What do you do if your international logistics in E-Commerce encounter problems?

As someone who has been shipping across Europe after Brexit, and other parts like America, Australia and Asia. The best way to avoid these problems are you work with reliable partners like DHL, UPS is also pretty decent you may face problems from time to time. DHL can be quite expensive but its premium, at least you have mostly piece of mind that the problem will not get stuck within customs and others. They also provide cheap rates when you are sending certain number of parcels with them and the minium amount is not really a lot. Once you hit certain numbers for EU, US you can also store goods in EU and leveraging Amazon Logistics again decent pricing. The only issue is this requires like VAT /business registrations in those countries.

Simplify. Focus. Execute. Simplify the problems - Acknowledge the problems - Inform the customer and impacted stakeholders. Focus on what you can do to solve it. Execute your plan and get it done.

International logistics snags are an e-commerce reality, but quick action turns them into a competitive advantage. First, transparency is key – keep customers updated on delays with proactive communication. Consider having backup shipping partners for when issues arise, diversifying your options. Look at the bigger picture: was the root cause an unreliable supplier, poor packaging, or mislabeled customs forms? Addressing those prevents repeats. Treat these problems as opportunities to streamline your processes and build customer loyalty through excellent problem-solving.

Assess the scope and potential impact of the logistic issues on your business and customers. Consider factors such as the number of affected orders, potential delays, additional costs, and customer satisfaction. This assessment will guide your response strategy and help prioritize actions.

Assess how severely the issue is impacting your operations. Is it causing delays in delivery times, increased costs, or customer dissatisfaction?

Once an issue is identified, assess its impact on your operations and customers. How many orders are affected? What are the anticipated delays? Understanding the broader implications on inventory and customer satisfaction helps in prioritizing responses and managing the situation effectively. This insight is vital for minimizing the disruption's impact on future sales and maintaining operational continuity.

During a peak holiday season, our primary shipping carrier faced a nationwide system outage, causing delays in processing thousands of orders. We promptly communicated with the carrier, providing transparent updates to affected customers and offering alternative shipping options. Internally, we reorganized our logistics team and adjusted our customer service strategy to handle the surge in inquiries. These efforts minimized the impact on customer satisfaction despite the challenges.

When facing problems with international logistics in e-commerce, clear communication is essential. Start by identifying the issues at hand and evaluating their impact. Then, communicate openly with your customers, partners, and team, providing regular updates and setting realistic expectations. By keeping everyone informed, you can work together to find solutions and minimize disruptions to your business operations. Through clear communication, you can build trust with your customers and partners, demonstrating your commitment to resolving issues and delivering exceptional service.

Transparent communication is key. Notify affected customers about any delays or issues with their orders. Additionally, maintain open communication with your logistics partners, suppliers, and relevant stakeholders to address the challenges collectively.

Keep communication clear and proactive with all stakeholders, including customers, logistics partners, and internal teams. Inform affected customers of the issue and expected delays, offering solutions or alternatives where possible. Transparency builds trust and can mitigate dissatisfaction from customers.

Keep all stakeholders informed about the situation. This includes your customers, suppliers, and internal team. Transparency builds trust and can help manage expectations.

Transparent communication with customers during logistical disruptions is essential for maintaining trust. Promptly inform them about the issue and expected delays, and keep them updated as the situation evolves. Equip your customer service team with the necessary information to address inquiries and manage complaints efficiently. Clear, honest communication can alleviate customer concerns and strengthen loyalty even in challenging situations.

In today's e-commerce landscape, a diverse carrier network is like a magic shield against disruption. Don't limit yourself to just one or two options. By working with a variety of carriers, you can leverage their strengths and play them off each other a bit. This healthy competition can drive down costs and keep your shipping rates attractive for customers. Remember, happy customers are repeat customers! So explore those alternative carriers, negotiate win-win deals, and ultimately, your customers win with faster, more affordable deliveries.

Explore alternative shipping routes, carriers, or fulfillment centers to mitigate the impact of logistics disruptions. Consider leveraging multiple logistics providers or implementing backup plans to ensure continuity in your supply chain.

Last summer, our e-commerce company encountered unexpected delays with our primary shipping carrier due to a labor strike. To mitigate the impact on our customers, we swiftly researched and activated alternative shipping routes and carriers. By leveraging regional carriers and partnering with local delivery services, we managed to maintain timely deliveries for most orders. This proactive approach not only prevented significant disruptions but also showcased our commitment to customer satisfaction.

Both a multi-carrier strategy and taking a look at how you're running your shipping and fulfilment in general are good ways to resolve issues moving forward. For example, do you have a mix of carriers to switch between in the event of shipping delays?

Make necessary adjustments to your operations to accommodate the disruptions. This could include updating your inventory management, reallocating resources, or temporarily modifying your delivery promises on the website to reflect the current capabilities realistically.

Adjusting your operations to include some form of automation can alleviate a lot of strain. For example, with platforms like Starshipit, you can set up automations with a number international carriers to automate shipping processes, customs documentation and international returns.

Implement the chosen alternative(s) into your operations. This might involve updating your website with new shipping options, renegotiating contracts with suppliers, or reorganizing your warehouse.

Last year, our e-commerce business faced recurring delays with international shipments, impacting customer satisfaction and revenue. To address this, we adjusted our operational strategies by expanding our network of local distributors and fulfillment centers in key markets. This allowed us to stock inventory closer to our customers, reducing reliance on international shipments and mitigating the risk of delays. As a result, we saw improvements in delivery times, customer satisfaction, and overall business performance.

Once the immediate issues are resolved, conduct a post-mortem analysis to understand what went wrong and why. Use this information to strengthen your logistics strategy, such as improving partner selection, enhancing training for handling international shipments, or updating your logistics contingency plans.

After resolving the issue, take the time to analyze what went wrong and why. Use this knowledge to improve your processes and systems to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.

Sometimes extraneous factors come into play in international shipping. Example - when a ship encountered a problem in the Suez Canal, international shipping went crazy for a week! Another example - There were problems that led to delays in the Los Angeles port more than a year back. Being aware of these global issues can help executives make the right call at the right time...

Localized Production? Establish partnerships with local suppliers or manufacturers in target markets. This reduces shipping distances and customs complexities.

Regulatory Compliance: Ensure that you are up to date with international trade regulations and customs procedures to avoid legal issues that can arise from non-compliance. Insurance Coverage: Verify that your logistics insurance covers the types of issues you encountered. Adequate insurance can help mitigate financial losses from lost or delayed shipments. Technology Integration: Invest in advanced logistics technology that can provide real-time data and analytics, helping to prevent or quickly resolve future issues.

It's also worth considering eCommerce automation to ensure that all of your platforms (Inventory Management System, 3PL, Marketplaces, Accounting) are speaking to each other and all hold accurate data. Automation can ensure that your stock levels are always up to date to ensure that your business does not oversell which can cause headaches!