SmartShyp Blog | Ecommerce Insights, Tips, and News

10 Tips to Help You Ship Products out of Your Garage

Written by SmartShyp | Sep 17, 2019 5:00:00 PM

In the year 2018 alone, the ecommerce industry generated over $504 billion in revenue throughout the United States. In other words, it's never been a better time to run an ecommerce business.

When you run an ecommerce business from home, you'll learn how important it is to make the most of your investments. You want to optimize how you ship products in the most efficient ways. It's essential to take your business's shipping process seriously. 

Well, the good news is that you've come to the right place by reading this article. Detailed below are ten tips for shipping your products from your garage. Doing so will keep you ahead of the competitors in your niche market. 

1. Start by Taking Out the Trash

If you want to optimize your garage space, you need to focus on the essentials for the business. Take the time to look through the area and determine what really belongs there. 

Don't let clutter and nonessential items get in the way of your shipping process. Keep a trashcan available in the future, too. It's important that you keep your shipping process streamlined and efficient without unnecessary obstacles. 

In addition, make sure you have a designated area for your trash and recycling bins. That way, you can continue to maintain a clutter-free workspace to focus on your shipments. 

2. Design a Floor Plan To Suit Your Ecommerce Shipping

Then, once you get rid of those nonessentials, it's time to design an organizational strategy. Are your products easily accessible at all times? Do you have reasonable storage for items that you don't always use?

Designing a sensible floor plan can help you ship your products without too much effort. Make sure nothing is hidden behind something else, for instance. You want every piece of shipping to be within in reach so that you can setup a proper assembly line. 

3. Develop Your Own Version of an Assembly Line

When it comes time to actually package and ship your materials, you want to optimize your efforts. That's why developing an assembly line is crucial for high-volume shipment orders. Plus, if you can request help from employees or close friends, an assembly line is easier for you to manage without interfering in the process.

4. Be Willing To Seek Suggestions from Your Customer Base

Of course, you need to keep the end goal of the shipping process in mind: pleasing your customers. It can be a smart practice to invite customer perspectives through online surveys. 

After all, experts recognize consumers' growing demands for speed when it comes to shipping products online. Not only that, but smart businesses are learning how to personalize customer experiences every step of the way. When it comes to shipping your items, it's up to you to impress each recipient of your product. 

5. Be Smart About Choosing Your Shipping Carrier

Whether you choose UPS, the postal service, or FedEx, do your research. Different sizes and shapes of goods can mean different shipping services work better for your needs. Make sure that for whatever products you're shipping, you're getting the best deal.

6. Get Creative with Your Packaging Design

If you want to prioritize customer experience with your shipping process, consider your packaging design. Many brands develop unique designs that inspire customer loyalty upon every delivery. Making such a statement through your packaging can go a long way in encouraging your customers to buy from you again. 

7. Only Offer Your Customers What You Can Deliver

This is, perhaps, the most significant practice when it comes to ecommerce shipping. Don't promise same-day delivery if you can't follow through, for example.

It's true that you should advertise expedient shipping on your website. Still, your customers will be disgruntled if such promises are empty ones. 

8. Use Software To Optimize Your Shipping Process

In today's digital world, why wouldn't you make the most of available technological resources? There are plenty of worthy ecommerce shipping software solutions that can prioritize your specific shipping needs. 

Plus, the best shipping software integrations work with the most popular platforms. Whether you sell your products through Amazon, eBay, or Etsy, you're in luck.

9. Use Analytics To Forcast the Future

With those software solutions, by the way, comes another advantage. You'll find that the analytical data from these systems can provide you with invaluable insight. Track and measure your successful shipping practices and improve them for the future of your ecommerce business. 

10. Don't Be Afraid To Ask for Professional Guidance

At the end of the day, your top priority is your ecommerce business's bottom line. That's why it can be a good idea to network with other ecommerce professionals to swap tips and tricks.

There's nothing wrong with seeking advice when it comes to bettering your business. Make the most of your shipping process by doing plenty of research. 

Start Investing in a Better Way To Ship Products to Customers

At this point in the article, you should have a pretty good idea of how to ship products out of your garage. Running an ecommerce business from your home is no easy feat in the first place. That's why it's crucial that you take advantage of strategies to optimize your time. 

After all, you deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're making the most of your business's investments. You don't want to waste your effort and resources on shipping processes that don't impress customers. 

Businesses who ship products to their customers through the Internet have a lot of competition. If you want to stay ahead of the game, you'll do your best to be the fastest, most reliable shipping service. You can count on the fact that online customers will notice your business's shipping efficiency. 

Consider the fact that you don't want to risk your ecommerce business's reputation. It only takes a few negative online reviews to make a serious dent in profits. 

That's why we encourage you to consider working with us to optimize your shipping. Your business - and its financial future - are worth the investment. Check out our pricing options online today.