Shipping can be an expensive and time-consuming process for businesses, eating into company profit margins and taking up valuable hours that could be spent on core business activities. If your business has decided to expand into global markets and ship items overseas, then you will know that international delivery can cause additional stress, particularly if shipments are heavy and weigh more than 23kg. To help streamline this process, read our tips to overcome common international logistics challenges when shipping large items.
Know Your Costs
It goes without saying that shipping overseas can be costly, and price is one of the biggest obstacles businesses face when sending items internationally. While you should already be aware of your company’s profit margins, it’s important to revisit them when planning international delivery. This will help when researching shipping options by highlighting how much this could impact your bottom line. When calculating, make sure to include packaging, insurance, and any duties and taxes.
When it comes to offsetting this cost, consider how much your company will be able to absorb and how much you’ll pass onto the customer. This is important because if shipping costs are too high, customers may look elsewhere.
Taxes, Duties and Customs
In addition to added expense, customs can cause delays. If your customers are unprepared for this, it could lead to challenges, including negatively impacting the customer experience. To avoid this, research customs, duties and taxes in different locations and inform customers of any delays they may experience when shipping to their country. Forewarning customers ensures they acknowledge the delay and reduces the chance of a complaint.
Use Secure Packaging
Securely wrapping parcels is always important, especially when sending items abroad, but this is particularly true for large, heavy items. Improper packaging can result in damage in transit, which can be costly. When shipping, consider strapping large items together on a pallet, as this minimises the chance of damage. Also fill any void space, to ensure items are not damaged by movement.
Consider Returns
Before ordering, customers want to know that they have the option to exchange or return. However, when shipping overseas, this can cause its own set of logistical issues. Returning can be an expensive and time-consuming process. It’s important to give this some extra thought so that returns can be completed with little customer effort and expense. To solve this, consider using an international shipping company who can make the process smoother.
Shipping large items overseas can be costly and stressful, but that need not be the case. Hopefully these tips will help your business overcome international logistics challenges.
