Did you know that 1 in 10 shipments suffer damage during transit, leading to big losses for your businesses? Shipping damage is not just occasional; it is a common issue that happens frequently, and it has a big impact on the rest of your operations and translates into a loss for your business.
At EP Logistics, we understand that damaged shipments can severely affect a business and the flow of its operations. That’s why we are committed to helping you prevent shipping damages and ensure the integrity of your goods while they move throughout your supply chain.
The real cost of shipping damage in the supply chain
Whether directly or indirectly, shipping damage represents a loss and impacts businesses in different ways. It is more than dealing with a damaged package, it has a ripple effect along the supply chain, causing disruptions and generating unnecessary costs.
Direct costs of damaged goods
When a package is damaged, businesses have to take the financial hit it produces and the additional cost generated in having to replace or repair the damaged item, handle the return, and sometimes even have to compensate the customer.
When this happens in industries like pharmaceuticals or consumer electronics, where they deal with high-value goods, these costs have a giant impact on the profitability of the business.
Indirect Costs of Shipping Damage
Besides the additional expenses generated by shipping damage, sometimes there are also collateral hidden costs that can further affect the business.
For example, when there are many damaged products, insurance premiums can increase, and sometimes companies have to hire more personnel to deal with the returns and replacements; and of course, there’s the sales opportunity loss where usually a company’s reputation is also damaged.
As if this weren’t enough, shipping damage also indirectly impacts the rest of the operations along the supply chain because it causes delays, missed deadlines, product recalls, etc.
Reputation Damage
Another important consequence of shipping damage is the potential harm to the reputation of the business. Damaged items mean customers will be dissatisfied, increasing the chances of negative reviews, and a loss of trust in the brand.
Key areas where shipping damage occurs
To prevent shipping damage, it is important to understand it first and to get familiar with the most common scenarios where it can occur along the supply chain so that your business can plan. Take the necessary precautions, and reduce the risk of it. Here are the stages where shipping damage most commonly happens:
During Loading and Unloading
At EP Logistics, we reduce the risk of having shipping damage at this stage by monitoring and making sure our personnel is well-trained and using specialized equipment. Our team handles your packages with care to avoid damaged packages before they even leave the warehouse.
In Transit
It is critical to ensure that items are properly packaged and that the best transportation method is selected, including taking into consideration any special requirements the items might need, for example, temperature control.
This is why, at EP Logistics, we offer advanced transport as well as protective options like bubble wrap and cardboard boxes to prevent damage during transit.
Besides, our personnel handles your shipment with care and properly stacks it to prevent damage during road freight, ocean, or air transport, so that your products arrive safely every time.
In Warehousing and Storage
When warehouses are poorly organized, storage conditions are inadequate, or special requirements are not met, for example for perishables, pharmaceuticals, and other temperature and humidity-sensitive items, cause items to become damaged.
Having this in mind, at EP Logistics we offer warehousing solutions with climate control, advanced inventory management to monitor your goods, and a secure storage to reduce the risk of products being damaged.
The impact of shipping damage on a company’s supply chain
As you can imagine, when shipping damage occurs it greatly impacts the supply chain because it has a ripple effect, disrupting other processes in it. Take a look at the most common ways damaged shipments can impact your business:
Disruption in the Supply Chain
Damaged packages can create stockouts, missed deadlines, and of course, unhappy customers. This is why at EP Logistics we use real-time tracking systems that help us better monitor these situations, allowing us to prevent disruptions before they happen, and to quickly respond to them in case any arise.
Increased operating costs
Because handling damaged goods requires a business to use additional resources, for the shipping back of the return, repairs, and customer satisfaction representatives dealing with the unsatisfied customer, shipping damage causes a lot more expenses to be generated. Rework, re-shipping, and product return all drive up operating costs, reducing overall efficiency.
For this, reason, at EP Logistics, we help your business to optimize its logistics to minimize these costly inefficiencies, ensuring that your bottom line is not affected by shipping damage or other possible logistics challenges.
Customer retention and losses
Lastly, shipping damage has a long-term effect on the reputation of a business because once a customer receives a damaged item, credibility will decrease and, of course, customer satisfaction as well.
Customers are expecting their items to arrive on time and in good condition, and even with the efforts of replacing an item, trust will already be hurt. Some customers would rather not wait for a replacement to be sent or lose interest in the item and will straight request a refund, causing a loss in profit and customer loyalty.
To prevent this, at EP Logistics, we focus on offering exceptional fulfillment services that ensure your products reach customers in perfect condition, improving retention and reducing return rates.
How to reduce shipping damage with specialized logistics services
To reduce shipping damage, your business will need to implement strategies that will prevent and reduce the risk of shipping damage. Here are some strategies that can help you achieve this:
Invest in professional packaging
Making sure that your items are properly packaged and protected using the right packaging materials is key. At EP Logistics make sure these requirements are not overseen.
Whether it’s sensitive electronics, delicate aerospace components, or fragile retail items, we provide the best packaging options from bubble wrap to sturdy cardboard boxes as many other tools to protect your goods at all times.
Leverage advanced Warehousing Solutions
Double check that the warehouse your items are being stored in can provide a safe and well-organized space for them and that they can provide customized warehousing for items that need special care like controlled temperature.
At EP Logistics we offer advanced warehouses designed to prevent damage to your goods with smart organization, secure storage, and climate-controlled environments. We also use automation and tracking systems to monitor your products, reducing the risk of humidity damage and other common issues.
Implement better handling protocols
Ensure that your items are being properly handled at all times and that the personnel are well-trained to handle them.
Our team at EP Logistics is well trained trained and formed by professionals to ensure good care of your items. We also make sure the right equipment is used to minimize freight damage when loading, unloading, or during transport.
Use Real-Time monitoring and tracking
Real-time tracking systems allow you to monitor and keep track of what is happening with your items. This helps prevent and rapidly resolve any issues.
At EP Logistics, we offer advanced monitoring tools to give you and your business full control and visibility of your shipments throughout the supply chain, reducing the risk of damaged shipments before they reach your customer.
Partner with a reliable logistics provider
At EP Logistics we understand the challenges of shipping fragile and high-value items. This is why we make sure your items are handled with care by professionals, and we also offer customized logistics solutions according to your specific needs so that together we can minimize the risk of damaged products.
EP Logistics: Your solution to reducing shipping damage and costs
We offer a wide range of services to help your business reduce shipping damage and protect your bottom line and profit. Here are some examples of how our services can help your business thrive:
- Warehousing: Our warehouses are fully equipped to prevent damage through proper organization and storage of your products. We also offer efficient climate control units. We also offer pick and packing services, ensuring the proper packaging and protection of your products.
- Road Freight: Our road freight services, at EP Logistics, prioritize safety during transit. We make sure your items transit through with secure loading and unloading, proper stacking, and real-time monitoring to reduce the risk of freight damage.
- Ecommerce Fulfillment: Our ecommerce fulfillment services include secure packaging, careful handling, and efficient shipping of your items, making sure your customer is happy when receiving their goods on time and in perfect condition, increasing your customer satisfaction.
- Logistic Services: Besides the services mentioned above, at EP Logistics we also offer other logistics solutions like inventory management, real-time tracking systems, and different freight options, just to mention some. We help you oversee that all your operations run smoothly along the supply chain so that you can have peace of mind knowing that everything is taken care of by experts.
By partnering with us, EP Logistics, you can rest assured that your items will be in good hands from the moment they are transported, stored in our safe warehouses, packed, and shipped out to your customer until the moment when it finally reaches your customer.
At EP Logistics we provide you with the safe, efficient, and damage-free delivery of your products.
