lead to additional costs and dissatisfied customers.
Automated postage management reduces human error, thanks to precise algorithms and calculation tools.
- Cost optimization
With automated e-commerce shipping management, you can use your real-time data to calculate more efficient and cost-effective shipping costs. Optimization tools will also enable you to choose the best delivery options according to weight, size and distance, thus reducing shipping costs.
- Improving the customer experience
Customers expect fast, reliable delivery, and are willing to pay higher e-commerce shipping costs for faster delivery. Automating shipping management then enables e-tailers to offer fast and flexible delivery options, improving the customer’s shopping experience. It is also possible to use tracking tools such as Shippingbo to inform customers of the progress of their order.
How can I automate e-commerce shipping costs?
There are a number of ways for e-tailers to automate the management of shipping costs. One common solution is to use a shipping automation software or service. One example is Shippingbo, which offers the following features:
- Automatic calculation
Shippingbo uses real-time order data, such as weight, size and distance between shipping and delivery, to calculate e-commerce shipping costs. Shipping costs are then optimized and more economical, as they are consistent with package criteria.
E-merchants simply use Shippingbo’s carrier mapping, which allows you to choose the most advantageous carrier, according to your order criteria (destination, product type, delivery promise, parcel weight…).
- Flexible delivery options
The variety of delivery options offered by the Shippingo solution enables e-tailers to stand out from the competition. In fact, 3 out of 4 consumers check e-commerce delivery options before buying products online. Offering a range of delivery options, including standard, express, point relais and in-store, enables you to optimize the customer experience considerably.
- Real-time order tracking
Order tracking tools, by email or SMS, are also available to Shippingbo users. They enable consumers to be informed of the progress of their order in real time, and to manage returns efficiently. Consumers feel reassured and can plan their day accordingly.
This considerably improves their shopping experience and boosts customer satisfaction. What’s more, e-tailers can use the data obtained to improve their shipping processes and reduce costs over the long term.
Want to know more about how to use order tracking notifications as a customer loyalty lever? We’ve put together an e-book on the subject – find out now!
- Integration with e-commerce platforms
Shippingbo’s logistics solution is also equipped with APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). These APIs enable you to establish connections between your e-commerce activity and other tools and technologies you may be using.
By using Shippingbo, your e-commerce becomes compatible with numerous CMS, payment systems, CRMs, ERPs and more. In fact, Shippingbo is connected to over 200 plug-and-play integrations (CMS, Marketplaces, Private Sales, carriers, etc.). Follow this link to find out more about Shippingbo integrations.
Your shipping costs can then be calculated automatically and directly from your CMS.
Shippingbo, the ideal tool for managing your e-commerce shipping costs
In conclusion, managing e-commerce shipping costs is a crucial challenge for e-tailers, as it has a considerable impact on both customer satisfaction and profits. Automating this task is therefore a wise move for companies seeking to maximize their profitability.
Indeed, automating such a task drastically reduces human error, optimizes shipping costs and improves the user experience.
As a result, some specialized platforms can be used to automate the management of shipping costs. This saves time, money and customer satisfaction. Shippingbo is one of the tools best suited to your needs.
Would you like to find out more about managing e-commerce shipping costs and implementing a truly impeccable delivery strategy? Click on the image below to discover our webinar on the subject!
