4 Proven Strategies to Reduce E-commerce Shipping Errors

Having a surge of orders coming into your e-commerce store can feel like a success. However, that success can be derailed by shipping errors that frustrate customers and tarnish your reputation. From sending the wrong items to mislabeled packages or delayed shipments, these mistakes can significantly affect your business, especially as the holiday season approaches.

Industry forecasts suggest that e-commerce holiday spending will increase by 7% this year, highlighting a major opportunity for online retailers. To capitalize on this, your shipping process needs to run smoothly. Below are four proven strategies to help reduce shipping errors and ensure customer satisfaction.

#1 Standardize Your Packaging Process

E-commerce shipping errors often start with how items are packaged. 

A disorganized packaging process can lead to confusion, mistakes, and damaged products. Hence, you should make efforts to standardize this process. 

Create a consistent approach that your team can easily follow. Make a checklist that should outline all the steps involved in the packing process. Having that handy will ensure that your packing team doesn’t overlook anything. 

Use visual aids such as diagrams to illustrate the right way to pack different products. Besides reducing errors, they will speed up the packing process. 

Packaging materials should be consistent for similar items, whether it’s bubble wrap for fragile goods or specific-sized boxes for certain products. This consistency helps your team know exactly what to use and how to pack each order securely. 

#2 Double-Check Shipping Addresses 

This one might seem obvious, but it’s surprising how often incorrect addresses are the root of shipping errors. One wrong digit or an incomplete address can send your package on an unexpected adventure. 

About 41% of deliveries are delayed, and 39% fail due to incorrect addresses. According to Harvard Business Review, failed deliveries cost businesses billions of dollars each year. 

Research shows that a third of e-commerce companies don’t check the address data or simply leave it to the courier. Don’t be one of them. 

Using an address verification system can save you a lot of headaches down the road. These systems automatically catch mistakes like missing apartment numbers or zip code errors before the package ever leaves your warehouse.

But what do you do if someone uses an old address or types in an invalid one? You find their address. At this point, business owners may have a question: how to find someone’s address? This has become an easy task—all thanks to paid people search services. 

These specialized online platforms compile data from public records and online sources to create detailed profiles, including addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, writes Debtor Inspector. 

Sure, there’s a small fee, but compared to the cost of returned shipments or lost packages, it’s worth it. This is more so important if you’re dealing with high-ticket items, as you want to make sure the delivery is spot on.

#3 Use Shipping Labels with Barcodes

Labels might not seem like a big deal. But they’re actually crucial for getting packages where they need to go. 

Don’t rely on handwritten or manually printed labels. Switch to shipping labels with barcodes. 

Labels with barcodes make order tracking and fulfillment much more efficient, as they can be scanned at every stage of the shipping process. This reduces the chance of packages being misplaced or misrouted.

Amazon’s Fulfilled by Amazon program, for instance, requires sellers to use proper scannable barcodes on every unit they send to its fulfillment center. That makes it easier to track inventory and allows Amazon to process and deliver packages correctly. 

#4 Choose a Reliable Shipping Carrier

Whether the delivery of your packages is a smooth sail or not depends on the shipping carrier you choose. 

You would want someone who will get your packages to your customers safely and on time. It might be tempting to go for those offering services at cheap rates. But remember that reliability often trumps cost.

The first step in choosing a shipping company, Container News says, is market research. Find out different carriers, what goods they carry, and the mode of transport they use. 

Look for reviews, ratings, and experiences from other businesses to gauge their performance. Factors like package tracking, delivery speed, and customer service are also important, so don’t ignore them. 

Consider the carrier’s coverage. Does it deliver to the areas where your customers live? Some carriers may have excellent service in urban areas but struggle in rural regions.

Conclusion

Shipping errors can be a real headache. They not only frustrate customers but also impact your business’s reputation and bottom line. But with these strategies up your sleeve, you can streamline your fulfillment process and improve accuracy.

Remember to stay consistent, however. Review your shipping practices regularly. The more you do that, the fewer mistakes you’ll make. And that means happier customers, fewer returns, and more time to focus on growing your e-commerce business.

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