Standard shipping explained: how it differs from express and how to apply it
May 19, 2024
If you browsed some online stores to buy a product, added it to your shopping cart, and proceeded to the recommended steps to complete the purchase until you reached the various shipping options between standard shipping, express shipping, or ultra-fast shipping, then confusion and hesitation arise. Do you choose speed in exchange for paying more money? Or do you prefer saving and wait a few extra days?
These types of questions reflect the challenge faced by many online shoppers, especially in light of the variety of shipping options available, which has made it difficult for consumers to make a decision.
Standard shipping plays a pivotal role in solving this dilemma for e-commerce stores that confuse shoppers, as it is a balanced option between speed and cost. It allows shoppers to get their products at a relatively reasonable price, taking into account a longer waiting period that may extend to a few days or weeks, depending on the destination and the shipping company.
Let's explore more about the standard shipping service, starting with the definition.
What is the meaning of Standard Shipping and its most important characteristics?
Standard shipping refers to the option offered by shipping companies to commercial activities aimed at achieving a balance between the speed of delivery of orders and the cost. This type of shipping option is usually slower in terms of delivery speed compared to express shipping service, but it is more economical in terms of cost.
What are the characteristics of standard shipping?
It takes longer than express shipping options, with delivery times ranging from 3 to 10 business days depending on the shipment's origin and destination.
Low cost compared to express shipping options, making its cost suitable for both the merchant and the customer.
Variety of shipping companies that provide standard or regular shipping services. At Oto, we provide more than 200 local and international shipping companies that offer standard shipping services and other shipping services.
Available for both domestic and international deliveries although international shipping times will generally be longer.
Often includes insurance services against loss or damage, which provides additional protection for products and ensures their safe arrival to consumers, in addition to shipment tracking service.
Easy to use as it does not require complex procedures or additional requirements.
Standard shipping has many names, including, for example:
Economic shipping.
Regular shipping.
Ordinary shipping.
Basic shipping.
How Standard Shipping Works
The mechanism of standard shipping does not differ much from other shipping options, as it involves several basic stages that form its mechanism of action, including:
Order Processing Stage:
In this stage, the order is prepared according to the consumer's requested needs and products. They are collected and inspected to ensure they match the required specifications and prepared for shipping in terms of packaging and wrapping to prevent damage during the transportation process.
Order Receipt Stage:
After the shipment is prepared, it is handed over to the selected shipping company to transport the goods to their intended destination.
Temporary Storage Stage:
In this stage, the various shipments are transferred to the central warehouses of the shipping company to be inspected and ensure their safety, and then shipped to the final consumer.
Order Delivery Stage:
During which the products are delivered to the final consumer at the agreed time and place, which may require the recipient's signature as proof of receiving the goods in good condition.
It is worth noting that there are many differences between standard shipping and express shipping, the most prominent of which we review below.
The Most Prominent Differences and Distinctions Between Express Shipping and Standard Shipping
The essential differences and distinctions between both standard shipping and express shipping are:
Delivery Time:
Express shipping is characterized by faster delivery of products to consumers compared to standard shipping, as various fast delivery options are available, including same-day delivery, or the next day, or within a maximum of 3 days. While standard shipping usually takes a longer time, between 3 to 10 working days, depending on the distance and the shipping company.
Cost:
Express shipping may be more expensive compared to standard shipping, as customers need to pay additional fees to benefit from high delivery speed. On the contrary, standard shipping is often cheaper in cost compared to express shipping, as its cost is either included in the product price or borne by the consumer based on the policy followed by the online store.
Shipping Method:
Standard shipping often uses land transport, sea freight, or a combination of both, which takes longer, while express shipping relies on air transport or fast land transport services to ensure fast delivery.
Processing Priority:
This means that priority is given to processing express orders for faster delivery, followed by regular orders.
Shipment Tracking and Service Features:
Standard shipping often includes basic tracking features that provide updates on the shipment's progress and estimated delivery date, while express shipping includes enhanced tracking features, often with more frequent updates and detailed tracking information, ensuring customers closely monitor their shipment's progress.
Delivery Guarantees:
Standard shipping is less likely to provide guaranteed delivery dates despite providing preliminary estimates, while express shipping often includes guaranteed delivery dates and times.
Use Cases:
Standard shipping is ideal for non-urgent shipments, cost-conscious customers, and large or heavy items that can withstand a longer delivery time. Express shipping is best for urgent shipments, perishable goods, important documents, or customers willing to pay more money for speed and reliability.
Environmental Impact:
Standard shipping has a lower environmental impact due to the use of land transport, which releases less carbon dioxide compared to air transport. Express shipping has a greater environmental impact due to reliance on air transport and fast services that have a larger carbon footprint.
⭐ Tip: As an e-commerce store owner, you should provide a variety of shipping options that meet the needs and preferences of a diverse range of customers, while considering the balance between efficiency, speed, and cost to gain customer satisfaction and increase sales.
What is the duration of standard shipping and the most important factors affecting it?
In general, the duration of standard shipping for delivering shipments to consumers ranges from 3 to 7 working days domestically, and 10 or more for international shipping. There are many factors that affect the duration of standard shipping, including:
Geographical Distance: The greater the distance between the shipping location and the delivery location, the longer the shipping time required to deliver the shipments to the final consumer.
Shipment Size and Weight: Large and heavy packages usually take longer to ship compared to smaller shipments.
Selected Shipping Method: The chosen shipping method affects the standard shipping time. For example, air freight via planes takes a shorter time compared to land freight.
Weather Conditions and Emergency Diversions: Bad weather conditions and natural disasters also affect the expected standard shipping time for delivering shipments.
Customs Procedures: In the case of international shipping, customs clearance, inspection, and examination of goods may take additional time, affecting the standard shipping duration to be longer than usual.
The most important advantages and disadvantages of standard shipping:
Standard shipping has advantages and disadvantages that should be identified to make the optimal decision based on the nature of the need, and here is a review of the most important ones:
First: Advantages of Standard Shipping for E-commerce Stores
Although standard shipping is the most cost-effective option for e-commerce retailers and consumers, it may not meet the expectations of customers who want their products to arrive as quickly as possible.
Therefore, offering a variety of shipping options, including express shipping, expedited shipping, or ultra-fast shipping, can enhance customer satisfaction and increase sales. In general, standard shipping has many advantages, including:
Low Cost:
Standard shipping is usually cheaper compared to express shipping options, giving customers the possibility to save on shipping and delivery costs.
Increased Sales:
Standard or economic shipping encourages customers to buy in larger quantities or repeat orders, leading to an increase in the total value of the shopping cart. Many studies have shown that consumers prefer stores that offer standard shipping even if it means paying a higher price for the same product.
Time Savings:
Although standard shipping takes longer compared to express shipping, it provides an acceptable delivery time, making it ideal for customers who are not in urgent need of receiving products quickly.
Wide Coverage:
Standard shipping is often widely available and covers multiple regions compared to other shipping options, as products can be delivered to consumers in various local and international locations.
Expert advice: It is important to note that standard shipping may not be suitable for all e-commerce stores, so store owners should consider factors such as the store size, location, type of products sold, and profit margin before deciding to offer the standard shipping option among the available shipping options.
Despite these diverse advantages of standard shipping, it has some disadvantages that should be noted.
The most important disadvantages of standard shipping:
Relatively Slow Delivery:
One of the most prominent disadvantages of standard shipping is the longer delivery time compared to express or ultra-fast shipping, which can lead to the loss of some customers who are looking to receive their products quickly, especially with the "next-day delivery" culture becoming common in some markets.
Possibility of Order Delays:
Due to standard shipping's reliance on traditional shipping company schedules, it is susceptible to delays in order delivery during peak seasons such as official holidays or major discount days. Also, weather factors or logistical problems may increase the waiting period, affecting customer satisfaction.
Risks of Shipment Damage or Loss:
The long shipping period and the increased number of distribution stations may expose shipments to the risk of damage or loss, especially if they are not well-packaged, which in turn adds additional burdens on companies in terms of compensation or product replacement.
Strategic Recommendations for Implementing Standard Shipping in Your Store Efficiently and Effectively
Be sure to understand your customers' needs and requirements by sending questionnaires to find out their expectations regarding shipping cost, delivery speed, and available delivery options.
Rely on collecting and analyzing data from order records to determine the most common destinations, package sizes, and weights to make informed decisions about the shipping options to include in your store.
Search for reliable and reputable shipping companies to provide standard shipping service, evaluate different companies, and choose those that provide reliable and reasonable services in terms of cost in addition to suitable geographical coverage.
Clarify the standard shipping policy to customers on your online store, and provide detailed information about expected delivery times, covered areas, and any other information related to the shipping process.
Improve the order processing procedure for standard shipping to reduce the time required to prepare the shipment for shipping, and ensure better warehouse organization and information flow to guarantee on-time delivery of shipments.
Work on including other shipping options in addition to standard shipping to meet the needs of different customers, such as express shipping for customers who need fast delivery of their orders.
Continuously evaluate and monitor the performance of the standard shipping process and listen to customer feedback to help identify areas for improvement and ensure providing an excellent shipping experience that gives you a competitive advantage.
In this context, we draw attention to the necessity of relying on shipping gateways such as Oto, the leading shipping gateway in the Arab world and Turkey, to help provide a unique and distinguished shipping experience for your customers at the lowest cost and highest quality.
Create a free account with Oto to be able to deal and connect directly with more than 350 local and international shipping companies at discounted shipping prices and with discounts of up to 90%, in addition to enjoying various shipping options such as standard, express, refrigerated, and heavy shipping, along with automating various operational processes efficiently from a single, simple control panel.
In conclusion
Standard shipping is an ideal option for retailers seeking to balance cost and speed to meet the diverse needs of their customers, as it offers multiple advantages that make it a preferred option for many e-commerce stores.
However, it is important to note that it may not be the optimal choice for all merchants. In some cases, express shipping may be necessary to attract customers and maintain their satisfaction, while free shipping may be more attractive to other customers. Therefore, merchants must accurately assess their needs and budget to include the best shipping options suitable for customers and contribute to enhancing their loyalty and increasing profits.
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