The 7 Shipping Strategies to Cut Costs and Speed Up Delivery for Small Business Owners

Ever felt like your shipping costs are stealing your profits like a silent thief? Yeah, it’s that gut-punch feeling every time you crunch the numbers to see your margins go down. You're not alone in this.

Many small business owners whisper the same silent prayer: "There’s got to be a way to ship smarter without breaking the bank, right?"

Imagine slashing those costs and still getting your packages out faster than ever. No, it’s not a dream—it’s totally doable, and we’re here to guide you through it.

From negotiating better rates to integrating technology that zips through processing, we’ve covered all the bases.

So, let’s dive into these 7 shipping strategies, and start trimming those bulky expenses while speeding up delivery.

Let’s begin!

1. Leverage Multicarrier Solutions to Optimise Costs and Delivery Times

Relying on a single carrier is like putting all your eggs in one basket—you limit your options and risk getting stuck with poor rates or delays. Instead, multicarrier shipping solutions can provide the flexibility to shop around for better rates, delivery speeds, and services tailored to your business needs. Think of it like assembling a shipping dream team, each carrier bringing unique strengths to each of your different products and shipping locations.

For instance, if you're shipping heavy items domestically, you might want to use a courier like Couriers Please or Aramex. Meanwhile, a courier specialising in lightweight deliveries, like Australia Post, can save you a bundle on smaller packages.

With multicarrier solutions, switching between carriers is seamless, and you can compare rates at a glance to always find the best fit.

It’s best to compare the different shipping software and see which matches up with your budget and goals.

2. Automate Order Processing to Handle Large Volumes Efficiently

Does processing orders manually have you feeling like you’re spending way too much of your time on fulfilment?

Automation is an incredible solution that saves you time by eliminating repetitive tasks and reducing human error. Automated systems can import orders from multiple sales channels, sort them based on shipping preferences, and generate shipping labels in just a few clicks.

Imagine processing hundreds of orders a day in minutes. Automated order processing enables this by shortening time it takes to fulfil orders. handling label generation, printing, and tracking updates, and much more.

For example, at Interparcel we use an ecommerce integration to connect our platform with online stores and automatically upload all orders without any manual data entry. Then we use tools like our rule manager to pick the ideal couriers for each of your products and automatically select them when an order is made with that product. The end result means it becomes 85% faster to fulfil an order.

For more game-changing parcel delivery automation tips, read this blog.

3. Implement Free Shipping Tactics That Don't Eat into Profits

Free shipping is music to customer's ears, but it doesn’t need to play a sad tune for your bottom line. The key lies in being strategic: offer free shipping for orders above a certain threshold, build shipping costs into your pricing model, or offer it selectively on best-selling products.

This will maximise your conversion rate while increasing your average order value.

Unexpected costs at checkout are one of the biggest reasons for people abandoning their cart at checkout, so it helps to remove this barrier as much as you can.

For example, an online fashion retailer discovered that offering free shipping above $50 incentivised customers to add an extra item or two to their cart. This boosted the average order value while keeping fulfilment costs manageable.

Another tactic is to reserve free shipping as a last-ditch effort for your abandoned checkout email sequence.

You can find more free shipping strategies in our blog.

4. Develop a Robust International Shipping Strategy

Shopify says that international shipping isn’t just a luxury, but a necessity!

That’s because if you are not shipping internationally, you are missing out on the hundreds of millions of online international shoppers that your competitors will likely be targeting.

Shipping internationally comes with its fair share of headaches, from surprise surcharges to customs delays. But don’t worry—having a solid strategy in place helps you sidestep these pitfalls.

This means making sure you fill out your commercial invoice, understanding international taxes, and what the legal rules are for each country you're shipping to.

We cover the 10 International shipping tips you need to know in this blog post.

5. Select the Right Courier Partner with a Detailed Evaluation Process

Choosing a courier partner is like finding a trusted teammate—you both must work together so that you both can succeed.

Evaluate potential couriers based on delivery speed, costs, coverage, customer service, and the specific needs of your shipments. After all, your ceramics aren’t going to require the same handling as your t-shirts!

Don’t overlook real-world performance reviews from other business owners. What do they say about reliability, damage rates, and support? Finding the right partner can mean the difference between delighted customers and a slew of complaints.

You can find the right courier partner by following these 10 steps.

6. Prepare for Peak Seasons with a Solid Shipping Strategy

Peak seasons like Christmas or Cyber Monday can overwhelm even the most organised teams. But with a bit of planning, you can avoid getting buried under the pile of orders.

There’s a lot to keep in mind when getting ready for the peak sale season. Start by forecasting demand based on previous years, set aside extra packaging materials, and inform your couriers about expected volume spikes.

Also, communicate delays proactively to your customers. They’ll appreciate the heads-up if their package might take longer.

The more you can have your usual shipping processes automated, the less likely you’ll run into human errors and the smoother the experience will be.

7. Streamline Your Shipping Policy for Clarity and Efficiency

A clear shipping policy is a critical component of any e-commerce business. It serves as a comprehensive guide that outlines shipping costs, delivery estimates, return procedures, and any exceptions. Having a clear and well-defined shipping policy is essential.

A well-defined policy cuts down on customer queries and manages expectations. For your team, it ensures consistency and minimises errors.

For a step-by-step breakdown of how to create a shipping policy, read our blog.

Ready to Transform Your Shipping Strategy?

Feeling the weight of shipping challenges on your shoulders? It's normal to feel a bit overwhelmed, but remember, every big change starts with a single, manageable step.

If you need additional help, Interparcel helps small and medium-sized businesses to enhance their shipping, satisfy their customer's post-purchase experience, and give you free time to work on growing your business.

If you sign up for a free Interparcel account, our shipping experts will be able to contact you and create a customised shipping strategy that’s uniquely designed for your business.