The ONELIVE Podcast - Your Trusted State of Commerce ONELIVE

Hey merchants! Hey shippers!

Welcome back! To week three of ONELIVE SHIPPING SCHOOL. Remember to think of these as 101 intro courses before we get started with more advanced topics like, how to optimize your pick pack, and more industry trends. So far we’ve covered domestic shipping basics, and international shipping basics which you can grab by subscribing to Your Trusted State of Commerce on YouTube and Following the Show on Spotify. Let’s jump right in.

Today’s episode is Consolidated Shipping 101. We’ll be covering the benefits of consolidated shipping, how to find a consolidator, and if this is the right tactic for all or part of your order volume.

For those of you who don’t know what shipping consolidation is it’s the outcome of combining or consolidating multiple small shipments, traveling to the same destination into one full load or as close to a full load as possible. Let’s get started.

Consolidated shipping is great for:

Minimize spending costs: Shippers are able to pay bulk rates since they are shipping multiple products at the same time instead of sending them separately. If you use less space than the truckload you usually get stuck paying for the entire space. This is especially useful for companies who commonly send a couple pallets of product at a time.

Reduce the risk of damage: Damaged goods are still a big problem for shipping platforms. Consolidated shipping can reduce the amount of touchpoints the freight has to go through. There is less loading and unloading of the product due to the reduced number of transfers. It is also better for customers because it is less likely for something to interfere with the delivery process and cause it to be late.

Enhance quality control: If problems come up with a shipment and it has already been shipped, consolidation gives you more control over target dates and production schedules. You can be notified more efficiently if something goes wrong, which makes it less likely for products to be shipped to the wrong destination. This allows for you to execute quality control once the product arrives at the warehouse.

To recap - Although consolidated shipping is not the best option for every business, it holds many benefits that can be valuable for many.

How to find a consolidator

● Do your research on consolidators and which would fit best with your business.

● Think about what’s important to your customers.

● Once you select a consolidator, you’ll want to create an account with them and agree on rates and terms.

Is consolidating right for you?

● This method is most beneficial for someone shipping palletized freight.

● It is required that your pallets are able to move seamlessly across the dock.

● Shippers should have a full understanding of consolidator shipping and how it works to guarantee accurate delivery.

AND SOME IMPORTANT NEWS this is going to wrap up Season 1 of Your Trusted State of Commerce while we take some time to improve the podcast, get more guests, maybe introduce video?? (say quizically); and add more value to your ecommerce and shipping pipeline! This was Haley Muller for SEASON 1 of Your State of Commerce with ONELIVE. See you soon.

Hey merchants! Hey shippers!

Welcome back!.. To week two of ONELIVE SHIPPING SCHOOL. The quick rundown is we’ll be covering a variety of topics like Domestic Shipping last week and INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING this week. Think of them as 101 intro courses before we get started with more advanced topics like consolidating, how to optimize your pick pack, and more industry trends.

Today’s episode is International Shipping 101. We’ll go through an important list of facts that are key to your business decision making - similar to last week - but on the international front; such as the primary international carriers, typical service options, how rates are calculated, the shipping materials you should be using for international and the right tools to improve your international shipping strategy.

To export from the US we see an evolving landscape of carriers come and go but a few who stick true to form and who won’t surprise you by being on this list...and they are… DHL...USPS...FedEx...and UPS…Let’s get started.

DHL aka Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn International have various services including Express services, Parcel & Ecommerce services, Freight transportation and Supply Chain services. DHL Express offers time definite service from ‘Express 9am’ to ‘Express 1030am’ to ‘Express noon’ to Express worldwide in addition to ‘Day definite’ services for less timely shipments. DHL Express is a flagship service tier for companies who have a strong percentage of international customers who might like to meticulously track their packages. The other of many DHL tiers we’re going to highlight right now is DHL eCommerce; specifically DHL Packet International which takes 4-8 days on average and leverages local postal networks. DHL eCommerce works wonders for one time shipping projects or very small parcel.

The Postal Service aka USPS has 7 international service options to deliver mail and packages to over 180 countries. If you need 1 to 3 day delivery; you’re more than likely going with Global Express Guaranteed; which is, ironically managed by FedEx Express) and if you’re looking to provide a more ‘standard’ shipping method, you might look to offer your customers the Priority Mail International mail class which delivers in 6-10 business days and offers an economic benefit to both you as the shipper and the customer.

UPS has a great guide of everything you might need to get shipping internationally so that you don’t get held up trying to move your first few international shipments out the door. A few key reminders if using UPS to ship internationally from the US are to (1) double check shipping regulations (2) decide who pays for what (3) provide customs information.

FEDEX has 5 international shipping options for delivering envelopes and packages. These include FedEx International Next Flight, which is the next available flight and delivers to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx International First delivers in 1-3 business days and to select postal codes in 20 countries. FedEx International Priority delivers in 1-3 business days by close of business and to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx International Economy delivers in 2-5 business days and to more than 215 countries and territories. FedEx International Ground delivers in 2-7 business days and to 100% of the residential areas in Canada.

Hey all you cool ecommers, I really excited for today’s episode as it’s the first part of what is going to be a brand new shipping series, ONELIVE SHIPPING SCHOOL. We’ll be covering a variety of topics, starting with the basics, like how to choose a carrier and service, all the way to how improve shipping efficiency from an operational standpoint, and the nuances of the key players in the industry.

Today’s episode is Domestic Shipping 101. We’ll go through the main domestic carriers, typical service options, how shipping rates are calculated, shipping materials that you should be using, and essential tools for improving your shipping department.

Main Domestic Carriers: USPS, FedEx, & UPS

USPS (United States Postal Service) is a great and often under-utilized carrier option. They offer two main services – First-Class Mail and Priority Mail. The First-Class service can be used for packages anywhere from 1-16oz, so anything over a pound would need to be booked with Priority Mail. Both of these services have a transit time of 1-3 days. Within priority mail, you also have a few options like using cubic tiers and flat rate mailers – these are going to be especially beneficial if you sell small but heavy products.

FedEx and UPS are the other main domestic carriers. While USPS is often the best option for light-weight shipments, using FedEx or UPS is generally going to be more cost effective when shipments are over 5lbs. Additionally, these carriers are going to have more extensive service options. Ground Service is the standard service for both of these carriers and has a transit time of 1-5 days, but usually averages 3 days. The Ground service is the most cost-effective, but in today’s world, your customers may be expecting a quicker service that gets them the product within 1-2 days. In this scenario, and also if you ship perishables, you may want to utilize FedEx and UPS’ express services. Both carriers offer options for 2-Day delivery, Standard Overnight delivery, and even First Overnight, which gets the package to your customer by 10am the next morning. You may also want to ship with FedEx and UPS if your products are of a high dollar value. While USPS has proven to be very reliable, FedEx and UPS are definitely easier to get in touch with if you ever do have an issue with a shipment.

In addition to these main players, there are also several regional carriers like LaserShip, which focuses on the east coast, and Lone Star Overnight, which is services the southwest region. If your customers are located in the same region that you ship out of, then using regional carriers in addition to the main carriers we mentioned, may be a great option for your shipping department.

Recap: USPS is best for lightweight non time-sensitive shipments. FedEx and UPS are better for products that weight more than 5 pounds or are time-sensitive.

How Rates are Calculated: Zone, Weight, & Surcharges

Ship Zone is determined by the carrier and is the distance between the origin and destination addresses. If you’re shipping within your state or region, you may have a zone 2 or 3 shipment. If you’re shipping across the country, it’s probably a zone 8 shipment. The higher the zone, the higher the ship price.

Hey all you cool ecommers, I hope you’re doing well.  We’ve already discussed the value of using Print on Demand especially during this time of economic uncertaining, but this week we want to get more focused and tell you why you should be using the Print on Demand service, Merch by Amazon. 

Last week we talked about why expanding into different marketplaces is important because it allows you to get more potential customers viewing your products, it allows you to pitch your product in a different way based on the channel you’re using, and it gives your business more security, in the event that you run into an issue with one of your marketplaces.  Well these reasons also hold true for why you should move the print on demand part of your business to Merch by Amazon. 

Merch by Amazon 

Merch by Amazon is Amazon’s Print On Demand solution that makes it simple for you to get started selling your branded merchandise directly from your product page on Amazon.  We already know that Amazon has millions of visitors every day, so using their POD product means that you’re able to take advantage of their customer reach, combined with the great benefits of POD solutions.  With Merch by Amazon, there are no out-of-pocket costs to getting started with this service, you have incredibly low overhead and low risk in selling these branded products.  When getting started with Merch by Amazon, you’ll be placed in tier 1, which restricts your uploading maximums, until you sell a certain amount of items.  So essentially, the more you sell, the more designs you’ll get. If you’re already working with ONELIVE for our ecommerce services, chances are, you’re already using our own POD app, MerchCast, which allows you to quickly design and sell your branded products.  If you’ve already invested time and effort to develop some brand images, there’s absolutely no reason not to also be using Amazon’s POD services.  So let me tell you how Amazon and ONELIVE have teamed up to make Merch by Amazon successful for you. 

ONELIVE + Merch by Amazon 

Merch by Amazon is part of the Amazon Music’s initiative to provide the world’s best merch offering, focusing on authenticity, fan relevance, and connecting artists with all of their fans.  All that to say, Amazon has been highly selective when accepting new applicants for the Merch by Amazon program.  But, ONELIVE and Merch by Amazon have partnered up to develop a newly formed Artist Merch team, to help our ecommerce clients every step of the way.  When working with ONELIVE and Merch by Amazon, the Artist Merch team take a white-glove approach to getting you set up with your new POD store.  You’ll have the benefit of being quickly accepted to the program and because you’re part of the ONELIVE network, you’re not restricted to the standard uploading maximums.  We’ll also help you secure a branded vanity URL that’s concise and easily searchable.  We’ve already seen some of our brands sell tens of thousands of orders, strictly through organic Amazon searches, and zero advertising spend.  This tells us that your customers are already on Amazon and want your product, and we’ll help you get it there.

 For more information on ONELIVE’s exclusive partnership with Merch by Amazon, please reach out at podcast@onelive.com. 

Stay healthy everyone, and see you next week.

Hey all you cool ecommers! I hope you’re doing well today.  So here on the podcast, we talk a lot about Shopify-centric topics and it’s no secret that we love the Shopify platform, but it would be remiss if we didn’t tell you about other places you could and should be selling your products.  So today we’re going to cover why you should be selling your product across multiple marketplaces and tell you how you can make it happen. 

The ecommerce climate is incredibly competitive today, as customers know they have multiple options when it comes to getting a single product.  They may know to buy something directly from your brand’s website, but even if they know this, so many consumers will fall back on familiar patterns like searching on google and using google shopping, or just going straight to Amazon or eBay.

Key Advantages of Selling on Multiple Marketplaces 

Selling on these marketplaces will allow you to tap into these consumer patterns, so that you reach more customers that wouldn’t have otherwise seen your product.  To reach the most shoppers, you’ll want to look into marketplaces like Amazon, of course, Google, Ebay, Walmart and there are so many more of these big guys that have tons of consumer traffic and will get your product in front of millions of buyers. 

Diversifying where you sell will also increase your chances of making a sale, and this isn’t just because of the traffic on these marketplaces. Different marketplaces have a different look, a different vibe, and different rules that will all influence how your product is presented to shoppers. This essentially means that you’re able to pitch your product in a different way, and still close the deal. You don’t just have one shot. 

Selling across various marketplaces also gives your business more security. For example, as we all know, Amazon frequently changes their rules, adjusts seller rates, and can just plain suspend your product, and they’re not the only marketplace doing this.  If you’re only selling on Amazon, you could be losing on significant revenues if something like this happens and your only shot for selling the product is lost until you figure it you.  Selling your product in two or even three places, means that if you run into an issue with one channel, you’re still at least able to sell your product elsewhere while you troubleshoot the issue. 

Quipt: A Tool for Selling on Multiple Marketplaces 

These reasons are compelling, but there is also a lot of work involved in selling on different marketplaces, which is why it’s essential that you use the right tools, and here at ONELIVE we’ve partnered with Quipt, a platform that makes selling on multiple marketplaces as streamlined as possible, so you can confidently move forward in increasing your profit and reducing your operating costs. 

Quipt Features: Monitoring Inventory & Listing Products

The Quipt inventory module a ton of useful information for seeing what products you have in stock, cost of goods and recovery of those costs, and the suggested retails price (SRP) that you send to each channel.  From the inventory page, you can also click into each product to see which marketplaces it’s listed on, that channel’s listed price, and more.  From here, you can easily activate or deactivate which channels the product is listed on, simply be moving the toggle to ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ and filling in the SRP.  Getting your product live on each marketplace is so easy!  Once an item is listed on a new marketplace, you can even schedule things like special pricing promotions.

Go to ONELIVE.COM/START to get started with global ecommerce technology  today.   Email podcast@onelive.com for more info.  You’ve mastered the domestic market,  you’re now noticing consistent  traffic on your site from international IP addresses, and you’ve done  the market research and know there’s demand for your product abroad.   But expanding internationally is complex as you need to know how to  market yourself to other countries, your shop needs to support  international payments and languages, and most importantly, you need to  plan how to give your new international customer the best purchase  experience possible.  Too often, this experience is complicated and  expensive, largely due to the complications of shipping and customs.    In our past episodes we’ve lightly touched on shipping internationally,  but did you know that duties and taxes aren’t part of your shipping  rates and that they aren’t actually calculated by the carrier?  You  receive rates from a shipping partner, like ONELIVE, but duties and  taxes are a whole other thing, and often, these fees are higher than  your actual ship costs, so it’s paramount that you know what you’re  dealing with and can calculate expenses and either adjust your product  prices or your operation budgets accordingly.    Harmonized System & HS/HTS Codes  Duties and Taxes are calculated through different Industry  Classification Systems, but to keep things simple, we’ll focus on the  Harmonized System, which is administrated by the World Customs  Organization, or WCO.  The Harmonized System is an international  classification system that’s used to classify physical products by  assigning unique 6, 8, or 10-digit codes.  These codes are called  Harmonized System codes (HS codes) or Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes  (HTS codes), and allow customs authorities around the world to identify  products accordingly and calculate duties and taxes.  These numbers  consist of three or four sections, separated by periods, with each  section getting more descriptive of the product.  (ex: personal  clothing.t-shirt.white)  Getting these codes correct is important for  making sure your product doesn’t get held in transit and that duties and  taxes are calculated properly.    There are plenty of online resources that can help you find your HS  codes, but the second piece of that is then finding the set duties and  taxes, calculating these for each product on your shop, and monitoring  changes in customs and trade regulations.  This is a lot of manual and  time-consuming work and it’s difficult to get it all right, yet so  important to your ability to expand internationally.  That’s why at  ONELIVE we have an incredible trade partner, Zonos, the #1 duty and tax  technology, that decodes cross-border commerce and wildly simplifies the  international shipping process all the way from the back end of your  store to the customer receiving their product. Zonos: The #1 Duty & Tax Technology  Zonos can classify your entire product catalogue with HS and HTS codes,  which is done automatically when you connect Zonos to your shop, which  we can help with.  Zonos even has patent-pending technology that can  classify your product, simply with an image.  You just upload your image  and it returns an HS code.  How cool is that!  Once Zonos has  classified your products, the application can then calculate duties  & taxes, quote your customers, and aide in the checkout process. Go to ONELIVE.COM/START to get started with global ecommerce technology today.   Email podcast@onelive.com for more info.