Drop shipping has become an increasingly popular business model in the UK. More and more British entrepreneurs are making use of the international shipping system to provide their customers with exactly what they want without ever holding anything in stock. Instead, when orders come in they simply instruct their suppliers to ship directly to their clients and mark up the items with a reasonable profit margin. This business model can be highly profitable because of the low overheads that are needed, for example, by doing away with the need for warehouse space or even a stockroom.
However, drop shipping is also a highly competitive way of doing business. What tends to give one business the edge over another one is the speed and reliability of their orders. This will sometimes come down to choosing reputable suppliers, especially when dealing with manufacturers and wholesalers in the Far East. Another important aspect that should not be understated is the role of freight forwarding.
In essence, freight forwarding means getting orders from where they are being despatched to where they will end up in the quickest yet most cost-effective way. In other words, so long as you can supply your customers more rapidly than your competitors, your company’s reputation will grow and so will your sales figures, as a result. However, faster and more reliable shipping is not worth it if it cuts into your profit margins too greatly. This is where the expertise available at Barrington Freight can help so much.
Firstly, we’ll know when to choose ocean-going shipments for your businesses and when to opt for other options, such as air freight and courier services. Yes, this often comes down to what the customer is willing to pay for in order to get their delivery faster but it is not the whole story. Air freight and couriers – even from countries like China – are only viable when you have goods of a certain value and weight. Our experience in this field is very useful to any drop shipping businesses that want to offer a tiered delivery service or to simply get orders to their customers quicker than their competitors without breaking the bank.
Another area where Barrington Freight’s know-how can be brought to bear is with importation documentation. If you leave your import paperwork to your supplier to sort out, then consignments can be delayed when they arrive in the UK. Of course, drop shipping companies need to declare whether goods are VAT-rated and so on but you also have to use the right commodity codes for certain items. The trouble with many products is that they can be interpreted as belonging to two or more commodity code groups. Get it wrong and HMRC will take a close interest not just in the current shipment but future ones, too. Ask Barrington Freight to help ensure your importation documentation is right every time.
Finally, Barrington Freight has a wealth of experience in drop shipping all sorts of goods. We handle books and paper, clothing, electronic goods, gym equipment and machinery, among many others. As such, you can rely on us for nearly all classes of goods and to improve the efficiency of your business operations no matter where you are drop shipping from or to.
Contact Barrington Freight today: 01268 525 444. Alternatively you can also send an email to: info@barringtonfreight.co.uk
