Online Shipping: 6 Tips For Choosing the Best Shipping Option
Online shopping eventually leads to online shipping – and this last choice has a major impact on your final bill! To make the best shipping decisions, look at the options that help you save as much money as possible and deliver your product with as much attention as it deserves. Accept nothing but the best, and try to:
1. Focus on Overall Price: As eBay shoppers know, a cheap shipping price is no guarantee that you’re getting a good deal. Many sites advertise free shipping rates…but make up for it in artificially high prices. When buying an unfamiliar product or using an unfamiliar website, always do your research first. Check around the Web to see how much others are charging for the same product, used or new. If the prices are generally the same you are probably getting a good shipping deal. If the listed price appears to be substantially lower on average, you are getting scalped and should consider going elsewhere.
2. Aim for Free Shipping: All list prices remaining equal, aim for the free shipping option. Many ecommerce sites offer free shipping…if you meet the right qualifications. Spend enough on one order, and you can qualify, so try to buy multiple necessary products on the same site to reach that shipping sweet spot. Other sites may offer free shipping below a certain weight, or with a certain number of purchases, etc. Read a site’s shipping info so you know what to expect and what to aim for. Internet searches for special shipping discount codes and similar deals are also a good idea.
3. Choose a Provider that Matches Your Expectations: A list of sipping providers, from USPS to FedEx, is common these days. Match your shipping provider to your product expectations. If you want cheap, go for the cheapest option, obviously…but if you need a product in record time, you are better off paying for UPS Airmail than trusting the USPS. Likewise, product care, control, and tracking are likely to be much better with a private firm.
4. Shop Early and Don’t Worry About Shipping Times: If you want to save as much money as possible, order early and choose the longest shipping time. Shipping times are typically priced based on speed, so the longest wait is the cheapest option. This typical rule of thumb will treat you well when your online ordering process is a little vague and you want to save time.
5. Wait for Holidays: Websites offer several shipping promotions each year on average. These promotions tend to fall close to holidays to encourage holiday buying sprees. If you can wait a little while and a popular holiday is fast-approaching, wait until the week before the holiday and start searching for shipping deals and free shipping offers on the products that you want.
6. Keep it In the Country: Ordering internationally invites a lot of shipping problems. Even if the price is higher, try to keep your online shopping in one country, or at least a nearby nation with good trading policies. Otherwise, the mix of unregulated shipping, customs holding, and poor quality control means you may have to wait weeks for your product and have no way of ensuring it will arrive in good condition.
Jayce Rafferty is a professional blogger that enjoys discussing baby topics. She writes for Kidznstyle.com, a baby shower and gifts retailer.
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Category: Online Shopping
