Special delivery: Bringing SMBs into the global shipping network
Of the Web's many attractions, the potential to tap into a global marketplace has perhaps been first and foremost for businesses. If you are a manufacturer, distributor or merchant, designing and launching a Web site is but one piece of putting together and solving the e-commerce puzzle, however. Before you start taking orders, you'd best be sure that you can deliver - literally.
We've grown accustomed to the convenience of express delivery services so quickly that we tend to take them for granted. However, if you've ever tried to send a parcel to an off-the-beaten-path destination, you know that what at first glance appeared simple was deceptively so, and that shipping costs can far exceed the value of what you are shipping.
If you're going to succeed in the e-commerce marketplace, one way or another you're going to have to acquire the specialized knowledge associated with shipping products around the country and overseas. The major parcel and package delivery services have made it easier than ever to navigate your way through the logistics and all the rules and regulations, but the ultimate responsibility for getting your product to its destination on time and in one piece rests squarely with the shipper.
"The Internet has changed the way we buy things," said Mark Taylor, chief logistics officer at RedRoller.com. "I did all my Christmas shopping online. Manufacturers used to send their products in trucks to distribution centers which would store them and break them into smaller shipments to stores. Today, manufacturers are shipping packages directly to the consumer."
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