As technology grows around us, accessibility is the one thing that has made the lives of consumers all around the globe easier. This has been proven multi-fold since the pandemic hit. Whether it be clothing, medicine, or groceries, there is nothing that a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand hasn’t taken over. Health and beauty products are no exception.
The health, beauty, and wellness industry has been booming worldwide with an ever-growing list of DTC brands. According to studies, more than 53% of the US population is likely to shift entirely to health and beauty products from DTC brands. It has become of the fastest-growing markets in the world of eCommerce.
However, a spike in the success of any industry is accompanied by its fair share of challenges and tribulations, and the same holds for the beauty and wellness industry.
Challenges Associated With Shipping Beauty and Health Products
Whatever the product may be, shipping can become a daunting task if not done properly. As is the case with every other industry, the issues that the cosmetics supply chain faces are numerous. Some of those challenges are listed below.
Risk of Spoilage
Beauty and cosmetic products contain a lot of ingredients, both organic and inorganic. Even though we cannot satisfy the storage and maintenance conditions for all of them, these things should be taken into consideration. Some organic cosmetic products even change color while shipping due to temperature and climate differences. Cosmetics and other wellness products come with a risk of spoilage. Though it is not as pressing as it is with products that require immediate consumption, we cannot deny the fact that there is a risk. As a result, the shelf life of these products is questionable. Cosmetics come in different forms, so it is crucial to keep them at the right temperature to ensure they don’t damage.
Availability of Storage
If you are an eCommerce business with multiple brands under your belt, you will have various products coming in from different locations or even countries. When you have products across various locations, you must have an efficient system for inventory management. A centrally located warehouse or warehouses in a different location for easier access would be one way to solve this. Even established eCommerce businesses sometimes struggle having their own warehouses and fulfillment centers, which is why it’s better to partner with a 3PL fulfillment provider with multiple warehouses across the globe or wherever your target customers are located.
Safe and Secure Packaging
When it comes to selling anything related to beauty, its aesthetics is essential. With health and self-care products, packaging is one of the critical factors of order fulfillment. It creates a first impression that is hard to break. So, you must get it right. You cannot afford for them to arrive dusty and damaged. Also, more often than not, beauty products come in delicate containers. They are easy to break and make for fragile shipments. So the packaging needs to be very secure with protective dunnage to avoid any accidents.
Speed and Reliability
Trends drive the cosmetic industry. Keeping up with your consumer’s tastes is of utmost priority. Following that, the products in trend today needed to reach your customers yesterday! A quick and efficient supply chain will ensure this happens without any disruptions. With the right demand forecasting, you would be able to tell how to ensure a fast and safe delivery for the beauty products.
Vast Range of Shipping Destinations
Whether an individual customer is ordering a single product or you have just received a bulk order to be shipped internationally, you need always to be prepared. In addition to this, you also need to be aware of any limitations that come with international shipping, like certification requirements, bans, safety requirements etc. Some of the shipping carriers have specifications when it comes to health and beauty products too.
Methods to Improve Your Cosmetic Supply Chain
Inventory Distribution
Split your products across various locations or eCommerce fulfillment centers to keep your inventory closer to your customers. This will avoid transit costs you might incur and ensure your products are delivered quickly to your customers.
Customer Retention
With the rise in eCommerce businesses, creating brand loyalty or retaining customers are so difficult. You need to be proactive in implementing measures to keep your customers coming back for more! Give your customers offers and incentives to ensure they keep picking your brand for all their beauty and wellness needs. You could also offer some kind of subscription plans, or goodie boxes that are auto renewed with different product combinations every month, quarterly or yearly.
Faster Shipping Guarantee
eCommerce giants like Amazon has made faster shipping the basis for brand loyalty. Most eCommerce brands ship their products to their customers within 3-4 business days. You need to have efficient and effective shipping strategies in place to ensure your deliveries are made within two days to give you a cut above the rest.
Insurance
Self-care products are very susceptible to damage due to their fragile nature. No matter how much you try to reduce the damage or returns, there’s only so much you can do. Make sure you don’t lose out on your interests and pick the right insurance that will cover you in case of any damage to your products during transit.
Packaging
Packaging beauty and cosmetic products can be quiet tricky. You need to make them as safe as possible without losing the aesthetic touch to it. From aesthetic boxes and wrapping to package fillers that ensure the products stay in place, unboxing is one of the essential part of the customer experience journey. The happier you make your customer while they open your products, the more beneficial it is for your business.
Product Knowledge
Being aware of what your products are made of will help you avoid any untoward incidents, like, melting of products, change of color or texture etc, and understand the shipping limitations better. Say, for example, products with alcohol content such as toners, make-up removers and more might have a different shipping requirement from CBD-based products. Keep updated on all the carrier rules and regulations regarding shipping beauty and health products to ensure you can ship your products without any issues.
How Partnering with 3PLs Can Help Shipping Beauty and Health Products
Partnering up with a 3PL fulfillment center will ensure that most of your concerns are addressed and enhance your ability to scale quickly. If you are plagued with the challenges of shipping beauty and wellness products, you need not worry any longer. At ShipBots, we have everything you need including temperature controlled warehouses to make your shipping experience worry- and hassle-free. Get in touch with our team of professionals to learn more about our services and how we can rid you of all your shipping concerns.
