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It's hard to believe that our little podcast, Objects! With ShipHero, has reached its season finale already. But what a season it's been! From laughter to tears, we've navigated the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur with the help of ten inspiring guests who have launched successful products in the eCommerce industry. We feel grateful to have been able to share our guests' journeys and learn from their experiences—cheers to all our fellow entrepreneurs out there crushing it every day. Keep launching, keep learning, and keep growing. Which podcast episode was your favorite?
Which one inspired you? Let’s recap on a very successful season one and the fabulous guests we had along the way!
Digital sensors. Who knew? Not these guys, until they discovered a way to make and sell digital sensors that measure humidity, temperature, and other environmental conditions. It turns out there are all sorts of people and businesses who need these sensors. So the entrepreneurs turned their creative consultancy into a thriving business, making and selling digital sensors to everyone from individuals to major corporations. What started as a simple idea has turned into something pretty amazing. Become a fan of SensorPush by listening to our podcast.
If you're feeling lost or adrift, take a page from Nick and Jonathan's book and start selling something. It can be anything from your consultant skills or your story. The important thing is that you get started somewhere, and the rest will follow. Check out our interview with Nick and Jonathan from SensorPush to hear more about their entrepreneurial journey.
If you're curious about the world of EDC, listen to our podcast with special guest Yong-Soo Chung. In this episode, you'll learn about the community's origins and what motivates people to seek out the best-made versions of unremarkable items. You'll also hear hilarious stories about knives (you might even want to start carrying one yourself). Who knows? Maybe after listening to this episode, you'll be inspired to launch your own online store for everyday carry enthusiasts.
Stefanie Taylor is the perfect example of a leader who knows how to read her market and adapt. She’s taken her 3rd generation retail jewelry company from $3M annual revenue to over $20M by being bold and pivoting her business model when necessary. If you want to learn more about being a successful entrepreneur, listen to our podcast with Stefanie herself.
If you're in the market for a good cry, listen to our podcast with special guest Chat Razdan. The founder of a healthcare fashion brand, Razdan, is radically changing how hospital gowns and other medical devices look and feel. He founded his company without any experience in healthcare OR fashion, proving that anyone can make an impact in this industry. So pull up a chair, grab some tissues, and enjoy the story of one man's mission to make healthcare more comfortable for everyone.
The world is a big place, but it can be even bigger if you're willing to explore. I think that's what our guest today was trying to say when he told us how far his journey has taken him - from Wall Street right into coding school and then onto taking tests selling headphones on Amazon! Listen up because this podcast could give insight to anyone who doesn't know where their passions lie or how they should use them as an income source with a special guest: Yong-Soo Chung.
As a self-taught entrepreneur, Anna Dee quickly learned that the best way to succeed was to dive in and figure things out as they came. Starting with handmade items on Etsy, she soon expanded her offerings and developed her website for her now wildly popular dildo business. That little venture turned into five successful companies, including a warehouse, online store, and community, where she teaches others about entrepreneurship and maintaining a positive mindset. Be sure to listen to this fun podcast about extraordinary and unique products.
Say hello to Nick O'Brien, the quintessential entrepreneur who didn't let a global pandemic stop him from achieving his dreams. He co-founded a phone case company in quarantine and navigated the challenges of setting up a Shopify site and finding a manufacturing partner. And if that wasn't impressive enough, his company even got featured on Good Morning America! How did he do it? Get ready to take some notes from this podcast and turn your quarantine ideas into a real business.
Meet Chioma and Uchenna, the entrepreneurial sisters behind the booming African-inspired fashion brand Cee Cee’s Closet NYC. From humble beginnings selling their wares at pop-up shops to being featured on NYC billboards, these ladies know how to make a splash in the business world. So how do they turn social media content into brand loyalty? It's all about authenticity and connecting with their audience on a personal level. The sisters share key lessons learned during their journey, like the importance of taking risks and staying true to your mission.
Erica Rankin is the mastermind behind Brodough, a vegan cookie dough company taking over Canada with its delicious and healthier-for-you treats. What started as a mere idea in Erica’s head blossomed into a full-fledged business, despite her lack of prior entrepreneurial experience. In this interview, we get to hear about Erica’s journey and learn some valuable tips for aspiring entrepreneurs. So if you’re looking for some culinary inspiration or just want to hear a delicious success story, be sure to give this podcast episode a listen.
Even if you're not in the market for a smoking apparatus, Rich's story is exciting and provides insight into what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. He has over 20 years of experience in the retail industry, which gives him the knowledge and skills necessary to design, manufacture, and market his products. If you are looking for inspiration or want to learn more about what it takes to start your own business, check out this episode of Objects! with ShipHero.
It's always exciting to see and hear about successful entrepreneurs constantly blazing their trails and setting new goals. They serve as examples of what is possible and inspire us to think outside the box and push ourselves to do better. So go ahead and check out some of their stories, and remember-- entrepreneur or not-- never stop dreaming big.
Be sure to subscribe and follow Objects! With ShipHero on both iTunes and Spotify for even more success stories in season two. Thanks for tuning in!
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Objects! with ShipHero is a detailed, 360' exploration of eCommerce and shipping one object at a time. John Wakim, your new host and ShipHero Head of Partnerships, will drill into the details to help you make sense of this world. If you have an object that you want to profile, please send a note to John Wakim at pitch@shiphero.com.
Click HERE to Listen on iTunes. Click HERE to Listen on Spotify.
About the host: John Wakim is the Head of Partnerships at ShipHero and Host of the Objects! With ShipHero podcast. As an early-stage entrepreneur with experience in SaaS, eCommerce, and retail, John has a diverse background. His innate ability to embrace challenges head-on makes him an early adopter at heart. No matter if he's working alone, with an in-house or remote team, with a vendor, or with an agency, John can wear many hats and roll up his sleeves and work relentlessly to meet goals.
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By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO of ShipHero
Have you ever tried to buy a popular product, but found that its prices rose almost overnight? The increase in price can be due to a number of reasons, but chances are the price went up due to the product being almost out of stock.
For example, luxury goods are an interesting topic of discussion in economics because they violate the law of demand. Unlike conventional goods, luxury items enjoy high demand because of their exclusivity and financial barriers, and making them more accessible decreases their demand.
What drives this unorthodox behavior, though? Well, the experts define it as "scarcity".
Scarcity arises when there's a mismatch between the supply and demand of a commodity; the demand surges, and the supply doesn't keep up. As a result, the commodity's price rises, which is termed scarcity pricing.
Scarcity pricing is subject to the scarcity principle, which states that the good's price will increase until its supply and demand reach equilibrium.
Scarcity can arise naturally, because certain products have limitless demand, while supply always has limitations. A good example of limitless demand is resources, like gas, electricity, and water, which have limited available reserves. When the supply for these resources doesn't match the demand, scarcity arises naturally.
Sometimes, suppliers may introduce scarcity to influence the price of certain goods. For example, if rice prices drop significantly, suppliers may stop producing as much, so the demand increases and the price hikes.
Brands may use scarcity to drive sales, which is especially common for luxury brands. Luxury goods are priced exceptionally high, which should discourage sales as per the law of demand. However, brands use scarcity to sell luxury goods instead.
Here's how.
The high demand for luxury products is a prime example of how businesses use scarcity and the scarcity principle to drive sales. Luxury goods are made more desirable by implementing scarcity; the products are out of reach for most consumers, making them more appealing.
Because of the discrepancy gap in supply and demand, luxury goods providers can freely charge premiums and keep their products' demand response high. In fact, the more inaccessible a luxury product is, the more its demand may surge. This is perceived scarcity.
Take Ferraris for an example - to buy a high-end one, you don't just need to match the high price point. The company vets each prospect and requires you to have owned a less-expensive Ferrari before you can buy a more exclusive model.
When products become a commodity, they lose their exclusivity and uniqueness - customers perceive the goods' price as their only differentiator. The result? Brands are at risk of losing their customer base, and the demand for the now-commodity goods starts to drop.
Let's take the Ferrari example again, and assume the luxury car becomes a commodity. If price became the only differentiator, Ferrari would struggle to sell any cars. Since the car is no longer perceived as a luxury, exclusive good, prospects will purchase cars that are more affordable instead.
Depending on the industry and the nature of the product, scarcity influences pricing in interesting ways.
When raw materials become scarce, their prices increase, leading to higher supply costs. For example, T-shirts are always "scarce" products because their demand is limitless, while their supply may fall short. If cotton becomes scarce, the price for the fabric will spike, increasing the costs for manufacturing T-shirts.
Scarcity isn't limited to luxury goods - necessary machinery, transportation, resources, and goods can follow the scarcity principle too in certain situations.
For example, the global shortage of containers has led to a massive 300% hike in shipping costs as a result of scarcity. In this scenario, it's not the containers themselves but shipping that's suffering from scarcity.
With fewer container reserves, logistics providers can transport fewer items, leading to an imbalance in the supply and demand of shipping. Thus, delivery costs skyrocketed, so only consumers that pay the high fees can have their orders delivered.
When products become scarce, businesses introduce longer wait times, meaning buyers cannot instantly satisfy their demand. For example, COVID-19 introduced a shortage of microchips, leading to longer wait times.
Some businesses use longer wait times to influence customer decision-making; for example, luxury brands introducing long waiting lists to:
Another interesting effect of scarcity on wait times can be seen from services scarcity. For example, when the demand for Uber rises exceeds the supply, the service introduces a surcharge. Thus, only consumers willing to pay the extra expense can satisfy their demand immediately. Otherwise, they are effectively experiencing a longer wait time. Services scarcity of this kind influences consumer decision-making; each customer makes a cost-benefit analysis, and decides whether to pay the premium or continue waiting.
Governments may impose higher custom fees on exports for scarce products to regulate their movement. When certain goods become scarce, governments may take measures to encourage brands to cater to the local population rather than international customers.
By imposing higher custom fees, brands have more incentive to sell scarce goods to locals. Additionally, increased fees may make it difficult for brands to compete in the international market, further incentivizing them to sell locally.
For example, let's say T-shirts become scarce in country A, so the government imposes high custom fees to ship T-shirts to country B. Now, if a business in country A tries to sell T-shirts in country B, they may not be able to compete with the local cost of T-shirts.
Scarcity affects everyone in some shape or form, arising naturally as a consequence of limitless demand, or synthetically by cultivating perceived scarcity.
Perceived scarcity is important for luxury brands because they must maintain a degree of exclusivity without encouraging their customer base to pursue alternatives.
Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our shipping software built for ecommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue, and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO at ShipHero
You’re more than likely still coming off the high of Black Friday/Cyber Monday and the sugar rush of pumpkin pie. And you should be; this is a tough time of year for everyone, but eCommerce retailers have a special challenge. So many retailers make the majority of their revenue in these few critical weeks and that ratchets up the intensity for everyone in an organization.
However, just because you’ve made the sale and shipped the product doesn’t mean that you’ve closed the loop on that customer. There’s so much more that can and should be done in the guise of client relationship management and marketing. Now that you’ve hooked someone with your awesome products, you want to keep them coming back. Let’s examine 5 key steps for marketing to customers during this busy holiday shopping season and beyond.
This might seem counterintuitive, but how you treat a customer return or exchange could have a long-lasting impact on whether you’ve gained a repeat customer. Hopefully, you’re using a return partner like Returnly or Loop (which both integrate seamlessly with ShipHero’s software). They make it much easier to manage returns, often absorbing the burden of processing the return, the return shipping/label and everything in between.
However, if you’re not working with a partner like that, you want to be sure that everyone on your team, and especially those in customer service, are ready to manage return and exchange emails. But the number 1 task to tackle first is setting and communicating your return policy. If you don’t currently have one on your site, get it up there ASAP. A return policy not only protects you from angry customers who might want to throw a fit if something isn’t right, but it also sets expectations. You can include everything from expected timeframe for responses, steps to the return process and whether or not you’ll be able to manage exchanges.
Make sure everyone is up to speed no later than Christmas Day as the day after Christmas and beyond are when you’ll see the largest influx of return and exchange requests.
Client reviews are a huge selling point for new or browsing buyers. Time and time again, word of mouth has proven to be the most effective selling method for many brands, including all types of eCommerce retailers.
Sending a follow-up email a few times following a purchase and successful shipment can encourage people to leave a review. There is always the chance that it might lead to a negative review, but in the end, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Now that your customers have made purchases, another remarketing opportunity is available - and that is the upsell. Perhaps instead of sending an email with a reminder to write a review, you can send one that reminds the customer there’s still time to purchase and send virtual gift cards. This is especially great for the last minute shopper or for someone who has just had another person added to their gift-giving list.
Cart abandonment emails are another way to encourage customers to come back and make a purchase. A recent study found that more than 46% of customers open cart abandonment emails. Take the time now to remind them of what they were browsing for in the first place.
Once the holiday season has passed, you want to keep these customers engaged with your brand and products. If you have a customer relationship (CRM) tool, consider setting up an email sequence that will send reminders regarding new products or sales or maybe even provide a coupon code for a product the customer looked at but didn’t purchase. This is a great way to convert some more passive dollars into sales.
Lastly, consider spending some money post BFCM on retargeting ads. These ads are the ones that “follow” people from your site to other sites like Facebook or Instagram. You can remarket your shop or certain products to people who have previously visited you. This again can help keep your products and store top-of-mind while customers peruse the Internet looking for a different gift. Oftentimes persistence pays off.
While this is not an exhaustive list of all the remarketing efforts you can undertake during the holiday shopping season, it's a good start. Partner with your internal teams, especially customer service and your warehouse, to ensure that everyone understands your returns/exchanges policy and knows how to enforce it.
In addition, spend some time with your marketing team or agency to uncover the best remarketing options for you and your customers. A one size fits all approach doesn’t often work for remarketing, so be conscious of frequency when sending emails, serving retargeting ads or reaching out for reviews. You want to remind people of your products and your store - not annoy them. The endless amounts of holiday music on a loop does that already.
Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our powerful shipping software built for eCommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue, and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
ShipHero
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
Technology and automation have dramatically streamlined modern business processes. The logistics industry in particular has grown tremendously thanks to modern advancements. Despite the power of technology though, eCommerce brands still need to have effective inventory management systems in place to optimize their order fulfillment processes.
To optimize your inventory management, it's important to use a combination of the best practices and industry-leading software solutions. By streamlining your inventory management, you can cut back on unnecessary expenditure, fulfill orders quicker and increase your bottom line.
Here are the best practices for creating an inventory management process that works for every successful business.
Accurately reporting your relevant inventory data is a vital part of an effective inventory management system. All the data including your beginning inventory, how many finished inventory items were shipped out, your cost of goods sold (cogs), product returns, deadstock, and inventory quantity need to be accounted for.
To report data accurately, your team needs to be actively engaged in supply chain management. Make a point to count inventory and compare the value with the figure on the GRN (Goods Received Note). If you deal with perishable items, you need to be especially careful about expiration dates. You should pay attention to any stock damage or returns and keep a comprehensive written record.
A warehouse management system is a collection of software and processes that enable a business to control and monitor all operations within the warehouse.
A warehouse management system gives businesses real direction and control over their warehouse processes. With a system in place, you can optimize each process and use analytics to monitor performance.
Warehouse management software lets you monitor assets from the time they're delivered from the manufacturers to the time they reach your customers.
A strategic warehouse management system streamlines restocking and logistics operations and uses demand forecasting tools to balance your inventory levels. WMS software tools take care of important calculations like your economic order quantity.
They also integrate well with any system, whether it's the periodic inventory system or the perpetual inventory system.
As your eCommerce store grows, keeping up with order fulfillment becomes increasingly difficult. Brands reach a point where to keep up with demand, they have to decide whether to:
Initially, many businesses shy away from option (3) because of the significant upfront costs. However, in the long run, the third option cuts back your expenses and optimizes your fulfillment process.
With option 1, the costs of hiring specialized personnel add up. Moreover, as your brand continues to grow, you might have to hire even more employees to keep up with the demand.
On the other hand, option 2 puts you at risk of heightened expenses due to inexperienced team members and more mistakes. An inexperienced team translates to delays and incorrect orders.
Third-party logistics (3PL) providers, on the other hand, give you access to a team of experienced professionals without you having to pay salaries and benefits. They're partners; not employees. About 86% of Fortune 500 companies and 96% of Fortune 100 companies use 3PL services.
An audit of your management processes identifies problems that you can improve to streamline inventory processes.
For example, is your picking team finding it difficult to locate items? Then it's time to organize your inventory better. A ratio analysis where you compare your current financial year to the last helps identify potential performance issues too.
If last year's numbers were better, you might be losing revenue on unnecessary expenses, like storage costs due to overstocking.
After discovering problems in your management processes, you can take proactive steps to solve them and streamline your fulfillment process.
An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is software designed to help organizations manage their daily business tasks. An ERP can manage a multitude of business activities ranging from accounting and HR to risk management and supply chain operations.
You can move your financial data over to the software after installing it. The inventory software is then free to organize warehousing operations and manage inventory logistics.
With an ERP, you can monitor your operations through your mobile devices, and the software facilitates integrations with popular eCommerce applications including eBay, Amazon and Shopify.
While a single fulfillment center seems more cost-effective because of the reduced storage costs, there are some additional expenses you need to consider.
Having multiple, strategically located fulfillment centers cut down your delivery times and costs. This is because your business can fulfill orders from the center nearest to the recipient. It also means you can offer expedited shipping, which consumers have come to expect as standard practice.
Since small businesses can't always afford the overheard that follows using multiple centers, many turn to a 3PL provider instead. Leading 3PLs have their own network of distributed fulfillment centers that you can utilize by partnering with them.
It is crucial to choose an inventory valuation method that best aligns with your business model. With the first in, first out method there are certain advantages, such as a reduced risk of obsolete inventory and a reduced inflationary impact.
The valuation method you select can significantly influence your inventory management process. You need to choose one that best suits your business.
The first in, first out (FIFO) method offers certain advantages, like reduced risk of obsolete inventory and less inflationary impact. But some businesses choose to swap from FIFO to methods like JIT.
The 'just in time' (JIT) method requires less storage space, because you buy stock on an immediate-need basis. Using this method also means you have working capital to invest elsewhere, rather than having it tied up as stock.
JIT also reduces your chances of overstocking significantly. But, at the same time, JIT doesn't leave much room for error or delays. If your supplier runs late, and customer orders are coming in, orders may end up delayed or unfilled altogether.
Effectively managing your inventory improves the efficiency of your entire fulfillment process, leading to faster deliveries, accurate orders, reduced costs, and happier customers.
You can optimize your inventory management by implementing the best practices, including leveraging distributed fulfillment centers, implementing an EPR, and taking a data-driven approach.
However, managing your inventory processes isn't easy, especially if your eCommerce brand is growing rapidly. If you're struggling with inventory management, ShipHero's warehouse management software and team of experts can help streamline your operations.
By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO of ShipHero
If you’ve been in business for a while, and maybe expanded your facilities but would like to scale even further, it’s time to stop trying to be a superhero. Managing all facets of your brand’s operations singlehandedly leaves it vulnerable to mistakes.
Mistakes can be devastating for an eCommerce business during a season as important as the holidays.
I recently spoke with Steve Hutt on the eCommerce Fastlane podcast about how to avoid overselling and other classic faux pas committed by fast-growing eCommerce merchants.
We discussed why you’re most vulnerable to the invisible retention vampire during peak season, how your staffing and inventory management can improve with closer attention to internal processes, and how tools like ShipHero can facilitate the kind of growth you never thought possible.
I lay out five central pieces of advice for you here, but I highly recommend listening to the episode for the full details of our conversation.
When you’re busy overseeing warehouse operations and making sure the day’s orders go out, you get stuck in a dangerous, all-too-common loop. One new hire or unexpected increase in sales can leave you barely managing chaos.
Like many entrepreneurs, you can’t see the proverbial forest for the trees. Then, peak season pops up and only highlights your weaknesses.
Before considering how you’ll profit from Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2021, it’s important to zoom out.
Be a drone: Look at your business from an outside perspective and get honest with yourself. Which things are you and your team doing that simply don’t make sense?
It might be helpful to bring in an unbiased friend or family member to observe how things work (or don’t work) in your shipping and receiving methods. You might be surprised at the inefficiencies they catch — and that’s the idea.
Getting radically honest with yourself about what’s not serving your business infrastructure and long-term goals is the first step in making productive change.
The reality is that most merchants don't think about having a process for inventory management. They just stick with what they’ve always done, even if their business is no longer in its infancy.Don’t be like most. Don’t unknowingly oversell.
Telling a customer you can’t follow through on what you said you had in stock might seem like a normal part of the eCommerce business, but it shouldn’t be. You should know what you have in stock at any given moment, and that should be properly reflected live on your website and on any third-party marketplaces.
Overselling is an invisible vampire. It can suck away your potential for customer retention faster than anything else — especially during the holiday season.
Q4 has the potential to be your most profitable — and it has the same potential to destroy your reputation. It’s hard to predict how the courier companies are going to handle the demand this year, so overselling could mean being responsible for holiday gifts not being delivered on time. Disappointed customers will spread their negative experiences with your company all over social media. You may not be able to survive those negative Twitter mentions, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.
Luckily, most of the inventory problems that could lead to the dreaded overselling problem are easily addressable.
???? Check out our video resources on the ShipHero YouTube channel to start reworking your processes before the peak is truly upon us.
In the critical holiday months, there’s no time for delays, but that’s exactly what the industry as a whole may face this year. Things may feel like they’re slowly returning to normal post-pandemic, but you’d be remiss not to prepare for additional COVID variants and restrictions, which could lead to unpredictable staffing issues.
Preempt the effects of the current labor shortage and seasonal staff turnover by delineating your SOP and training protocol now.
One of the best strategies to eliminate some of this risk is to cross-train your team so your key staff members aren’t irreplaceable. You should have training manuals for each role (accessible in the cloud). Set aside time for staff to document how they do their jobs before you hit the peak busy period. That way, anyone can step in if need be.
When you have systems in place, your team and warehouse will be ready to onboard new hires and adjust to temporary employee absences despite an uptick in sales.
When you first opened your business, you probably had no choice but to wear all the hats.
From product research and manufacturing decisions to listing optimization and warehouse operations, you learned and did it all. But with growth comes growing pains, and it could be time to bring in some help in the form of automation.
To determine where you could use some tech solutions, start by identifying what you do best and what you like to do. Where are your time and skills most valuable? Stay true to that, and then use tools like ShipHero to replace you in the areas that exhaust your time and energy.
As Steve wisely remarked on the podcast, “Be intentional. Stop using duct tape.”
If you think peak season isn’t the right time to adopt new tools, think again. Of course, you don’t want to be trying out a new IMS during the week of Black Friday, but jumping in head-first in anticipation of your highest sales all year is a great way to test out whether the system will work for you long-term.
At ShipHero, we’re returning to our roots and helping you get rid of any duct tape you’ve been relying on thus far. We know small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) can grow bigger faster with the right guidance.
Third-party marketplaces offer a huge opportunity to eCommerce sellers. With the right inventory management software, you can mitigate the risk of overselling and grow your brand’s reach.
Marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, and Etsy attract millions of buyers every single month. By listing your products with these and other retail giants, you’re putting your products in front of a whole new audience who wouldn’t have otherwise discovered you. It’s the equivalent of coming across an exciting new product on a Target endcap. Smaller brands benefit from the power of big-box visibility, and so can you.
Ideally, you’ll be able to implement omnichannel eCommerce and marketing strategies before the holidays. Bear in mind that this won’t work for you if you’re experiencing inbound stock issues heading into the busy season.
Bundling together appropriate products is a great way of increasing your basket spend and selling more products. Look at your product ranges and see what two or more products could be put together to create a package.
Whether it be a TV with a surround-sound system or mascara with a pocket mirror, you likely have items that can be bundled for a holiday exclusive.
Are you open to sending your products to our neighbors to the North? You could see 4-to-5% revenue expansion with no need to change messaging, as the U.S. and Canada audiences are so similar (and speak the same language).
Explore this by targeting Canadian audiences on social campaigns or by listing directly with marketplaces like Amazon Canada.
As you well know, returns are part of being in eCommerce. Having a consistent process in place to handle them can result in rescued sales — exchanges rather than refunds — and offer up retargeting opportunities with the same customer.
Don’t neglect post-purchase communication, especially in the height of return season (January).
One of ShipHero’s superstar users is men’s skincare brand BlackWolf. The brand came to us in September 2020, when they were operating out of one 1,250-square-foot facility. Working with ShipHero and using some of the strategies mentioned in this article helped transform the business.
Fast-forward to October 2021: The skincare company now has two large facilities (17,000+ square feet) and ships 20,000 orders per week. BlackWolf’s incredible growth speaks to the power of precise and automated inventory management.As counterintuitive as it could seem to take on something new during the holiday lead-up, there’s no better time to solve internal problems.
Be ready to dive into what’s not functioning like it should for the sake of your current and potential lifetime customers — and give them a holiday season to remember.
????We’re offering exclusive deals for eCommerce Fastlane podcast listeners! For Shopify Merchants, receive your first 90 days FREE if you sign up for ShipHero’s Shipping Software before 12/31/2021.Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our shipping software on steroids built for eCommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
By: Maggie M. Barnett, Esq., COO of ShipHeroDespite everyone’s best efforts, the strain from COVID-19 is not diminishing. And it seems as though it will spill over into the holiday season. Oh good. (That was sarcasm.)There’s been a lot of news lately about carriers and the challenges they’re facing, as well as how some larger brands are handling this challenge. There’s also been discussion about how these supply chain disruptions could easily get passed along into 2022 and 2023. The intent of this article is not to make anyone panic, but it’s important to level-set expectations and understand where things stand in the eCommerce space.
According to data from the Port of Los Angeles, the time it takes a shipment to travel from China to the U.S. has increased 83% over pre-pandemic numbers. That’s an additional 73 days. And in retail, that is an eternity. There’s also been reports of materials shortages. The chip shortage affecting the auto industry is the splashiest one, but now toy manufacturers are raising their hands to say that a shortage of resin is impacting their ability to make toys and get them to suppliers and retailers. So, not only are manufacturers and retailers finding it difficult to get product from China and other countries to the US and into their warehouses, now there are shortages that could prevent those products from being created at all.
Another recent development this week was news that large corporations like Home Depot and IKEA are willing to spend big bucks to charter cargo carriers in order to ensure delivery. This has resulted in some organizations also purchasing their own shipping containers (which are also facing a shortage). As demand for charters has increased, so has the cost. Larger companies can afford to pay these exorbitant fees, but of course, smaller eCommerce retailers cannot. Plus, eventually the additional cost will have to be passed on to the consumer somewhere. There is very little chance that these companies will see these additional fees as just “the cost of doing business.” This could lead to inflation that for the most part has stayed relatively steady throughout the pandemic.Chartering cargo planes has also become trendy for larger companies. Overall, the pressure to receive goods in time for the holidays is real. Shipping containers full of sellable merchandise won’t do the retailer any good, if it’s still sitting in a port halfway across the world when Christmas rolls around.
A labor shortage combined with a supply chain shortage is a recipe for disaster, and we seem to have just yelled, “Bingo!” With companies, including carriers like FedEx still struggling to hire, packages are now taking even more circuitous routes to get to their destinations. FedEx Ground recently reported that around 25% of all of their shipments are being re-routed to different distribution centers to offset the labor shortage. Currently, FedEx estimates they are working with around 65% of the staff they need.The United States Postal Service is set to levy surcharges to retail customers in an effort to deliver the mail on time. With horror stories in 2020 of people not receiving holiday gifts until January or February, the post office is enacting additional charges in an effort to get things delivered on time.
It’s been said often enough since March 2020 - everything we have experienced, whether personal or professional has been unprecedented. The 2021 shipping carrier crisis seems to be another item to add to the list.Anecdotally, consumers in general are really starting to feel the effects of empty shelves. Earlier in the year, missing or understocked products were the exception. Now, people are noticing more and more items missing. Everything from sports drinks to Steam Fresh bags to canned goods to chicken wings have been running in short supply. While the USDA says there is currently not a nationwide food shortage, the pinch of low inventory is being felt by more consumers than earlier in the year. And the haunting look of empty shelves doesn’t help to quell consumer anxiety.These shortages could lead to more consumers shopping earlier for the holiday season, choosing to snap up gifts and items they need instead of waiting for a sale or promotion. However, it’s still too early to tell if this is a trend that will bear out. As with many things surrounding the pandemic, we are in wait-and-see mode.
The best advice for any eCommerce retailer right now is not to panic. Stock the products you can get; use your historical reporting to make a list of SKUs that drive revenue. Focus on the things you can control, like warehouse efficiencies, employee satisfaction and shipping, and do your best to let go of the things you can’t (like cargo ships sitting in the Pacific Ocean). With so much uncertainty surrounding us, focusing on yourself and your organization is the key to success.If you’re new to ShipHero Fulfillment, please schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about how we can help you get your orders picked, packed, and delivered with our fulfillment service. No setup fees - simply pay as you go. ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue, and success. Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today Maggie M. Barnett, Esq., COOShipHeroAbout the author: Maggie M. Barnett, Esq., is the COO of ShipHero. She is responsible for planning and executing the overall operational, legal, managerial and administrative procedures, reporting structures and operational controls of the organization. Barnett’s greatest strengths are leadership, risk mitigation, change management and a passion for business transformation. She is known for her expertise in delivering operational excellence and an ability to provide guidance and mitigating risk. Her leadership of ShipHero is grounded in a servant mentality, always doing the right thing for our stakeholders. Her passion for ShipHero comes from the ability to drive operational excellence throughout the organization impacting the lives of our employees, customers, and partners.Follow Maggie on Twitter&LinkedIn.
By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO of ShipHero
It’s hard to look at the 2021 holiday season without seeing the cloud cast over it by COVID. While there had been some hope just a few months ago that life might go back to “normal” by this holiday, the chances are there will still be daily challenges to living a normal life.
This means your customers are going to keep many of the shopping habits they adopted in 2020. Taking those lessons (read our blog about this topic HERE) into 2021 has given eCommerce retailers a solid framework for how to think about Black Friday Cyber Monday and the holiday season in general when it comes to planning and preparing.
However, what are five concrete things you can do to incorporate recent changes and capitalize on them? Let’s review some tactics you can make into actionable goals to help propel your holiday 2021 sales upward.
Aside from the regular prepping you would do for the holidays (hiring more employees, ordering more packing materials, checking for carrier surcharges, etc.), here are five ways you can specifically prepare that you might not have thought of.
People use their mobile devices to not only shop for themselves, but to browse for gifts for friends and family. According to a study done by AdWeek, 45% of holiday shoppers last season stated that they discovered a product or gift via social media. Also, it is estimated that social eCommerce will account for 11% of all retail eCommerce next year, which adds up to $474 million. Obviously, with numbers like these, it’s easy to see how your social channels can be lucrative. Make sure you’ve done your due diligence in regards to retargeting, keyword research and creative. If there was ever a time during the year to take extra steps with your social media strategy, it’s definitely the next 4-5 months. You also have enough time to do some testing of keywords and retargeting in August and September, before you commit your full holiday social media spend.
It’s estimated that when shoppers begin their shopping search online, only about 4% of them are actually ready to buy. And in 2019 online shopping cart abandonment was measured at almost 70%. This means that remarketing and following up on abandoned carts could become a key holiday season strategy.
Being top-of-mind is the quickest way for customers to discover you. You’ll want to run brand awareness campaigns starting as soon as possible (which can also tie into your social media strategy) and keep those ads running through Q4. Following up with these same shoppers if they leave behind full, but abandoned shopping carts is another key strategy. And you don’t necessarily have to send a discount code to entice them to finish their purchase. Sometimes, just a friendly “you forgot to check out” will net you the sale.
Last year, more than 40% of shoppers stated that they started shopping earlier for the holidays than the year before. So far, there’s been no evidence to contradict this behavior. Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) has even expanded to Cyber 5 to include Thanksgiving as one of the main holiday shopping mainstays.
Early shoppers will be looking for helpful tools like gift guides, promotional offers and personalized recommendations very soon. Start working on this content now and make sure your team is aligned on timing and goals.
On the flip side of this coin is the management of your returns process. Make sure that you have a strong and easy-to-understand returns policy and that it is well-communicated before, during and after purchase, especially if you have different policies for items purchased on sale or promotion.
A proliferation of “buy now, pay later” payment vendors have flooded the market in the past 18-24 months. If you haven’t yet partnered with one of these vendors, it might be time to do so. Even Apple Pay recently entered the mix with their Apple Pay Later functionality. It’s also been shown that having a diverse range of payment options lowers cart abandonment. Find out how feasible it would be to expand your payment options on your site.
Take a look at your big sellers for this year, as well as predictions for holiday 2021, and talk to suppliers now about stocking up on these products. Remember that supply chain issues are still plaguing the industry. Also, examine ways that you can leverage your warehouses and in-store inventories to fill orders faster even as people start shopping earlier and earlier.
You more than likely have been speaking with your suppliers throughout this unprecedented time, but it might be a good idea to spend a few extra minutes getting a feel for what they are experiencing in their day-to-day business. Having as much information and forewarning as you can will go a long way toward making you more prepared.
While death and taxes are a fact of life, so is the holiday season. Make sure you’re leveraging all of your institutional knowledge, past experiences and eCommerce expertise to prepare - maybe even over prepare - for the holidays. Follow these steps and you’ll be on the road to more eCommerce success.
Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our warehouse management software built for ecommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO of ShipHero
The definition of the prefix omni - is all, whereas the definition of multi - is many. So, how do you enhance your eCommerce business, marketing, sales and fulfillment to encompass everything, not just a lot of things? Since this is the future of eCommerce retail, it’s imperative that you and your organization figure it out.
Moving from a multichannel approach to omnichannel hinges primarily on how you think about your customers and their buying journey. Instead of selling and marketing to your customers via different channels - online, in-store, mobile - you’ll have to start thinking more globally. Let’s examine how this works.
Customers expect a unified customer experience. This means that if they visit one of your brick-and-mortar locations, they want it to look and feel like visiting your website, scrolling through your social media accounts or using your mobile app. It’s about making the experience as seamless as possible. This also ties back to buy online, pick-up in-store (BOPIS), curbside pick-up and DTC.
Target and Kohl’s are great examples of how to make omnichannel work. Both retailers have mobile apps that allow consumers to search for products in their local store or across all their stores; order directly from the app; order and pickup in store; and use their app-based wallet to keep track of all specials, coupons and payment methods. Additionally, both of these retailers leverage their in-store inventory to fulfill orders if the product is not available in the warehouse.
To the customer, this is a seamless and integrated experience. Now, you may not have the footprint of a store like Target, but your warehouses and stores can still be leveraged together to offer the consumer the best experience and make the buying journey more enjoyable.
To enhance the effectiveness of your omnichannel-centered tech, you also want to be sure you’re addressing each of the four essential keys to Omnichannel eCommerce: sales channels, marketing and advertising, operations and shipping and fulfillment.
Your operations and fulfillment processes will fall flat without a strong sales funnel powered by the right marketing and advertising plan. These are the “first four” aspects of your business that must work together to get the kind of omnichannel eCommerce results you want.
Now, to complete all of these tasks as outlined above, there is one particular tool you need - technology. And instead of just one or two pieces of tech, you’re going to need to make sure that your entire platform and its infrastructure are built to handle omnichannel eCommerce and enhance your success.
In all of the instances above, having a flexible and well-appointed infrastructure will make it much easier for you and your team to manage an omnichannel approach.
The best news about omnichannel eCommerce is that it’s not a road you have to navigate alone. Warehouse management systems, shipping and fulfillment providers, as well as customer data platforms all work together to help you build the best omnichannel strategy for your business. Find the right omnichannel partner and you’ve already taken a step further than many of your competitors.
Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our warehouse management software built for ecommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO of ShipHero
As much as you might wish to hold off discussing the holiday shopping season until the Halloween candy bowl is empty, as eCommerce retailers, you just don’t have that luxury. As evidenced by the sometimes crazy, always unpredictable season of holiday 2020, 2021 doesn’t appear to be any less wacky than its older sibling.
As an eCommerce retailer, you’ve probably struggled with this new post-pandemic norm, especially as it has seesawed between optimism (economically and otherwise) and despair. With the Delta variant inspiring statewide lockdowns once more, entering this high-volume season has come with additional questions, many that appear to already be answered.
Anxiety is only diminished by being prepared, so, let’s get prepared. Below are some of the key lessons eCommerce retailers, warehouse managers and fulfillment teams learned during 2020 and how ShipHero imagines they’ll be applied in 2021.
The proliferation of online shopping 2020 made the novelty of historical mainstays, like Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday promotions, less enticing. Last year, many shoppers couldn’t even go to a store if they wanted to; in 2021, while that option may exist, all evidence suggests that online eCommerce, across categories and industries will remain strong.
In 2020, eCommerce grew by over 32% year over year, and was up by 31% in Q1 2021, according to reporting by Digital Commerce 360. There is no evidence these numbers will be on the downswing anytime soon.
However, there is an indication that a trend that gained steam in 2020 will continue to expand in 2021, click and collect, otherwise known as buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS). The prevailing wisdom is that this allows shoppers to enjoy the instant gratification of shopping in-store without incurring the risk of contracting COVID (or standing in line, or fighting traffic or juggling a toddler, a stroller and a handful of shopping bags).
While it was hoped that the delivery delays and empty shelves that were seen in 2020 (and 2021 if we’re being honest), would be a thing of the past, facts are that these types of disruptions will continue to affect the supply chain from manufacturing to distribution to retail for quite a while. Manufacturers have been unable to increase their output back to pre-pandemic levels and even if materials are ready to ship, there have been issues finding truck drivers (a chronic issue to be sure, but put into starker relief by the rise in demand for shipped goods).
What does this really mean for eCommerce? It means that consumers will continue to push buy online pickup in store options to ensure that they can physically get the product they want in time for gift-giving or holiday entertaining.
There is no doubt that the one key takeaway from Holiday Season 2020 is that consumers will continue to consume, even if they can’t leave their homes. While the rise of eCommerce isn’t new, recent behavior indicates that a variety of shoppers, even those not typically known to shop online (i.e. older adults), have adopted the switch to eCommerce. While the most recent information shows growth for in-store sales, there is uncertainty regarding the Delta variant and how that might impact in-person sales going forward.
The moral of this story is retailers shouldn’t scrap their direct-to-consumer (DTC) fulfillment or eCommerce operations that were brought online throughout 2020. The EY Future Consumer Index released in May 2021, showed that 80% of consumers are changing the way they shop - including 43% who stated they now shop online more frequently for items they had previously purchased in-store.
As Holiday season 2021 truly takes shape we will no doubt see even more changes to how consumers shop, how eCommerce retailers meet their needs and how businesses are staying agile in order to better understand and satisfy their consumer base.
ShipHero is excited to see what this holiday season brings and how we can better help our clients weather these sometimes disruptive, oftentimes invigorating situations. We look forward to working with our current partners and clients to help make Holiday 2021 better than ever, whether through solutions, support or superpowers. We will be posting helpful tips throughout peak season HERE, so be sure to check back frequently!
Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our WMS software built for ecommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue, and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
By: Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO of ShipHero
The changes to the world economy have been many and varied since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. However, perhaps the largest change has been seen in eCommerce, where 2020 projections were blown away by a population of shoppers trapped in their homes, with little else to do except shop online.
While this surge in eCommerce has been a good thing for most businesses, perhaps the largest concern moving through the 4th quarter of 2021 is how to maintain the increase in eCommerce sales without overreacting – growth is wonderful, but with the resurgence of the Delta variant, things are a bit more uncertain than they were two months ago, and it appears that eCommerce may be due for another uptick in revenue. Which means a downturn could be on the horizon.
But how can you meet the challenge of ongoing revenue growth without expanding your business to the point that you cannot sustain it when the eventual lull comes? While this has always been a concern for retailers, virtual or not, maybe there’s a better way to manage these ebbs and flows. Let’s examine five ways you can grow your online business and revenue through efficiency and optimization, instead of expansion that often hits your bottom line.
More than likely, your current advertising platforms allow you to remarket without too much additional effort. Google and Facebook make it surprisingly easy to use these features and it can greatly impact your revenue stream. Also, never underestimate the allure of an abandoned cart. Remarketing to folks who have taken the extra step to “add to cart” is an easy way to make some sales.
By implementing some or all of the steps above, you’ll have a better chance of maintaining balance throughout this unprecedented time. And you’ll be poised for future success. It is predicted that eCommerce sales will account for 1 out of every 4 retails sales by 2025. At the height of the pandemic, it was estimated that 3 out of every 10 sales were transacted online.
While experts are not predicting that we will return to such a high number in the next year or so, it is important to realize that higher eCommerce volumes are here to stay and learning how to manage the highs and lows now will better prepare you for success in the future.
ShipHero’s Warehouse Management Software is a complete system that allows you to manage inventory, connect directly to all of your third-party selling channels and provides you with better pick and pack capabilities to reduce errors. ShipHero also has:
If you’re looking for the easiest and most efficient way to grow your eCommerce business, even in uncertain times, we invite you to take advantage of all ShipHero has to offer. You can find a way to stay steady even as the business landscape changes, and often the easiest way to do that is to lean on your partners with superpowers.
Schedule a meeting today with our experts to learn more about our WMS software built for ecommerce brands & 3PLs looking to run their best warehouse and how ShipHero works to ensure that organizations invest in the solutions that match their needs, to improve productivity, revenue, and success.
Click HERE to Schedule a Meeting Today
Aaron Rubin, Founder & CEO
ShipHero
About the author: Aaron Rubin is the Founder & CEO of ShipHero. He is responsible for planning and executing the overall vision and strategy of the organization. Rubin’s greatest strengths are leadership, change management, strategic planning and a passion for progression. He is known for having his finger on the pulse of ShipHero’s major initiatives, his entrepreneurial spirit, and keen business acumen. His leadership of ShipHero is grounded in providing excellent customer service that drives improved business operations. His passion for ShipHero comes from the culture and his ability to have an impact on the lives of employees, customers, partners, and investors.
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