Avoid Making These Costly eCommerce Mistakes
![Chad Faith](https://www.smartsites.com/media/author-chad-faith.png)
Chad Faith
Director of Content
![Avoid Making These Costly eCommerce Mistakes](https://www.smartsites.com/media/avoid-making-these-costly-ecommerce-mistakes.jpg)
Today, customers are enticed by competitive market rates of products, i.e. good packaging, fast shipping options, and low shipping rates. That’s why an eCommerce site‘s shipping rates and methods can have a major impact on driving additional sales and reducing abandonment rates. If you refuse to master the complexities of shipping, you will not be able to reach your full sales potential. Fortunately, this task is not difficult at all. With a little careful planning and research, most of these mistakes are easy to avoid and identify. Below are some costly eCommerce mistakes you should avoid making:
![Costly eCommerce Mistakes Every Business Should Avoid](https://www.smartsites.com/media/avoid-costly-eCommerce-mistakes.jpg)
You Failed to Audit Shipping
There are cases where shipping carriers deliver parcels from a business, later than expected. Some of those carriers do not offer a refund for late shipments voluntarily. These events have given many new business owners a nasty surprise. However, if you have done proper auditing of shipments and have proof regarding late delivery, your request for refund will most likely be met. Other benefits of auditing shipping include being able to check for invoicing mistakes, duplicate receipts, and other shipping failures.
You Choose to Manually Manage the Shipping Process
The traditional way to do things include managing shipping demands whilst simultaneously creating shipping labels. You can avoid this strenuous job by choosing to automate the shipping process with eCommerce shipping software. By maximizing such software, you will be able to create package delivery slips, customized invoices, etc. with greater ease. Your product packaging will also turn out to be more professional.
You Ignored Client Feedback
You just received a complaint from a customer regarding delivery delays. Should you ignore or attend to it promptly? You should keep in mind that customer reviews and feedback can make or break an eCommerce business. You should always use your clients’ feedback to help you modify your business policies and practices to achieve greater efficiency. In some cases, feedback may even make you realize that you should start working with a higher-end shipping service provider.
You Never Keep Track of Shipping Supplies
If you do not keep track of your shipping supplies, it will become increasingly difficult to ship out items to clients on time. Yes, even if you are effectively managing your store’s inventory. It is pertinent that you keep an eye on the shipping supplies because it allows you to effectively establish re-order points at the perfect timing. This way, your supplies stores will never be depleted.
You Utilized Incorrect Packaging
When you run an eCommerce business, packaging is a critical feature of the entire shipping process. It serves several purposes including building your brand reputation and protecting the product from damage during transportation. You should choose the right packaging for your products because they also serve as indicator for how much businesses will be charged by their shipping carriers. Today’s delivery services are no longer changed based on parcel weight alone. Other factors that are taken into consideration include the corresponding dimensional weight or package weight. If you want to save on shipping costs, this is an important area to cover. In most cases, when deciding on the package size, you would want to leave approximately two-inches of spacing around the item for protection.