Key Points
- UPS Ground offer good value in terms of price and delivery lead time if you’re shipping domestically
- Poly mailers and cardboard boxes are the best packaging for clothes when shipping clothes
- Easyship users save up to 91% on discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers. This means that eCommerce merchants like yourself can have instant access to the cheapest shipping rates
Have you ever thought of the cheapest business you can start in 2022? If you are fashion savvy and understand current trends, then selling clothes online is a great niche to explore. According to statistics, the eCommerce fashion industry is expected to reach a valuation of close to $673 million by 2023.
Popular eCommerce platforms and marketplaces like Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and many more provide tools and resources for online merchants to sell products and get the necessary traffic. And if you add a great guide to that, you can become a successful online clothes seller in no time.
This blog post covers what you need to know about selling clothes online in 2022. You will learn everything from picking the cheapest shipping services to packaging tips. Let's dive in.
What's the Cheapest Way to Ship Clothes?
As an online clothes merchant, you will always be faced with choosing the cheapest shipping options. The best way to get ahead is to stay informed and compare prices from available couriers. Once you can get the most affordable options, you can rely on that shipping service for subsequent shipments. Also, providing your customers with cheap shipping options will help maintain a good relationship and trust.
The table below compares prices from different shipping couriers for a 2-pound clothing package from New York to Los Angeles using Easyship free shipping calculator
Takeaway: from the table above, the cheapest is USPS Media. Note that prices are estimates and will change based on your shipment's package dimension and weight. Regardless, UPS® Ground is a good choice if you consider a faster delivery time at the best cost value.
Related Post: The Cheapest Way to Ship Clothes & Apparel
How to Package Clothes for Shipping
One of the perks of selling online is that you have to master the art of packaging your products before shipping. How you package your customer's clothes goes a long way to determine the condition of the clothes and if they will want to buy from you again in the future.
Unlike other items, clothes are not prone to breakage. Regardless, it would help if you learned these easy tips on how to package clothes like a pro before sending them off for shipping:
Avoid added cushioning
Aside from the fact that clothes are not fragile and you run no risk of breakage during shipping, your customers would love to have their clothes neatly packaged. A neatly packaged item will get to your customer free from creases and won’t be rumpled.
It is also recommended to fold and lay your clothes flat if you use mailer boxes or bags. When boxing up a piece of clothing before shipping, you do not need extra cushioning or protection. Simply fold the clothes properly and seal the package appropriately.
Ship in the least amount of packaging
Always use the right size box. While there will be a lot of box options to choose from, you should pick the one with suitable space for the number of clothes you are shipping. The extra space is unnecessary and could cost you more than the calculated shipping rate.
Also, consider your customer when they unbox. Getting a single item of clothing in a box too big for it is unnecessary. Cut down on extra packaging, and your customer will be thankful for it.
Use branded packaging
Your brand identity is essential when you sell clothes online. While the courier you use might provide your boxes, remember to use your brand's unique packaging, which can be a poly mailer bag or a customized cardboard box.
Using branded packaging can help in a lot of ways. It creates brand awareness, helps you communicate your brand's identity to your customers, and gives you a competitive edge over other clothes sellers that do not.
Weigh packages to make sure the weight provided is accurate
Before sending your customers ordered clothes for shipping, ensure you know the correct total weight. The weight of the package is vital in helping you calculate the shipping cost. In order cases, when you calculate the total weight of the package, you can find those extra items that are taking up space and do away with them. For example, it is highly suggested that you do not use additional cushioning if you don’t need to. Tissue paper is a good option as it is light and will not impact the shipping weight if it is appropriately used.
You should also use the right size of packaging and try to ship as much clothing in one package if you are shipping to the same customer. The easiest way to check the size and weight of your package is to use a tape measure for a box to get the dimension and scale for both packages in boxes and bags.
How to Sell Clothes Online with Easyship
Whether through dropshipping or keeping an inventory, selling clothes online is a lucrative business anyone can try. The industry is robust, with trends regularly evolving, so the apparel industry is never too saturated.
Though the competition is high, the best tips for selling clothes online are building your brand, exploring marketing strategies, and focusing on packaging. Once you have done these, you need to partner with a reliable logistics company that can help you get the cheapest shipping rates, and you are good to go. Easyship is one you can trust. As a shipping partner, Easyship has a track record of helping small to medium-sized businesses cut down on shipping costs and better satisfy their customers. If you belong to any of these categories, click on the tools below to get started.
Free Shipping Rates Calculator: Access high-volume discounts from major couriers. Plus, get instant access to delivery lead times from premium shipping couriers
Global Fulfillment: Easyship has warehouse partners on four continents to reach customers worldwide. Plus, Easyship helps scale up fulfillment capabilities without increasing overhead costs
Shipping Policy Generator: Our shipping policy generator helps merchants and crowdfunding campaigns generate their shipping policy by providing tracking and insurance options, plus other vital information for your shipping process
Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to high-volume discounts up to 91% off for hundreds of shipping companies
