Shipping Woes

With the ever rising fuel costs those that ship items are questioning their practice and prices to charge.

I know that many people that I am associated with are looking at their shipping and trying to figure out how to remain reasonable yet not kill their own pocket book by the trips to the post office. The last increase in shipping costs that many saw was with the last postal increase. Shipping Internationally was the hardest hit on sky high costs. Many small business owners had to at that point in time think if in fact it was worth trading with our international customers.

Now, it is time to re-evaluate for our US sales and shipping. How much to raise, if any at all to reflect the fuel charges we have incurred.

To keep the gas costs lower and travel to a minimal business owners might utilize the resources more activity that are available.

Use what you have:

Your postal pick up point. Whether it from your home or office use it. You may go to the post office and get a mailing tub for free. Load it up with the mail that is being shipped. They pick it up giving you a new one (tub) for the next mail pick up day.

Scheduled Pick Up: You do need at least one (1) Priority mailer to do this but it is well worth it. Utilize the on line form with the post office. No calls at all. Just choose your day, where you are placing the items and send it in. I use this and it has been a life saver at times.

Scheduled Shipping Days: OK, you want your customers to have the fastest service available to them. Yet shipping can get out of hand. Depending upon the amount you do driving to the PO for one or two packages is silly. Set days to ship for large groups of packages. My set days are Tuesdays and Fridays. I will ship daily but that is for the smaller days and will get placed in the office mailing box.

Use UPS or Fed Ex: Check into their rates to see if it might be more cost effective to utilize their services. Fed Ex is a little high but the service is great. Setting up a business account is a pain but worth it.

Communicate any and all changes with your customers. They will understand that gas costs are out of hand as they are feeling it also. Send an email of your shipping policy change or rate increase. They will appreciate this more than you know.

Try other ways of shipping first before you are hasty and start raising your costs, either in the product or your shipping. If nothing works for you by all means raise your costs.