How to set up shipping for small businesses, start-ups and SMEs
Having strategic and optimised logistics is crucial for the success of any business, especially at the beginning. Discover how to organise logistics for your online store and how to set-up shipping for your SME or e-commerce start-up in a breeze. Begin your journey with a trusted network of logistics providers and a team of experts by your side. At Eurosender, we offer a simple solution to arrange international deliveries for your start-up or online small business and start growing.
READY TO START?
Follow our guide to set up logistics for e-commerce and start shipping right away. Teaming up with an online logistics platform is one of the best and easiest ways for arranging shipping for online shops.
- See all current and past orders on one single platform
- Save shipping addresses or methods to speed up the booking process
- Choose between different invoicing options for simplified finances
- Have a dedicated account manager to give you support at any time
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GETTING READY
How to set up logistics for a start-up business or online store
If you want to know how to organise logistics for a starting online store or e-commerce site, you will first have to take a look at your business needs. To arrange international deliveries for your small business or start-up, you will have to take into account the basic characteristics of your business:
- Shipping volume: how often will you be making deliveries?
- Shipping range: Will you be offering international shipping or only domestic?
- Type of goods: what is the size and weight of your products? Do they need special transport conditions?
What do you need to consider when setting up logistics for a small or medium business?
- Deliveries from the supplier: if you are getting products or supplies from another business, domestically or abroad, you will have to factor these delivery costs in your general budget, as well as the delivery times.
- Warehousing: depending on the size and volume of your products, they may need to be stored and kept in warehouses. Setting up an efficient distribution network from the warehouse to your clients plays an important part when managing shipping solutions for an online store or SME.
- Shipping to your clients: you can decide to offer door-to-door shipping or get your parcels shipped to a business address or post office.
- Customs, taxes and duties: when arranging international deliveries for your start-up or small business you have to consider customs duties, VAT and other import and export taxes that may be applicable.
Do you have any questions?
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What do I need to organise my own logistics operations?
Good team
No matter if you are a one-person operation or a team, small businesses and e-commerce sites work best when everyone is pulling their weight. Teaming up with someone who understands logistics can be the key to managing all your shipments and deliveries in an efficient way.
Fast and efficient platform to support the operations
When you organise your own logistics processes, you will need a platform to arrange and oversee your operations. A good software will help you oversee all your orders and deliveries and present all the relevant information in a clear and understandable manner.
Clear goals
Set-up your e-commerce goals and create the logistics strategy around them. Defining a goal number of sessions or sales can help motivate and guide your team and can help you decide how to set-up your e-commerce shipping. Furthermore, you can decide to expand your logistics network when reaching specific milestones.
How to set-up shipping for e-commerce and online stores: 5-step guide
Choose the pricing option: you can calculate a flat rate shipping price for all your deliveries. How? Get average pricing by introducing the details of your shipments in our booking tool. You can also offer weight-based shipping, with a different price for each item.
OUR BENEFITS
The best partner for managing shipping for an online SME
Vetted logistics providers
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Real-time assistance
Safe transport
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
How to set-up shipping for a small business: FAQ
Do I need create an account to get business courier services with Eurosender?
You do not have to register to use our shipping solutions for start-ups. However, some features and special prices are only available for our registered customers. Furthermore, registration is free and can be set-up in just a few clicks, so creating your business account is the easiest way of benefiting from our courier services for SMEs, online stores and small businesses.
Do I need a minimum number of orders to register for shipping as a business?
No, you do not need a minimum number of orders to benefit from the best courier services for online stores in the European market. Any business can set-up their profile and arrange as many orders as they need through our integrated logistics dashboard.
Can I book an unlimited number of shipments with the Eurosender dashboard?
Yes, you can have unlimited orders, as much as you need. Within the same order, you can book the delivery of a limited number of packages, but if you need to ship more parcels at once, you can simply book another order with the same details. Remember that even within the same order each package will have different tracking numbers, so remember to make sure your clients have the correct tracking information.
How do I know what is the best shipping for my e-commerce site?
To know what is the best shipping for your e-commerce site you will have to set your e-commerce goals and choose the logistics solution that will help you reach them. For example, if you want to build a local client base you can decide to focus on domestic shipping. You can offer free shipping on items above a certain price point to increase turnover or offer free shipping for clients that regularly purchase from you to create loyalty. Offering international shipping can help you reach more customers but can also be more expensive. Find out how to implement international shipping in your e-commerce platform.
How can I offer good price shipping in e-commerce?
The best way of offering a good price for shipping is to make sure you are getting the lowest possible price for a good service. Shipping with reputable couriers is the safest option, and instead of comparing their prices one by one you can team up with Eurosender. You will not have to negotiate the rates with the shipping companies, because we will compare thousands of available services to automatically match you with the best logistics solution for your e-commerce site, making sure you get the lowest possible price without sacrificing quality and security.
Do I need to provide my own packaging for shipping?
As an e-commerce seller, you will have to provide your own packaging. It is important that you choose reliable packaging materials to avoid damage and problem during delivery. Packaging is a very important part of branding and consumer experience, so properly packing your sales is a key aspect for the success of your business. You can check our packing guides for instructions on how to pack a multitude of articles.
Is it worth to outsource logistics operations when starting an e-commerce?
Managing your logistics processes in-house will require you to act as a logistics manager, or expand your team to accommodate a professional that can help you arrange and manage all logistics operations. By outsourcing your logistics with a trusted partner, especially on the beginning, you can take that load off your shoulders knowing your shipping need are being handled by experienced professionals.