Category: Logistics

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E-commerce Logistics

Same and Next Day Delivery: Get Your Stuff Sooner, Not Later!

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 29 March 2023
No Comments on Same and Next Day Delivery: Get Your Stuff Sooner, Not Later!

Same and Next Day Delivery: Get Your Stuff Sooner, Not Later!

‘Alexa, tell me which store will deliver me a necklace the quickest’.

Have you found yourself Alexa-ing this? We have, on multiple occasions.

Quick deliveries is the need of the hour because it’s not possible to wait for the parcels for too long, especially when one can go and get the products from a brick-and-mortar store.

Also, it’s such a task to keep checking apps and emails for constant updates regarding when your product will be delivered.

No one deserves to go through that pain and hence the Iron Man of the business world invented same-day and next-day delivery.

Oh don’t be confused now. You would have seen that one of the benefits of Amazon Prime is same-day delivery.

Have you wondered why they introduced that model? How will same-day delivery make your life easier? If yes, then welcome aboard.

In this blog, we’ll tell you all about the advantages of same-day and next-day delivery services and make sure you get it right away for your business!

Business Darwinism in Same and Next Day Delivery

Charles Darwin was a little too real when he said ‘survival of the fittest’. And this theory is relevant not just in biology, but in business and marketing as well.

There’s no denying that you are doing the best for your business.

However, there’s no harm in upgrading your strategies, and same-day and next-day delivery provide that cutting edge over other businesses for your products.

In 2019, more than 51% of the retailers already offer same-day delivery services, and the numbers have already grown since then, with the lockdown pushing the popularity of deliveries.

But you would be wondering what Darwin Boss has to do with this, right? It’s quite simple: a business that adapts well to the environment it’s situated in, has a better chance of survival.

Apart from marketing strategies, product upgradation, etc., your business needs to know what the customers want.

And right now, they are screaming “GIVE US OUR DELIVERIES NOW!”. Uh-uhm, sorry for shouting back there.

Business isn’t about ‘I am Iron Man’. It’s more about a friendly neighborhood strategy, i.e., adapting according to what the environment and situation needs.

You don’t need to take on a hard strategy and restrict competition against your competitors, but you can surely do your bit to ensure that your strategies make sure that the competitors don’t trample upon you.

Oh staph with your compliments on our wise words, you’re making us blush.

But jokes aside, there’s good enough reason for you to hang on to the bandwagon of same-day and next-day delivery services. And we’ll make you realize that in a flash!

How Can Same and Next Day Delivery Level Up Your Business?

You would have gathered so far that being in sync with market trends is extremely important for businesses.

Same-day and next-day deliveries are knocking on your door! Customers are quick to move to another firm if your business doesn’t meet their needs and trust us, you don’t want that.

Make way as we tell you how same-day and next-day delivery will level up your business without batting an eye!

1. Higher level of customer satisfaction

Customer service is the first and foremost service that any business should provide to its customers.

No one likes to stand 24/7, for 5 days, near a window awaiting a parcel.

Hence, when consumers see that the product will be delivered tomorrow, they’ll do everything in their means to get the best out of it.

Same-day and next-day delivery for customers is a good option not only because of time-constrained products but also for other products that can be shelved.

Customers are likely to purchase a product simply because of a good consumer service experience and you can make them your regulars by offering them THE BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE EVER!

As soon as they can place purchases or pick up returns the same or the next day, the customer’s satisfaction will be maximized.

2. Lower inventory costs

Let’s talk about a relationship. If you offer same-day or next-day services, customers are likely to order more of your products, frequently.

Due to frequent orders, you’ll have to parcel products more than before, and the need for restock will increase.

Companies that utilize the delivery option of same-day and next-day shipping services are likely to be able to store fewer daily inventories.

Simply because there will be frequent restocking of your products, as goods will enter and exit the warehouse quickly, enhancing the efficiency of the stock process.

With this service, you’ll need simple design systems for sorting through automation as well and you’ll incur lower expenditures! Now, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

3. Less delay risk

Longer business days mean that your delivery might get delayed due to supply blocks, and other factors.

However, due to advanced technologies, and real-time tracking, same-day and next-day logistics prevent high delay risks.

The fact that there are more warehouses in one city, and there’s high availability of the product at the warehouses, making deliveries promptly is very possible.

And guess what, your delay risk will also reduce and hence you won’t leave customers waiting at their doors.

Furthermore, as the product is available at the warehouse, you wouldn’t involve any local vendor to deliver the product.

So good you’ll get to keep that extra profits with you by reducing the cost.

4. Building a trustworthy relationship

For the success of a company, happy customers are the most important!

This is in line with the principle of customer satisfaction, except a trustworthy relationship would equal recurring sales.

The same-day and next-day delivery services paint a layer of dependability and professionalism between businesses and customers.

Customers want a simple life. They do not wish to experiment too much (unlike some of our adventurers) once they find a suitable match in business.

So, when your customers will realize that you are the boss of efficiency in express deliveries, they’ll make sure to throw flowers at your altar a.k.a give you more orders.

Furthermore, they’ll recommend your courier services to other consumers as well, letting you welcome more clients.

Like, look at how far our relationship has come with our customers 😉

5. Higher conversion rates

Now, business isn’t just about making products and advertising them. It’s also about getting a good amount of customers for your products. Hello to more coffee!

Consumers in general wouldn’t shy away from spending money on businesses that deliver products in less than 24 hours.

One is even likely to shift between similar platforms to see which business offers them a quicker delivery. Advertising yourself will only get you so far.

It will introduce your brand to customers and make them curious.

But with an advertisement, there should be an exceptional service or product you offer so that customers actually stay with you and not just know about your products.

One edge of going to a brick-and-mortar store for shopping is that it delivers products to the customers right there and then.

When customers are dealing with services they cannot immediately access or see, they are a bit hesitant. And that’s where same-day and next-day delivery will step in!

So, next time they Google express delivery options, they’re likely to stumble upon your courier services. How cute that conversion is.

6. Maintain a competitive edge

Survival of the fittest is all about having a competitive edge over the others in a market.

Most businesses know about the benefits and ease of same-day and next-day delivery, thanks to e-commerce giants like Amazon.

So, your business needs to ensure that it is providing the basics to the customers – the fastest delivery possible.

Just this one service will get you so many more customers, you have no idea. Trust us, we don’t believe in supporting a lost cause.

We believe in doing what is right and necessary based on the market environment and consumer demand and right now they just want quick deliveries.

You can confirm this by putting yourself in the shoes of a customer as well. Why would you choose to wait forever for your delivery if it’s coming WITHIN A DAY?

But the principles of same-day and next-day delivery have much more impact. Wondering what we are talking about? Let’s take a peek, shall we?

Skip the Wait: Why Fast Delivery is the Key

When you’ll start the services of same-day and next-day deliveries, your customers will be more attracted to them and start purchasing from your competitors.

They’ll communicate their experiences to your potential customers. Cue Channa Mereya as your customers start leaving other firms for better service.

Customers always choose better services over mediocre services, because why not.

And hence, there’s no harm in being proactive about your business strategies and focus a little more on customer needs. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

If you made it till here, great! Now you need to sit down and start a cost-benefit analysis of same-day and next-day delivery services.

This way you’ll get a better idea of what we are talking about. So what are you waiting for?

Tags How Can Same and Next Day Delivery Level Up Your Business?, Why opt for Same and Next Day Delivery?

E-commerce Logistics

Celebrating Six Years of iThink Logistics

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 9 March 2023
No Comments on Celebrating Six Years of iThink Logistics

Do you know that feeling you get when you pursue something you are genuinely passionate about?

It’s like basking in the sun during spring, the joy and warmth you feel when you realize your actions made a difference.

We at iThink Logistics have been working with one mission: to provide shipping solutions and provide our customers with the shipments they have been longing so much to deliver.

But damn, we can’t believe it’s already 6 years of solving your problems 😉

This anniversary is a special occasion for us because it is pinching us to accept the reality – of our growth and success. Let’s take a moment of reflection, shall we?

Reflecting on the journey

“Main udna chahta hun, daudna chahta hun. Girna bhi chahta hun. Bas, rukna nahi chahta”. This suits iThink’s journey in the best possible way!

Nikul completed his engineering at 25 years of age and he knew this wasn’t for him. Instead, he chose to go ahead with Paresh, to make something of himself. Bye bye pocket money 😉

However, aren’t you curious about the road ahead? Let’s take a peek!

Paresh had the ambition and capability to chase his dreams – of having a high-class business model of transportation logistics.

Just like Kabir, Paresh went ahead to chase his dreams in Surat and with small successes, asked Vipul to join him in the journey, by becoming partners.

Two other friends joined them, and wished we could say ‘rest is history’.

The real struggle began when they started with the groundwork – sales, operations, finding sellers, etc.

While on the field, they saw that there’s a market for small packages regarding e-commerce shipments, and realized the existence of second-order shipments which require a tech interface.

No one beats us there! And yes, the rest is HISTORY!

Two quotes never go wrong: a) friends are for life, and b) anything is possible with enough dedication and innovation.

We all sat together post-Diwali in 2017, with just sandwiches, and started talking about the ‘nerdy business’ stuff to begin our journey!

Celebrating Where We Are Today

It’s not just out of politeness when we say our progress is sheer out of commitment.

There’s no way we would have been able to do what we did if it wasn’t because of our dedication and patience.

iThink will never forget celebrating its Milestones. They are just a little too precious for us. However, the biggest ones so far were:

A seller gave us 1000 orders in a single day. Yes, 1000 ORDERS. That was one of our proudest moments.
This is worthy of a drumroll celebration, but iThink broke the record of 10,000 shipments. Big numbers, big profitability.
During 2018-19, we were doing brilliantly in Surat; almost every seller was using iThink for shipments. Kudos to Zaiba Sarang. It’s such an honor to have you with us.

Of course, we believe in Surf Excel’s tagline – Daag acche hai, because bro same.

There’s no success without failure and good for us we realized it early on. In the beginning, when we were newbies trying to figure out the workings,we were met with a fraud and this led to a huge loss.

Fortunate for us to solve this issue because otherwise, you would be reading out the obituary right now.

Celebrating Crucial part of success

Now, how can we forget the people who led us to this achievement?

That includes you. Yes, you, our office members, and sellers. You all believed in our motive, and our mission, and supported us to reach where we are today.

To be very frank, iThink wouldn’t have functioned the way it has for so long if we didn’t have these amazing hoomans ensuring that all the work was finished.

With utmost efficiency. The stability of an organization comes first and foremost from the people who are helping to run it, and you all managed that with utmost perfectionism.

Oh, and where to start with our sellers? Simple though, how can a business function without customers, you all went above and beyond being just sellers.

You trusted us in our lows and highs and believed when we said we want your best.

Even if your excuse to support us is high customer satisfaction, timely deliveries, and a good interface (legends will know how difficult this is), our gratitude for you will never be enough!

Our Future Plans

If you have been with iThink for long enough, you would know how seriously the commemoration of creativity happens here.

I mean, we left our respective fields to pursue the legacy of shipments.

But right now, our biggest plan worthy of celebrating is to launch an IPO for iThink and develop a mirror glass building for the same. Fancy stuff is on its way!

Now, we can’t disclose our new products here. We don’t want to be the Tom Holland who is shut up every time he opens his mouth during an interview.

This is a classic example of a spoiler hazard lmao. Remembrance and addition are two things we are marching forward with and hopefully, that is enough.

To Conclude..

Oh don’t flatter us, we know we are witty and amazing.

It just so happens that the excitement of completing six years of this journey and celebrating it with you all is just exacerbating it. You see, we are all fancy now 😉

No, but it’s either this or tears, and we prefer being witty thank you very much.

But truly, we express our gratitude to everyone who has worked with us, through successes and failures, to reach where we are today.

These milestones are special to us and we hope to make more of them as we move along!

Of course, there is a lot of exciting stuff you should mark your calendars for because we cannot possibly leave you without new tech, right?

So hold on as you will be seeing in the coming weeks a – oops, this is a spoiler-free space! All we can say is, IT’S GOING TO BE SUPER EXCITING!

Tags celebrating company anniversary, celebrating journey of business, celebrating six years of success

E-commerce Logistics

The rise of same-day and next-day delivery

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 1 March 2023
No Comments on The rise of same-day and next-day delivery

Ping, your order has arrived!

Don’t you like to read this notification whenever you place an order?

According to 43% of consumers, their post-delivery satisfaction is heavily influenced by purchases that are delivered on time.

And it’s like a cherry on top of a cake if it takes even less time!

Same-day and next-day delivery options are likely to make customers look out the window a lesser number of times because they know you’ll arrive on time.

These speedy deliveries and better supply chain facilities have changed the shipping landscape a lot.

Consumers appreciate quick shipping a lot, and today we are here to convince you why you should dab your hand in these urban delivery options.

So without further ado, let’s weigh its pros and cons!

What is same-day delivery?

Oh, it’s not anything complicated. It’s just like the term ‘same-day’. Same-day shipping is the delivery of products within the same day you ordered them.

Let’s say you ordered a product right now. You’ll likely get the product delivered within 24 hours after purchasing them.

Same-day delivery combines the convenience of online shopping with the quickness of brick-and-mortar stores.

It’s one of the quickest delivery times that any business can offer. For example, Amazon Prime offers the option of same-day delivery to its customers. Isn’t it super convenient?

What is next-day delivery?

On the other hand, next-day delivery is the delivery of goods the day after you placed an order.

It’s also known as 24-hour delivery and ensures that the product is on your doorstep within a day.

Offered in opposition to the standard 2 to 5-day service, brands follow the motto of ‘ordered today, delivered tomorrow’.

If you are an Amazon Prime user, you would know one of the benefits of the membership is fast delivery.

However, same-day delivery is usually available only in large urban centers, unless the company is big enough to open multiple warehouses.

Also, unlike same-day delivery, next day delivery doesn’t have multiple cut-off times.

But even if the same-day and next-day delivery options are convenient from the consumer end, are they viable from the producer end?

Let’s try to better understand the challenges and benefits of these shipment options.

Challenges of same-day and next-day delivery in India

As much as the delivery options of same-day and next-day shipping are appealing to consumers, companies offering same-day delivery have to overcome many hurdles to ensure efficiency.

The delivery time is so minimal, that it increases the likelihood of any mishaps happening on the logistics end.

Almost 45% of the consumers expect a maximum delivery window of 2 days and are likely to abandon shopping carts if the fulfillment is not fast enough.

Online shops that are unable to offer this service are likely to find lesser consumers being attracted to their shipment services.

However, as mentioned before, an e-commerce platform will have to overcome many challenges to make this possible. These include:

Distant location of e-commerce warehouses
Costly return policy
Higher costs than standard 3-5 business days delivery
High operational costs
Time-consuming order processing
Improper and unsafe packaging
Inefficiency in last-mile delivery

Sounds like a hassle, doesn’t it? But if you look at it closely, you’ll realize that most of the challenges come from the management of urgent delivery.

We are pretty sure you’ll get a hang of it with time. So, let’s look at some of the benefits of same-day and next-day delivery.

6 Benefits of same and next day delivery

Usually, customers get discouraged whenever you ask them to pay extra for any service. But when it comes to need-based deliveries, they are quick to respond with affirmative.

As a firm set in a competitive market of various online shops and courier companies, you should make a provision for same-day and next-day delivery for the reasons mentioned below.

1. Higher level of customer satisfaction

Did you know that 74% of customers are likely to purchase a product simply because of a good consumer service experience?

A lot of products have a time frame within which they can be delivered, and enabling that option for the consumers to avail is likely to increase customer satisfaction.

2. Lower inventory costs

Courier companies that utilize the delivery option of same-day shipping service, are likely to be able to store fewer daily inventories.

In simpler words, as goods enter and exit the warehouse quickly, it enhances the efficiency of the stock process and will need simple design systems for sorting through automation. Your benefit? Incurring lower expenditures!

3. Less delay risk

Due to advanced technologies, and real-time tracking, same-day logistics prevents high delay risks.

This is due to the availability of the product at the warehouse, making next-day delivery prompt and reducing delay risk.

Furthermore, as the product is available at the warehouse, you wouldn’t involve any local vendor to deliver the product. This will significantly reduce your cost as well.

4. Building a trustworthy relationship

Successful company = happy customers. This simple principle of equality will be known to all the e-commerce and brick-and-mortar businesses out there.

The day delivery services of same and next-day shipping just paint a layer of dependability and professionalism.

Once your customers know how efficient you are at these express deliveries, they are sure to recommend your courier services to other consumers!

5. Higher conversion rates

Who wouldn’t want to avail of courier services that deliver products in less than 24 hours? Everyone is out there looking for quick delivery options.

Customers are usually in a hurry to order a product and don’t want to waste their time going to a brick-and-mortar store for shopping.

So, next time they Google express delivery options, they’re likely to stumble upon your courier services. How cute that conversion is.

6. Maintain a competitive edge

E-commerce businesses are recognizing the benefits of same-day courier and on-demand shipping.

Hence, your business must provide the basics, if not more to maintain a competitive edge over other businesses in your vicinity.

Conclusion

Did we manage to convince you? We hope so.

Same-day and next-day delivery shipping services are likely to keep on increasing in the next few years.

It is predicted that 99% of retailers will offer these shipping services within the next three years.

Not to mention how fast delivery is used as a strategic necessity for every company to hold its market share.

So, don’t wait further and start working on the e-commerce logistics behind these shipment services, and voila. More consumers will come to you to make purchases!

E-commerce Logistics

What is De Minimis?

Were you looking de minimis meaning, or did you just stumbled upon us? Either way, you’ll get the answer to what you were looking for.

If you are planning to cater to an international audience, you’ll be introduced to a complex world of excessive customs and tax clearance.

For those who are confused, de minimis value is a term very prevalent when you are hustling with international shipping.

Let’s go ahead and try to understand the de minimis threshold and why it’s necessary for your business.

According to the WTO definition, the de minimis rule refers to the minimal amounts of domestic support that are allowed even though they distort trade.

The de minimis meaning refers to something too minor to be considered legally significant. In tax law, the de minimis meaning often applies to exemptions for small transactions or values that do not warrant taxation.

It is capped at 5% of the value of production for developed countries and 10% for developing countries.

Complex? Well, in simple terms de minimis threshold gives the maximum value up to which no import duties or taxes can be collected from the sellers.

So, if your goods are valued below these specified values, then they can enter that country duty-free. Won’t that be helpful?

De minimis comes from the Latin phrase ‘de minimis non-curat lex’ which, in its absolute sense, means that ‘the law doesn’t care about trifling things’ (nontaxation of such trifling things >> everything else).

The de minimis principle is a legal concept used in various fields, including law, finance, and international trade, to describe matters that are too small or trivial to warrant legal action.

This article explores what de minimis means, the de minimis principle, its provisions, and how it applies in trade through de minimis shipments.

At its core, de minimis refers to something that is so minor it does not warrant consideration. For example, in legal disputes, a case might be dismissed under the de minimis rule if the matter in question is deemed too trivial for the court to address. Similarly, in tax and trade law, de minimis provisions are used to set thresholds below which certain obligations, such as taxes or duties, are not applied. Understanding what is de minimis is crucial for professionals in fields where small amounts or minimal infractions can impact legal or financial outcomes.

Defining the Principle

The de minimis principle sets a threshold for legal or regulatory action based on the idea that not all infractions or small quantities should be treated with the same severity as larger ones. For instance, in international trade, the de minimis principle allows shipments valued below a certain threshold to enter a country without being subject to customs duties or taxes. This threshold, also known as the de minimis provision, helps streamline trade by reducing administrative burdens on low-value shipments. It’s essential to define de minimis in various contexts, as it can apply to taxes, contracts, and compliance regulations.

What is the Current De Minimis Limit?

The de minimis limit refers to the maximum value that a good or transaction can have before it becomes subject to duties, taxes, or other regulatory measures. For example, in the U.S., de minimis shipments valued at $800 or less are exempt from import duties, according to the current de minimis limit. This provision helps facilitate the smooth flow of low-value goods across borders, benefiting both consumers and businesses. Knowing what the current de minimis limit is can be critical for businesses engaged in international trade, as this limit can vary by country.

Provision in Trade and Taxation

A de minimis provision is often embedded in trade agreements and tax codes to avoid administrative complications over small, insignificant amounts. In trade, de minimis shipments are those that fall below a set value, allowing them to pass through customs without the need for duties or excessive paperwork. These de minimis provisions help businesses by lowering costs and simplifying import/export processes. In taxation, the de minimis provision might apply to minimal amounts of income or capital gains, reducing the burden of reporting and compliance.

The Importance of De Minimis Shipments in Global Trade

De minimis shipments play a significant role in global commerce, particularly in e-commerce, where many transactions involve small, low-value items. By exempting these shipments from duties or taxes under de minimis provisions, countries can encourage international trade and reduce the regulatory burden on businesses. However, it is crucial for businesses to be aware of what is de minimis in the context of the countries they trade with, as the de minimis limit can vary significantly.

Country wise values

Like other trade regulations, the de minimis level also differs from country to country. When you are deciding on prices for your products, make sure to look at shipping costs, clearance costs, and other costs.

According to the Global Express Association report dated November 2021, the de minimis for the USA is 800 USD, an export-friendly approach for other countries.

Another such country with high value is Bahrain with 790 USD, Australia with 750 USD, and New Zealand with 706 USD.

Other values that you should keep in mind include that of India at 4 USD, South Korea at 150 USD, Japan at 88 USD, and Singapore at 298 USD.

Also, keep in mind that the EU abolished VAT de minimis of 22 Euro earlier as of 1 July 2021.

An important clause to pay attention to when you are searching for the de minimis threshold is that the countries have some specific remarks for which products are eligible for the de minimis threshold.

It may seem like a lot of work, but you get used to it with time.

Disclaimer: Please note that the values provided below are subject to change by the federal authorities at any time. iThink Logistics cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or decisions made based on the information listed

[table id=14 datatables_scrolly=400px /]

But you would be rightfully wondering how it affects you, aren’t you? Knowing the level will help you estimate the landed cost which you can further communicate to your buyers.

There are other benefits as well! Read on to find them out.

How Does De Minimis Affect Your Business?

Your customers pay for the selling price, handling charge, freight, insurance, duty (if applicable), sales tax, and cost of return freight (unless you agree to cover a portion of it).

Due to this, and other trade restrictions, many customers might feel discouraged to buy products from you.

Trust us, the de minimis level can assist you advantageously if you are looking towards entering international business.

You need to understand different barriers that might restrict your shipments and similarly strategize your selling strategies.

You would know how B2C businesses usually value lower than B2B businesses! So, when you are shipping with us, a large percentage of your shipments will clear duty and tax-free to specific countries, giving you a significant margin for your profits.

Furthermore, the rule provides faster clearance to businesses and increases the opportunity to sell into markets competitively.

According to a worldwide survey, 56% of surveyed individuals mentioned that they would buy more if the duties are eliminated or reduced.

Next time you are thinking about setting up warehouses and operations to expand your business internationally, look at the various exemptions and ease of business they provide.

Not only will there be a significant reduction in your costs, but you’ll be able to provide better customer service to your buyers!

Tags how de minimis affect your business?, what are deminimis rate?, what is de minimis?

E-commerce Logistics

10 Things to Remember When Shipping Internationally

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 8 February 2023
No Comments on 10 Things to Remember When Shipping Internationally

The internet is also known as the world wide web where an online or e-commerce store connects you as a seller to the whole world of customers.

And today’s advancements actually make it possible for your e-commerce business to tap into this world’s every corner, country, and citizen. Thanks to international shipping.

International shipment is the magic key to take your income as an e-commerce website owner from millions to billions! In 2022, it was estimated that global e-commerce sales would reach $5.7 trillion!

And by expanding your periphery of delivering goods, you can use the power of international shipments to boom your business.

However, there are quite a few things to keep in mind before you take the radius of your business from domestic to international.

1. Country-specific Restrictions

The earth is home to 195 countries, all of which have different rules, regulations, and lists of banned products.

For example, international travelers are not allowed to bring nicotine-related products in Indian borders.

Even with a great deal at duty-free, Indian customs will simply detain the product. In the same way, it is best to check if the products listed on your website are allowed in the countries you wish to ship to before taking any steps.

2. Custom Clearance & Import Duty

With global ambitions also come global fees. And while open economy countries have made it simpler to allow foreign products in their market, import duty or additional taxes are implied on the products depending on their type and value.

Therefore, it is best to consider showing country-specific pricing of your products to the customers based on their geo-location. A product considered reasonable in India will be priced on the higher end in the USA owing to its duty.

Giving international customers a clear picture is crucial. In fact, you can also have your site ask the user to choose their location and accordingly show them your marketplace.

3. Shipping Mediums & Charges

International shipping can be done by a variety of options. Each shipping medium can be considered depending on your product and conveyed delivery time.

Different shipping processes include air freight, cargo, rail transport, and truck deliveries for countries sharing land connections. While it is a given to bubble wrap your products with care, the nature of the product will determine the favourable shipping medium.

Air freight is the fastest but the most expensive choice in most cases. Cargo involves weeks to months of sea travel making it a reasonable choice but with a long waiting period.

For eg: Products like decor and clothes can endure long hours of travel owing to their non-perishable nature which opens up the possibility of slow and cheaper cargo transport.

4. Verification of Customer Addresses

When shipping domestically, unclear addresses can be traced by asking people and even the customer themself can be contacted easily.

However, when shipping internationally, multiple language barriers and different time zones may not be able to connect you to your customer easily. Even by choosing a local delivery partner in that country, the complication can still remain.

Worst of all, the fear of being scammed is pertinent because you’re practically halfway across the globe.

Especially in terms of high-value items like antiques or designer dresses, it is best to get the address of the foreign customer verified. A local agency can also be hired for the same.

5. Transit Time

As stated earlier, air transport is the by far the fastest shipping medium. And cargo is the most reasonable one, especially when shipping to a different continent.

In a lot of countries, trucks with goods can run only within certain hours and at restricted speeds leading to a longer shipping time.

All of these facts have to be considered so that the customer doesn’t get impatient or is told beforehand about the long waiting period.

One must also keep a buffer time for delays owing to changing weather and natural calamities that will further push the delivery date.

6. Cost & Calculation of Returns

Your commercial invoice can take a big hit in case of a return after international shipping charges have already been incurred by you.

In terms of high-value products, sellers tend to adjust the cost of international shipping internally while in other cases buyers have to pay for it.

However, a return request due to a damaged product, wrong delivery, or late delivery times is likely to cost you a lot of unnecessary money and headaches.

Therefore it’s best to thoroughly vet the customer address and find a trusted third-party logistics player in the market. One must also check in what areas of the country is the customer ordering from.

In the case of remote areas, it may be difficult and expensive to deliver. However, places closer to the port or with a cargo airport make it fairly easier to deliver.

7. Packaging

Bubble wrap is the most common packaging material used. However, the nature of the product is, the duration of the transit, the size, and the international packaging rules and regulations determine the packaging you should opt for.

For eg, paper boxes may not survive the heat generated within cargo containers for months at sea. Products that leak or spill require extra layers of packaging.

It is mandatory to check what packaging is accepted by the country you are shipping to for smooth customs clearance.

8. Nature of the product – perishable/high value/fragile

As stated earlier, the nature of the product determines its journey to the customer abroad.

Transporting live plants and animals requires extensive care and more staff throughout the journey.

Transporting perishable commodities like milk require cold storage transit facilities. Moreover, perishable commodities demand a shorter transit time owing to their closer expiration dates.

9. Insurance

Insurance is the financial safety net that can save an e-commerce retailer’s profits when the products are detained by customs indefinitely or stuck in a warehouse abroad or damaged in transit.

The possibility of a natural calamity or accident is high when shipping internationally. Sudden weather changes, turbulence, storms, etc may damage the products.

There is also the possibility of the product reaching in a damaged state to the customer. In such situations, you can refund your customer and keep their loyalty while also covering your loss through insurance. Ensure that your insurance covers worldwide damage.

10. The ultimate question: Is this still profitable for me?

After calculating the cost of international shipping, customs fee, umpteen paperwork, packaging, insurance, and above all, marketing, check the impact on your profit margin.

It is important to ask yourself whether you are selling a high-value product that is giving you a profit with each unit sold or if you need to sell many products to gain a profit cumulatively.

So, to answer the question – Is this even worth it?

YES. In a world of 8 billion people, your business can reach a new destination every day.

Tags how beneficial is international shipping?, what are important things in international shipping?, what is international shipping?

E-commerce Logistics

What Products are Banned and Restricted in International Shipping?

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 25 January 2023
No Comments on What Products are Banned and Restricted in International Shipping?

For any home-grown business, international shipping is a big step! It means that your product has a market somewhere on the other side of the globe too, and customers are willing to wait for your goods to reach them instead of popping over to the nearest mall or store.

If that is you, congratulations you are in order! Now comes the next big step: learning international shipping. That’s where we can help you.

In this article, we will help you understand what international shipping is, and learn what banned and restricted products are in international shipping, so there are no hassles when you ship off your first order to the other side of the globe.

International shipping is the import and export of products between nations using the sea, air, or land. Moving freight across borders has numerous rules and regulations.

Each country also has a different set of laws, some countries are lenient about some commodities while others are stricter, and they either completely forbid the import or export of certain goods, or have levied tariffs on the goods.

So what exactly happens in customs clearance? Packages are scanned when they leave the home country, and once when they reach the destination country.

The customs forms must be filled out so personnel know exactly what’s in your package, and invoices also need to be in order.

If the package contents are dangerous or banned by the destination country, they are held back. Sometimes problematic packages are opened and checked, and we don’t want any hiccups, as our products reach the customer, do we?

Now that we know the basics about international shipping, let’s look at what banned and restricted products are, so you know what to look out for when shipping!

What are Banned Products?

Banned or prohibited products are goods that will not be shipped under any circumstances. Some items are considered offensive, hazardous, or too dangerous to be shipped.

Read on for a detailed list of banned products, do note that different countries have different laws, so these may differ from country to country.

List of banned products

· Any live or dead animals- animals live or dead are not allowed to be shipped.

· Hunting animal trophies- parts of animals are also not allowed to be shipped, like a shark fin, ivory, animal remains, or animal products not intended for consumption like wild animal leather, fur or hide apparel, bags, etc

· Perishable food products including but not limited to meat, milk, etc without certification

· Human remains of any form including but not limited to fetal remains, body parts, embryos or ashes are prohibited

· Gold, silver, titanium, or any other precious metals and even precious and semi-precious gems are prohibited

· Cash- traveller’s checks, bank bills/ notes/ legal tender

· Firearms, ammunition, law enforcement/ defence equipment, weapons including shields, handcuffs, armour, helmets, gun parts/ accessories, maces, stun guns, explosives/ explosive devices including but not limited to common fireworks are prohibited.

· Drugs and narcotics- marijuana, and any other psychotropic materials either prescription or non-prescription

· Hazardous waste, flammable liquids/ solids, oxidizing materials, toxic substances including pesticides, rat poisons and radioactive materials, corrosive cleaning fluids

· Vapes to or from the US

· Electronics like non-IMEI phones, goods that have batteries, and other electronics that need licenses to export such as radar, sonars, telecom equipment

· Postage stamps

· Gambling items like lottery tickets and slot machines

· Goods that have compressed air like shock absorbers, airbags

· Antiques like statues, sculptures and other such artwork

· Lighters containing fuel

· Plant seeds, soil samples

· Imitation jewellery without an appraiser certificate or any counterfeit goods/ fake items

· Unidentified or insufficiently marketed fluids, powders etc

· Dry ice, magnetized material, especially in the United States

· Any items mentioned by the Export Control of India, and import restrictions of the destination countries.

Now that we know what banned products are, let us look at restricted products.

What are Restricted Products?

Restricted items are goods that are allowed to be shipped, but only under certain conditions as prescribed by the receiving country. The shipper is responsible for complying with the regulations.

Here is a detailed list of restricted (but not prohibited products). Since there are specific guidelines for each, remember to check the official country page for their laws!

List of restricted products

· Alcoholic beverages like beer, wine and spirits.

· Flammable liquids, gas, spontaneously combustible solids, dangerous when wet flammable solids, peroxides, oxidisers, organic peroxides, toxic substances, corrosives, dry ice

· Batteries/ cells, lithium batteries either alone or in devices, wet spillable. Non-spillable lead-acid/ alkaline

· Non-flamable or non toxic gas

· Artwork, archaeological artefacts, antiquities

· Animal products, including non-domesticated animal goods and apparel, especially furs

· Ammunition

· Biological substances, and licensed human/ animal specimens, other biological agents, hosts/ vectors of human disease

· Dangerous goods. Hazardous materials

· Firearms, weapons and inert/ replicas of explosives

· Live animals

· Perishables, fresh foodstuffs

· Gems and other precious materials in the form of residue, sulfides, scrap, powder, jewellery

· Radioactive materials, medical devices

· Pharmaceuticals

· Narcotics like hemp and CBD

· Plant/ plant seeds that require special permits and quarantine, flowers

· Tobacco

· Tranquilising guns and ammunition

· Aerosols: deodorants, perfumes and hairspray

· Fire extinguishers

Conclusion

Cross-border shipping is complex, as each country has its collection of rules and regulations. Some commodities are banned, and some are restricted, but as long as one adheres to the laws, you should have no issue!

Tags list of banned and restricted products, what are banned and restricted products?, what is international shipping?

E-commerce Logistics

10 Domestic eCommerce Trends to Look forward to in 2023

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 11 January 2023
No Comments on 10 Domestic eCommerce Trends to Look forward to in 2023

How excited were you to get your 2022 wrapped on various platforms? We were thrilled, to say the least.

You may or may not have visited Udaipur, Roorkee, and Rohtak, but did you know these tier 3 markets grew 64.7%? Even if customers were happy to return to physical stores and go on endless shopping sprees, India’s eCommerce industry recorded a 36.8% year-on-year growth in 2022.

In some categories like beauty, personal care, and eyewear, customers preferred online stores over brick-and-mortar stores.

Imagine what would have happened if you didn’t pay attention to 2022 trends to understand eCommerce and online shoppers. Oh, hold up. You did make a note of them, right?

Well, let’s put the year behind us and focus on what’s coming next, 2023! Read on as we discuss 2023 eCommerce trends that you should note in your diary.

How big is the domestic eCommerce market?

India’s eCommerce market is ever-growing, with an increasing appetite for technology.

People are leaving behind their apprehension about eCommerce platforms and are becoming more accepting of the various options that an eCommerce business has to offer.

The overall eCommerce market of India is expected to reach US$ 350 billion by 2030. Oh and Walmart invited Indian sellers to join its US marketplace in January 2022.

It was amazing when it expressed an aim of exporting US$ 10 billion from India each year by 2027.

No kidding, with various initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, and Innovation Fund, among others, India’s eCommerce businesses will only experience a boom. Aren’t you excited to see where this takes our domestic market?

So, let’s look at some trends you should be aware of this year to make the best of it!

10 ecommerce trends to look out for in 2023

While conducting our research on this topic, we came across really helpful trends we weren’t fully aware of.

Without further ado, let’s take you down memory lane when we made a note of all these 2023 eCommerce trends.

Or shall we say time capsule to the future to analyze how these will play out (we would have certainly done this for you if we had you know who’s gadgets)?

1. Omnichannel approach

Consumers like to browse multiple channels before they make a purchase. In a consumer’s journey of purchasing an item, they never rely on the only online retail experience.

If your business has a brick-and-mortar store, make sure that you consider beyond the offline store and work on all channels like websites and social media platforms.

Customers look for a seamless transition between channels when they are viewing a particular brand, and each channel presents a picture of what your brand offers to them. Hence, you should pay a little bit extra attention to the uniformity and precision of your channels.

Make sure you integrate your inventory between the eCommerce platform and brick-and-mortar store, provide accurate delivery info, and develop your social media platforms. Trust us, you will not regret working on this eCommerce trend in 2023.

2. Social commerce

Social commerce or eCommerce on social media platforms is a domestic as well as a global eCommerce trend.

Due to expected inflationary pressures in 2023, there is apprehension about mobile sales on an eCommerce platform, further driven by the slow feature phone-to-smartphone migration.

However, the usage of social media platforms is only increasing. A potential customer likely discovers you through your social media channel like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. So, add social eCommerce to your 2023 bucket list, and focus on social media marketing.

Many brands are enabling purchase options on their social media platforms, without leaving their site, which might contribute to your eCommerce sales.

After all, the social eCommerce industry in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 62.4% during 2022-2028.

By making use of product catalogs, tagging items in social media content, and creating a virtual storefront, you’ll be giving a unique experience to the customers while doing yourself a favor.

3. Customer service as a priority

Customer service should be any eCommerce business’s priority because customer purchase highly depends on how a brand treats its consumers.

Guess what? Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2022 mentioned that 94% of Indian consumers report making purchase decisions based on the quality of customer service they receive. Furthermore, 86% of Indians are willing to spend more on a company that provides excellent customer service.

Now, it will be unrealistic to rely on your human employers to work 24/7 to aid your customers, right? And that’s where technologies like chatbots come in.

You can work even well by prioritizing customer service by investing in chatbots and other easing mechanisms to provide customer service.

Detailed Q/As, help desk, live chat, and chatbots, among other customer solutions, will bring you one step closer to maintaining customer loyalty and trust in your brand.

4. Subscription sales model

A business model focuses on two aspects of gaining customers:

(i) customer retention i.e., retaining the existing customers, and

(ii) Conversion rates i.e., targeting new customers.

One of the key benefits of the subscription sales model is how it leverages customer relationships to create a steady stream of income for eCommerce businesses.

At the same time, consumers find it convenient to make use of subscriptions if they order the same items frequently. Isn’t it a win-win?

Customer retention increases through the subscription model in eCommerce stores as it eliminates manual ordering and gets the job done easily for your customers.

While this model isn’t new to Indian customers, it is surely gaining higher popularity amongst users.

5. Shipping Innovations

eCommerce stores have to leverage the thought behind why customers prefer online shopping. Take a moment and think about what are the reasons you prefer online shopping.

Is it because it saves your time, petrol, and money while giving you product recommendations, easy navigation, and most importantly quick and efficient delivery?

One would tick all the options here, but our primary reason, above and beyond, is the presence of efficient shipping.

Customers hesitate a lot of times to order a particular product if they can’t be sure whether it will be delivered properly or not.

Similarly, they’ll be discouraged to buy items, leading to higher cart abandonment issues, if the shipping doesn’t happen fast enough.

So this year, work on your shipments (oh howdy there, how about you check us out ;)) and same-day delivery options to boost sales and increase conversion rates of your eCommerce business.

6. Augmented reality

Augmented reality provides consumers with an interactive experience of the real-world environment while they are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information (yes, we did refer to Wikipedia for this definition).

AR can be seen as the combination of real and virtual worlds. The revenue from AR & VR market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28% till 2028.

One such development is how customers can try different beauty products virtually before buying them from the comfort of their houses.

Through superior technology of AR and VR, you can convince your customers how awesome your brand is and boost your business multifold!

7. Increased Mobile shopping

Think about it. How prominent is the purchase of mobile users to have a separate subheading for mobile shopping when discussing eCommerce sales? Mobile traffic is ever-present, and it’s only increasing day by day.

In 2021, 655 billion hours were spent on mobiles in India and the country ranked fifth in the global list with regards to the time spent on mobiles after Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, and Mexico.

Mobile eCommerce usually provides customers with online shopping experiences, stability in business growth, omnichannel shopping experience, and diverse payment methods. By 2030, India’s mobile device penetration rate will reach 87.68% for smartphones.

One of the primary factors in the growth of eCommerce stores is the increased usage of mobile devices.

Customers generally prefer online shopping through mobile devices, especially if your target audience includes millennials and Gen Z.

So don’t wait on this eCommerce trend and make your online retail simpler and accessible to a larger audience.

8. Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is one of the global eCommerce trends and you wouldn’t want to not capitalize on them while you can. It includes various facets of product recommendation, voice search, personalization, chatbot, image search, fraud detection, price optimization, and customer segmentation.

India’s AI market is set to reach $ 7.8 billion by 2025, witnessing a growth of 20% over the next five years. It is one of the top ten countries in terms of technological advancements and funding in AI.

By investing in Artificial intelligence, you’ll be able to create a superior and individualized online shopping experience for your customers.

You will also have access to better reports and market research to assist your product market strategies.

9. Diverse payment options

Imagine this scenario. You have ordered a deodorant from an online store. To make the purchase quickly, you forgot to prepay for the order.

When the order arrives, you realize you don’t have cash and you decide to pay through UPI. BUT, there is no provision for UPI payments! Won’t you be annoyed?

eCommerce stores that don’t offer various payment options are likely to lose more sales in 2023.

With the rise in mobile shopping and social eCommerce trends, customers like to have various payment methods at their disposal.

You should pay slightly more attention to this eCommerce trend as RBI is also set to launch its digital currency.

With so many people dependent on various digital payment methods, it won’t be in your best interest to not have diverse payment options on your eCommerce store.

Think about it. You can increase your eCommerce sales by just giving your customers a variety of payment options. It will also resolve, to some extent, the issue of cart abandonment. How cool is that!

10. Sustainability

eCommerce businesses cannot flourish without committing to a sustainable approach to running an online store and other logistics.

Adopting strategies that function on environmentally-friendly practices, green packaging, and eco-friendly shipping, will sustain consumers’ belief in your brand.

In 2023, reducing your business’s carbon footprint will send out a positive message to the consumers and aid in your growth. Don’t forget India’s position as a pollution emitter in COP 27.

Sustainability is also shining through the idea of re-commerce. The secondhand market has always existed in India, and it is set to grow with the exchange of many luxury products as well.

Even if your brand can’t factor in reuse and recycling, you need to use green products and the packaging of your products.

You wouldn’t want negative points for missing out on this detail now, would you?

Conclusion

Mic drop is synonymous with a bold and impressive performance. While BTS rocks with this song, your eCommerce platform will get mic drop as and when you use these eCommerce trends in 2023 to impress customers.

You need to develop the areas where customers rely on an ideal shopping experience and thrive in a cut-throat competitive market.

Even if you don’t plan on expanding overseas, you need to be on the lookout for these domestic eCommerce trends this year to retain customers, increase your lifetime value, and acquire new customers.

Offer quality customer service, invest in AI and AR equipment and models, work on making your eCommerce store green, and show your consumers why they are making the best decision of their lives by purchasing from you.

Did you note down all these eCommerce trends? Great. You’ll thank us later 😉

Tags 2023 domestic ecommerce trends, what are the top 2023 domestic ecommerce trends?, what are upcoming ecommerce trends?

E-commerce Logistics

10 International eCommerce Trends to Look Forward to in 2023

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 4 January 2023
No Comments on 10 International eCommerce Trends to Look Forward to in 2023

Let’s tick off some 2022 Ecommerce trends, shall we?

✅ Increased volume of voice search.

✅ Personalized customer experiences.

✅ Heightened mobile shopping.

✅ Customers responding to videos.

✅ Optimizing digital strategy for conversion.

Wow, it’s been quite a year with changing payment methods, increased mobile shopping, and more usage of social media platforms.

Isn’t it great we prepared in advance for 2022 trends? We would have been left behind by speeding eCommerce businesses otherwise!

Why are we talking about 2022 trends when the year has ended? Did you enter the good books by paying attention to them? No? Yes? Aha, we got you.

Don’t worry, in this article, we’ll move forward step by step to make sure you pay attention to the 2023 eCommerce trends!

How big is the International eCommerce market?

It’s HUGE. No kidding. IMARC Group mentioned in an article that the Global eCommerce market was valued at US$ 16.6 Trillion in 2022, and it’s expected to reach US$ 70.9 Trillion by 2028. That’s some big numbers, aren’t they?

But before we move ahead, let’s clarify what Global eCommerce means. It’s luckily one of the easiest definitions to understand.

Global eCommerce refers to the act of buying and selling a product through online means to customers residing outside of one’s country.

It expands the geopolitical borders to provide global solutions to customers, irrespective of their place of residence. Isn’t that cool?

One of the things that many online retailers are noticing is the increased profitability of borderless eCommerce.

As people continue to purchase goods online (an estimated no. of 2.14 billion!), you should focus more on your eCommerce stores to make the best out of changing trends.

10 trends to look out for in 2023

We had a look at various eCommerce trends, and we cannot wait to share them with all of you.

So, be ready with your glasses, pens, notebooks, and popcorn as we introduce you to the 10 topmost eCommerce trends you should be on the lookout for in 2023.

1. Inflationary and recessionary pressures

Experts have predicted that recessionary conditions and a tight labor market are going to significantly affect the way businesses work in 2023.

Whether it is thousands of job losses or reduced income for various people and businesses alike, firms will have to think of creative ways to work around this blockage.

People will continue to spend money, but a company cannot be immune from global inflation and other geopolitical situations.

So tighten your seatbelts and invest in good technology to keep you seated well on this roller coaster ride.

Make sure you research the inflation rate of different countries you’ll be targeting to revise your expenditure and pricing strategy likewise.

2. Mobile devices and online shopping

Even before the pandemic, one of the ongoing eCommerce trend preparations included mobile shopping. What’s new? It’s only likely to increase.

Mobile shopping includes customers looking over eCommerce platforms on their mobile devices.

With Brick-and-mortar stores shutting down, consumers moved towards the internet to buy essentials and other goods.

Even when stores have opened up, many users still prefer continuing online shopping because of the ease of shopping, delivery, wireless connection, and time saved during the whole process.

83.07% of the world’s population owns a smartphone and there are 3.004 billion more mobile connections than people worldwide.

With cashless transactions becoming more prominent, don’t be surprised if your online store’s notifications don’t stop ringing.

3. Supply chain vulnerabilities

One of the articles by Forbes mentions that businesses shouldn’t expect a supply chain normalcy in 2023.

Even though the whole ordeal with logistics has improved and goods are moving more freely across borders, other factors are now deciding the fate of supply chains worldwide.

The focus should be shifted towards goals like recovery from inflation, shifts in demand, stagnancy in growth, supply shortages, and warehouses filled with wrong inventories (yes, it’s very much likely).

Global news tells us that the threat of new variants is still present and can potentially disrupt the ‘normal’ workings of the supply chains even more.

Hence, your new lesson should be making sure not to relax thinking there won’t be any problems with the logistics and other components of supply chains.

Be on high alert like a knight in the dark as you ward off any challenges that might come unexpectedly from this end.

4. Green eCommerce sales and environmental sustainability

We can all agree that consumers are now being evermore vocal about their needs and how companies should be more responsible in cleaning up their acts. We cannot agree any less on this matter.

Online shoppers, affected by inflationary trends, are becoming more careful about their purchases and are valuing various eCommerce platforms based on their characteristics and delivery.

One of the most popular eCommerce trends is the maintenance of sustainability. You would have seen the ongoing popularity of online second-hand stores and other rental services which move a step towards recycling and sustaining our environment.

COP15 has made consumers aware of a company’s ill practices and the dire need for a move towards green eCommerce, to make our future generations more habitable in such a deteriorating environment.

So let’s not shy away from our collective responsibility towards the preservation and engage in activities like sustainable packaging, eco-friendly shipping options, and carbon offsetting.

5. Usage of Chatbots becoming prominent

Another eCommerce trend is the heightened use of chatbots on eCommerce platforms, including the option of live chat. It is projected that by 2027, 25% of businesses will use chatbots as their primary source of customer service. It makes a lot of sense honestly.

Chatbots are quite efficient and beneficial for businesses as well because they save money, provide better customer service (operating 24/7 is the key to success these days), engage with customers through a variety of channels, and cross boundaries without any hindrances (a human, on the other hand, shouldn’t try to cross boundaries 😉).

Furthermore, as more and more companies start using chatbots, the expectations from this particular service are also set to increase for consumers.

In all likelihood, artificial intelligence can become a new standard for customer service. So as a move forward, you can entrust the chatbots with simple Q/A work for your products and services, and then you can move forward in any direction you like.

6. Usage of Artificial Intelligence

As we are on the subject of artificial intelligence, did you know that the AI market is expanding at a CAGR of 38.1% between 2022 to 2030? This means that by 2025, an estimated 97 million people will be working in the AI space.

Also, the AI industry will be earning $126 billion a year by 2025. Sorry, but we cannot stop talking about these numbers. They are mind-blowing!

Chatbots are just one feature. Add to the mix product recommendations, product suggestion engines, and voice searches.

It is the perfect way to create an individualized shopping experience for your customers and to improve forecasting, order tracking, and post-sales support for your business.

Similarly, augmented reality is a game changer that can significantly affect how a customer perceives your product. While assisting in customer service, augmented reality is also likely to resolve, even if in small amounts, the issue of cart abandonment.

And we cannot stress enough how AI will assist you to work in other countries, seamlessly, due to a unified process with easy handling. It’s time to put on your tech-savvy hats folks.

7. Social eCommerce for the win

Social media is not only an online platform to meet people from all walks of the world, but it is also growing as an extended arm of eCommerce platforms.

Social media-based direct purchasing and selling of goods is becoming prominent and is known as social eCommerce.

A study also claims that 48% of consumers are inclined to make a direct purchase from TikTok (we feel your pain Indian folks).

Other platforms like Facebook and Instagram are also playing a significant role in the world of eCommerce through their buy button and checkout options. Brands can easily advertise themselves and target audiences cross-cutting borders.

As social media platforms continue to become everyone’s significant other, make sure to incorporate a shopping-focused approach in your social media strategy based on your business model. You won’t regret it!

8. Transparency in Shipments

Consumers always like it when a brand is truthful about its products and deliveries. They like to be informed of every step in a product shipment.

According to a study, 69.7% of consumers mention that they are less inclined to buy a product if they are unaware of a shipping delay.

Customer loyalty and brand trustworthiness improve when you are transparent about your shipping services and other deals.

Using data tools to monitor your operations and then forwarding the relevant details to your customer will not only build trust but will also make it easier for you to analyze various facets of data.

By being transparent about the flow of goods, routing planning, performance, expected time and efficiency, sustainability, and other components, you are likely to become a priority for all online shoppers.

So, make sure to not leave behind this eCommerce trend in your daily activities.

9. Buy Now Pay Later Financing

Consumers like to make their own choices. They don’t like to be restricted to a particular way of transaction.

Offering a variety of payment options is a move towards boosting conversion rates and reducing cart abandonment on your eCommerce platform.

One such payment method is the BNPL (Buy now, pay later) which is becoming extremely popular day by day.

With increasing financial uncertainties, consumers like the option of making payments over monthly installments which is advantageous for consumers as well as businesses.

Furthermore, cart abandonment rates are likely to increase if you make it tough for a customer to pay for an item.

If you offer cheap upfront costs to the consumers, they’ll be more attracted to your product and they’ll be more likely to buy your product even if in actual terms, the product is expensive.

A Global eCommerce trend where 50% of eCommerce payment transactions in 2021 were based on digital and mobile wallets, you should ensure that customers are kept in central focus when designing payment options for them.

10. Creating diverse content

As we are talking about international eCommerce trends, how can we forget to mention diverse content? While augmented reality is gaining focus, voice searches are being preferred over text options, then don’t you think language is also taking prominence in the hearts of consumers?

According to a survey by PayPal, 57% of the surveyors mentioned that they currently shop internationally.

Consumers are not likely to shop from an eCommerce platform that does not offer options for different languages. After all, not everyone is a Duolingo expert, right?

One of the examples of this is looking at the increasing sales for Japanese and South Korean markets as they made provision for language translation as well for their international shoppers.

Going beyond Google Translate and going native to your site’s language can make or break global sales.

The option of accessing “some” content on your site in different languages can increase the likeliness of your product being purchased internationally.

Hence, even if you cannot engage in full-scale translation right now, it will benefit you a lot to work on critical areas such as headlines, product titles, etc.

Conclusion

We take eCommerce trends very seriously and we hope you do too. Looking at different areas of Global eCommerce, with all the data, reports, and trends, one thing is certain – you cannot shy away from common practices because they make the lives of your consumers easy.

A successful shopping-to-shipping experience relies on how you understand consumer behavior and how likely you are to adapt to different cultures and geographies.

As you move in the direction of offering quality customer service, personalization, and product recommendations, don’t forget to turn a keen eye toward other eCommerce stores. Online retail is always successful when you put customers as a priority.

Observing various eCommerce businesses and eCommerce trends will only improve your outcome with assured results.

*cue Next Level by Aespa* take your eCommerce platform to the next level and enjoy all the benefits from these eCommerce trends by adding a little personalized mix from your end. Oh, and don’t forget to prepare a 2023 checklist to tick off these eCommerce trends!

Tags how big is international ecommerce?, trends to look forward to in 2023, what are international ecommerce trends?

E-commerce Logistics

The Rise of Sustainable eCommerce

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 14 December 2022
No Comments on The Rise of Sustainable eCommerce

What is Sustainable eCommerce?

Stylish products? ✅

Super easy navigation? ✅

Superb sale response? ✅

Successful eCommerce venture? ✅

Wait…the checklist has one final question.

Sustainable?

We are asking this question because eCommerce/online shopping is often blamed for the rise in consumption and more waste.

eCommerce ventures have made shopping so easy (and so much more convenient) that users tend to consume mindlessly and quickly.

Thereby, leading to shorter lifespans of products and more piles in the landfills.

But does eCommerce business need to stick with its bad reputation? No!

Because now, capitalist dreams can be achieved while also caring for the planet. To put it simply, today an ecommerce business can not just be successful but also sustainable.

It stems purely from the fact that at present a business should be able to meet the requirements of the consumers with minimal environmental impact and a much lesser carbon footprint.

What is the current impact of growing eCommerce on the environment?

Take a walk on the beach before its weekly beach cleanup drive.

The countless packaging materials/boxes, the tapes, the thermocols and styrofoams, the packing peanuts and the resealable plastic bags line the shores after passing through the hands of the consumers who ordered products via online shopping. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

As per Economic Times, eCommerce in India is expected to reach $120 billion by 2026.

You can only imagine the amount of products to be manufactured to keep up with the demand and the packaging materials used.

More so, the greenhouse gas emissions that take place while transporting orders from the warehouse to the customer also have a negative environmental impact.

So what is the solution?

Here are 4 things you can do to make your eCommerce business sustainable:

1. Start with sustainable packaging:

Thermocol and plastic fillers are dangerous for the environment owing to their non-biodegradable nature.

However to still give your products good support while in transit, switch to using shredded paper batches, corrugated paper pieces and old cloth pieces.

In every season besides monsoon, switch to shipping your products in sealed paper bags as opposed to plastic pouches. Use minimal tape to hold the package in place.

For eg: Bare Necessities, SwitchFix and Ecoware have vowed to never use non-eco friendly packaging.

2. Consider manufacturing/selling eco-friendly products in the first place:

From reusable bamboo straws and spoons to earthen pots to jute bags to plantable stationery to biodegradable sanitary pads, every business avenue has opened up room for environmentally conscious products.

For eg: Phool, an Indian brand makes incense cones and sticks from discarded temple flowers.

Indeed a great initiative to generate little waste and prevent existing waste from entering the ocean.

Another brand Rusabl, manufactures and sells tumblers and kitchenware that are wooden/metal and reusable in nature.

3. Recollect your product empties:

Consumers love a brand that gives back to society. As much as consumers will love your product quality, they will love how you are one of those sustainable brands that use eco-friendly packaging materials and recycle their plastic containers.

Indians love keeping sturdy bottles/containers of products even after they’re totally over solely because of the ingrained habit of ‘repurposing.’

A brand doing so stands a chance to gain brand loyalty.

For Eg: The Body Shop started the campaign of ‘Bring Back Our Bottles’ which was an open invitation to all consumers to deposit empty containers of their products in their nearest store.

Indian eCommerce beauty player, PLUM started ‘Empties for good’ where users can ship their empties back to PLUM for recycling all while getting a discount for being a good citizen.

As for repurposing, PLUM also provides ample tips on using the empty containers as planters, tealight holders, jewellery storage boxes and more.

4. Provide sustainable delivery options:

Have you ever shopped from Amazon and been asked to choose between ‘Free Prime Shipping’ and ‘Free Standard Shipping’? While both are essentially free, with a little patience customers have the power to generate less wait.

While Free Prime Shipping dispatches orders as fast as they can as per availability, Free Standard Shipping allows the consumers to get their orders together and in fewer boxes.

An effort like this on a large scale, is not only economical but also ecological. Adapt this practice in your online retail business and ship multiple orders of a single customers in one box together.

This will also reduce travel emissions. You can also choose third-party logistics providers that allow green shipping options by using recyclable/planet-neutral packaging and less vehicles to make the deliveries.

5. Bonus:

Reduce the number of returns by being extremely specific especially when its come to the size of clothes and shoes.

Provide online measuring guides so that users don’t return beloved outfits simply because of them being ‘too large’ / ‘too transparent’ / ‘too different than the picture’.

Add another layer of proficiency by mentioning the material so that people can make a choice beforehand based on their skin preferences.

Don’t mention the colour BLUE. Specify the type – Light blue/ Prussian blue/ Ocean blue/ etc for consumers to make a better decision.

While unpredictable weather, different terrains and constantly flowing orders make it difficult to go green in its entirety, you can start small.

Pick your busiest and most serviceable delivery area and ensure that the orders go in minimal eco-friendly packaging.

With a shorter delivery radius and in transit time, even dynamic climate changes are less likely to hamper deliveries. So what are you waiting for? Say yes to sustainable eCommerce today!

Tags how to make your brand sustainable?, impact of ecommerce on environment, what is sustainable ecommerce?

E-commerce Logistics

What is Cross Border Shipping?

Post author By iThink Logistics
Post date 7 December 2022
No Comments on What is Cross Border Shipping?

Cross-border e-commerce is a booming industry that hit $1 billion in the year 2018 and is all set to reach over 4 trillion dollars by the end of 2027.

As e-commerce has now increased, a lot of people (including us, of course) prefer shopping online rather than visiting a physical store.

And with technology, nothing has been impossible lately! For instance, let’s say you like a dress from a company based halfway across the world.

The company may usually have international shipping options, so you can go right ahead and order the dress. Without having to physically visit the place to buy it. We think that’s extremely cool, don’t you?

Taken in a literal sense, the term ‘cross-border shipping’ refers to shipping goods from one country to another.

Locally available goods in a certain country may not necessarily be easily available in another country.

This is where cross-border shipping comes into action, with this process, these goods are exported from one country and imported into another.

Like any other import-export exchange, of course, these packages go through thorough customs checks and import duties before they reach their receiver.

Cross-border shipping makes it possible for business owners to export their products to a different country by avoiding the additional cost of setting up a physical warehouse in that country.

In simple words, it may seem like the more cost-effective and easy alternative for businesses that wish to expand online.

For instance, if you live in India and would like to purchase something from a UK-based company, you may make use of cross-border shipping.

Now that we’re clear about what cross-border shipping is, let’s look at how it can benefit those involved in the shipping process.

Benefits of cross-border shipping

1. It gives you a competitive edge

With the rise in businesses, international or cross-border shipping is among the best ways to make your business stand out from the crowd.

When a company wishes to expand its business internationally, the first step is to pick a country and provide cross-border shipping for it.

2. Scalability

Cross-border shipping can also help a company understand the scalability of its business before physically moving or setting up a warehouse in another country.

3. Vast clientele

Tapping into international markets becomes a lot easier with cross-border shipping. Before cross-border shipping came into play, businesses would only focus on their own country’s market, their target audience and market have both now changed.

4. Increased Revenue

It is only obvious that when a business taps into different markets, it will generate more revenue. The more countries a business ships to, the more potential there is to grow its brand. Hence, more customers can even be reached.

5. Peaked Product Interest

What works for the customers of one country may not work well for another’s. Businesses have the opportunity to explore more shipping or business destinations by doing international shipping, in turn increasing their ROI.

The audience or market of different countries can hence, be better understood with the help of cross-border shipping.

While cross-border shipping has many benefits and advantages to it, one must also consider the risks involved in the process.

What are the risks involved in cross-border shipping?

There may be many challenges to international or cross-border shipping that may cause significant issues, however, if businesses can tackle these issues, shipping will be a smooth and hassle-free process.

1. Language

Many times, language differences or difficulties may pose a threat to cross-border shipping.

According to research, about 79% of consumers who shop online prefer to purchase products from websites that are in their native language, while 59% rarely ever purchase products from websites in English only.

2. Internet

This issue may not arise for domestic shipping, however, in the case of international or cross-border shipping, internet speed may have an impact on conversion rates. New users of websites abroad may face internet speed issues.

3. Customer retention and support

When talking to customers that need support, and who are not based in the same country as you, helping the customer may get tough.

When it comes to cross-border shipping, a lot of hands-on customer servicing and support are required, especially to maintain your brand image and reputation.

Customers may feel more supported when they’re spoken to in their native language and may even feel better understood in the same.

If your website has a currency conversion feature, it works as an add-on. However, your company may also need to offer payment methods that international customers can trust and support.

Your customers are your priority, and it is necessary to make them feel appreciated and put their preferences first.

Credit cards are usually considered the easiest option for payment in most countries but other methods also should be provided for your customer.

To tackle these issues, it is important to choose the correct logistics partner and shipping partner.

Here are a few key factors to keep in mind while picking your logistics partner:

Shipping options
Cost
Customs and Duties
Customer support and services
Support from the logistics company

In Conclusion

Ecommerce in international trade plays an essential role in the world economy. E Commerce is on its way to becoming the largest market soon.

It is the need of the hour for businesses to make use of cross-border shipping if they wish to expand their businesses and grow.

This shipping poses many risks and challenges, but the opportunities and benefits it provides certainly outweigh the downfalls.

Businesses must be mindful of using the right logistics partner and the right business and marketing strategies to sell and expand as much as possible!

Tags benefits of cross border shipping, what is cross border shipping, what is international shipping?

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