As an online business, a fast and effective shipping process is key for happy customers. Yet as a small business, it’s important that you not pay an arm and a leg for expensive services designed for huge companies. Many shipping and fulfillment companies are designed to work with a specific type of company and may not be flexible enough to work with you. It’s important to take time, ask questions of your prospective fulfillment partner, and make sure that their services are right for your company. Why does flexibility matter when you’re choosing a fulfillment partner? Read on to find out.
Avoid Unnecessary Fees
Many shipping services target larger businesses that may need vast quantities of inventory. Look for minimum inventory storage and shipping requirements, as you may have to pay for space you’ll never use. Find a company that is willing to work with you to charge for the services you’ll use, rather than ones you’ll never need.
Add Special Touches to Shipping
Maybe you have a great idea for shipping your products in boxes labeled with your company logo. Maybe you want to use special tape and stickers for the holiday season or bundle two products together before shipping them out. These great ideas can hit a roadblock with some third-party fulfillment and shipping services, which may require all products to be shipped in plain boxes. Other companies don’t perform co-packing services, meaning that bundling products is almost impossible. Ask lots of questions before choosing a shipping partner, so you know what special touches they’ll allow and which will be on the chopping block.
Easily Change with Business Fluctuations
Your business will probably not always sell the same amount of every product every month. Rather, every business goes through fluctuations in sales and inventory. The last thing you want is to be trapped in a long-term contract based on your sales from three years ago, which can limit your ability to grow and expand and create challenges for seasons when your inventory and sales may be higher than your original baseline.
How Kable Offers Flexibility
Kable Product Services provides the flexibility small businesses need, with flexible plans that meet their specific needs. We can help with everything from kitting to subscription boxes and more. We work with you to create a flexible shipping plan that puts the needs of the small business first.