Best Practices for Shipping Toys and Holiday Gifts

December 14th, 2023 Comments off
A person pulls a red and green wrapped present out of a shipping box.

Say you need to ship gifts, like a stuffed animal, a new action figure, or a battery-operated toy car. Easy enough, right? Now, picture this. Your customers go to open their gifts, but the stuffed animal has a cracked eye, the action figure is broken, and the car arrived late because the batteries weren’t properly documented. 

While these are worst-case scenarios, shipping faux pas are possible. Shipping toys may seem straightforward, but there are several packaging requirements and recommendations to be aware of. That’s why we’re giving you the gift of the best practices for shipping holiday toys. Who knows? Santa might even learn a thing or two. 

Ship toys from anywhere at any time with the Stamps.com Mobile app.

How to ship stuffed animals

Stuffed animals are made to be hugged and squeezed. The downside is, that makes them more vulnerable to being squashed in transit. We recommend shipping stuffed animals in boxes as opposed to envelopes to avoid any tearing or other forms of destruction. This box should be big enough for the toy but shouldn’t be oversized. Any extra space should be filled with environmentally friendly cushioning materials. 

We also recommend wrapping your plush in bubble wrap. Some have glass or plastic eyes that could be cracked or scratched throughout their journey. The risk for damage doesn’t stop in transit though. When your package arrives, it may be opened with a box cutter or scissors. Including extra padding will prevent your stuffed animal from suffering any damage at the hands of sharp objects. Lastly, if you plan to use a sealed bag or shrink wrap, clearly mark it with a suffocation warning label for safety purposes. 

How to ship action figures and boxed collectibles

Action figures, Vinyls, and other collectibles come pre-packaged. However, we still recommend shipping them in boxes. Like with stuffed animals, the box should only be slightly larger than the item itself, and any spaces should be filled with cushioning material. 

If the products are breakable or have fragile parts, mark the shipment accordingly. Use orientation arrows to show carriers how the package should be handled, and label the shipment as fragile on the outer packaging. Some of these items only have a limited release or aren’t readily available, so it’s crucial to keep them in the best possible condition. 

Stock up on shipping supplies in the Stamps.com Store.

How to ship batteries 

Some of the most important gifts you can give this holiday season are batteries. They keep remote-control cars racing, robots walking, and dolls talking. However, there are some carrier requirements for shipping batteries to keep in mind. These guidelines and restrictions will vary by carrier, and there are different criteria between domestic and international shipping. We recommend reaching out to your carrier of choice directly with any questions you may have. 

International restrictions 

International shipping restrictions and guidelines may differ from domestic shipping restrictions. For example, NERF blasters can’t be shipped to the UK, and non-wooden toys can’t be shipped to Italy. Understanding these restrictions before shipping your package prevents lengthy delays, returned shipments, and potential fees. International shipping restrictions may differ from carrier to carrier, so contact your carrier before shipping any products. 

Shipping toys safely with Stamps.com 

Shipping deadlines are getting closer by the day, meaning there’s less time to guarantee packages will arrive for the holidays. Without the option to send a replacement gift, how can you ensure packages arrive safe and sound? Stamps.com customers can enable Ship Notification Emails, so recipients know when shipments are arriving. You can even customize Branded Ship Notification Emails to showcase your logo and highlight any holiday deals. Stamps.com shippers can also resend tracking information via email whenever needed/available. These emails help customers make arrangements if they’ll be away when packages arrive or can’t bring them inside upon delivery. 

While the holiday season does bring cheer and goodwill, it unfortunately also brings an increase in package theft. Tracking may help customers plan for delivery, but sometimes, there are circumstances outside of everyone’s control. That’s why it’s always better to plan ahead with shipping insurance. Some carrier services include coverage, but shipping through Stamps.com gives you the option to add more insurance with our partner, ParcelGuard™. ParcelGuard™ works with all of our offered carriers, and they’ll handle any claims, regardless of the carrier you used. 

Tips for shipping toys 

  • Enable notification emails and resend tracking information whenever needed.
  • Ship products in boxes that are slightly larger than the item but aren’t oversized.
  • Purchase additional insurance for high-cost or limited-edition items for more coverage.  
  • Fill any gaps between your toy and the box with cushioning materials to prevent movement. 
  • Reach out to your carrier about international shipping restrictions and battery guidelines before shipping. 
  • Mark fragile items as such and use orientation arrows to show carriers how the box should be placed. 

It may be the season of giving, but that doesn’t mean you should give yourself unnecessary shipping stressors. Action figures and stuffed animals may come with fragile or breakable parts. But, as long as you package them with additional cushioning and wrapping, they’re more likely to make it through transit unscathed. Batteries may require documentation, but carriers provide online resources and can answer any questions you may have. The same goes for international shipping. When it comes to shipping toys, action figures, and accessories like batteries, it may require a little extra effort. However, the joy these items bring is worth it, and your customers will appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Give yourself the gift of a risk-free trial to Stamps.com.

The Importance of Online Marketplaces 

October 13th, 2023 Comments off

Our recent study with Retail Economics found that 88% of customers plan to make their holiday purchases online globally. With a percentage this high, your business should sell products through at least one online marketplace. The holiday season is quickly approaching, so the sooner you can set up an online marketplace, the better. If you aren’t sure where to begin or are unsure about what an online marketplace is, we’ll get you selling online in no time. 

How do online marketplaces work?

Simply put, an online marketplace is a website where merchants can sell their products to customers. Online marketplaces serve as an organized location for shoppers to search for and compare products. Customers can leave reviews and even create carts or wish lists for future purchases. Online marketplaces are becoming increasingly popular because customers can purchase products within a matter of clicks  Additionally, some marketplaces offer refurbishment and/or authenticity guarantees, so customers don’t have to worry about buying imitation or faulty products. 

What are the biggest online marketplaces?

Marketplaces like eBay and Amazon have become two of the most well-known and most-used online marketplaces. In fact, 42% of Gen Z shoppers and 40% of Millennials say that they use marketplaces for convenience globally. Between easy browsing and an increasing customer base, your business can only benefit from selling online. 

The benefits of online selling 

We’ve discussed the basics of online marketplaces, but what are some of the biggest benefits? You should consider using online marketplaces because: 

  1. North America is projected to have $183 billion in online sales: With sales projected to be this large, your business has a good chance of seeing a boost in sales. Stamps.com integrates with major marketplaces (more on this later), so you can create a centralized workflow and stay organized as your order volume increases. 
  1. It puts your products in front of a larger audience: 88% of customers plan to make their holiday purchases online globally. There are a lot of eyes on the ecommerce space, so you have the chance to make your products shine during the holiday season. Also, if you create a great customer experience, it increases the likelihood of repeat business after the holiday season ends. 
  1. There’s the opportunity to recommend products for customers: Regulations and guidelines around product suggestions will vary by the marketplace, so we recommend reaching out to your marketplace of choice. However, if your marketplaces allows it, you can recommend products to customers based on their previous purchases from your business. You can also make recommendations on your business’s website for products based on their purchase and browsing history as well as items in their cart. 
  1. Marketplaces like Amazon allow customers to choose expedited shipping options as Prime subscribers: Our study found that 61% of global customers are willing to pay up to $9 extra for same-day, next-day, or scheduled shipping. If customers are already Prime users, Amazon will give them expedited shipping options up front that include as a feature with their subscription. 

Sending shipment notification emails to customers 

15% of the customers we surveyed stated that the visibility of delivery was the most important factor when shopping online, and the merchants we surveyed believe that only 9% of customers care. Providing customers with tracking information can help your business stand out from the competition and better align with customer expectations. 

Stamps.com merchants can customize branded ship notification emails for customers. These emails can include sales or promotional materials, your business’s logo and social media links, and other personalized details. Customers can not only track their shipments, but you can promote your business and special deals at the same time. 

Connecting online marketplaces with Stamps.com 

Once you’ve decided which online marketplace(s) are right for your business, you can connect them to your Stamps.com. Stamps.com offers integrations for major marketplaces like: 

  • Amazon
  • BigCommerce 
  • eBay 
  • Etsy
  • Shopify 
  • WooCommerce 

Stamps.com directly integrates with these marketplaces, meaning orders in an eligible status will be pulled onto the orders page. You can also check for orders by clicking the refresh button on your dashboard. To connect a new marketplace to your Stamps.com account, follow the instructions below: 

  1. Open the Orders tab on your dashboard. 
  2. Select the Settings icon
  3. Click the Stores tab. 
  4. Find and select the Add button. 
  5. Choose your marketplace from the integration list. 
  6. Follow the instructions for connecting your specific marketplace. 

Tips for selling through online marketplaces 

Online marketplaces don’t have to be complicated or daunting. With direct integrations to Stamps.com and shipping notifications for eligible stores, you can streamline your online selling process. Other tips to keep in mind when selling online are: 

  • Pay close attention to marketplace-specific guidelines and regulations. 
  • Include clear and specific returns information whenever and wherever possible. 
  • Take note of which products sell better than others to help project your holiday inventory. 
  • Use online retail holidays like Prime Days, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday to get rid of products that aren’t selling well or are out of season. 

Start your 30-day risk-free trial to Stamps.com today.

How to Build an Effective Ecommerce Checkout Flow for Your Business

July 11th, 2023 Comments off
Building an effective Shopping Cart Checkout Flow

Clicking the checkout button on a fun purchase is a great feeling. When customers visit your store, they want a user-friendly experience that leads to an even smoother checkout. The faster a customer can complete their purchase, the sooner their order will be on the way. How can you create the best customer experience and also decrease cart abandonment? 

We’re going to take you step-by-step through a successful checkout flow, so your customers can easily purchase products. Say goodbye to cart abandonment and hello to boosted sales. 

What is a checkout flow?

All a checkout flow boils down to is the process to purchase a product. From the time customers visit your website to the time an order is placed, they’re involved in a checkout flow. The full checkout process is typically broken down into seven steps: 

typical cart checkout flow

Image source: Jimmy Rodriguez, COO of Shift4Shop (September 14, 2021)

The goal of your checkout flow is to encourage customers to complete their purchases and gain opportunities for repeat customers through gathering information like email addresses. Giving customers the ability to enter their email addresses allows them to sign up for future marketing emails and gives them easy access to their tracking information. And, as our research shows, 42% of customers are looking for daily shipping updates, even if there aren’t any major tracking updates. 

Cart abandonment vs checkout abandonment 

Cart abandonment and checkout abandonment are sometimes used interchangeably. However, the difference between the two lies in where a customer leaves your site without completing a purchase. Cart abandonment occurs when a customer leaves a site after adding products to their cart. On the other hand, checkout abandonment occurs when a customer enters their billing information and/or previews the orders and then leaves a website. 

understanding checkout abandonment

Image source: Jimmy Rodriguez, COO of Shift4Shop (September 14, 2021)

7 tricks to create a better checkout experience 

Knowing the difference between cart and checkout abandonment is crucial because it helps identify where and why customers aren’t completing their purchases. These 7 tips are designed to help with both types of abandonment and create the best customer experience. Boosted sales and heightened customer satisfaction await! 

#1 Don’t hide the cost 

Be transparent about shipping costs, taxes, and other fees as soon as possible. In fact, 48% of customers are more likely to abandon an order because of last-minute fees. Make a banner for the top of your website to showcase free shipping or a free shipping threshold. Additionally, show the total cost whenever customers create their cart to avoid miscommunication. 

Image source: Baymard Institute

#2 Check your website’s performance 

Imagine seeing an ad for a really cool product, only to find the website doesn’t load or doesn’t have a stable connection. You’d be less likely to click on an ad for the same business in the future, right? Regularly check your website’s performance to avoid losing customers. Free resources like Google Pagespeed Insights can save you major headaches down the road. Identifying the problem(s) now will decrease the likelihood of crashes during the holiday season. 

#3 Provide guest checkout options 

Don’t make your customers create an account before checkout; this option only leads to additional clicks, meaning an uptick in cart or checkout abandonment. Let customers choose whether or not to sign up or check out as a guest. If a customer is in a hurry, they’ll appreciate the faster option. 

#4 Decrease clicks and increase payment options 

We live in a fast-paced society. And, oftentimes, customers don’t want to enter full card information to complete a transaction. Consider adding payment options like Apple Pay and PayPal, so customers can pay through touch IDs or logging into a digital wallet. If your business is able, it’s also worth looking into a mobile app and updating the mobile version of your website. This way, customers can easily access your store and save their preferences for future purchases, creating an easier checkout experience. 

Additionally, offering options like Klarna and Afterpay give customers the ability to break purchases down into payments. These options will make it more likely for customers to complete purchases on more expensive items because they don’t have to pay the full cost upfront. 

#5 Add trust badges to your website 

Unfortunately, ecommerce scams and fraud are still common. Customers purchase from stores and either never receive their orders or receive items that are completely different from how they were shown. Let customers know they can trust your business, and include trust badges on your website. Some recommended trust badges include: 

  • Money-back and returns guarantee: Adding badges to the checkout pages that remind customers you offer free returns and/or a money-back guarantee is a great way to reassure them while making their purchase.
  • Free shipping: A free shipping badge displayed on your website and at each stage of the checkout flow reassures customers that shipping will be free and they won’t encounter any surprises at checkout.
  • Accepted payments: This badge shows your customers the payment method your site accepts, such as Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, or American Express.
  • Third-party endorsements: Third-party endorsement badges show that your business is credible. The Better Business Bureau Accredited Business and Google Customer Review badges are both trustworthy badges to add to your ecommerce website.

#6 Send cart and checkout abandonment emails

Customers want increased communication throughout the shipping process. With an increase in wanted communication, sending emails to customers who have abandoned their orders can help them revisit potential purchases. Also, be creative! Include promotions if customers complete their purchase within a certain time frame and include eye-catching subject lines. 

#7 Include auto-save features with your shopping cart

Say you need more time to contemplate a purchase. You finally decide to go for it, only to find your cart has timed out and emptied itself. If you were already on the fence, this could be taken as a sign that you didn’t really need those items. Keep the decision and checkout processes easy for customers and add an auto-save feature. Customers can easily revisit their carts, so they’ll be more likely to complete their purchases moving forward. 

Tips for your checkout process

  • Don’t make customers create accounts 
  • Check your website performance regularly 
  • Add trust badges to build trust with customers 
  • Include payment plan offerings like Klarna and Afterpay
  • Be open about shipping costs and additional fees upfront
  • Streamline the checkout process with offerings like Apple Pay and PayPal

5 Selling Tips For Amazon Prime Day

October 24th, 2023 Comments off

Get ready, because Amazon Prime Day 2023 is just around the corner! Scheduled for July 11-12th, this year’s Prime Day is expected to surpass last year’s remarkable $3.5 billion in sales for third-party sellers. Top-selling items are predicted to include post-pandemic essentials such as luggage, makeup, and apparel, along with in-demand products that faced shortages during the pandemic, such as fitness equipment, home-office essentials, laptops, and gaming consoles. Notably, the competition will be fierce, with major retailers like Walmart and Target hosting their own annual sales events. It’s clear that Prime Day 2023 is poised to be a massive retail extravaganza. The question is, are you fully prepared? To ensure your business enjoys a successful Prime Day, we’ve compiled five invaluable selling tips. Read on and get ready to seize the opportunity!

Tip #1 Optimize Your Product Listings
There are many ways to optimize your product listing to increase traffic and sales:

  • Focus on short, catchy titles with clear descriptions and copy that is optimized for mobile.
  • Use bullet points to organize information and get to know Amazon’s character limits so you can optimize accordingly.
  • Utilize keywords that are significant to Prime Day as well as similar words people search for that are relevant to your product.
  • Take advantage of A+ Content if you’re enrolled in Amazon’s Brand Registry program.
  • Put emphasis on your product, not the offer.
  • Ensure the product details refer to the product itself—it’s a violation of Amazon’s Terms of Service to mention anything about Prime Day or discounts in the product details.

Your product image also plays an important role in optimizing. Take a look at top-selling products and observe the quality of their images. Your first image should show the product set against a white background while the other images highlight the product’s features. Customers always look at images before text, so make them look appealing.

Tip #2 Don’t Raise Your List Price
Savvy shoppers already use a variety of browser extensions to hunt down deals and track pricing. Raising your list price to show a greater discount not only looks suspicious to customers but can raise a red flag with Amazon, resulting in your account possibly getting suspended. If you can’t provide a discount, it’s better to highlight your product’s superior qualities.

Tip #3 Run Amazon Sponsored Ads
It’s good to have your product fully optimized before creating an Amazon PPC campaign. A PPC ad will increase visibility of your product by showing up when people search for similar items. Automatic campaigns can help you find popular keywords that can be used for your manual campaign with higher bids. To increase the chances of your ad getting seen, avoid bidding on overly popular keywords like “Prime Day.” Make sure to download search term reports and check your maximum bids regularly to ensure your ads are performing.

Tip #4 Run Off-Amazon Promotions
There are many different platforms you can use to drive external traffic to your Amazon Prime Deals:

  • Email blasts
  • Amazon wish lists
  • Blog posts
  • Influencers
  • Affiliates
  • Google Ads
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Organic social media
  • Facebook groups

If you don’t have a Facebook group or audience, Facebook Ads can help you reach potential customers. Something to keep in mind with Facebook Ads is that if you send the user straight to your product listing it can be difficult to track ad progress as well as can potentially undermine your Amazon keyword ranking. Instead, send traffic to a custom landing page that has the ability to capture email addresses.

Tip #5 Take Advantage of the Halo Effect
The halo effect of Prime Day can significantly help your business long after the event ends. Draw attention to your non-Prime Day deals with targeted ads for popular keywords. This can boost your products in the queue. Notice if your item is included in a “frequently purchased together” category and capitalize on the traffic overflow. Consumers are already in shopping mode during this time, so take advantage of it.

In conclusion, Prime Day 2023 holds immense potential to become the standout shopping event of the year. With thorough research and careful planning, this event can yield substantial profits for your business. So, make sure you are fully prepared, stay focused on your goals, and implement the tips provided above to ensure that Prime Day 2023 becomes your most successful sales event to date! Get ready to seize the opportunities and thrive during this remarkable retail extravaganza.

Did you know? Stamps.com has a direct integration with Amazon!
Stamps.com allows Amazon.com third party sellers to easily print shipping labels at discounted rates for UPS® and USPS® shipping services. Get more info on Stamps.com’s Amazon Integration.

Categories: Ecommerce Shipping Tags:

How to Create a Social Media Strategy

July 11th, 2023 Comments off

Like, follow, and subscribe are three words that have become commonplace in our world. Social media has become a nexus of promotion and advertising, especially for small businesses. If your business has yet to enter the social media space, this is your sign. Creating a social media presence doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to reflect your brand. You’ll be the best you can be with our four tips to creating a social media strategy. 

Be accessible

Social media platforms are a direct connection to your customers. Customers can tag photos, comment on posts, and participate in polls. In today’s world, it’s vital for businesses to have a social media presence. Take the time to open and cultivate social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest. Give customers multiple platforms to reach your business. 

Be receptive 

Being accessible also means being receptive. If customers are reaching out with feedback, it’s likely other customers are experiencing the same issues. Also, ask customers for their feedback. Use polls to influence new products or policies. Your followers are the ones buying products and want their voices heard. Let your customers lead the way (within reason). 

Be practical 

With the rise of platforms like TikTok, social media trends cycle through at an insane rate. Additionally, our research shows that 31% of customers shopped on TikTok throughout last year. This doesn’t mean your business should hop on every trend, though. 

For example, if your business sells athletic shoes, TikTok dances would be a great way to showcase your product. However, participating in a TikTok trend that only shows someone from the waist up wouldn’t be ideal. View your social media from a customer perspective, and think about what content would make you buy a product from your business. 

Be creative

This might seem contradictory to the previous paragraph, but hear us out. Being creative means trying trends and posting unique content that makes sense for your business. Brainstorm creative ways to showcase your products that still highlights their use and purpose. Don’t limit your creativity; just be thoughtful when choosing your strategy. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box, but keep it on brand. 

On the flip side, staying on brand might mean keeping it simple! If your brand prides itself on philanthropy, show customers how you’re helping the community. If your business started in a basement, show customers how much you’ve grown. Our study showed that 81% of customers want to support small businesses, with 45.5% of customers wanting to shop with small businesses in their area. Being creative doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the boldest approach. Sometimes, it simply means trying an approach you haven’t before. 

Tips for your social media strategy

  • Be accessible to customers by staying connected and active on social media platforms. 
  • Be receptive to customers by asking for feedback and taking their feedback seriously. 
  • Be practical in your social media strategy, and don’t take part in trends simply for views. 
  • Be creative without losing your brand’s message or identity within all of your content. 

reat way to build your brand and develop a relationship with your customers. Still, while many ecommerce businesses have already established a social media presence, devising a plan for your posts leverages the power of social media even more.

Here’s some information about creating and implementing an effective social media plan for your ecommerce business.

Be choosy. While it’s tempting to jump on every social media platform, be realistic about how much you or your team can keep up with. Consider too how well your business translates to the different platforms. Sometimes, a service-oriented business can skip photo-dependent sites like Instagram. If your audience skews older, that demographic is more likely to check Facebook than Snapchat. 

Be easy to find. When you create social media accounts, choose usernames that match your business name as closely as possible, and try to keep them consistent across all of your social media platforms. Include as much information about your business in your profile as possible, as this indexable content can help search engines direct interested parties to not only your social media accounts but your business website as well. Once you’ve established the accounts, be sure to add your handles to your email communication, signage, stationery and other methods you use to make your business visible.

Be organized. Develop an editorial calendar to help you build out timely and newsworthy content. Creating compelling social content can be challenging, and utilizing a calendar can help a company focus on current topics and trends.

Build your following. Put thought into your content, and followers will pay attention when what you post is original and shareable. Don’t shy away from engaging well-known bloggers, influencers and media outlets. One great way to do this is to respond with useful information when users ask a question on one of your social media channels. Offering discounts to customers is another method to consider in order to grow your following.

Be responsive. Social media is worthless unless you’re ready to have conversations with your followers. Post regularly, be prompt when answering questions and concerns, and follow any interested parties yourself. Keep your content fresh and consistent so followers have a reason to check in frequently.

Be yourself. Social media gives you an opportunity to infuse your personality into your business. Consider sharing the story behind your business, interesting links you’ve found and inspiring words with your followers. You might also want to consider sharing any challenges you faced when starting your business—chances are, other businesses will encounter the same challenges and can benefit from your experience and insight.

Be innovative. Social media gives small-business owners unique opportunities to try out new products, programs and communications. Offer your followers the first look at a new item in your shop, a discount on the first shipment or the chance to sound in about their opinions. Once your promotion or experiment is over, track the kind of response you got and add the results to your social media plan.

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