Things to look out for when selecting logistics for your Ecommerce store

1. Things to look out for when selecting logistics for your Ecommerce store No online sale is a successful one until the product effectively reaches the customer - and that of course makes Ecommerce Logistics one of the most important parts of any online venture. Now, as much as one would think of opting to ship and fulfil orders in-house in the beginning stage of the business, when the cash-flow is tight - hiring a third-party logistics partner almost always proves to be a better option. With time, as the business grows, not will just a Logistics partner prove to be more effective without you having to hire any staff for the same, you will also be able to save money by cashing in on the packaging and shipping costs of your partner. This said, the next question, and the more important one, is how to choose the perfect Ecommerce Shipping Solution. So, here are a few things that you should look for in a Logistics-provider, before deciding to make it your Logistics partner: See whether the Ecommerce Courier Service packages and ships according to your needs: You might be selling shirts, which would need a completely different kind of packaging than say, something more delicate, such as a set of glasses. Or you could be running a bakery, needing immediate delivery within limited time and within limited locality, as compared to selling books which would need a pan-Indian approach to shipping.

2. Pin Code Coverage: Unless your business demands you to make location-specific product deliveries, like if you’re a baker or a florist, it’s difficult for an online venture to survive without a pan-Indian shipping policy. So you need to make sure that your Logistics partner is able to deliver to especially those areas where you get most orders from. Insure your Products: Though not much, but there’s always a risk of your customer either never receiving the product, or receiving it in a damaged condition. It could be result of an n number of things - wrong labelling, some infrastructural problem, or something completely out of control of the courier company. So one of the first things you need to do is understand the insurance policy of your shipping partner, and make sure you’re in complete agreement with it.

3. Cost: Probably the deciding factor for most businesses, cost plays an important role in how one chooses their logistics partner. While some courier companies may ask for a substantial amount of deposit and a minimum volume commitment, it is necessary to understand that the pricing is usually not just dependent on the sales volume, but also the seller-logistics company relationship. In the long run, such good business relationship accompanied by a consistent shipping volume, could very well turn to reduced shipping rates for the seller. Conclusion: Choosing the right Logistics partner - a company that fulfils all the above criteria - and makes the logistical operation of the business a smooth affair, is definitely no piece of cake. But, there is one service that you could easily rely on. BuildaBazaar, a SAAS-based platform, which lets you set up your own online store, houses the logistics company Shipdroid. So, deciding to create your webstore with BuildaBazaar as your partner, also gives you the opportunity to ensure seamless shipping of your products by working with its very efficient in-house logistics partner Shipdroid. Source: SaaS GeeK