Business

Problems In Transit: Delivering Difficult Online Sales

Written by Chloe Harwood

When it comes to modern business, online sales are a pretty big deal. In case you hadn’t realized, the way consumers operate has changed. Of course, there are various reasons why you might rally against sales like these. Traditionalists see operating in this way as a kind of deceit. Others don’t believe it would do their business any good. And, some of us just don’t know how to make selling like this work. Some items are easy to package up and send away. But, others are much harder, and that’s where things get complicated.


If you offer a product which doesn’t lend itself to long-distance travel, you’re likely at your wit’s end. How can you get anywhere if you can’t grow into this new way of doing business? The good news is, you can look at this as a ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’ situation. And, we’re going to look at the ways you can transfer three of the most challenging products.

Delicate items

The most common issue retailers face is that of delicate goods. There’s no getting past the fact that you’ll pay for it if the product is broken when it reaches its destination. Many retailers have tried and failed to break into online sales for this exact reason. But, that doesn’t mean hope is lost. In some ways, you could tackle the issue by perfecting your packaging. Using plenty of padding is sure to make a difference, as are visible ‘Fragile’ warnings. If all else fails, you could always opt for a private courier who can take better care of the items in question. You can be sure they’ll do the job properly if they want an ongoing contract with your company.

Frozen goods

Frozen goods are another area of concern. Online grocery shopping may be an accessible option, but supermarkets are always nearby. You don’t have that luxury. If you’re delivering from one coast to another, there’s much more chance of a meltdown. In truth, the only real way to avoid this is to look into companies like Corcoran who can take care of your trucking needs with their refrigerated Reefer vans. If business is booming, you could even consider investing in warehouses across the country. That way, there will be less distance for each product to travel, and less chance of it defrosting on the road.

Live foods

Believe it or not, there is also call for transportation of live foods. Reptile owners now often shop online with companies like Reptile Food. And, if you offer live feed like this, it’s essential to keep up with the competition. For the most part, success here all comes down to packaging. Again, you should state the fragile nature of the package, and also which way up it should be kept. Remember, too, to include air holes on the package itself and the container in which your live foods are. That way, you can rest easy they’ll be happy and healthy when they reach their destination.

About the author

Chloe Harwood