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Shipping costs - How they do it?

ahl

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Nov 19, 2018
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Hello folks,

I've been trying to push a niche e-commerce website but I believe my biggest pain point to make it happen has been shipping costs. I offer fresh cuban pastry (among other things) and target specific communities across the USs where cubans do not have easy access to them and, in my opinion, there is an opportunity.
The site hasn't take off despite some decent advertising spent and social media work.
I believe my biggest enemy are shipping costs. I am targeting only States that are adjacent to Florida where 2-Day shipping is standard for most companies, but to ship 5Lbs I need to pay around $9. As I am starting up, I get almost no discount from any shipper. To cope with it I need to shrink my margins to almost nothing to make my product somehow attractive.
How do others do it? How can other sellers deal with such high overhead? I am considering the idea of absorbing most of it and taking a loss in order to get volume and be in a better position to negotiate with the shippers but it hardly sounds like a good idea.

Has anyone being in a similar position and figured out how to dig yourself out of the hole?

Thanks in advance!
 
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D

DeletedUser0287

Guest
Offer free shipping for purchases over a certain amount. Cheaper to ship more together.

Sell in bulk only?

Roll in shipping costs with product and offer “free shipping”
 

1step

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Dec 4, 2012
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Your shipping costs aren’t going to get much cheaper than $9. If youre going to make this business work you’ll need to find a pricing or bundling strategy to cover shipping in that range. Don’t try to “make it up in volume”

If you signup for shipstation you’ll get a discount on usps rates (over retail rates at least)
 
D

DeletedUser0287

Guest
Your shipping costs aren’t going to get much cheaper than $9. If youre going to make this business work you’ll need to find a pricing or bundling strategy to cover shipping in that range. Don’t try to “make it up in volume”

If you signup for shipstation you’ll get a discount on usps rates (over retail rates at least)

Maybe it just isn't a viable business then?

Or add more value around your cuban pastry so each order value will be higher?
 
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