The news on shipping right now is rough. Shippers are planning for the busiest holiday season ever and are warning their long-time vendors to expect delays. What can you do to prepare if your business does a lot of shipping?
Stay in touch with your shipping company. Many of them are updating their terms and delivery schedules regularly to accommodate surges.
Encourage EARLY holiday shopping. Most surveys show that shoppers are going to complete their holiday shipping much earlier than usual because they are worried about getting gifts delivered in time. Run your holiday deals and promotions earlier than you usually would.
Stay in touch with your customer. Let them know when shipping delays are expected because it’s better to let them know than let them down.
Consider BOPUS. This was a new term for us KCARD staff too. It’s “Buy online, pick up on-site.” In other words, give your customers an option to make their secure purchase online, and consider promoting on-site pick-up to avoid shipping challenges altogether. For your local customers, this can be ideal, and it may be even a way to attract new customers from your local area.
If you use a shipping service that picks up at your home, try to be there during the specified pick-up interval. Busy postal and shipping workers may not see the boxes. Plus, if you have a good relationship with your pick-up person, they are more likely to make enough room for the boxes you are sending! You don’t want your packages delayed because your driveway was full or they didn’t see the boxes on your porch.
For perishables, ship on Monday or Tuesday. Don’t risk the chance of your box getting stuck in a warehouse over the weekend and spoiling. Also, take a few minutes to brush up on the best packing strategies and supplies to maintain proper temperature.
Prepare now for any shipping challenges on the horizon and let us know if we can help. Contact KCARD at 859-550-3972 or kcard@kcard.info.