By Susan, on August 30th, 2010
Do you find the idea of a sending a package absolutely mindboggling? Do you not where to begin? Well, you may be surprised how many options you might have.
You may want to consider shipping from home. A small investment in a postal scale could pay off in spades. You can find a scale on Ebay, Amazon and the USPS website and a basic scale will cost you around $25. A scale is great because you will be able to weigh your packages and print postage at home, even if you are sending your package abroad.
Another interesting option is Paypal. When a buyer pays you on Paypal, you can print domestic postage (and Express or Priority International) with a few clicks of your mouse. Paypal will send an email to your customer when you print postage and provide your customer with a confirmation number. Postage can even be printed for customers who haven’t paid by Paypal. Using Paypal’s Multi-Order Shipping tool, it will automatically add Delivery Confirmation to shipments.
USPS (the US Postal Service) is more convenient than you might think. Go to Click-n-Ship on the USPS website where you will find several shipping options. What’s great about the USPS site is you can compare prices and delivery times for their services. You even have the option to create an address book when you are shipping to your regulars.
The USPS Shipping Assistant has the same conveniences as Click-n-Ship but you don’t have to purchase postage. You get free downloads to create labels. You can compare prices. And then you either put on stamps or simply take the package to your local Post Office for payment.
Endicia is another option. This service offers postage for International First Class (unlike Paypal or USPS Click-n-Ship). Shipping plans start at $9.95 a month and there are several different plans available. You can track your packages and know when your package has been delivered
If you are short on time, have the Post office come to you. With Carrier Pick-up you can schedule a pick-up. You can schedule either the day before or up to 3 months in advance. There are a few rules. For example you need to be shipping at least one package via Express, Priority or International with a weight limit of 70 pounds per package.
A final point is that USPS does offer free shipping boxes for Priority Mail. The eco-friendly boxes can be delivered right to your door. The boxes come in several different sizes. However, it will take a few days for the boxes to reach you so plan in advance.
By Susan, on August 24th, 2010
Shipping is hard on the environment. The heating and running of large storage facilities is one problem. The other is the high energy costs of actually transporting shipments. No doubt about it, shipping your packages—no matter what the size—takes its toll.
But you can practice more green shipping if you want. Don’t get it wrong. Green shipping won’t “reverse” impact on the environment but it surely can reduce it.
Green shipping is called ‘carbon-neutral shipping’.
So what are some green shipping tips?
You have many third-party green shipping services. As an example, ShipGreen can be integrated into ecommerce shopping carts and informs its customers of the environmental impact using a complex formula.
Here are some other simple solutions that any small business can apply.
First, you can think about recycling from suppliers. Air-filled bags, shredded paper, plastic wrap, boxes, cardboard material and packing peanuts can all be reused when you ship products to your customers. Recycling can also save you money.
A second option is to purchase recycled packaging materials. usedCardBoardBoxes gives you access to previously used shipping boxes. LooseFillPackaging gives you access to packing peanuts or plastic loose fill.
You can also opt to purchase new recycled materials. Be sure you are buying material that is natural, biodegradable, CFC-less and made up of renewable and recyclable materials.
If you do go green, consider advertising it. Everyone loves an environment-friendly company. It shows you are socially responsible and care about more than just making money. Equally, going green can increase your profile as the media (traditional and non-traditional) will position you as a forward-thinking business. .
Going green with your shipping can truly be a win-win for everyone. Think about how you can apply this to your business.
By Susan, on August 20th, 2010
Do you like the idea of running your own show? Be your own boss? But would you also like the security of having a well-known brand on your door. Why don’t you check out the following options and see if any of them suits you. (They are from Gaebler.com)
By Susan, on August 16th, 2010
Want to attend a motorcycle event but don’t have the time to actually ride to the event?
The solution is simple.
You need to ship your motorcycle to the event destination.
You need to know there are two kinds of trailers that you can choose from. An open trailer is just that-open. It means that your motorcycle will be left open to the elements from rain and snow to road debris and stones. The good news about open trailers is they are cheaper.
An enclosed trailer will protect your motorcycle much better. More expensive? Yes. But the extra cost will probably buy peace of mind. They also diminish the risk of theft.
Don’t entrust your motorcycle to just anyone. Check out the carrier’s reference. Ask your friends who they have used.
Take off any saddlebags or lights you love and that could easily go missing. Find out if your bike can travel with gas or not. Disconnect the battery for shipping.
Examine your bike carefully before giving it to the shipping company and then after you receive it at its destination. If you see any problems, be sure to tell the shipping company immediately.
Don’t forget about insurance. Make sure you are fully covered.
By Susan, on August 12th, 2010
The time has finally come. Your daughter or son is about to take the biggest step of his/her life. Off to university! But there is a practical side of this which can be daunting if you are doing this for the first time. How to ship everything off to university? What to take? How to pack it? What company should help you?
Make sure you follow the guide the college has sent you. If you need a certain size of sheets, take those. If they say certain lamps aren’t allowed, don’t drag them there.
Label everything very carefully so that when you get to the university, things will be easier to find. You can even go so far to make a list of what is in each box. And, if there is anything that you can just buy at the university, do that because it will probably end up being less expensive.
Depending on how far away your child is going, you may want to consider using a mover. However, unless you have big pieces of furniture, maybe a moving company won’t be your best option. Instead, a shipping company for boxes will be your best bet.
Consider the size of the dorm room so you can estimate if you are shipping too much. If your child will be sharing a room, this becomes even more important.
Many shipping service have ground services (versus air). Ground services take longer to arrive. Just in case, bring enough to last a week, ship some stuff by air and all the rest can go ground.
File your tracking number away carefully. Your tracking number will enable you to follow the shipment.
Think about sending in advance. Find out what happens however if your packages arrive before you.
When picking your shipping company, check out price but also convenience features (i.e. can they pick your things up at your house or will you have to drag them to a center).
