In eCommerce, one of the most critical aspects of a successful transaction is prompt and economical shipping. Ensuring that your products reach their destination on time and at a minimal fare can prove to be difficult and time-consuming.

Business owners also have to sift through the complicated hoards of various delivery methods, services, carriers, and rates. Plus, balancing customers’ expectations with what you feasibly can provide, operationally and budget-wise, is more than enough to leave you with a throbbing headache.

Thankfully, the eCommerce innovator and ground-breaking online enterprise platform, Shopify, has created the solution. Shopify Shipping transforms this confusing process into a simple, streamlined function to save you time, funds, and effort.

Gain Back Valuable Time & Funds With Shopify Shipping

One of the most enticing features of Shopify Shipping is the competitive pricing scale included with every shipping plan. By taking advantage of Shopify’s shipping program, you can save up to 90% off of current postage rates. Plus, you have the option to easily narrow down and choose from multiple mail carriers and classes, to provide the best service to your buyers.

Shopify Shipping also enables you with more customized shipping features, elevating the customer experience, while simplifying your efforts. Some of the highlights include overnight delivery, in-person package pick-up, shipping insurance, enhanced tracking information, better international shipping, and more features sure to win over even the hardest-to-please customers.

Shopify developers understand the busy schedule of an entrepreneur. So, in addition to customer-side shipping enhancements, they have streamlined the operational and organizational processes that keep your store functioning. For example, with Shopify Shipping, you can purchase and print multiple shipping labels at the same time, directly from your Shopify dashboard. By consolidating your day-to-day tasks, Shopify gives you back your valuable time.

Choosing The Best Carrier & Service For You

Shopify helps you easily navigate the variety of carriers and services to narrow down the one - or more - that work best for you. This way, you can confidently make a decision that benefits both your company and your customers.

To begin the shipping provider selection process, first, consider the following questions:

  • To where, and from where, are you normally shipping?
  • What kinds of products do you ship, and how heavy are these items?
  • What kinds of packaging do your products require?
  • Do you prefer to offer free, flat-rate, or exact-cost shipping, and what does your budget allow for per shipped item?
  • What shipping policies (insured shipping, specific delivery time frames, etc.) do your shoppers expect that you wish to implement?
  • Do you currently systematize shipping with fulfillment centers or third-party logistic providers?

Now that you’ve identified your key shipping needs, you can compare the options from each provider to see which services are the best fit.

Though Shopify does allow you to choose any carrier on the market, partnerships with the following companies offer you the most options for a streamlined, simple shipping process. Here are the highlights and points to consider for each shipping carrier:

USPS (United States Postal Service)

  • Economical
  • Best suited for less time-sensitive items
  • Estimated - not guaranteed - shipping delivery dates for most shipping services
  • No surcharges for Saturday delivery, residential delivery, or extra fuel usage
  • Ship packages weighing up to 70 lbs

UPS (United Parcel Service)

  • Premium, guaranteed delivery timelines for regular and urgent shipments
  • Reliable, up-to-date tracking information
  • Up to $100 of shipping insurance
  • Ship packages weighing up to 150 lbs

DHL Express

  • Time-definite, urgent deliveries
  • Comprehensive tracking information and details
  • Deliver internationally (220 countries) from the U.S.
  • Ship packages weighing up to 150 lbs

Detailed Shipping Services Information From U.S. and Canada

If you’re shipping from the United States, check out Shopify’s handy guide for a full break-down of the specific shipping services available from USPS, UPS, and DHL.

Shopify has partnered with Canada Post to facilitate fast, simple shipping from Canada. You can discover the domestic and international services available in this helpful chart.

Fast and Simple Startup To Better Shipping

Once you have narrowed down the carriers and services that work best for you, getting started with Shopify Shipping is quick and easy!

First, configure the proper settings in your Shopify Shipping dashboard. This is as simple as selecting and enabling the service or services you have chosen to offer your customers. Don’t forget to update and confirm that the weights and dimensions of items in your Products category are correct. This way, Shopify Shipping can accurately predict and calculate your shipping costs.

Then, when you are ready to fulfill an order with Shopify Shipping, you simply need to select the box next to the order and click “Create Shipping Labels.” Shopify Shipping makes it easy to create multiple labels at one time, even if items are to be shipped with different carriers. Select as many orders as you wish to fulfill and Shopify will create the individual labels. All that remains is to review, print, and affix your labels to the proper packages.

Take Your Online Store To The Next Level With Automated and Local Shipping Options

If Shopify Shipping sounds enticing to you so far, the good news continues. With the options to partner with Shopify’s fulfillment network or offer local delivery and pickup, you truly can offer more to your customers than ever before.

Go Big…

As your business grows, packaging and shipping each individual order on your own becomes less feasible. If you’re shipping more than 10-20 orders per day, consider the benefits of enlisting a 3PL, or third-party logistics provider. Shopify Shipping has integrations to work with an outsourced company to handle product fulfillment and shipping for you.

As an addition to your Shopify Shipping plan, you may choose to join Shopify’s Fulfillment Network to automate order fulfillment as soon as a purchase is completed. With multiple warehouse locations across North America, you can strategically distribute products near areas where your customers reside, which cuts shipping time and costs even further.

Plus, in line with Shopify’s commitment to streamlining the eCommerce process, you’ll always have one centralized view of your inventory - no matter how many warehouses you utilize. And, to make life even simpler for business owners, Shopify provides you with a dedicated logistics expert in each warehouse.

... Or, Go Home

Provide customers with a personalized service by offering local delivery and pickup options. With Shopify Shipping, you have the flexibility to control which packages ship with the big-name carriers, and which you deliver yourself.

By offering a pick-up option for local customers, you both benefit from reduced shipping times and costs. Extending such a variety of choices to your shoppers is a great way to increase customer loyalty and forge lasting business relationships.

Don’t Wait To Get Started With Shopify Shipping

An online business shouldn’t dominate your life. Shopify Shipping allows you to streamline important operations so you can spend fewer funds and save more time where it really matters.

With an ultra-simple startup and automations to expedite mundane eCommerce procedures, Shopify Shipping is the tool you need to reach new levels in your online empire. Revolutionize the way you send out goods with Shopify Shipping.

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