The speed with which e-commerce is turning small and startup businesses into global companies is exciting. While some companies flourish with the fast growth, others struggle and are not able to move quick enough to stay afloat. In Canada – where 60% of the population purchases from American websites – improving shipping strategies creates ample opportunity for U.S. businesses to gain Canadian customers. Since Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas are inching closer by the minute, you can be sure that Canadian consumers will be taking advantage of the great product offerings and sales U.S. e-commerce companies have to offer; this is why it is extremely vital to implement a thorough shipping strategy.
When managing an e-commerce business and trying to attract Canadian customers, ask yourself if your company has a well-rounded logistics plan. If not, be sure to connect with a cross-border logistics partner that has expertise with shipping to, from, and within Canada. For U.S. e-commerce businesses, some of the biggest challenges relate to Canada’s regulatory guidelines, shipping costs (sometimes more than 3 times higher than in the U.S.), and customs clearance associated with the customer’s location. As reported by Forrester Research, Canadians often get scared away by expensive shipping costs, proving why low shipping rates are advantageous. By working with a logistics partner in Canada, your business will be able to offer a reliable, fast, and low-cost shipping solution that encompasses customs clearance and regulatory compliance without surprise fees or headaches for your customers.
This type of shipping solution will be a key differentiator between you and your competitors. Businesses selling in Canada that fail to consider international shipping challenges may see limited success because they have underestimated, shipping costs, taxes, brokerage fees, duties, and regulatory requirements. But with the help of a third-party logistics company specializing in cross-border shipments that can manage shipping and border challenges, you can seamlessly ship to Canadian customers. Depending on the number of SKUs you have and the amount of Canadian orders you estimate, the logistics company can do one of two things: they can either transport goods from your U.S. fulfillment center and deliver them to your Canadian customers on a daily basis using their consolidated shipping service, or they can store your products in their Canadian warehouse and ship items as orders are placed. With in-country fulfillment which allows for domestic shipping, your business will be able to reach customers faster and often at far lower shipping costs.
No matter which option works best for your business, both will eliminate the challenges of getting products cleared through customs and will help you get the items shipped at a reasonable price. In the end, a third-party cross–border logistics partner helps eliminate the barriers to doing business in Canada so your business can grow international operations and increase sales without the struggle of also having to manage transportation and delivery to Canada and within Canada.
As the holidays approach and e-commerce sales are projected to increase, it is extremely vital for you to have a fulfillment center with expertise in cross-border logistics that is able to deliver all of your orders quickly and without any additional costs. Throughout the life of your e-commerce business, shipping strategies will be one of the biggest components to maintain customer happiness and loyalty.
Steven Page is the Founder and President of Stalco, a gateway to the Canadian market. Since 1994 Stalco has been assisting U.S. companies with all of their Canadian logistics needs. In addition, Stalco provides cross-border logistics services to Canadian companies shipping to the U.S. To learn more visit www.Stalco.ca or you can email Steven at [email protected].
