Navigating Shipment Pressure as a Small Business

When I started out, I felt sooo much pressure to *be amazon* when it came to shipping.

I quickly realized that path would lead to no days off & probably be the end of my business making any money. I am not a fulfillment center. I am a small, growing business making a handcrafted product.

Same day (or even next day) fulfillment for a small business, esp one where the product is made by hand, isn’t feasible. Free shipping is even less feasible - for context - we have a flat rate for shipping (which has increased over the years, as the postal service has raised its prices) and still lose money on a number of packages.*

Our fulfillment times are 2-7 days, and if it’s gonna be longer for some reason (yknow *the whole supply chain thing* and I’ll often hold off on shipping during heat waves), then I’ll email ya!

For the sake of all the small biz owners out there, please be patient, be kind, and look at shipping costs as something you’re likely splitting with the small biz ♥️

*A way around this is to work your shipment costs into your prices. Measure & weigh a standard order, choose an address as far away from you as possible, and use a system like PirateShip or Shippo to calculate how much shipping will be. Add that to your price. Across the board, no matter where you're shipping to. This way, you'll be able to offer your customers free shipping, and you get to ensure you make a damn. good. product.

We may switch to this method one day.