May 19, 2021 | Best Practices, Blog, Fulfillment, Warehouse Management Software
Effective supply chain management is vital for any business, big or small. Without the help of proven, efficient supply chain management strategies and practices, your company may suffer from poor workflows, high costs, unreliable order fulfillment, and major losses.
One of the most vital parts of the order fulfillment process is the pick and pack stage. If the pick and pack stage is not optimized, then a number of issues may arise. This includes order delays, order inaccuracies, delivery of damaged goods, and more.
So, to guarantee the success of your business operations, optimizing the pick and pack process is vital. This is easier said than done, and there is no single ‘right’ way to do it. Business owners must consider different strategies and methods, and determine which one suits their needs best.
What is pick and pack?
Pick and pack is a three-stage part of the supply chain management process. The process is pretty much exactly what the name suggests. Pick and pack involves the following:
- Receiving an order: Your warehouse system is connected to your online store sales page. So when a customer places an order, the warehouse system is notified and generates a packing slip.
- Picking the order: This part is done manually. A warehouse worker will take the generated slip and find the items listed from the warehouse. Different warehouses employ various inventory strategies to help ease this process by making it easier to find the items
- Packing the order: The order is now sent to a packing station, where it is packed using necessary equipment and the required documentation is placed alongside it. It is now ready for the delivery stage.
How does pick and pack work?
Pick and pack fulfillment can be done in many ways, depending on the warehouse. Here are the different methods of picking and packing.
Piece picking
This pick and pack strategy is most commonly employed by small businesses. It involves taking the packing slip of one individual order at a time as they come in for the pick and pack process.
Batch picking
In batch picking, different items from various orders are grouped together because of a common similarity. For example, if they are located close to each other in the warehouse. This method is used when there are many small orders to fulfill at one time and to do so, a pick and pack software is required. By grouping items together in this way, you save time for your order pickers. This is because they now only have to go to a designated place in the warehouse once to pick up an item that is required for several orders. Pack workers can then redistribute said items to the specific order during the packing process.
What are the Challenges to the Pick and Pack Process?
As with any part of the supply chain, the pick and pack process may face certain challenges. Below are some challenges that may come up.
Inaccurate inventory counts
An inaccurate inventory count can make it difficult to manage the pick and pack process. This is because an inaccurate count can lead to further problems such as scheduling errors. With an incorrect count, the inventory stock is incorrectly recorded, and shortages may occur when the orders are meant to be picked, causing order delays.
Inefficient warehouse layouts
An inefficient storage layout may negatively affect your turn-around time (TAT). TAT is the overall time it takes to pick orders and pack a customer’s order. If you have an unorganized warehouse, it is difficult to efficiently find the desired items as orders start to come in. This inevitably leads to delays.
Missing Product Information (or lack of integrations)
Inventory data is an essential factor when it comes to the pick and pack process. For example, in the picking process, inaccurate recording of the average number of lines per order or improper listings of complementary goods may cause problems to arise. This leads to order inaccuracies or order delays. Similarly, in the packing process, if factors such as the weight or fragility of the items are not recorded, then problems in the delivery process arise – such as customers receiving damaged goods.
How to Optimize the Pick and Pack Process
Here are some methods to help increase the efficiency of your pick and pack process:
Design Your Warehouse for Efficiency
There are ways to organize your warehouse facility that minimize your turnaround time. By performing an ABC analysis, which categorizes your inventory into 3 parts, based on factors such as sales, the most popular items can be made easier to access, quickly. Also, you can place items that are usually ordered together in the same place. This will be beneficial for your warehouse in long term, as it will not only increase the efficiency of the pick and pack process, but reduces operational costs too.
Keep Your Warehouse Well-Organized
A tidy work environment can make all the difference. This is especially true for warehouses. Make sure your warehouse is free of as much clutter as possible to avoid accidents or problems in maneuvering around the premises. Also, keep the packing station organized, with any and all supplies needed to pack different items for shipping.
Program Your WMS for Easy Picking
Your Warehouse Management System, or WHS, makes for easy picking, by listing the items of an order in terms of where they are located. This will reduce the time it takes to find a complete order, and is less manual work for a picker.
Double Check Each Order
Although technology is becoming increasingly efficient, you should still have a person assigned to double-check orders after they are picked, packed, and made ready for shipment. This will reduce the chances of mistakes occurring and corresponding needs for reshipment. Reshipment is pricey and decreases revenue, so the likelihood of it should be minimized.
Keep an Accurate Inventory Count
Having a detailed inventory organization system can make all the difference to your pick and pack process. For large companies especially, spreadsheets are not the best choice. They can get messy and complicated.
For accuracy, opt for barcodes and RFIDs. A perpetual inventory management system will also help – as it’s technology-enabled. A perpetual system keeps a record of stocked and sold items as they change, and continuously updates your accounting system when sales are made or new stocks are bought.
Start using ShipHero pick and pack warehouse fulfillment services
Warehouse fulfillment can be tricky to optimize. The goal for any business is to minimize labor costs, optimize quality control and order accuracy, and maximize customer satisfaction. E-commerce fulfillment can be difficult though, especially if you lack the right resources. This is where warehouse fulfillment companies can really help retailers grow their businesses.
ShipHero is a data-driven warehouse management system that optimizes workflows and even handles order fulfillment for you. Here’s how ShipHero helps optimize your business operations and logistics.
Distributed inventory
ShipHero provides users with a distributed inventory, which means that your inventory is divided up and stored at different storage facilities. This means that when a customer places an order in a specific area, the order is fulfilled and shipped from the nearest location, reducing delivery times and costs simultaneously.
Order management
ShipHero’s warehouse management platform optimizes order management through technology. The advanced software integrates effortlessly with your business systems and provides you with multiple customization options. Users can create custom workflows to cater to their business’s specific needs, and set automation rules to make the processes more efficient. When an order is placed, ShipHero’s system automatically assigns them to the nearest warehouse.
Done for you fulfillment
ShipHero has evolved into more than just a warehouse management system – we also offer efficient order fulfillment, just for you. For as little as $5.58, ShipHero will pick, pack and ship your orders. ShipHero’s order fulfillment is also especially reliable, thanks to our distributed inventory and network of fulfillment centers across the country. When orders are placed, the WMS has them routed to the nearest location, minimizing transit times, costs, and the possibility of order delays.
Bulk shipping discounts
ShipHero’s warehouse management solution comes with built-in shipping multicarrier shipping options and automated label generation and shipping quoting. The advanced software determines the cheapest shipping option for individual orders, making sure you always have the most cost-effective option.
Conclusion
Getting your pick and pack processes right can be tricky, but it’s well worth the time and effort. After all, the success of any ecommerce business comes down to happy customers, and efficient picking and packing are necessary to achieve this. Late orders, high shipping fees, and order inaccuracies won’t keep your customers coming back for more.
Effective warehouse management and the best pick and pack strategies can help improve your workflow and optimize the order fulfillment process, but this isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you need a third-party with a team of experts to handle the logistics while you focus on growing your business. This is where a warehouse management solution like ShipHero can help you out.
May 17, 2021 | Best Practices, Blog, Case Study, Fulfillment
Introduction
Masks are coming off and that means one thing… time to take care of your teeth again. Thankfully, the folks at BURST, a long-time ShipHero customer, are here with the affordable subscription service for oral care, championed by thousands of dental professionals across the USA.
BURST was co-founded by Hamish Khayat and Brittany Stewart in 2017, and in less than a year, they had already amassed hundreds of thousands of subscribers. It’s no exaggeration to say that they “BURST”’ onto the e-commerce scene. By the end of 2019, the company reported 100% year-over-year growth and a 140% increase in ‘BURST Ambassadors.’ These brand advocates, including dentists and hygienists across the country, now number more than 20,000 strong.
“Since switching to ShipHero, we’ve reduced our fully-loaded costs by 35%. At the volumes we move, that’s huge.” Brittany Stewart, President and COO, BURST
Fully-Loaded Cost means the direct cost of the applicable good, product or service plus indirect charges and overhead.
But as Brittany explains in our chat below, with meteoric growth comes challenges. Specifically, BURST’s 3PL partners were struggling to fulfill and ship orders at a breakneck pace that matched their growth.
Challenges
- Partnering with a 3PL to provide on-time shipping and fulfillment
- Ensuring the 3PL’s software can scale with 100% YoY growth
- Gaining order transparency to ensure BURST is able to deliver exceptional customer service
- Seamless integration with ShipHero APIs
- Fast and intuitive picking and packing capabilities for 3PL warehouse teams
- Visibility into order status for the customer experience team
- 100,000+ shipments per month
- Over 100% YoY growth w/ similar growth projected for the future
Brittany, what was your fulfillment process like BEFORE ShipHero?
Brittany Stewart: “We’re moving significant volumes—over a hundred thousand packages every single month. We’ve outgrown some 3PLs. The problem with most warehouses boiled down to their software capability—it wasn’t capable of scaling with our growth.
Honesty and transparency are so important in a 3PL partner. Issues are going to crop up—I just want to know about them. Our retention rate is directly tied to our ability to provide on-time fulfillment and unbelievable customer service. We can’t do that if we don’t know what’s going on.
We have a very close relationship with our fulfillment partner, Swoop. They started looking for a WMS that would help them scale with our growth. We tested out a lot of systems together, and nothing was quite as good as ShipHero”
Solution
ShipHero’s painless and intuitive warehouse management system. We also spoke with Brandon, the owner and CEO of Swoop (BURST’s 3PL provider).
Brandon, what has been your experience with ShipHero?
Brandon: “ShipHero has exceeded all expectations. For a lot of 3PLs, onboarding clients can be quite the task but ShipHero has found a way to make it very painless and very quick.”
Getting set up with ShipHero was exceedingly simple. A dedicated solutions engineer visited Swoop’s warehouse to help Brandon and his team with migration, education, training, and rollout. Brandon describes it as a “true partnership” as opposed to just another piece of software you invest in and never wind up using. After that, using ShipHero within the warehouse is intuitive.
ShipHero’s software is the perfect fit for e-commerce fulfillment 3PL warehouses looking to scale up. Part of what makes it such an effective solution is its seamless integration with must-have distribution platforms like Amazon.
Brittany, what was the integration process like for you?
Brittany: “We have a Fulfilled By Merchant (FBM) storefront on Amazon. It took us maybe a minute to integrate ShipHero into everything. Anyone who’s done FBM Amazon fulfillment knows that it can be a pain in the ass without the proper systems in place. With ShipHero, fulfillment is as easy as slapping labels onto packing slips. The integration is perfect and seamless.
With ShipHero, fulfillment is as easy as slapping labels onto packing slips. The integration is perfect and seamless.”
And what have you been able to accomplish since the switch?
Brittany: “Through ShipHero, we have the ability to export our orders, get transparency into what’s moving, assess issues, purchase labels, and ship on our accounts. It’s all stuff you need—laid out in a way that’s intuitive and useful for you.
“We have a team of 30 people responding to customer requests full-time. With ShipHero, they can see what’s going on with an order, make notes, and talk to the warehouse—all through one user-friendly interface.”
ShipHero also provides much-needed visibility into the fulfillment process for Brittany’s team. With it, they’re able to maintain the same exceptional, high-level of customer service that first catapulted the BURST brand into the limelight.
ShipHero has even worked with Brittany directly to add options that increase back-end efficiency. For example, instead of needing to pick and weigh each order individually, the ‘bulk shipping’ feature allows warehouse staff to easily pick and ship hundreds of the same product—perfect for a company with limited SKUs.
And if anything ever is confusing, Brittany has an easy-to-navigate knowledge database at her fingertips—help.shradical.wpengine.com—and she knows that ShipHero’s team is always standing by to help.
Results
Fully-loaded costs cut by 35% or more.
Brittany, what have been the lasting results of switching to ShipHero?
Brittany: “We have unbelievable retention rates because we strive to create an incomparable experience for our customers. Robust and user-friendly software makes that possible. A solution like ShipHero pays for itself over and over again. In 2020, we anticipate our growth rate doubling native to the US. Projections indicate that we’ll grow another 60–70% the year after. As for international growth—that’s another beast for another day.
To make that growth a reality, ShipHero is vital. We need software that will scale with us as our volumes increase and we expand into multiple locations. The ability to do that without extensively programming lead times (i.e., logic for routing one thing to one place and another thing to another place) is helpful.
“Since switching to ShipHero, we’ve reduced our fully-loaded costs by 35%. At the volumes we move, that’s huge. Robust and user-friendly software makes our high retention rate]possible. A solution like ShipHero pays for itself over and over again.”
BURST continues to have extraordinary retention rates for a subscription-based business, and that’s wholly thanks to their stellar customer service and super-fast turnaround times. According to Brittany, ShipHero is part of the solution that enables them to continuously deliver that high-quality service.
With ShipHero, Brittany is confident that her 3PL has a software solution that will enable them to keep pace as BURST expands—which is good, because the company’s growth doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
BURST currently moves well over 100,000 packages each month. Brittany expects that number to double within a year—and that’s before BURST takes its products to an international market.
ShipHero delivers simple and smart warehouse management that scales with you. Let’s talk.
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Shoot us an email and you could be featured on an upcoming Case Study, our critically-acclaimed weekly news segment The Packet, or if you’re lucky, you could be invited to join one of our many Podcast episodes!
May 17, 2021 | Blog, The Packet
Front and Center
Gasoline Pipeline Hack
Good news, gasoline is once again flowing through the Colonial Pipeline. The most recent victim of a ransomware cyber-attack that locked their systems and caused gasoline to stop flowing, Colonial Pipeline Co. was pressured to cough up nearly $5 million in cryptocurrency to hacker group, DarkSide (believed to be based in Eastern Europe, tho it could’ve been Al Gore).
Although at first publicly declaring that they would not pay, the company caved after a few hours, when faced with potential mass shortages of gasoline and jet fuel for major cities along the East Coast of the United States.
What do gasoline pipelines do anyway?
Pipelines transfer crude oil to refineries, so that they can turn them into gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, propane, and more types of oil-based products. Pipelines are also used to transfer gasoline from refineries to major cities. The Colonial Pipeline, in particular, transports gasoline directly to dozens of giant tanks across the Southeast. From there, smaller fuel trucks haul up to 8,000 gallons to individual gas stations.
What’s the damage?
At the time of writing, 74 percent of North Carolina gas stations do not have a fuel supply, and there are shortages in southern Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee. There is not a shortage of gasoline; rather, refineries are unable to get gasoline to North Carolina and these areas. Due to this, the average gas prices have topped $3 for the first time since October 2014. This has also caused mass panic-buying, long lines, shortages, and worst of all, so many dad jokes about “their gas pipelines being wide open????”.
Back of the Packet
Supply Chain Outages
CNN has put together a list of product shortages that are plaguing the global economy. From ketchup packets to chlorine, you can find the list here
FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab
On Thursday, FedEx announced the launch of their new learning program designed to help diverse small business owners develop their e-commerce operations. The program includes free resources for entreprenuers, in addition to providing access to capital, networks and coaching.
Colt 45, I CHOOSE YOU!
Apparently the trading card industry has experienced an immense boon as of late, where trading cards like Sports, Magic: The Gathering, and Pokémon cards have become so sought after that stores can’t keep up with demand. Not to mention, companies that estimate the worth of trading cards have received and graded “avalanches of cards” over the past year.
Despite the long lines of customers waiting hours to buy, Target has recently announced that they will no longer be selling the trading cards, due to a fight that broke out at a Target in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Police were called when a witness saw one man pull a gun. The other man pulled a Charizard card. It was highly effective. Nobody was hurt.
Cool Online Brand of the Week
Call Winnie the Pooh. Since launching only a couple months ago in February 2021, OC Luxury Picnics has disrupted the picnic space, with more than 60 gatherings ranging from a romantic dinner for 2, to an outdoor boba-themed picnic of 20. The founder has since become excited at the idea of starting a fully-fledged business that does not need a brick-and-mortar location. At this time, they only service the lucky folks in Orange County, CA, but this business illustrates the ingenuity of entrepreneurs that turn a side-hustle into a $30,000 venture.
ShipHero News
Brexit… not the Harry/Megan saga, the real one.
In this article, we dive into Brexit’s overall effect on your ecommerce business operations, and the 4 things you need to know when shipping to and from the UK.
Shipping Dumbbells
Shipping heavy items shouldn’t cost you its weight in gold. For tips and tricks on how to make shipping heavy items cheaper, check out our recent blog post here.
Big news: ShipHero is hiring!
We’re looking for exceptional people to join our exceptional team. Like who you work with, enjoy what you do, and find your path to success in the skyrocketing field of ecommerce.
Check out our available roles and apply today!
May 12, 2021 | Best Practices, Blog, Fulfillment, Warehouse Management Software
Providing customers with fast shipping options is vital to success, but for items on the heavier side, this can end up costing you an arm and a leg. Small packages? Those are easy to ship, and major carriers often give you nice discounts on them. But what about the big stuff?
When it comes to the shipping process, big carriers have come prepared to efficiently manage the logistics of oversized shipping. USPS and FedEx can even have heavy items delivered by the next business day. But at what cost?
Well, there’s a blueprint that you can follow to cut heavy package shipping costs down significantly and avoid unwanted expenses. If you trim the costs down from all around, the result is noticeable savings.
How to Ship Large Items
The right packing method ensures the safety of your large items. Here are four shipping strategies for oversized products:
Use Sturdy Boxes
Naturally, heavier and larger items need sturdier boxes. Always use new boxes when shipping large items because secondhand boxes may have some wear and tear on them.
If you can’t find double-walled or reinforced boxes, pack your original box in a larger box to add extra protection layers. Make sure to add extra cushioning with bubble wrap or packing peanuts between the boxes to minimize movement during transit.
Seal With Heavy-Duty Packing Tape
Don’t be cheap by using duct tape or masking tape. When sealing boxes containing large objects, always use heavy-duty packing tape to seal every seam of your box so it won’t break open.
Calculate Package Dimensions and Cost
Oversized shipping can be expensive, so calculate your package’s weight, length and girth before going to the mail carrier. Once you have the package’s dimensions, you can calculate a shipping estimate and know how much money to prepare.
Consider Dividing the Shipment if Possible
Sometimes, sending your items in several boxes is cheaper than sending all of them in one box, even if there’s only one recipient. Consider dividing your shipment if the cost of shipping several boxes at once is cheaper than sending all the items in one box.
What to Consider When Shipping Heavy Items
When it comes to shipping heavy items and figuring out how to cut costs, you first need to ask, what am I being charged for? Knowing what factors count towards the shipping rates helps you direct your attention towards trimming these costs.
Dimensional Weight
The concept of dimensional weight was introduced around 2015, and it differs from your package’s actual weight. Dimensional weight is a theoretical weight that factors into your package’s dimensions. Shipping companies adopted this model because they lost money on large packages that weighed less.
How does this concern you? Well, when your shipping partner calculates the shipping fees, they will take the greater of the two weights – dimensional or actual – into account. If your package weighs less than its dimensional weight, that’s what you’ll be charged for – so this is important to look into beforehand.
Fragility of Items
If the goods you are having delivered are damaged during the shipping process, then that’s going to send your costs sky-high. Damaged goods mean expensive returns and refunds, which you really want to avoid. So if you’re looking to ship items that need extra care, find a carrier that offers commendable fragile shipping services.
Origin and Destination of the Package
Big or small, the shipping fees you pay on a package will always incorporate the shipping zone into the calculation. This means that if the package travels a long distance to reach the customer, it will cost you more.
How can you cut these costs down? Opt for a distributed inventory! You can dramatically reduce shipping costs with distributed fulfillment centers in strategic locations.
Carrier Being Used
The shipping costs you pay also depend on which carrier you’re using. Some are more generous when it comes to shipping oversized or fragile items, while others aren’t so much.
Type of Service Being Used
Shipping fees also depend on the shipping services you’re going for. Is it a 2-day delivery? Is it next-day delivery? Does the product need to be shipped internationally? Also, the price increment for shipping zones varies with the type of service. So, your zone-to-zone shipping fees for 2-day delivery may not increase as much as for overnight delivery.
Saving Money When Shipping Large Items for Small Business
As a small business owner, shipping large items can be expensive. Here are some top tips to try the next time you’re sending oversized products:
Reduce Package Weight
Heavier packages are more expensive to ship. While you can’t reduce your product’s weight, you can use lighter packaging to cut shipping costs.
Some good ways to reduce package weight are:
- Pack items in corrugated cardboard boxes.
- Use lightweight cushioning like air pillows and bubble wrap.
- Design custom lightweight packages that fit your products perfectly.
Reducing your package weight may only save you a few cents per package, but the savings add up, and you’ll save hundreds of dollars in the long run.
Buy Appropriately-Sized Packages
Many businesses adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to packaging, where they buy a lot of big boxes and use them to ship everything. While convenient, using large boxes to ship small products means paying more because of the bigger packages.
Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, you can buy several types of boxes that perfectly fit all your products and use them appropriately. This approach cuts down your average package size, meaning you’ll save on shipping costs.
Choose Flat-Rate Shipping
Flat-rate shipping means the delivery cost is always the same, regardless of the package’s dimensions. If you can get a reasonable flat-rate shipping cost, you don’t have to worry about selling oversized products anymore because you’ll be charged the same regardless of package size.
Provide Local Delivery and Pickup
If your business sells locally, you can provide local delivery or curbside pickup to people in your area. Since you can assign staff to deliver products or have buyers come to pick their purchases up, you can reduce or even eliminate the cost of shipping.
Best Way to Ship Large, Heavy Items
Major carriers have their own prices and services for shipping heavy and oversized items; one carrier isn’t necessarily better than another across the board. You need to determine which carrier specifically offers you the best package for what you’re shipping.
Carriers such as USPS, UPS and FedEx provide services to small businesses and even individuals, so they put their prices up in the open for you to see easily. But freight carriers such as DHL and FedEx freight that focus on serving large businesses don’t have their prices up publicly, so you need to contact them for a quote.
Here are some things to consider when choosing a carrier to ship oversized items:
- Package dimensions: Your package’s size is the first thing that determines your shipping rates. Choose a carrier that offers reasonable rates for large packages.
- Item fragility: If you’re shipping fragile items, choose a carrier service renowned for delivering fragile shipments safely.
- Services offered: Depending on your client base, you may need specialized services like next-day delivery or international shipping. Choose a carrier that provides all the services you need.
Shipping Services for Large Items
Many carriers offer large item shipping solutions for your business, but each offers different benefits. Here, we look at three of the best large item shipping companies available today:
USPS
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is the largest carrier, so it should be no surprise that they offer pretty diverse shipping solutions to cater to different needs.
Priority Mail: 1-3 days
The USPS Priority Mail option is available for items that weigh 70 pounds and under, and the packages range from small envelopes to large boxes of around 1 ft x 1ft x 6 inches. If you’re looking to send a heavy item that is small or medium-sized in a reasonable amount of time, then the Priority Mail option is a good choice. While it’s not the fastest option, the delivery service gets the items to your customers within 1-3 days, which is great.
Priority Mail Express: Overnight
The Priority Mail Express is USPS’s fastest shipping option, where orders are guaranteed to reach your customers by the next business day. For packages under 70 pounds, the Priority Mail Express option is good if you can fit the item into the flat rate shipping envelope. Otherwise, the prices are pretty high for larger packages, and you might be better off with a different carrier.
Media Mail: 2-10 days
Media Mail is a niche-specific shipping option from which select eCommerce businesses can benefit massively. With Media Mail, media items such as CDs, DVDs and books can be shipped at extremely affordable rates – the best rates you’ll find. So if you’ve got some heavy media items that need to be delivered, Media Mail is your best bet.
Ground: 2-8 days
If your package is too big to fit in the Priority Mail flat rate box, then enter the Ground shipping option. This option still limits you to 70 pounds, but the size limits are less restrictive.
As you can see, the trade-off is that Ground shipping is a lot slower than Priority Mail. The prices are calculated depending on the shipping zone and weight.
FedEx
Since we’re discussing major carriers, it should be no surprise that FedEx made it to the list.
Ground: 1-7 days
FedEx doesn’t offer you the same guaranteed speed options as USPS, but they make up for it by offering you more liberal weight options. Unlike USPS, which limits you to 70 pounds, FedEx is far more generous, giving you the option to ship items as heavy as 150 pounds. They’re also more relaxed about package sizes – letting you ship items as large as 108 inches long or 165 inches for length plus girth.
So if your items are too big or too heavy for USPS, then head on over to FedEx.
Freight: Priority or Economy
If you’re shipping heavy items in large volumes, FedEx’s Freight option is one of the best picks. The prices vary immensely, depending on the product’s size and the shipping zone, but you’ll get an exceptional rate if you’re shipping a lot of oversized items.
DHL
Need international shipping taken care of effectively? Enter DHL, one of the best freight shipping carriers out there.
Air Freight
DHL’s Air freight option has your goods delivered through flights that are scheduled along major routes. The best part about the Air freight service is that there are many options to choose from depending on your needs.
Need door-to-door, airport-to-door, or door-to-airport delivery taken care of? DHL will manage all three. If speed is a priority, then Urgent Air Freight will have your delivery taken care of in just 1-2 business days. If you’re not in a rush, then Air Economy takes care of shipments within 5-7 days. If you have special cargo or temperature-sensitive items, DHL has options for those too, including delivering shipments in temperature-controlled environments.
Ocean Freight
Similar to the Air freight option, the Ocean freight service is great for shipping heavy items in bulk, except overseas rather than by air. The two main options are Full Container (FCL) and Less Than Container (LCL), but they offer special options for freight shipments like temperature-controlled environments and transportation facilities for liquids.
Our advice? If you’re looking to send big, bulky items in large quantities, then freight shipping is the way to go.
What to Do Before Shipping Large and Heavy Items
Before shipping large and heavy items, it’s important to ensure they are properly secured and in packages of the right dimensions. This involves using the right amount of dunnage where appropriate, and if you’re shipping fragile items, opt for something like bubble wrap to keep it safe. Large and heavy items are usually more costly, so you really can’t afford to have them damaged in shipping.
What’s an Oversized Item?
A package is considered ‘oversized’ when it’s either too large, too heavy, or a combination of both. Carriers traditionally consider packages oversized if the item’s length and girth are greater than 165 inches, if the goods weigh more than 150lbs, or if the length is greater than 108 inches. However, many carriers now limit the combined length to 130 inches. Let’s see what each carrier considers ‘oversized.’
USPS Oversized
USPS classifies items as oversized if they have a length of 108 inches and no more than 130 inches combined length and girth. For this range, businesses pay a standard Parcel Select oversized fee which is reasonable. Beyond these dimensions, though, you’ll have to contact USPS for a specific quote. USPS specifies oversized items by dimensions but not weight.
UPS Oversized
UPS has three criteria for classifying an item as oversized; if its weight is more than 150lbs, if the length alone is more than 108 inches, or if the combined length and girth exceed 165 inches. If your package dimensions or weight fall under these conditions, then you will have to pay UPS’s Over Maximum Limits charges subject to DIM.
FedEx Oversized
FedEx classifies items as oversized if the length exceeds 96 inches or 130 inches in length plus girth. Dimensional weight calculations apply to oversized product calculations, and there is a minimum 90lbs village weight charge too. While FedEx still lets you ship oversized products by ground, there is an oversized shipping charge of $90 per parcel. Also, during annual peak shipping times, an additional charge called the oversized peak surcharge ($37.5 per package) is applicable too. So, FedEx may not be the most cost-effective option.
DHL Oversized
DHL classifies an oversized item as one that exceeds 70kg (around 155lbs) in weight or has any one dimension that exceeds 120 cm (that’s 47.24 inches). So, for oversized classification, DHL considers all the dimensions rather than the length. The oversized package cost is $89, but they have different services available that you can contact them about.
How to Ship Large or Oversized Items
When it comes to shipping your large or oversized items, there are two things to prioritize; 1) keep the shipping fee as low as possible and 2) minimize the risk of damage. The steps themselves are quite straightforward:
1. Package Your Item Properly
This goes without saying, but we’ll mention it anyway – make sure that your items are secured in place and with great care.
2. Take Measurements
Remember how we discussed the dimensional weight pricing model earlier? Well, when getting your items ready for shipping, look for the most efficient packaging option. This will not only help you score a lower shipping fee but is also important for keeping the goods safe. If your package dimensions are off relative to the items inside, then they might get tossed around during shipping and consequently damaged.
3. Weigh Your Package
Weigh your package beforehand so you know exactly what pricing options it falls under. Is your package too heavy to be shipped by USPS’s conventional options, for example? Weighing your package is an important part of determining the right carrier and shipping option.
4. Calculate Rates
Calculate the rates that you will have to pay depending on the options available to you. Can you afford to go for the express options, or will that cut your profit margins down? Is one carrier giving you a better rate for your product’s dimensions?
5. Book and Pay
Now that you’ve worked out which option is best for shipping your package, go ahead and book it!
6. Print Your Shipping Labels
Print your shipping labels out and fill the required details in – where is the package going to, how much does it weigh, etc. Different carriers have different shipping labels, so fill them in as required.
7. Label Your Package
Put the labels on your package so that they’re ready to go!
8. Send the Package
All that’s left now is to send your package and wait for your customers to receive it. Hit the go button!
Let ShipHero Handle Heavy Item Fulfillment
Heavy item fulfillment can be quite tedious, and not every business is equipped to manage oversized shipping efficiently. There are so many factors involved – calculating the weight, comparing weight vs dimensional weight, getting the right package sizes, figuring out which categories your packages fall under and more. So if this all seems too much for you, consider outsourcing the load to a competent third-party logistics partner.
Outsourced Fulfillment
ShipHero is a powerful warehouse management solution that many leading third-party logistics providers rely on. ShipHero also offers eCommerce merchants outsourced fulfillment options – we’ll take the hassle of heavy item fulfillment off your hands and perform all the calculations and leg work for you.
Distributed Fulfillment Centers
Remember how shipping zones were a big factor in calculating shipping fees and how a distributed inventory can help combat this problem? Well, ShipHero has you covered here too. Don’t have your own distributed fulfillment centers? That’s fine; you can have your inventory distributed amongst our own, ultimately reducing shipping distances.
Save on Shipping Costs
An experienced logistics partner like ShipHero can help you make major savings on oversized shipping costs. With distributed fulfillment centers cutting delivery times and shipping costs down, powerful software solutions and an experienced team handling the technical stuff, ShipHero is the logistics solution that can help you slash unnecessary costs.
Shipping Heavy Items FAQs
How much does it cost to ship 100 lbs?
This depends on what carrier you are using. For example, FedEx considers a 100 lbs package oversized, so a $90 oversized fee will apply. However, carriers like DHL and FedEx may not consider this package oversized, so that shipping costs will be lower.
What is the cheapest way to ship heavy items?
There is no single cheapest way to ship heavy items. Many factors come into play, including the package dimensions, package weight, dimensional weight, the type of items and whether or not you have a distributed inventory. A reliable logistics solution partner can help you find the most cost-effective way to ship heavy items.
How do you ship heavy items cheaply?
To ship heavy items cheaply, you need to reduce as much weight as you can. That’s why large items must be properly packaged in boxes, parcels or containers of the right dimensions. The packages need to be weighed and measured so that you can determine the most cost-effective way to have them delivered. Correctly labeling packages before shipping them off is vital to make sure they reach the right destination.
How much does it cost to ship a 25-pound box?
This depends on many factors, including the carrier, the shipping option you are using and where the box is going. For example, let’s look at USPS’s Parcel Select Ground option, which is one of the slowest and most cost-effective delivery options. The 25-pound box can cost anywhere from $25 to above $70, depending on the shipping zone it’s headed.
Conclusion
Shipping heavy and oversized items involves far more complications than you might have imagined. The worst part is that if you don’t take the time to perform the necessary calculations and consider all the important factors, your business may incur significant losses. You’re all set if you have a dedicated team with a skill set that can optimize your heavy item fulfillment.
If oversized shipping seems daunting and beyond what your business can comfortably handle, look no further than ShipHero. Outsourcing your fulfillment process to us means that we’ll work all the technicalities out for you, and find the most cost-effective way to ship your heavy and oversized products.
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About ShipHero: We make it simple for you to deliver your eCommerce. Our software helps you run your warehouse, and our outsourced shipping solutions eliminate the hassle of getting your products to your customers. With over 5,000 brands and 3PLs relying on us daily, we’re here to help with all your logistics needs.
Let us know how we can help you today by scheduling a call HERE.
May 6, 2021 | 3PL Warehouse Management, Best Practices, Blog, Warehouse Management Software
With the ecommerce industry growing rapidly, many things about the field have seen significant improvement in the past few years. Companies have been working to ensure a better customer experience with improved technology and better shipping options. Quick delivery times with low shipping costs are vital to optimize customer satisfaction levels. But how can you offer faster shipping times without compromising profits?
The topic of faster shipping brings us to expedited shipping and the advantages it offers over standard shipping services. Here’s what ecommerce retailers should know about the workings of expedited shipping.
What is expedited shipping?
Expedited shipping refers to shipments that are faster than the standard option for delivery. The actual term means different things for different carriers and can refer to one-day or two-day delivery options. As such, expedited shipping charges to domestic or international destinations vary with the various delivery services.
How fast is expedited shipping?
Different delivery options with various carriers usually come with their specific strategy for the whole supply chain. Depending on the type of product and the shipping zone distance between the point of origin and destination, the delivery times of expedited shipping can vary with each carrier.
Is expedited shipping worth the added cost?
The expedited service option usually comes with added cost for the lesser delivery times that increase with the shipping zone distance and the parcel’s weight and dimensions. Some businesses hold customer satisfaction in high regard and feel that the expedited shipping option is worth it. Of course, faster delivery times add to the whole charm of the sale for the customer and can increase your company’s revenue.
The differences between expedited and standard shipping
Standard shipping usually costs the least when it comes to different delivery services. The standard service could translate to a two-day shipping time for some companies, while others might offer longer delivery times for their standard shipping. The standard delivery option for one of the most popular carriers in the US, the USPS, consists of ground shipping and usually takes more than two business days for farther shipping zones.
Reasons to offer expedited shipping
Expedited shipping provides a guarantee to your customers that their packages will be shipped in reduced transit times. This reduction in transit time directly increases customer satisfaction, and it is arguably one of the most important reasons businesses opt for this shipping method. However, there are other advantages to expedited shipping as well.
To save time
The primary purpose of expedited shipping is to save on shipping time. Carriers often do this by minimizing the supply chain to the final destination. If your customers are willing to pay more for faster shipping, expedited shipping is the suitable business method for your setup.
Shipping perishables
Many perishable items like frozen food and baked items require faster shipping so that the products do not expire during the shipping process. For this reason, expedited shipping is the correct answer for your business if you are involved with the food industry.
To win (or retain) customers
If most of your customers opt for faster shipping methods and are willing to pay the extra cost, then you should look into making expedited shipping into your standard shipping option. There is a chance that retailers might lose customers who want faster shipping if they don’t offer expedited shipping.
Save on storage costs
Taking the products from the manufacturers and storing the inventory in warehouses often comes with detailed storage charges. When you offer expedited shipping, the products spend less time in storage, and you can save on inventory storage costs.
Reduce abandoned carts
Unsatisfactory delivery options directly link to cart abandonment among prospective customers. Having various shipping options such as expedited and standard shipping lets the customers choose the shipping option they like. Therefore, it’s wise to offer expedited services to your customers.
Meet customer expectations around ship time
Customers usually look at a couple of retail options before buying something, and they often go with the retailer that provides convenient delivery options. Today, faster shipping methods like Amazon’s next-day delivery options have increased customer expectations, and this is why not having expedited shipping could hurt your sales.
Build customer loyalty
Customer satisfaction is the key to getting repeat customers and building customer loyalty. When the customers get their parcels delivered faster, they are more likely to purchase from your shop again in the future. Offering expedited shipping options could enhance the customer loyalty in your consumer base and possibly secure future sales.
How fast is expedited shipping compared to other fulfillment options?
Different delivery services come with different standard and premium delivery times. Let’s look at some of the popular shipping options and how they fare compared with expedited shipping.
Expedited shipping vs. standard shipping delivery speeds
Standard shipping services are often the cheapest shipping option out there, but they also take many business days to deliver the package, depending on the shipping zone distance. On the other hand, expedited shipping offers reduced shipping times while being more costly. Some companies have two-day delivery as their standard shipping options, while others take longer in their standard delivery service. These options vary from company to company.
Expedited shipping services vs. express shipping delivery speeds
Depending on what carrier service you are looking at, expedited and express delivery can be used interchangeably or mean the same thing. Couriers usually have a variety of standard and premium delivery options, and these terms vary depending on their context of use.
Two-day (or next-day) shipping
For some companies like Amazon Prime, two-day shipping options are standard, while for others, two-day delivery often falls under the umbrella of expedited shipping. Like the other terms, these terms also vary with each courier.
Which shipping carriers offer expedited shipping?
Many carriers offer different expedited shipping services like flat-rate shipping, ground shipping, and next-day air shipping options. Let’s look at some of the most popular carriers in the US and their expedited shipping services.
USPS expedited shipping
USPS is among the most popular courier services in the US for domestic delivery. A popular expedited shipping option by USPS is their Flat Rate Priority Mail Express. This mail service comes with options like overnight and next-day delivery options, and you can track the parcel during shipment.
UPS expedited shipping
UPS is another shipper that offers expedited shipping options for domestic delivery, including same-day, next-day, and two-day shipping guarantees. The UPS Worldwide Expedited service offers faster delivery to international destinations.
FedEx expedited shipping
FedEx also provides several expedited shipping options based on the package’s size and dimensions, destination, and urgency. These shipping options include FedEx Express Saver, and FedEx Expedited Freight, and the FedEx Same Day service.
How to offer expedited delivery
It might seem that expedited delivery is impossible for small businesses to offer and might kill your budget. But there is a way to provide expedited delivery without any extra burden on your budget – and here’s how.
Use distributed fulfillment centers
Having your inventory stored in multiple fulfillment centers means that you can minimize the shipping zone distance from the warehouse to the destination. This way, you can use ground shipping methods from the nearest warehouse for the expedited shipping option.
Require a minimum purchase amount for orders
To cover the shipping costs for expedited shipping, a smart thing to do is set a minimum order purchase threshold. This way, you can cover the marginal shipping cost from the products’ revenue while keeping your customers happy.
Work with an experienced 3PL
Another way to save on shipping costs is to work with an experienced third-party logistics (3PL) company that can get you discounted shipping rates with major carriers. Other than the discounted shipping rates, a 3PL can help cut back on shipping costs by making the process more efficient. Experienced 3PL partners offer shipping options and technology that you might not have been able to manage on your own.
Offer expedited shipping with ShipHero
By now, you understand the importance of expedited delivery and why it pays off to offer your customers multiple shipping options. With ShipHero, you can offer different types of expedited-delivery options like overnight or two-day delivery services, depending on your customers’ needs and your company’s budget.
Outsourced fulfillment
ShipHero partners up with 3PL companies to offer you discounted shipping rates and distributed fulfillment options so that you can reduce shipping times and shipping rates in one go.
Distributed fulfillment centers
ShipHero lets you distribute your inventory across the nationwide network of fulfillment centers. Having distributed fulfillment centers all over the country means that you can minimize the shipping zone distance to the. What this means is that you can offer faster shipping to your customers with the help of on-ground shipping methods.
Save on shipping costs
ShipHero offers you different courier services to partner up with, and some of them offer discounts on the shipping rates. This way, you can save on shipping costs and choose the carrier that works best for you. As a plus, there are no hidden shipping fees, and users get precisely what they pay for.
Conclusion
Expedited shipping sure has its advantages, but it can also seem like a very costly option. Now that you have looked at how you can realistically offer expedited shipping options to your customers without breaking the bank, it’s time to get things going. ShipHero lets you offer expedited shipping by connecting your ecommerce platform to trusted carriers with various shipping options and discounted rates.
If you’re looking to provide customers with premium shipping options without breaking the bank, then check out ShipHero.
