/ Ecommerce
How do I handle shipping for a small online shop?
Simple flat rates or free over a threshold. Complexity in shipping costs you sales.
/ 01
The short version
Shipping is where most small shops either lose margin or lose customers.
/ 02
What actually matters
- • Flat rate is easier to communicate than weight-based tables.
- • Free delivery over a threshold lifts average order value.
- • Show a delivery date, not just a service name.
- • Royal Mail Click & Drop or Parcel2Go for volume discounts.
- • Build packaging cost into your product price, not the shipping fee.
/ 03
The bit most people get wrong
Customers compare total cost, not product price. A cheap item with £6 postage loses to a slightly dearer one with free delivery.
/ 04
What to do next
Work out your average order value and set free delivery just above it.
/ 05
Where RIOT fits in
We're a small Colchester studio helping UK SMBs get shipping right without agency waste or freelancer flake. If you've read this far and you want a second opinion on your specific setup, book a 20-minute call and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing anything at all.
We work with clients across Essex, Suffolk, London and the wider UK — and remotely with brands abroad. No lock-in, no monthly retainer minimums, no pretending your problem is bigger than it is.
/ FAQs
Common questions
Should I offer next-day?
Only if you can genuinely fulfil it every time.
What about international?
Start UK-only until fulfilment is smooth.
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