The Top Questions Entrepreneurs Ask About Shipping and Fulfillment
When should I start thinking about fulfillment?
For a successful crowdfunding campaign, it's important to think about fulfillment from the very beginning. That's because you'll want to factor the costs of fulfillment into your campaign goals.
This way, you'll be able to ship your products to your backers as soon as possible. This can make the difference between being profitable and losing money.
What things do I need to think about when it comes to fulfillment?
This will depend on various factors. The most important thing is to figure out a fulfillment process that works best for your campaign.
Will you have to use a fulfillment center or warehouse, or can you ship direct to your backers? Cost will, of course, be a big consideration, and it will largely depend on how you package your products - the bigger and heavier your shipments, the more you'll pay - and destinations, since it's more expensive to ship further distances.
What to consider for international fulfillment?
International fulfillment can be complicated. First, you'll have to pay tax and duties to ship to other countries, which is an additional cost.
You may also need to look at whether you product might be prohibited or restricted in certain countries, and if so, whether you need a license to sell in those countries. Delivery times may also be longer, so you should make your backers aware of this. It's also important to consider where your orders will be fulfilled from.
How do I check shipping rates?
Most couriers have a calculator on their websites that will allow you to key in your shipment's weight and package size to get an estimated shipping rate.
The Easyship shipping rates calculator allows you to do this and get recommendations for which carrier will work best for your campaign.
How do I find the right warehouse for my needs?
Meeting delivery timeframes is critical for successful crowdfunding campaigns. To do this, you'll need to find warehouses that suit your needs. Look for one that's within easy reach of your customers - this will allow you to reduce delivery times and costs.
What about taxes & duties?
Easyship allows entreprenuers to pre-calculate fully landed costs at checkout or within the platform, resulting in more transparency for your customers and no unwelcomed fees when your product arrives.
Does Easyship integrate with major crowdfunding and eCommerce platforms?
Easyship seamlessly integrates with Crowd Ox and BackerKit, making it much easier to fulfill your Indiegogo campaign. With just a few clicks, you can set up the integration, import your backer list, set up shipping rules for automation, and start shipping.
How can I ensure my customers are happy?
In our experience, the best recipe for customer happiness is to communicate openly and often.
If your campaign experiences delays at any point, be transparent and humble with your backers - you'll be amazed at how patient and understanding they can be. They're excited about your product and are definitely on your side - as long as they know what's going on.