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Shipping may not be your first thought when you think about running a small business, but it's a crucial component that can significantly impact your bottom line.
According to a recent survey, 41% of retailers said shipping costs were their biggest challenge in 2022, and about one-third report it will continue through 2023.1 On the consumer side, more than half of shoppers said they wouldn’t consider purchasing from a retailer that doesn’t offer free shipping.1
Here’s the thing: Efficient shipping isn't just about getting your products from point A to point B; the goal should be to optimize the process and enhance your business's competitiveness and profitability.
In this guide, we'll explore the key performance indicators (KPIs) that can help assess and improve your shipping operations.
Shipping KPIs can play an important role in achieving cost savings and customer satisfaction.
By monitoring KPIs like cost per shipment or on-time delivery rates, small businesses can identify opportunities to optimize shipping processes, reduce expenses, and enhance customer loyalty.
Get started by tracking these shipping KPIs now.
On-time delivery rate measures the percentage of orders delivered to customers within a specified delivery window. To calculate, divide the number of on-time deliveries by the total number of deliveries, then multiply by 100.
This metric is among the most critical for customer satisfaction, as it directly reflects a business's ability to meet shopper expectations. When deliveries consistently arrive on time, customers experience reliability and convenience.
Businesses can improve their on-time delivery rate by:
When a shopper places an order, they trust the product will arrive exactly as expected. Errors in shipping, such as sending the wrong item or quantity, can lead to customer frustration and disappointment as well as increased operational costs.
To enhance order accuracy, businesses can:
Shipping cost per order calculates the average cost a business incurs to ship a single order to a customer. It can include expenses like packaging, carrier fees, transportation, and handling.
By lowering these expenses, businesses may be able to increase their profit margins, allocate resources more efficiently, and remain competitive in pricing.
Here are some quick strategies:
Average delivery time as a KPI measures the average duration it takes for a business to deliver products or services to its customers from the time of order placement.
Customers increasingly value quick, reliable deliveries, so short delivery times may result in customer loyalty and positive reviews.
To help reduce delivery times, businesses can:
Monitoring your business’s return rate can provide insights into overall customer satisfaction and product quality. Returns may result in extra handling, restocking, and shipping expenses, as well as potential loss of future sales.
To help reduce returns, consider:
When a business hands off a package, it's like passing the baton in a relay race, with the carrier responsible for ensuring the smooth and reliable delivery that keeps customers happy.
That’s why carrier performance can affect several aspects of shipping, such as delays, damaged goods, or errors in transit. Need help selecting the right shipping collaborator? Start by evaluating carriers based on these factors:
Proper shipping packaging practices help protect your items during transit, reducing the risk of damage or breakage. They also play a role in cost control, as excessive or inadequate packaging may lead to higher costs due to dimensional weight charges or additional materials.
To optimize packaging for cost-effective shipping, businesses can:
Inventory management goes hand in hand with optimizing your shipping process. By tracking available stock, you can make products readily available for fulfillment, decrease delays caused by stockouts.
For smooth shipping, consider these best practices for inventory management:
Customer feedback can be a powerful tool for improving shipping practices — providing valuable insights into the entire shipping experience.
The result? Your business can better identify recurring issues, allowing for targeted improvements in packaging, shipping carriers, delivery times, and communication. By acting on customer input, businesses may not only enhance their shipping performance but also cultivate trust, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth.
With customer expectations on the rise, conquering the art of shipping can be a game-changer for your business. By tracking essential KPIs like on-time delivery rates, order accuracy, and carrier performance, small business owners can fine-tune their operations and navigate the world of shipping with confidence.
Discover more PayPal shipping resources now to help optimize and expedite your operations.
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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