Shipping Tips For Sellers
Here are 9 amazing tips from experienced sellers that will help you to give your buyers the very best shipping experience they’ve ever had:
1. Keep your buyers updated..
…on the progress of their order! If it’s a custom job, keep them updated from start to finish so they feel included in the making process. You can do so via personal email or by using the messaging system here on this website!
2. Provide a tracking number…
…when you ship an item out to the buyer. Not only does this prevent packages from getting lost in the mail, but also keeps excited customers updated on the progress of their delivery. Tracking usually doesn’t cost very much more than the cost of a packaged shipped without it, and will also come with a measure of postal insurance depending on the carrier you use to deliver the package. (Even international orders can be shipped with tracking!)
3. Purchase shipping labels online…
…to save time and get a discount that you wouldn’t at the post office! If you didn’t know already, you can print shipping labels right from your transaction page in Paypal. But you can also purchase a shipping label without a Paypal transaction DIRECTLY using this url: http://paypal.com/shipnow
And if Paypal isn’t your cup of tea, US residents can also purchase shipping labels from the USPS Website click-and-ship page: https://www.usps.com/ship/online-shipping.htm
Both methods above are free to use (no monthly or yearly membership fee) and above have DISCOUNTED postage rates and FREE or DISCOUNTED package tracking and Delivery Confirmation. Plus you can drop the packages off right at the post office and skip the line, schedule to have the post man drop by your house to pick it up during his mail route, or (if your package fits) it can be dropped in any mailbox, as long as the postage was printed online. (for USPS, in the USA)
Other Tools: UPS Calculate Time and Cost, FedEx Rate Finder, USPS Postage Calculator
4. Measure and weigh your packages…
…to more accurately estimate your shipping costs. You’ll need a digital postal scale to do this. Purchasing shipping labels online requires that you know the weight and dimensions of your package. This also makes adding shipping costs per package much easier!
5. Have popular items ready & made…
…in advance if it’s possible for you to do so! This will make it easier for you to send things out at a rapid pace and your buyers will be so impressed with how quickly their order was shipped out!
6. Always state the shipping costs in your listings…
…even if the shipping cost appears on a product page or will appear when a user goes to checkout and purchase. This way they will have had numerous opportunities to see it and there won’t be any disappointment or confusion!
7. Don’t overcharge for shipping…
…so that your shipping costs won’t seem excessive. You may choose to charge a reasonable handling fee to cover your cost of materials and your time to pack the item, but always disclose it! (EXAMPLE: Shipping: $4.99 s&h)
8. Always include a packing slip…
…inside the package so that if the package itself becomes damaged & the address is unreadable for some reason, the packing slip inside will provide the postal carrier with the information he needs to still be able to deliver the package.
9. Keep tracking information…
…for at least 45-60 days after the payment has been received and the package has been shipped. This is just in case the package gets lost or you need proof of shipping purchase receipt from your postal carrier so they can  resolve an issue.
