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Free Shipping is Great. Value is Better

January 31, 2014

Many of our clients offer express shipping in the GTA, Toronto, Milton and Burlington. Many of them also offer their clients free shipping—but that’s not their only selling point. Some companies are guilty of putting too much emphasis on their free shipping policy, both in their advertising and on their website. “Retailers often rely too heavily on free shipping to sell their products. While you should certainly make "free shipping" a prominent element of your home page, don’t overdo it and drown out important messages about your brand and specific products,” wrote Jane Porter in an article at www.entrepreneur.com. The same article also called on the advice of Chris Malta, an Orlando, shipping expert. "You are selling the product, you are not selling free shipping," Malta added, "Every product has to have a consistent message that goes with their branding. …When you overstate something like free shipping, it just takes away from everything else." It’s important to never undersell quality when you’re trying to advertise lower prices, or something that’s free. Make sure your brand and your value proposition are always front and centre. If you have any questions about express shipping in the GTA, Toronto, Milton or Burlington, please contact us any time.

Cross Boarder Shipping Discounts Entice Buyers

January 28, 2014

International shipping can be complex. Small businesses might be intimidated by shipping services like expedited freight. Toronto, the GTA and Burlington business may know international business is good, but they may not know how to go after it. They may wonder, “Can we afford to offer discounts on cross-boarder shipping?” According to a recent paper from Pitney Bowes called Time to Get Serious About CrossBorder Ecommerce says, “Payment issues, high shipping and unexpected cross-border costs; difficulties tracking orders and long delivery times are just some of the challenges global shoppers face.” These are the same worries that many retailers fear. However, if a business partners with the right shipping company or courier, they can better manage these concerns. They can also offer discounts and promotions on international shipping.

“To no one’s surprise, cross-border promotions featuring free and conditional shipping discounts are working,” said the paper.

“Marketing tactics ranging from simply promoting a site’s ability to ship to a visitor’s country (e.g., using geo-location/IP sniffing to identify the origin of cross-boarder traffic) to country-specific, targeted online campaigns emerged as two other common ways to successfully grow cross-border sales.” If you have any questions about shipping services or expedited freight in Toronto, the GTA or Burlington, please contact us any time.

Fast Shipping in Toronto Sends More Shoppers Online

January 25, 2014

Holiday shoppers flocked online in record numbers this year. However, fast shipping in Toronto resulted in the GTA’s shoppers going online in particularly high numbers. According to the results of Deloitte's Holiday Retail Outlook survey, Toronto residents spent an estimated 25.2 percent of their holiday budget online. The same data shows that 83.8 per cent of Toronto shoppers regularly compare prices online, while nearly half (49.6 per cent) do so on their mobile devices. Toronto shoppers have access to more fast shipping options than nearly any city in Canada. This is one reason why Toronto stores and retailers need a strong web presence, while offering competitive shipping rates. "Physical stores will stay, but the hyper-growth will be online because it is more profitable," says Brent Houlden, Partner and Canadian Retail Leader, Deloitte. Deloitte’s data also shows that Canadians would love to do their shopping online. As a nation, 27.9 per cent of Canadians said they would prefer to do their holiday shopping online and allocated 18.9 per cent of their holiday budget to online shopping. Elsewhere, cross-border shopping has apparently leveled off, with 73.8 per cent of Canadians saying they were unlikely to go cross-border shopping. If you want to reach more customers through your online store, feel free to contact us to discuss competitive and fast shipping options in Toronto.

Complexity Keeps Small Businesses From Shipping Across Boarders

January 21, 2014

Shipping Across Boarders Many small businesses still prefer to keep it local, despite the wide availability of couriers in Toronto, Milton, Burlington, Oakville and the GTA. Very few set their sights across the boarder. Why is this? Are they afraid of money or growth? Of course not. The truth I most are anticipating a myriad of problems that would go with cross boarder shipping. According to an article at the Financial Post, “When interviewed in 2010, executives most commonly referenced shipping-related issues and poor or cost-prohibitive tracking of packages as their cross-border challenges. “Others have cited the difficulties of returning packages as a barrier to expanding internationally.” It’s a legitimate concern, until you find someone to worry about it for you. You’re not paid to be an expert in international shipping, so work with someone who is. Partner with a reliable shipping company, with a proven history of delivering exactly what you need. If you bring on the right company, they will alleviate any of headaches or nightmares that you may be anticipating. More importantly, building a relationship means they will also be able to anticipate what you will need in the future, while looking for new ways to save you money. If you have any questions about couriers in Toronto, Milton, Burlington, Oakville or the GTA, please contact us any time.

What is Just in Time Inventory?

January 5, 2014

If you’re looking at reducing your inventory or shipping service costs in Toronto, Milton, Burlington, Oakville or the GTA, you might have considered Just in Time Inventory, or JIT. JIT is an inventory management strategy. It monitors your inventory to minimize the costs associated with inventory control and maintenance. It relies heavily on the efficient monitoring of the usage of your materials and the ordering of replacement goods. The goal is basically to keep exactly what consumers need and nothing more. “Just-in-time (JIT) systems can eliminate waste for over-consuming manufacturers left with production overruns and retailers with overstocked backrooms,” wrote John T. Williams, of Demand Media “However, JIT requires high initial investment and long-term commitment from a company determined to implement it, and it comes with some risks and few guarantees of success.” He also added that management needs to rethink their entire workflow, from initial intake of raw materials to final output of finished product. However, there are benefits to mastering JIT. “A retail store using JIT can remodel the warehouse space into more retail sales floor space without expanding the physical store. A manufacturer gets more space to produce goods.” If you have any questions about how to ship your inventory, or any other questions about shipping services in Toronto, Milton, Burlington, Oakville or the GTA, please contact us any time.

How Event Planners Can Keep Shipping Costs Down

January 3, 2014

It’s the bane of every event planner’s existence: The budget. Event planners are always trying to find the best deals for fast shipping in Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Toronto. Their livelihood depends on staying on budget, while ensuring the show goes on. Here are a few tips when trying to get the best value for your shipping dollar: Look at the Little Guys The biggest shipping companies don’t always provide the most value. Smaller and independent companies may be willing to do more to earn your business. They want your repeat business and referrals. Which leads us to…. Build Relationships The biggest savings come from companies who want you to come back. If you can establish one company as your go-to, or even deal with the same person each time, you’re going to get more wiggle room on pricing. They will also be more willing to go the extra mile on rush jobs. Ask Questions Make sure you have a clear idea of exactly what you need from your end, to make sure your shipping company knows exactly what you need. For example, check with your facility to find out how exhibitors should deliver or ship their exhibits prior to the show. If you have any questions about fast shipping in Burlington, Oakville, Milton or Toronto, please contact us any time.

How Holiday Shipping Delays Impacted Perishable Food Businesses

December 29, 2013

Holiday Shipping What happens when your perishables, well, perish? When companies like restaurants, butchers or caterers opt for fast shipping in Toronto, they clearly need their food delivered while it’s still fresh. But what happens when there are shipping delays? A number of companies in the perishable food business found out over the holidays. Shipping delays aged their product and rendered some of it unusable. Small business owner Mark Murrell specializes in shipping Maine lobster and seafood to destinations throughout the United States. He was among the ranks of disappointed and angry business owners who lost valuable inventory to shipping delays. “I know firsthand how unforeseen issues can raise heck with a business operation such as what’s going on with UPS and FedEx,” said Murrell. “They’re in a predicament and so am I with customers upset that they didn’t receive their Christmas meals or gifts.” Murrell added that he won’t know the actual loss to his company until well after the dust settles. “Aside from destroyed packages, I have no idea how many of my customers will walk away permanently due to disappointment they have,” he added. If you’re running a business and have any questions about fast shipping in Toronto, please don’t hesitate to contact us any time.

Was CyberMonday Hurt By Bad Communication Between Supply Chains and Web Retailers?

December 28, 2013

Online shoppers were lured by same day shipping in Toronto, Milton, Burlington, Oakville and the GTA. They flocked to their laptops on Cyber Monday—As did the rest of the world. However, the experience wasn’t as easy or convenient as everyone was led to believe. "Frankly the right hand wasn't talking to the left," said Forrester analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, in an article called Online shopping still gaining ground but holiday shipping problems reveal growing pains. "The marketing teams of a lot of web retailers (offering free shipping) were not talking to the operations and supply chain teams." Spending was up 10 per cent to $38. 91 billion, according research firm comScore. A surge of last-minute (and sometimes last second) shoppers was great for business, but bad news for the couriers and shipping companies that had to brace for impact. This year, bad weather played a major role in slowing down shipping. There were major storms in areas like Dallas, which paralyzes even the best couriers and leaves everyone’s shipments on the ground and in the warehouse. If you have any questions about same day shipping in Toronto, Milton, Burlington, Oakville or the GTA, please contact us any time.

Should I Ship My Xmas Gifts or Mail Them?

November 30, 2013

Xmas Got a long distance loved-one you want to send a gift or care package to? You’re probably wondering whether to go with Canada Post or use a courier in Toronto, the GTA or Milton. When comparing the options, side by side, you will see the numerous advantages to having them shipped with a courier. Choosing a courier gets you access to: Speed As hard as Canada Post has tried to evolve, they still can’t guarantee the speed and accuracy of a respected courier. We can provide you more options to suit your needs and your budget. Flexibility If you have a big order, a courier is more likely to do more for you. This can be particularly handy if you’re sending a lot of presents, or your company is sending loyalty gifts to clients. Technology Couriers give you access to top-of-the-line tools to give you real-time, digital and accurate results. Tracking Manage your deliveries online from order entry through to Proof of Delivery. You can access all the information you need—both for current and past shipments—right from the web. Last Minute Jobs Faster service and more flexibility means we’re better suited to ship presents at the last minute. Forget someone on your list? No problem. If you have any questions about couriers in Toronto, the GTA or Milton, please contact us any time.

Infographic: Holiday Express Shipping Trends Over the Holidays

November 28, 2013

Black Whatday? Express shipping in Toronto and the GTA is bracing for Cyber Monday—the busiest shipping day of the year. Many tech-savvy and crowd-weary holiday shoppers will avoid the malls and take care of their holiday shopping list on their computer, tablet or even phone. That’s going to make for a lot of packages shipped over the following days. Worldwide Express, a Dallas-based global package and freight-shipping firm recently released an interesting Infographic that shows some trends from the world of express shipping. The infographic explores a number of areas, such as today’s holiday shopper’s expectations when it comes to free shipping, as well as the market’s shift towards shopping from mobile devices. “With more consumers saying they will shop online on Cyber Monday, 2013 promises to be a landmark holiday shipping season for small and midsize businesses,” said Tom Madine, Worldwide Express’ president and chief executive officer. “Mobile shopping is bigger than ever before,” added Madine. “As mobile purchases continue to grow, so will shipping as retailers respond to online demand.” If you have any questions about express shipping in Toronto or the GTA, please don’t hesitate to contact us any time.