From demand generation to payment solutions and eventually getting the product on the customer’s doorstep, you need to plan just about everything to get your product out the door.
Whether you have current shipping needs or are preparing your first shipments for your upcoming product launch, our friends at UPS have resources, tools, and affiliate programs to help you grow your business.
Yes, we ship:
If you’re shipping often, you’re likely familiar with all the ins and outs of order fulfillment. We’ve worked with UPS to outline the startup journey and reinforce that you’re thinking about the right stuff. Below you can reference the high-level shipping objectives from initial manufacturing to unicorn status!
Check out these resources from our friends at UPS that outline the affiliate services offered through their offering, and their 74% of shipping offer with GAN through the Startup Program.
Manufacturing
Managing your supply chain requires internal optimization of strategic sourcing, vendor and inventory management, sustainability, risk mitigation, and synchronize your supply chain.
Fulfillment & Inventory Planning
Does your downstream supply chain need help? Embrace change, as long as you have a clear, long-term strategy. And focus on what customers want – ease, convenience, and flexibility.
Customer Acquisition
Turn returns into a process customers appreciate. Making your policy easy to find, flexible, and compatible for both in-store and online returns can lead to more opportunities for more sales.
Marketing & Scaling
Overstressed supply chain? A proven logistics provider can scale up supply operations from warehousing, inventory control, pick-pack-ship to transportation, customs, and compliance.
Customer Retention
Optimize the post-sales experience. Ensure steady, consistent communication, offer delivery options, simplify tracking, use packaging to build brand and sustainability, and make returns easy.
Achieving the Competitive Edge
Expand your customer base. Focusing on international sales online, with transparency in total costs and duties/fees in the home currency, allows for growth without significant overhead.
Hyper-Growing
Build customer loyalty in your brand – offer free shipping, provide real-time updates on delivery status, and ensure you have fast and accurate inventory tracking to better inform customers.
Achieve Success with Unicorn Status
You made it – $1B+ valuation! What’s next? IPO? Merger? Acquisition? Make your choice knowing that your supply chain infrastructure plays a pivotal role in your competitive advantage.
We will ship soon
Whether you’re getting ready to ship, or have no plans to ship we’ve outlined early-stage topics that every business should be thinking about.
If you’re preparing to ship, you can connect with our friends at UPS to make sure everything you need is in place for a successful product launch. As well, check out the full shipping roadmap here.
Pre-Revenue & Prototyping
You have a great idea. Bring it to life by giving purpose to your prototype, creating representational and working prototypes, hiring professionals, and creating a distribution plan.
Protecting Intellectual Property
Looking to go to market fast with a minimum viable product? Or are you carefully considering intellectual property (IP) as the basis for your startup? If so, identify your IP and protect it.
Crowdfunding
This financing alternative can provide market validation for next-round investors, customer feedback to reduce go-to-market risk, and a test market while narrowing your target-market scope.
Raising Capital
Before pitching investors, have your business plan ready, be specific about funds needed, have a proof-of-concept, practice your pitch, and do your homework on potential investors.