Offering delivery across the country does a lot. It can open up a much bigger customer base, but it also brings a few practical challenges.
The West Coast is a good example. For businesses shipping from elsewhere in the country, getting an order to California, Oregon, or Washington means covering a considerable distance. That affects delivery times, shipping costs, and even where it makes sense to keep inventory.
It’s not necessarily a problem, though. It just means delivery needs a little more planning – and that’s what this post aims to uncover.
Distance Can Make A Difference
One of the first things to think about is the distance between your warehouse and your customers.
Shipping something a few hundred miles is one thing. Sending that same order several thousand miles across the country is another. The longer the journey, the more likely transportation costs and delivery times are to increase.
This is where shipping zones come into play. Carriers divide the country into zones based on how far a package travels. Those zones affect price and available service.
For businesses trying to offer affordable or predictable delivery, it’s worth knowing where their West Coast customers fall within those zones. Don’t treat the entire country as one shipping area.
Sometimes the Answer Is Moving Inventory Closer
If a business has a steady stream of orders coming from the West Coast, it might not make sense to send every single one from a warehouse on the opposite side of the country.
This is where regional fulfillment helps.
Instead of keeping all inventory in one place, a company can use fulfillment locations across the country. Stock that’s already closer to customers can then be picked, packed, and shipped without traveling across several states first.
That shortens delivery times and, depending on the circumstances, reduces transportation costs, too.
It does add another layer to inventory management, though. Businesses need to know how much stock to keep in each location and ensure the right products are available when customers place orders. Partnering with a company like WSI makes these fulfillment decisions easier, as they have the expertise and technology to handle it.
Watch Out For The Extra Charges
Shipping rates don’t always tell the whole story.
Depending on the carrier and service being used, businesses may run into additional charges when delivering to certain areas or using particular services. Fuel costs. Residential delivery. Oversized packages. These – and other surcharges – all affect the final price.
These costs are easy to overlook when setting customer delivery rates.
A business might advertise a flat shipping fee, only to discover later that some orders cost considerably more to fulfill than others. Keep an eye on carrier pricing. Understand where additional charges can appear. Doing this makes it easier to set realistic delivery rates.
To conclude, getting West Coast delivery right isn’t just about finding the cheapest shipping option. Instead, check distance, inventory location, and carrier charges, as outlined above. This knowledge will make the process far easier moving forward.
