Fashion e-commerce has grown tremendously over the years and is set to generate almost 300 billion dollars in sales by 2025. To remain competitive in this fast-paced industry, simply selling great clothes will not suffice. It is equally crucial to bring your A-game in the area of apparel fulfillment to keep your customers satisfied and loyal to your business.
How to Package Clothing
Packaging clothing is not as simple as it seems. You must use the correct materials and apply appropriate techniques to protect the products during shipping, optimize freight costs, and enhance customer experience after delivery. When packaging clothing, ensure that you fold them as neatly as possible to prevent wrinkles and creases that may give customers the wrong idea about your brand.
After folding them, wrap them individually in paper sheets or bubble wrap. Avoid squishing the items into packaging that is too small, as this can cause damage to the package while in transit. Using appropriately-sized materials reduces the chances of the clothes getting ripped or torn during shipping and keeps them in the best shape possible. The most popular packaging materials for clothing include:
Mailers or Poly Bags
Using packaging materials that are too small for the clothing items you’re shipping is a terrible idea, and so is using materials that are too big. When you ship clothes in boxes that are too large for them, you end up paying more than you should in shipping fees and putting your package at a greater risk of damage as leftover spaces collapse during transport.
Mailers or poly bags are an excellent alternative to boxes for shipping small clothing items because they reduce the risk of damage and are cheaper. They also take up less space on the carrier’s truck and are lighter than boxes, reducing shipping costs when you use LTL shipping USA. Mailers are ideal for single-item packages comprising underwear, tee-shirts, socks, skirts, pants, sbd other similar products. Multi-item orders and breakable items should not be shipped using this material as they typically require more protection than mailers can provide.
Packing in boxes
Cardboard boxes provide additional protection and support for clothing items that could easily suffer damage in poly bags. They are the perfect packaging option for shipping vintage, delicate, and expensive fabrics. They are also ideal for shipping shoes and orders containing multiple lightweight clothing items like tee shirts and underwear. Note that the protection boxes offer comes at a cost. They are more expensive than mailers, attracting higher shipping rates since they also weigh more.
How to Charge for Shipping Clothing
You can use a few pricing methods to charge for clothes shipping. At the end of the day, you want to choose one that is convenient for both you and your customers. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and the option you choose will depend on your customer’s buying behavior, your product prices, and what your bottom line allows.
Charging threshold shipping
Threshold shipping is when customers are required to hit a specific threshold to qualify for free shipping on their order. This threshold can either be a minimum order value or a minimum number of items purchased. It is a win-win situation, as it encourages customers to spend more money on your e-commerce platform in exchange for free shipping.
Standard shipping
Many clothing retailers offer standard shipping as a flat-rate option to create consistency in freight costs. It involves using different fixed rates for different order values, irrespective of the package’s dimensional or actual weight. For example, you can offer something like “shipping costs $7 for orders under $100 and $5 for orders above $120.” Such offers incentivize your customers to purchase more clothing items while keeping your profit margin within an optimal range.
Free shipping
In 2020, a study by Statista revealed that free shipping is the leading sales-driving factor in e-commerce, convincing about 53% of consumers to add items to their carts and purchase them. Therefore, offering free shipping can significantly boost your revenue. The best way to do this is by including a portion of the shipping fees in your product prices. This way, your bottom line does not take a hit since you won’t have to shoulder the full shipping costs.
Cheapest Way to Ship Clothes
Freight rates depend on several factors, including package weight (except in flat-rate shipping), travel distance, and expected delivery time. To find the cheapest way to ship clothes, use a shipping platform to compare prices from multiple reliable carriers. Then, choose the best option.
Express shipping for clothing
Express shipping is an expedited process that offers faster delivery times than standard shipping. It comes with an extra cost as the clothing items are usually delivered overnight or within 72 hours. It is the fastest shipping method and is ideal for urgent and quick deliveries.
Shipping clothes internationally
International shipping involves extra processes than domestic shipping. These processes include navigating cross-country trade agreements, preparing customs paperwork, paying duties and taxes, printing international shipping labels, etc. Look for carriers that offer affordable rates for international apparel shipping and also assist with the additional steps required.
Get the cheapest rates with GoShip
GoShip is a self-service shipping platform that helps small to mid-sized businesses get the cheapest freight rates for all kinds of shipping. It connects e-commerce business owners to an incredible range of high-quality carriers that can deliver clothing items in perfect condition within the country or internationally. You can get a free FTL or LTL quote by entering your shipment details on the platform’s online quote tool and start enjoying excellent small business shipping solutions.