A few months ago, I started thinking carefully about why our business wasn't making more money. It just seemed like no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't turn a profit. Fortunately, a friend of mine suggested evaluating our shipping procedures. It didn't seem like the logical decision at the time, but since he was a successful business owner, I decided to listen to his advice. After carefully evaluating things, I realized that we really did have a few lags in our system. We went through and carefully reconfigured a few things, and it was amazing to see how much of a difference our changes made. Within a few weeks, we were able to speed things up and reduce lost packages. Read this blog to learn more.
Summer may be still in full swing, but the start of the holiday season is only a few months away. If you have friends and family overseas or in the military, it's already time to start thinking about choosing and packing their gifts so you can ship them in plenty of time. Here's what you should know about international shipping.
Not Everything Can Be Mailed
You don't want to be disappointed when you get to the shipping facility of your choice or worse, have your packages confiscated before they reach their intended recipients, so it's important you know what is and what isn't allowed.
While American cigarettes are quite popular as well as valuable in some foreign countries, they cannot be shipped overseas, even to servicemen. Only those with a license to buy and sell tobacco may ship or received tobacco products. Marijuana is also prohibited from being shipped, both internationally as well as domestically.
Another favorite item that is also potentially valuable is alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, you will not be able to send your friends and family a six-pack from your new batch of microbrew or a bottle of your vintage wine. Commercially made beer, wines, and spirits are also out. Alcohol isn't just limited to the drinking kind, either. Colognes and perfumes that contain alcohol, as well as all aerosols, are forbidden. Lacquers, varnish, and nail polish are another no-no.
No fresh fruits, vegetables, or other perishable foods are allowed. While a tin of your famous Christmas cookies or fruit bread is usually acceptable, these or any other dried goods and snacks must be packed in plastic containers with a tight seal.
Double-Check The Mailing Dates And Package Sizes
Every postage and shipping service, whether it is the United States Postal Service or one of the other carriers, has deals on shipping internationally. It is usually a deal such as they charge a flat rate for a certain sized box, with a promise to have it delivered by a certain date.
Consult with the carriers ahead of time to help you figure out what your best bet is to now only keep your shipping costs down but also know when you must have your package ready to go. Shipping normal ground service rather than priority mail can take a month or more to some countries, especially if the package is going to a military member in a remote location.
Share24 August 2018
