Top Ten Internet Auction Shipping Tips
1. Ship Small, Lightweight Products
The heavier and bulkier the product, the more it will cost to
ship. Pick light items in preference to heavier items. Of
course, downloadable e-books are the lightest product of all. On
the other hand, if your customers want your heavy and bulky
items badly enough, they should be willing to pay for the extra
shipping charges.
2. Ship Nonphysical Products
Having to ship physical products means more work. You need to
pack and label your products, calculate shipping charges, and
arrange for the orders to be shipped. Again, electronic
downloads eliminate the hassles of physical shipping. However,
tangible goods seem to have a higher perceived value. That being
the case, you won't want to eliminate physical products entirely
as they can be real profit makers for you.
3. Drop Shipping
Another way to avoid some of the hassles of product fulfillment
is drop shipping. There are suppliers who will ship one item at
a time for you. You don`t have to stock any inventory. You
simply pay your dropship supplier out of the money you receive
from your auction sale. They will ship the product directly to
your customer.
4. Recycle
If you receive bubble wrap, styrofoam peanuts, bubble bags, or
appropriate cardboard boxes, you may be able to reuse them for
your shipments.
5. Bulk Buying
If you do a lot of auctions, buy your packaging supplies in bulk
to receive better pricing.
6. Free Shipping Supplies
Your post office or courier company may supply free shipping
cartons for certain shipments.
7. Use Online Automated Tools
You can determine shipping charges from PayPal, the postal
service and courier companies by visiting their websites and
using the online automated shipping calculation tools. In many
cases, you can even create prepaid shipping labels and then
arrange for pickup or dropoff of your shipments.
8. Avoid Fragile Items
Obviously, fragile items need to be packed with more care than
unbreakable items. Pick durable items in preference to delicate
items to reduce damage claims.
9. Insure Valuable Shipments
If you can't afford the loss of a lost, stolen, or damaged
product, be sure to insure your shipment. While you're at it,
request a delivery confirmation, preferably with signature
required.
10. Prepare Foreign Shipments Properly
Be sure to prepare the proper Customs Declaration for
international shipments. Keep in mind that there are items you
can't legally ship. Even your packing material should be
considered. As an example, items shipped in a box labelled
"liquor" or "munitions" might be delayed at Customs.
About the author:
J. Stephen Pope, President of Pope Consulting Inc., has been
helping clients to earn maximum business profits for over
twenty-five years. To learn more about Internet auctions and
other profitable Work at Home Small Business Ideas, visit
http://www.yenommarketinginc.com/auctions.html