If you make and sell products, you need to ask yourself how you’re going to get these products to your customers in a cost-effective and timely way. Depending on the type of product you make, the quantity you sell and how far you’re sending them, this will need to be included in your marketing, sales and business plan, find a sales plan example here for that. There are a number of different options to consider.
By Team Savant
Image: Yu Hosoi
Deliver them yourself in your vehicle
Many small business owners choose to deliver their products themselves if the delivery area is fairly small. There are a lot of potential advantages to this, especially if you’re a start-up. You’ll already have your own transportation which you can use, so there’s no additional outlay there. You can also claim your mileage and certain maintenance and repairs as an expense, making it very tax efficient.
Another advantage of this type of delivery is that you’ll be able to interact directly with your customers, which is great for building rapport and brand loyalty.
Buying a specialist vehicle
Your small car may not be able to carry many items, so you’ll find yourselves making multiple journeys, which isn’t very efficient. If you’re still wanting to make deliveries yourself then it makes sense to get a larger, more efficient vehicle. Depending on the size and number of items you’re delivering, you can choose anything from a small transit van to a large, bespoke truck.
Having a separate vehicle, especially for your deliveries can save you putting the miles on your own car. As it is a business purchase, you may be able to get good purchase or leasing deals and also on things like servicing and replacement Truck Tyres to keep your vehicle running efficiently.
Specialist delivery company
Many business owners don’t have the time or inclination to deliver their products personally. Also, if the business is booming, then there will be just too many deliveries to handle. Personal delivery also limits you to a small geographic area. That’s where a delivery company comes in. Business owners can open accounts to give them specialist pricing and SLAs.
For most businesses, this is the perfect solution as they can use the resources and logistical experience of the delivery company in order to give better customer service.
Fulfilment centre
At a certain point, a fulfilment centre may be the best option for your business. These warehouses store your products and complete orders by picking and packing them to be delivered in line with your postage policy. Unless you’re creating bespoke items, or those which will perish in a short space of time, then this can be the perfect solution to fulfilling your orders. You won’t have to find storage for your inventory and everything is taken care of for you by a professional service.
Takeaways
Today’s consumer expects their products to be delivered quickly and cost-effectively. Failing to do this can cause issues for your business, especially if these customers are giving negative feedback online. When starting your business, you should think carefully about what’s going to work best for your budget and your customers before deciding.