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If you run a small business, you know all about how important the holidays are to your bottom line. That also means you likely understand that your shipping process can have an outsized impact on whether customers think your business is naughty or nice.
By leveraging shipping best practices along with tools from PayPal to help streamline operations, you may be better prepared to get your packages out on time, meet shopper expectations, and build customer relationships that last well beyond the season.
Here's what you need to know to set your business up for holiday shipping success.
Few things are more disappointing than a package that doesn’t arrive on time. It’s crucial to understand when you need your packages out the door. Look at each shipping carrier’s schedule for recommended timelines to have a package arrive by key holiday dates.
Not only can this help you meet customer expectations, but you can also use this information to drive more sales. For instance, use the Christmas shipping deadline as an opportunity to send a reminder email or SMS to customers that the last day to mail packages is around the corner. By offering guaranteed Christmas delivery, you may be able to spur customers to complete their orders sooner.
Check out holiday shipping deadlines for each major carrier below. While some have not yet released this year’s dates, best practice is to use last year’s as a benchmark.
Different customers will have different expectations when it comes to delivery timelines. Make sure you clearly state your shipping practices, prices, and options to ensure there are no unexpected hiccups. This lets customers factor in delivery dates when determining whether or not to take advantage of a free shipping promotion or if they should pay extra for expedited delivery.
Another holiday shipping best practice is to clearly state if you offer the following services:
The holiday sales season is like the championship game for many small businesses. Just like no team would test out a new quarterback in the Super Bowl, the last thing you want to do is try a new shipping process the week before Christmas.
Use the months leading up to Black Friday to perfect your shipping process, so you're ready to go once the holiday season kicks off. An efficient process includes:
There's nothing worse than having a record day of sales, only to discover that you have no way to get all those orders out the door. To avoid being caught short, spend the weeks before the holiday season stocking up on holiday packaging materials like tape, boxes, labels, protective wrap, and invoice slips.
Keep in mind that this is the time of year when your customers expect shipping options like gift wrapping or themed shipping boxes. If you don't normally offer those options, consider dedicating space in your shipping department where you can wrap presents for an extra fee. Not only will this help you improve the customer experience, but it can be an easy way to drive extra revenue.
One of the top questions customers have about their online order: “Where is it?” That's why no list of holiday shipping tips is complete without the reminder to share package tracking codes with customers.
By providing tracking information with every order, you can keep customers in the loop while reducing the number of inquiries from customers who worry their package is lost. These days, online tracking is included at no charge by USPS, UPS, and FedEx. If the total sale is $750 or more, add signature confirmation to confirm your customer received their order — the nominal expense is well worth it, plus it's a PayPal requirement for Seller Protection (limits apply).
While the hope is that everyone loves your products, the reality is customers will sometimes want to return their order to get a different size, color, or simply because it's not quite what they thought it would be.
So before customers complete their purchase, make sure you clearly state your holiday return policy, including the cost to return items. Depending on your business and products, you may consider offering free returns as a way to give customers more confidence when placing an order.
Because returns can be costly, here are a few ways to reduce your return volume:
If you have holiday shipping questions, the US Postal Service likely has the answer. The USPS FAQ portal offers helpful information to help you deliver a winning customer experience. Below are answers to key questions small business owners may need to know to plan for holiday shipping:
Learn more how to get manage your shipping with PayPal.
In partnership with three expert business owners, the PayPal Bootcamp includes practical checklists and a short video loaded with tips to help take your business to the next level.
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