As you grow your business, you will come across new demands and obstacles. You will find an increasing need to additional roles within the business, roles that will be responsible for handling these new demands. One of the most common demands that a growing business faces is shipping abilities. As your business gains customer attention, you will require faster and more extensive of shipping. You will require constant research of the shipping industry and what products can be shipped and how they can be shipped. Many of these tasks entail the job description of a purchasing agent? What is a purchasing agent and what can they do for you?
Time sensitive shipping options
Customers in today?s highly technology and internet world expect items to be shipped at a rapid pace. With some retailers offering fast shipping services, it can be difficult and almost impossible to compete without the same ability. A purchasing agent can keep track of current shipping times. They are aware of which shipping carriers are speedier, and which take a little longer to ship. They are knowledgeable about specific shipping situations, knowing quickly the best way to ship a product to a specific country or state.
The specific shipping methods that are used will depend on the need for speed. Some larger items may be best shipped at a slower speed, but that decrease in shipping speed is generally already translated to the customer. A customer who pays additional for quicker shipping may be provided with fast shipping with direct cargo services. Use direct cargo companies transportation services will allow your cargo to be transferred in a more environmentally friendly fashion due to the decrease in time and stops.
Cost efficient shipping
Cutting costs when it comes to shipping is also important. When you incur high shipping costs, you either have to eat the costs out of your profits or you have to pass the higher costs onto your customer. Both of these situations can make it difficult to keep customers. If you are wondering what is a purchasing agent and how they can help with cost efficient shipping, they can actually benefit the costs in many ways.
In some cases, overnight or 2 day delivery may be 50% or more than the usual delivery fee. What is a purchasing agent going to do about that cost? They can either negotiate discounted shipping rates based on high inventory. They may also arrange for door to door service, pairing with already established shipping companies that may split the costs of shipping by offering unused shipping space. A certified purchasing agent has the ability to locate these unique cost savings options.
Discounted prices
Sometimes there is simply no way to reduce the costs of shipping. What is a purchasing agent going to do about keeping customers loyal to the business in that case? Certified purchasing agents also have the ability to negotiate down product prices. If they gain you manufacturer or product discounts, you will make a larger profit on the sale of each product. This increase in product can make up for the increase in shipping, allowing you to continue offering free or discounted shipping to your customers.
Cheaper shipping materials
Another way to decrease the high costs of shipping is to use cheaper shipping materials. Many American are cargo customers spend a lot of money on shipping boxes, containers, tape, and packages. If your purchasing agent can negotiate down the price or purchase discounted of these shipping materials, this will also help to account for the increase of door to door delivery prices.
The shipping industry is a billion dollar business. According to IBIS World research, the air cargo industry is expected to generate an estimated $75.4 billion in revenue by the end of 2013. If your business is growing and shipping more than ever before, you may benefit from the services of a purchasing agent. A purchasing agent is a certified professional who specializes in cutting costs of and increasing shipping times of products. Simply put, they make sure that your shipping costs continue to make sense for the success of the business.
