Shipping is one of the most important parts of eCommerce, but can also be one of the most challenging. It can be such a headache that many businesses avoid it altogether, choosing to simply not ship to certain destinations or make customers wait weeks or months for their orders. When shipping a letter or package, the fastest and easiest way is to use one of the many courier services. So growing your business and taking on shipping shouldn’t be an option—it should be a necessity. Consider these tips for fast and easy shipping:

1. State shipping prices and times upfront

This is especially important if you’re selling something that needs to be shipped quickly. If customers see a two-week delivery time, they may be enticed to buy from you because of the short wait time. It’s better to be honest about how long your item takes so that customers know what to expect and feel confident in their purchase.

2. Invest in good packing materials

Regarding shipping, you want to ensure that your products are protected from damage during transit. This means using high-quality packing materials like thick cardboard or bubble wrap. Many businesses also use plastic bags because they’re cheap and easy to throw away after use, but this isn’t ideal because they don’t offer much protection from moisture or dust.

3. Vacuum seal larger soft items

If you’re shipping anything that has a lot of air in it (pillows, stuffed animals, etc.), vacuum sealing can be a great way to reduce the space it takes up in the box. The downside is that it can be difficult to do at home, so it’s best to send these items ahead of time or ask your local USPS branch to do it for you when they send out your package.

4. Research your shipping carriers

In order to find the right carrier for your business, you should do some research into what’s available in your area. It’s important to know what carriers will be available to you so that you can choose one that best suits your needs. Get familiar with different freight forwarders and carriers to see which ones are going to be most beneficial for your business.

5. Offer free shipping as a promo

If customers are having trouble deciding between two different products from two different retailers, free shipping might be the deciding factor for them. That’s why offering free shipping when someone purchases two or more items from your website can be a great way to attract new customers—especially when combined with other promotions like coupons or discounts on specific products or categories of products.

6. Have a plan in place for busy seasons

It’s important to know when your busiest times will be so that you can prepare accordingly. For example, if you run an online store that sells pet supplies during the winter when people are home with their pets more often, you’ll want to get ready for those months by purchasing more inventory and hiring extra carriers during those times of the year.

7. Automate your shipping

This is probably one of the biggest ways that companies can save money when it comes to shipping costs. Suppose you have an automated system that automatically sends out tracking numbers and emails. In that case, you don’t have to worry about doing it manually every time an order comes in. This saves time and reduces errors in sending out tracking numbers or invoices with each package sent out by hand.

As both a merchant selling goods and a customer buying goods, there are plenty of options out there for faster, easier shipping options. It’s all about choosing the right service with the features you want. Make sure you know what you’re getting before you make your choice.