If you have already managed to set up your online store and have begun to receive the first orders, you will have realized the importance of logistics for success in sales. Offering convenient shipping for the customer is key, but it is also vital that it is profitable and efficient for the business.

If you have not yet defined which logistics providers you will work with or if you would like to know other less expensive alternatives. Today we will tell you which are the five most used options for order delivery , as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Option #1. Pick up the withdrawal point

During the long months of quarantine, millions of restaurants around the world intensively used this option to keep their operations alive. Of course, you need to have a store, store or showroom, where it is the client who has to mobilize to pick up their purchase. The advantage for the business is that there are no shipping costs to pay . But be careful, because there is a danger of discouraging the purchase, so it is important to analyze the customer’s profile and its flexibility very well.

Option 2. Own shipments

If you have enough order volume and your most important customers are close to the business, you may find that it is best for you to deliver merchandise in person or through your own courier . It is very important that you carefully analyze the costs, risks and convenience of taking charge of this process , as well as consult the rates of messaging providers to be able to compare.

Option #3. Delivery point

It is important to take into account those customers who do not have the possibility of receiving packages at home due to schedule, security or location issues. What can you offer them then? Have them pick them up at the courier branch closest to your work , at a convenience store or at other commercial premises that have agreements with a marketplace , such as Mercado Libre and its growing network of agencies.

Option #4. smart lockers

Amazon Hub Locker was launched in the United States in 2011 so that the e-commerce giant’s customers could pick up their purchases in high-traffic places, such as train stations, supermarkets or shopping malls. How? With the use of a code that is sent together with the purchase confirmation. Amazon has already started installing smart lockers in some points in Mexico City: only packages with a maximum size of 45x35x32 cm are accepted, with a maximum weight of 4.5 kg . Consider that they cannot be used for items with a value greater than 20 thousand Mexican pesos. Meanwhile, some local alternatives have already appeared in the country, such as Lok.

Option #5. last mile applications

This is where the applications involved in the package journey from the last point of distribution (for example, a store or a warehouse) until it reaches the consumer. Of course, we are talking about delivery apps like Rappi , Uber Eats and Didi Food ; Web logistics, such as 99 Minutes ; and brokerage, such as Cornershop . The use of these options grew intensively during the pandemic, allowing many businesses, mainly cafeterias and restaurants, to survive amid the forced cessation of operations