Despite heavy reliance on the internet and electronic communications, today’s businesses must ship items, documents, and products on a regular basis. Saving money on mailing and shipping supplies isn’t easy when there are so many different types of packages that head out of the office each day or week. Without proper planning, however, paying too much for shipping is very possible, which is bad news when most companies today are on tight budgets for overhead expenditures like shipping.

One of the easiest ways to pay too much for shipping is to use too much padding and excessive wrapping. Not only will the extra wrapping or padding cost more, but the weight of the shipment could also increase. Establishing standard packing techniques that use the same amount of mailing and shipping supplies each time a box or package is sent out saves money.

It’s also essential to remember that using less packaging than is needed may also be a costly mistake because of the likelihood that a poorly packaged item could arrive at its destination in pieces, costing the company money to replace it.

Another way to simplify and shipping and lower costs is to reduce the different number of shipping and supply vendors. Although comparison shopping may reduce costs, logistics are easier when there is a single shipper at work and all the supplies come from a single source. Obtaining discounts and price reductions with volume purchasing is even more rewarding when less time (and costly man-hours) must be spent in the shipping process.

Additionally, smart shipping habits benefit a company because of the satisfied customers who enjoy appropriate shipping rates. For companies that deal with shipments sent directly to customers (or anyone paying for the product), a high shipping charge may scare away potential buyers. Instead of taking a financial hit on the cost of the shipment by lowering shipping costs, ensure smart shipping techniques to lower the actual cost of doing business.

Low shipping costs may also create opportunities for a company to create shipping discounts, which is a wonderful incentive to buy. Offering free shipping or reduced shipping prices is a costly endeavor if the shipping process is inefficient and costs more than it should.

Ensure the lowest cost for mailing and shipping supplies as well as the mailing process by handling shipments the same way every time. Uniformity in shipping ensures the process is fast as well as cost-effective.