If you sell products online, eBay is an excellent channel to access a large customer base and generate revenue.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping has boomed in 2020. And eBay is one of the platforms that has benefited most.
According to Statista, it’s currently the most popular online marketplace in the U.S.
Throughout the year, it has seen massive growth. In April and May alone, it added 6 million buyers, bringing its total audience to a stunning 174 million. Whether you’re located in the U.S. or abroad, this platform offers sellers a ready-made market of global customers.
One of the choices that come with selling via eBay, though, is which delivery options to offer. Standard postal delivery and well-known shipping companies like FedEx and DHL come to mind.
However, there is one more alternative that you should seriously consider: courier services. These days, these services are increasingly cost-effective and offer versatile delivery.
Here’s what you need to know about the advantages of using couriers for your eBay sales.
Same-Day and Flexible Delivery
To start with, courier delivery is both fast and flexible. In many cases, courier companies offer local services, picking up packages and dropping them off the same day.
For international delivery, courier services can also boast much faster delivery than the standard postal option.
What’s more, many courier companies make their services available 24/7, 365 days per year, making sure that your deliveries come through no matter when.
Plus, couriers also provide the flexibility that standard shipping or postal delivery doesn’t. They will pick up the parcels where you want, then drop them exactly where your customer specifies.
Special Item Delivery
If you are delivering fragile or valuable items, courier delivery brings considerable advantages. The same goes for shipping heavy or unusually-shaped items.
Couriers are used to handling special items and are equipped to do so professionally.
Many larger courier companies have a varied fleet of vehicles at their beck and call. From bikes and motorcycles to large vans and refrigerated vehicles, they’ll be able to handle each item safely and appropriately.
In fact, if you’re shipping heavy, outsize, or fragile items, using courier services may be cheaper. With standard shipping options, prices soon rack up with weight and size.
Security, Privacy, and Insurance
Another point in favor of using couriers to ship eBay sales is these services’ insurance and security policies.
If you’re sending valuable or sensitive items, you can opt for special handling. Many couriers offer options like having a single dedicated handler and a fully transparent chain of custody.
In addition, these companies also usually have additional indemnity and public liability insurance, as well as time-stamped audit trails. These come in useful in case something does happen to your shipment.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, whether you should get an eBay courier service depends on what kinds of products you sell, and what your customers’ expectations are.
If you’re selling heavy or outsize items, courier delivery is often cheaper than standard shipping. If your products are extremely valuable, fragile, or sensitive, courier services provide extra layers of security. And if your customers are expecting fast or even same-day delivery, a courier is your best bet to make it happen.
