Two of the most common challenges of running an e-commerce business are logistics and, of course, shipping. 

Moving items, from the warehouse to your business address and then to a customer’s hands involves an interconnected system that doesn’t always flow perfectly. By the nature of the shipping process things can go wrong, such as missing packages or unexpected delays. 

If you’re a one-person operation or have only a small team, you’ve likely faced some, if not all, of these challenges. 

Challenges of Traditional E-Commerce Shipping  

Your sales are flowing and orders are rolling in. Congratulations! You’re happy packing the items, carefully wrapping them, and adding those little touches to make your customers smile. Seeing the pile of outgoing boxes growing feels like you’re on top of the world.

But the next step is the actual shipping process, which can sometimes be stressful, particularly if you’re a small business. Here’s why: 

1. Busy Shipping Centers or Post Offices

Talk about wasting time and energy. When you’re running a business, every minute is precious. A crowded shipping center can derail your day quickly. Instead of meeting a client or working on marketing tasks, you’re stuck in a long line because you need to get orders shipped out asap. 

2. Seasonal Surges

Holiday seasons mean higher sales, that’s true. However, seasonal surges also apply to the shipping centers you need to send out orders to your customers. Wait times and lines tend to get significantly longer, and backups and stress can build up.

3. Manual Errors

When you manually type in shipping details for multiple orders, mistakes are par for the course. Unfortunately, errors often lead to delayed packages, penalties, and worst of all, unhappy customers ready and willing to write a scathing online review or choose to support your competition.

The unspoken truth is that shipping can take up a lot of time that you could spend on other, more proactive aspects of your business.

And since shipping challenges are simply part of running an e-commerce business, you may think that you should just deal with them and move on. Be careful here though, as the seemingly minor stresses of shipping headaches can, little by little, drain your passion for running your business.

Be honest. Does the thought of dealing with the inevitable holiday shipping mayhem make you second guess sometimes? Understandable. But try not to. The world needs passionate and honest business owners like you. 

What you can do, however, is find ways to streamline the way you handle shipping. For your peace of mind. For your customers’ convenience. For your business’s survival. 

• Platform-Provided Shipping Tools

Top e-commerce platforms come equipped with shipping tools that make your operations run smoothly. Consider having your online shop hosted on a trusted web shop platform so that you can take advantage of their built-in partnerships and added-value perks. 

• 3PL Provider

You don’t have to handle shipping yourself. If you can find a trusted third-party logistics partner, utilize them to ease shipping burdens on your operations. This way you can focus on marketing, customer service, product development, and other parts of the business that you’re passionate about.

• Automated Self-Service Kiosks 

Self-service shipping kiosks are machines that allow you to ship parcels independently. They’re typically installed in pack-and-ship centers, print shops, or coworking spaces. As they grow in popularity, you can also find them in hotels, schools, and retail centers. 

How Self-Service Kiosks Revolutionize E-Commerce Businesses

Anytime Postage is an automated self-service kiosk that simplifies outbound shipping. It accepts domestic and international shipping for mail and parcels up to 30 pounds and can give your growing business a significant competitive advantage.

• Easy to Use: Anytime Postage showcases a user-friendly touchscreen interface that’s intuitive and streamlined. Simply follow the clear instructions and you’ll be able to effectively ship your customers’ parcels in minutes.

• No Queue, No Time Wasted: Ship packages on your own, no need to wait in line. You can complete shipping tasks in minutes and will have more than enough time to meet a potential partner, shop for supplies, or even take a breather for a minute. Particularly during busy seasons, a self-service kiosk is the perfect shipping solution.

• Say Goodbye to Shipping Errors: Anytime Postage kiosk is integrated with built-in features that help reduce errors, and its software auto-fills address details to avoid typos. This feature also ensures the package is addressed to an accurate location that carriers have in their system, nearly eliminating shipping missteps.

The kiosk also reduces errors by accurately weighing parcels. The built-in scale provides the correct rates and prevents package returns due to miscalculated postage. 

And the integrated thermal printer then prevents smudges on the shipping label, further reducing errors and improving your shipping experience.

How to Maximize Anytime Postage Benefits

While the Anytime Postage self-service shipping kiosk is plug and play, we recommend the following to maximize its benefits:

• Optimize Packaging: Use the right kind of packaging for the right product. The box or mailer should be sturdy enough to withstand transit. Packages that aren’t packed correctly are often returned, which is costly, time-consuming, and bad for your brand.

• Remote Entry of Shipping Details: You can save time by inputting shipping details ahead of time, while you’re still at home. Then, when you get to the self-service kiosk, with one touch of a button you can generate an accurate and clean shipping label and you’re all set.

Last Words

Running an e-commerce business comes with so many perks, and also brings challenges. Fortunately, in the case of logistics and shipping, modern technology and services have made it easy for small business owners like you to get their products from point A to point B, from the factory or your home, to the customers’ hands. 

For any business, it’s best practice to be constantly seeking ways to improve your current system, and automated shipping for e-commerce (e.g., a self-service kiosk) is your answer for smoother, more convenient, and error-free shipping.

You can find self-service shipping kiosks in your nearest pack-and-ship center or coworking space, or, if you’re shipping enough volume, consider purchasing or leasing a self-service kiosk for yourself.