Here's a big, bold statement for you.
'There's no such thing as free shipping"
There, I said it. It's all a lie.
This matter comes up all the time online. I see it discussed in business groups on Facebook, promoted in marketing campaigns and in online advertising.
Hell, to be perfectly honest, I'm a sucker for "free shipping" too, even though I know it's a bait and switch.
So why can't shipping be free?
Put quite simply, there's a cost to shipping something. You've not only go to have the packaging materials and the woman-power to get it ready to ship but the freight costs money too.
Because Australia Post and other freight services need to charge money or they'll go out of business.
Sure, some big businesses can negotiate volume discounts but they still have to pay for their freight at the end of the day.
So how do they offer "free shipping"?
Quite simply, it's not free. It's built into the price of the products. Or, if they are not very good at their job, it's not entirely covered by the product pricing and they take from other areas of the business, like staffing and create knock-on effects that we as outsiders; may not be able to see.
But, you have free shipping over $99...
Yeah, I do. Because weirdly enough, it takes about the same amount of time to pack a small order as it does a large. By encouraging larger orders with a free shipping offer, I have a bit more "padding" to absorb the shipping costs.
Will you ever offer free shipping on all orders?
Realistically no. To have individual products cover all the packaging, shipping and labour costs, they'd need to be a lot more expensive than they are now. Which I'm sure you don't want.
In conclusion, bulky, heavy or fragile products need to be shipped carefully, so that's going to cost money. Some days I wish I made jewellery because tiny things ship so cheaply. But you can't wash your hands with earrings so here we are.
Supporting small biz
You can help support small businesses during the holiday period (and all year round in fact) by simply shopping small. Trust me when I say, it makes our day and supports our lives in a very real way when we receive an order.
I've had a habit for the longest time, that whenever I receive an order, I look at it and say "thank you, thank you, thank you" sending my love and gratitude your way and out into the world.
You can and do make a difference. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
