1) Introduction
Just as formulating a potion is important for a wizard, formulating a shipping policy is important for an ecommerce business. But, it is not easy to formulate an official document that covers everything for a process as complex and dynamic as Shipping. This is why it is ideal to formulate a shipping policy using a shipping policy template or a shipping policy generator. Depending on your organisation's needs, you can find free resources for this.
If you are an online business that delivers products/services to customers, creating and publishing a shipping policy is one of the first steps you should take. If you have not taken this step, you must be aware of the problems that arise without a shipping policy. The absence of a shipping policy means the customer cannot estimate the delivery date, shipping cost and other terms of service.
Therefore, it is important to formulate a comprehensive yet concise shipping policy. However, as a business, it is also important to focus on the development and growth of your business, and you may not necessarily have the time to sit and compose a shipping policy. But you shouldn’t have to put in the effort if you know how to make use of the internet. You can find free shipping policy templates on the internet, making it much easier for you to formulate a shipping policy.
Alternatively, if you wish to create a customised shipping policy without using a template, you can use the Shipping Policy generators available on the internet. Using these two resources is one of the most convenient ways to formulate a shipping policy without writing every sentence. But, it can be challenging to navigate the complex network of the internet to find what you are precisely looking for. In this blog will discuss specific tips and techniques for choosing a shipping policy template or a shipping policy generator.
2) Shipping Policy Template Vs Shipping Policy Generator
When it comes to using free resources to speed up creating a Shipping policy, the Shipping Policy template and Shipping Policy generator are the two best ways to do so. While their end goal may be the same, formulating a shipping policy using these two can be different. Let’s take a quick look at the difference between the two resources to make an informed decision when you have to make a choice.
2.1) Shipping Policy Template
A Shipping Policy Template is a pre-existing Shipping Policy document formulated by an ecommerce marketplace as a resource for their clients or logistic solutions like ClickPost to help their clients enhance the customer experience. When you decide to use a Shipping policy template, you will be modifying specific terms and values in the shipping policy template according to your delivery terms and conditions. The sentences and the general terms in the shipping policy will stay the same.
The advantage of using a template is that you will not miss any points in the policy as an expert already wrote it. Although, you might not be able to add customised sentences and terms while using a shipping policy template. It is better to use a customisable free shipping policy template if you want to add specific terms and conditions that aren’t common to shipping policy.
2.2) Shipping Policy Generator
A Shipping Policy Generator is usually web-based software or API that allows you to generate a shipping policy. All you have to do to create a shipping policy is enter the generator's parameters to start the process. The software then generates a shipping policy using the parameters you entered. While this may sound easy, it may be hard to find a free shipping policy generator that churns out accurate and grammatically correct sentences and covers all the necessary topics.
3) What should a free shipping policy template include?
Just finding a free shipping policy on the internet is not enough. While creating a shipping policy, you have to ensure that it covers all situations and scenarios that may arise during your products and services. A comprehensive, concise shipping policy will help you establish seamless, transparent communication with your customers and reduce the strain on the customer support team. The customers can find the answers to their questions in the shipping policy document.
Here are some of the must-haves you should look for in a free shipping policy template:
3.1) Shipping Cost
You must include the shipping cost and the pricing method that you will be using to charge your customer in the shipping policy. If you provide free shipping, you must include the terms for the order to be eligible for free shipping, for example, the minimum cart value.
3.2) Shipping Method and Delivery Time
If you provide multiple shipping options, you must have a table in your shipping policy template that shows the different shipping options, their costs and the delivery time for each method.
3.3) Shipping Restrictions
If you typically work with fewer carrier partners, you may not be able to deliver to particular pin codes or process returns for certain types of products. It is better to mention whatever shipping restrictions and limitations you have within the shipping policy.
3.4) SOP for Lost/Damaged Shipment
Lost and damaged shipments are the most frequent shipping exceptions. This means a complete loss of product and can leave the customers frustrated if they do not see a quick resolution. It is better to define an SOP for lost and damaged shipments within your shipping policy.
3.5) International Shipping
While choosing a free shipping policy template, make sure that there are clauses about the rules and terms for international orders. It should contain details and guidelines for importing your products, and the customs duties and import taxes levied on them. You can include these charges for some popular countries based on your customer data based on your customer data.
4) How to use a Shipping Policy Generator?
If you don’t want to use a template, or wish to add specific new and unique terms to your shipping policy, the best way to do so is by using a Shipping Policy Generator. You can find numerous free shipping policy generators on the internet, or you can use shipping policy generators provided by shipping software.
While using the generators online, you must understand the terms they are asking for and enter them accurately. The generators then use the inputs provided by the user to formulate and create the shipping policy using these inputs as the terms of the policy. Before you start using a shipping policy generator, you need to have the following details:-
- Shipping fees
- Terms for international shipping
- Customs information and import details
- Shipping restrictions, if any
- Pick up options
- Eligibility for free shipping
- Return and exchange information
Once you have entered all the details, all you need to do is click on generate, and the generator should start processing the shipping policy for you. Depending on the shipping policy generator you use, you may have to wait a while as the software processes your request. It is recommended that you proofread the shipping policy after it is generated so that you can spot any blunders or grammatical errors made by the free shipping policy generator.
5) Conclusion
Your Shipping policy is the bible for your fulfilment operations. Therefore, it includes all the factors that may affect the shipping price and delivery time so that you have some leeway while delivering your orders. Since you have formulated the guidelines in the policy yourselves, you have to ensure that all deliveries are made while adhering to these guidelines.
One of the best and most efficient ways to formulate a shipping policy is to use shipping policy templates available on the internet. You may find multiple free shipping policy templates in word and excel, or you can use the internet to look at more options. Alternatively, you can also use a shipping policy generator to generate a shipping policy based on a few inputs from your side. The advantage here is that you can include customised terms and conditions, and you can modify the design of the Shipping Policy document according to the needs of your brand. There are many free shipping policy generators on the internet, or you can use premium shipping policy generators if you are looking for specific features in the generator software.
The end goal of both methods is to provide you with an easy and effective way to formulate a shipping policy, a document that is crucial to every e-commerce business. Having a clear, concise shipping policy promotes trust with the brand and establishes clear guidelines for the customers in case of shipping exceptions. This ease of purchase encourages customers to return to your platform and product and improves customer satisfaction and retention rate.
6) FAQs (Frequently asked questions and answers)
6.1) Where can I find free shipping policy templates?
We added a free shipping policy template link here. Alternatively, there are some options available in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. If you don’t find any to your liking on these sources, you can look for opportunities on the internet. Just ensure that the resource you use is a free license resource.
6.2) What are the benefits of using a shipping policy generator?
One of the main benefits of using a shipping policy generator is that you get a customised and personalised shipping policy that is curated according to your needs and terms. You can add customised conditions according to your needs and define new terms and conditions in addition to what the generator creates for you.