Small businesses are the lifeblood of most economies around the world. They employ members of local communities, feed families and they are generally strong indicators of how economies as a whole are performing. If you are a small business owner, you’ll probably recognise yourself in these statements. And what’s more, you’ll also recognise that one of the leading driving forces of a small business is expansion.
One of the best ways to achieve this type of scaling is to broaden your horizons. And this necessarily means catering to a clientele that’s based abroad. With your online shop, you can make sure that you hit your target market more accurately. But this requires prior research into the details of small business shipping. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about it.
Tips on how to ship worldwide
Prior preparation when it comes to shipping internationally and choosing the right courier and parcel companies are essential elements to consider when you want to reach a customer base that is located overseas. With this in mind, you may want to think about the following aspects and questions as you prepare your small business for shipping.
1. What type of demand is there for your products?
If you are already receiving orders from customers in different countries than your own, this is a good indicator that you will have a solid market in the new country. However, you need to study the demand for your products abroad carefully and ensure that you take into account the local competition. In some markets, you’ll likely be bombarded with competitors while in others, you may face easier entry. Market research is essential for businesses both nationally and internationally. And this is a key step you need to take as a starting point.
2. What will you pay for international shipping?
International shipping fees can and do add up and as a small business, you will want to keep these as low as possible. Aspects to consider are your chosen courier’s fees and whether they deliver to your destination. If they do, great. Now you can find out about insurance. It is worth getting insurance for your shipments but be sure to look around for the right pricing for you. In addition to this, make sure that you won’t be charged extra fees for things such as Saturday deliveries or for signature on delivery. Other factors to consider include your packaging costs. Consider getting discounts on bulk purchases of packing materials and don’t use more packing materials than you really need for your parcel.
3. Which shipping company should you work with?
Although there may be many courier companies around, you need to work with one that is reliable and experienced to help you balance both the customer experience and the cost of shipping as well. Therefore, it’s not just about choosing the cheapest option. It’s also about the insurance offered, the track record in the industry, whether they offer additional services such as parcel tracking, live support and others.
4. Follow country-specific rules and regulations
Before sending your first parcel abroad, you need to ensure that you actually can do so. Many countries place restrictions on items that can be brought inside their borders and you will need to consider country-specific rules and regulations on prohibited and restricted items, too.
5. Don’t forget about the packaging
The importance of proper packaging cannot be underestimated. It’s not only about enabling your parcel to withstand the shocks and bumps of being transported via road, air or sea. It’s also about ensuring that when the box finally arrives, your customer has a great unboxing experience and that the item inside the box is not damaged. Packaging carefully for fragile items is therefore a big must.
6. Educate yourself about shipping terminology
This will be invaluable to you if you plan on making international shipping a normal part of doing business. You will, for example, need to know what a commercial invoice is, how to issue one and who it is intended for. Other important terms are knowing what a harmonised tariff code is, a certificate of origin, an export declaration, duties and taxes, etc.
Need an international shipments from Spain ?
If you are planning on sending international shipments from Spain, then you will likely be doing your research on different international shipping companies in Spain. Luckily, with DRG Solutions, you can get all the help you need with our international courier service from Barcelona. With our friendly and helpful team, you can rest assured that your parcels will not only be professionally packed but also professionally handled and shipped, too. So, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!