ShipStation’s September Ecommerce Roundup
Happy September! The Ecommerce Roundup is back and packed with loads of exciting new news. This week we had the pleasure of featuring articles from some of our wonderful ShipStation partners!
Get knowledgeable and updated on shipping best practices, Amazon’s newest small business features, scaling your small business, selling CBD effectively and so much more!
Hope you enjoy it!
Delivery Speed Can Make or Break a Customer Experience
The expectations around fast shipping have sky-rocketed. In 2019, the 24-48 hour delivery turn-around has been normalized. We have Amazon Prime to thank for this phenomenon. Consumers are used to getting their products in a couple of days max. They will likely choose another brand who offers quicker free shipping vs. a company that does not. Although consumers do prioritize speedy shipping, they would rather have free shipping than fast. Ideally free and fast is what they want. Learn more about this topic from eMarketer.
Amazon Announces 150 New Tools and Services Have Launched in 2019 to Help Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Grow Their Online Sales
The success of Amazon is greatly due to its third party sellers—primarily small and medium-sized businesses. These businesses made up 58% of all merchandise sold on Amazon in 2018. Amazon invests billions into resources to help medium and small businesses to succeed. It is in Amazon’s best interest to invest in helping out smaller merchandize sellers, who have created an estimated 1.6 million jobs worldwide. Check out Business Wire to read about the services Amazon has put in place that help small businesses grow!
Only 17.5% of online retailers offer free shipping
Although free shipping may seem like a checkout option most companies offer, but, in actuality, it’s not very common. While only 17.5% of companies offer completely free shipping, 65.4% offer free shipping under certain circumstances, such as free shipping at specific price thresholds. A common version of this is free shipping for orders over $50. Check out Internet Retailer for some fascinating infographics on this subject matter.
CBD Marketing 101: Strategies for Sellers to Stand Out in a Sea of Green
CBD is everywhere: in gummy bears, capsules, tea, lotion, etc. You’ve likely read about the benefits it can have for both the people and pets in your home. If you’re selling CBD, BigCommerce breaks down some marketing strategies to differentiate your brand in this saturated market. They also outline some legal guidelines of which you need to be aware in your advertisements.
How E-Commerce Sites Manipulate You Into Buying Things You May Not Want
As advertising becomes more sophisticated on ecommerce platforms, questions of ethical marketing behavior are raised. This article discusses some advertising tactics used by companies that are considered by some to be manipulative. The possibilities on ecommerce platforms are only increasing, so staying up to date on conversations about the ethical use of these sites is important to maintain an honest relationship with your customers.
Scalability: Growing Your Goods from Guppies to Goliath
Growth is the dream for many small businesses. While a large increase in sales can be the most exciting time for a young company, it can also open them up to opportunities for critical errors. Volusion outlines a framework to help budding companies prepare for scaling their business and avoiding these errors.
