<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"><channel><title><![CDATA[Airlift]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your shipping department.]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/</link><image><url>https://shipairlift.com/favicon.png</url><title>Airlift</title><link>https://shipairlift.com/</link></image><generator>Ghost 3.15</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:37:22 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://shipairlift.com/blog/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[Third-Party Logistics – Welcome to the Wonderful World of 3PLs]]></title><description><![CDATA[Order fulfillment is an important part of operations for any e-commerce business. As your e-commerce business grows, you may find that fulfilling customers in-house is no longer feasible.]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/third-party-logistics-welcome-to-the-wonderful-world-of-3pls/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5f089eaad019aa5a303a642c</guid><category><![CDATA[Industry Insight]]></category><category><![CDATA[Logistics]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><category><![CDATA[Getting Started]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sabah Sohel]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 01 Oct 2019 18:18:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/07/warehouse-2.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/07/warehouse-2.png" alt="Third-Party Logistics – Welcome to the Wonderful World of 3PLs"><p>Order fulfillment is an important part of operations for any e-commerce business. As your e-commerce business grows, you may find that fulfilling customers in-house is no longer feasible.</p><p>Online sellers must now be equipped to deal with peak ordering sessions in their industries, as well as provide fast and affordable shipping for every order. Up to 12% of merchants are unprofitable simply due to distribution costs.</p><p>At this point, when your in-house fulfillment strategy is no longer workable with your growing volume of orders, you will need to expand your fulfillment strategy. For many businesses, this means outsourcing to a third-party logistics company. 39.4% of merchants outsource at least some of their fulfillment operations.</p><p>As a business owner, it is important to understand how 3PLs work to make the most of your e-commerce fulfillment strategy so that you can grow and scale your business.</p><h2 id="what-is-third-party-logistics">What is Third-Party Logistics?</h2><p>At the most basic level, third-party logistics (3PL) refers to the outsourcing of certain aspects--and sometimes all aspects--of shipping operations including inventory management, order management and processing, reporting, and domestic freight and distribution.</p><p>3PL providers allow e-commerce merchants to accomplish more by integrating warehousing and transportation procedures as well as automating order fulfillment.</p><h3 id="the-difference-between-3pls-and-freight-forwarders">The Difference between 3PLs and Freight Forwarders</h3><p>To put it simply, a freight-forwarder is a company that handles the logistics of the shipping of goods from Point A to B using a single carrier or multiple carriers. Freight-forwarders offer a broker-type service. They use established relationships with domestic and international carriers, from air freighters and trucking companies to rail freighters and ocean liners, to move shippers’ goods along the most economical route that balances speed, cost, and reliability. Their services begin and end at organizing how your products will get from point A to point B. This means that e-retailers have to organize warehouse storage, picking and packing, and other tasks. That’s where a 3PL provider comes in.</p><p>In most cases, eCommerce merchants use freight forwarders to ship their goods from the shipper to their own in-house fulfillment center. If they don't have their own fulfillment center, they ship their goods to their 3PL company. The 3PL accepts the goods from freight forwarders and then acts as the keeper of warehoused goods, packer, and biller—all in one.</p><h2 id="using-a-3pl-service-vs-in-house-fulfillment">Using a 3PL Service vs. In-House Fulfillment</h2><p>Ecommerce merchants have the option of either fulfilling their orders in-house or outsourcing order fulfillment operations to a third-party logistics provider. Figuring out whether to keep your order fulfillment in-house or to outsource to a third-party isn’t always easy. Identifying what you want out of a warehousing service and whether or not it suits your goals can make the choice much easier.</p><p>For some eCommerce merchants, in-house fulfillment (or self-fulfillment) may be the best option.</p><h3 id="here-are-some-reasons-why-e-retailers-manage-fulfillment-operations-in-house-">Here are some reasons why e-retailers manage fulfillment operations in-house:</h3><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><ul>
<li>
<p><em><strong>They like to retain control over their warehousing and fulfillment operations.</strong></em></p>
<p>When companies self-fulfill, they get to decide how their products are warehoused, packed, and eventually shipped to their customers. E-retailers who manage their order fulfillment operations in-house do not have to use the one-size-fits-all solution offered by third-party logistics service providers, enabling full customization of warehouse space and maximizing the efficiency of their supply chain.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><em><strong>They like to be able to offer a fully customizable experience to their customers.</strong></em></p>
<p>The ability to offer special packaging and order customizations can also encourage e-retailers to manage their own fulfillment, as 3PLs typically charge a premium for customized packaging like made-to-order packages and subscription boxes.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><p>Not all businesses are the same and while in-house fulfillment works for some e-retailers, it may not work for your business. Most growing businesses find that outsourcing order fulfillment to a 3PL service provider is the most ideal and cost-effective course of action.</p><h3 id="here-are-some-reasons-why-e-retailers-choose-to-outsource-fulfillment-operations-to-3pls-"><strong>Here are some reasons why e-retailers choose to outsource fulfillment operations to 3PLs:</strong></h3><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><ul>
<li>
<p><em><strong>3PLs help businesses save time and money.</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="https://www.radial.com/sites/default/files/Order%252520Fulfillment%252520Final%252520Report.pdf">The average cost to fulfill an order in-house is 70% of the average order value.</a> By partnering with a 3PL, you can bypass a lot of these costs by removing the need to buy or rent the warehouse space, logistics operations, labor, and technology required for in-house fulfillment.</p>
<p>You also save time by outsourcing fulfillment tasks to a 3PL. Instead of spending time packing boxes, standing in line at the post office, or building out fulfillment infrastructure, working with a 3PL gives you time back to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as customer acquisition, product development, and marketing.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><em><strong>3PLs can help you scale your business.</strong></em></p>
<p>Third-party fulfillment providers can help you increase your supply chain capacity quickly and at a variable cost. With 3PLs, you only pay for what you use, so as your business grows you can easily balance growth with order fulfillment costs. This also allows you to manage high and low seasons more easily and respond to fluctuations in product demand in a timely manner.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><em><strong>3PLs make it easy to integrate multiple sales channels.</strong></em></p>
<p>A tech-enabled 3PL, like <strong>Airlift</strong>, leverages technology to offer efficient, integrated shipping and fulfillment solutions for e-retailers on almost all popular eCommerce marketplaces. These integrations help you automatically push your orders to your 3PL, track your orders in real-time, and give you access to inventory reports. With seamless integrations, you are able to monitor your inventory levels and replenish them before the stock runs out. Depending on the integration technology used, you may also be able to push real-time stock counts back to your store's website. <a href="https://chainstoreage.com/technology/study-lagging-fulfillment-services-costing-retailers-conversions">When 26% of shoppers found their merchandise out of stock, they received no indication of when the merchandise would be available — a factor that prompted them to either abandon their purchase or shop with another retailer.</a></p>
<p>Find out more about <strong>Airlift’s</strong> integrations <a href="https://shipairlift.com/#integrations">here</a>!</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><em><strong>3PLs help you offer fast and affordable shipping to customers.</strong></em></p>
<p>Amazon FBA has made fast and free shipping the standard for eCommerce. But if you're self-fulfilling orders, offering fast and free shipping can prove to be very costly. According to a study from Arvato SCM Solutions, <a href="https://chainstoreage.com/technology/study-lagging-fulfillment-services-costing-retailers-conversions">24% of customers in the United States have canceled an order due to slow shipping and 54% of online shoppers abandoned their carts as a result of expensive delivery.</a> Third-party logistics providers often have relationships with shipping carriers that allow them to negotiate discounted rates for their clients. This in turn allows for partner e-retailers to pass on those cost savings to their customers and offer free or affordable fast shipping.</p>
<p>3PLs with multiple warehouse locations, like Airlift, can also leverage their network of fulfillment centers to help e-retailers position inventory in distribution centers closer to their customers so that products can be delivered quicker and more cost-effectively than when stored in one centralized location.</p>
<p><strong>Airlift’s eCommerce clients can offer fast shipping to their customers almost anywhere in the United States as they have access to strategic fulfillment centers located in major cities on both the East and the West Coast. Airlift's current fulfillment hubs are based in New York, California, Atlanta, and Virginia.</strong></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><em><strong>3PLs can help you leverage industry expertise.</strong></em></p>
<p>BizJournal has reported that <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/marketing/2015/06/who-takes-the-blame-when-packages-are-delivered.html">52% of consumers blame the retailer if their orders are delayed or incorrect.</a> For an e-retailer, fulfillment is only one aspect of their business and if they don’t have experience managing fulfillment, they risk providing subpar service to their customers. 3PLs, on the other hand, are experts in logistics, supply chain, and fulfillment. Staffed by eCommerce logistics professionals, 3PLs can help clients with their experience and connections to quickly streamline their eCommerce logistics.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><h3 id="how-to-figure-out-if-your-business-should-outsource-fulfillment-operations-to-3pls">How to figure out if your business should outsource fulfillment operations to 3PLs</h3><p>Thinking of outsourcing to a 3PL? Here are a few questions to get you started:</p><ul><li><em><strong>How many SKUs do you need to warehouse?</strong></em></li><li><em><strong>Is freight too costly?</strong></em></li><li><em><strong>Do high sales during busier seasons stretch your warehouse capacity?</strong></em></li><li><em><strong>Are there kinks in your supply chain?</strong></em></li><li><em><strong>How much does your supply chain rely on technology?</strong></em></li><li><em><strong>Does a 3PL interface sound useful?</strong></em></li></ul><p>More important than asking the right questions is understanding your logistics: knowing where your supply chain can improve, and setting measurable and attainable goals for your operations to achieve.</p><h2 id="3pl-order-fulfillment-process">3PL Order Fulfillment Process</h2><p>Beyond shipping orders, 3PL fulfillment services can vary depending on the provider you choose. Here are the most common fulfillment center operations that take place between checkout and when the order arrives on your customer’s doorstep:</p><p><strong><em><strong>Receiving</strong></em></strong></p><p>First, we need inventory. The "receiving" of inventory refers to the acceptance of incoming inventory followed by its storage.</p><p><strong><em><strong>Picking</strong></em></strong></p><p>When a customer places an order, the fulfillment process begins. A big requirement for eCommerce customers is the ability to integrate their fulfillment process seamlessly. Using sophisticated tech, 3PLs can integrate directly with your eCommerce platform or marketplace, making order fulfillment easy.</p><p>Once an order is sent to your 3PL, it is assigned to the picking team. The picking team receives a list of items on the order, quantities, and storage locations so they can collect the products and get them ready for the next step, which is packing.</p><p><strong><em><strong>Packing</strong></em></strong></p><p>The 3PL will choose the best packing materials both to protect your products and achieve the lowest practical dimensional weight. They will also optimize packages so that you don’t have to split shipments.</p><p>If you want your brand to shine through your shipping, make sure you partner with a 3PL that allows you to use custom packaging, such as custom boxes and inserts. Often, receiving a package is the first in-person experience a customer has with your brand, so branded packaging can make a big impression.</p><p><strong><em><strong>Shipping</strong></em></strong></p><p>The next step is shipping. Third-party logistics providers often have relationships with shipping carriers that allow them to negotiate discounted rates for their clients. 3PLs purchase shipping labels on your behalf. 3PLs work with carriers such as DHL, USPS, and UPS that pick up orders from 3PL warehouses to ship. Having relationships with a variety of carriers allows 3PLs to compare shipping rates and offer clients the most affordable pricing possible.</p><p>Once the order ships, 3PLs with the integrated technology mentioned above will automatically push tracking details to merchants’ online stores.</p><p><strong><em><strong>Returns</strong></em></strong></p><p>Many 3PLs also offer return processing services. If a customer returns an order by shipping it back to your 3PL, your 3PL will process the return and restock or dispose of the item depending on their policies and your preferences.</p><p>You can choose to have your 3PL provide return shipping labels for your customers. This offers convenience for both you and your customers; you won’t have to handle returns in-house and customers can easily track the status of their return order.</p><h3 id="most-common-3pl-costs">Most common 3PL costs</h3><p>A 3PL’s pricing model usually includes variable costs associated with all the activities involved with their order fulfillment process. 3Pl service pricing will generally depend on your business's specific needs. Here are some of the most common 3PL costs:</p><p><em><strong>Onboarding costs</strong></em></p><p>These are the costs associated with integrating with your 3PL’s tech, setting up your fulfillment service, and getting your systems up and running.</p><p><em><strong>Inventory receiving costs</strong></em></p><p>Costs associated with the acceptance and storage of incoming inventory. Receiving costs vary depending on your 3PL. Receiving costs can be based on per-unit, per-pallet, flat-rate, or per-hour.</p><p><em><strong>Inventory storage costs</strong></em></p><p>Costs associated with storing inventory. Fees can range from per-SKU or per-unit storage to a fixed fee for each bin, shelf, or pallet used.</p><p><em><strong>Picking and Packing costs</strong></em></p><p>Some 3PLs charge on a per-pick basis, meaning you pay a fee for each item included in order.</p><p><em><strong>Packaging costs</strong></em></p><p>Some 3PLs will charge for packing materials such as boxes and air-fill as a separate line item while others include them as part of their fulfillment services.</p><p><em><strong>Kitting costs</strong></em></p><p>Kitting and assembly refer to any unique accommodations for the way in which items are arranged or packed before shipping. Kitting fees are specific to each client and costs can vary depending on the needs of the client.</p><p><em><strong>Shipping costs</strong></em></p><p>The amount a 3PL service charges to ship an order from their fulfillment center to your customer's doorstep. Shipping costs take a variety of factors into account, including shipping speed, shipping zones, and dimensional weight.</p><p><strong><strong>Use our</strong> <a href="https://app.shipairlift.com/pricing-calculator"><strong>handy cost-calculator</strong></a><strong> to </strong>estimate<strong> how much fulfillment will cost with Airlift.</strong></strong></p><h3 id="best-kpis-to-measure-performance-for-a-3pl">Best KPIs to measure performance for a 3PL</h3><p>Once you have selected a 3PL company to handle your shipping logistics, it’s important to continually measure performance to make sure that you are getting the best value from your 3PL service. Here are some useful key performance indicators (KPIs) that successful businesses use to measure 3PL performance:</p><!--kg-card-begin: markdown--><ul>
<li>
<p><em><strong>Rate of returns due to shipping damage or error</strong></em></p>
<p>This KPI ensures there is a continued focus on shipment quality and accuracy.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><em><strong>On-time delivery</strong></em></p>
<p>This KPI provides insight into whether or not there is a bottleneck in the current fulfillment process that needs to be addressed to provide maximum efficiency.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<!--kg-card-end: markdown--><h2 id="final-thoughts">Final thoughts</h2><p>After thoroughly evaluating your eCommerce logistics, if you've determined that your current supply chain solution does not have the capability to reach your business goals, then it is time to outsource your eCommerce fulfillment to a 3PL. <strong>Airlift</strong> can help.</p><p>We only work with the best warehousing facilities and inspect each of our fulfillment hubs to ensure they meet security and quality standards. Our fulfillment hubs are staffed with experienced professionals who are available to receive your inventory, palletize your goods, and perform custom services like barcoding, kitting, or labeling. You will always receive the best customer service with us. Get started today!</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write Great Headlines For Your Store’s Blog]]></title><description><![CDATA[Think about it: you scroll through hundreds of headlines in your email inbox every day. Which ones do you actually click on? Headlines are your first, and sometimes the only impression you’ll make on your readers. ]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/how-to-write-great-headlines-for-your-stores-blog/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9be8b6ef98a163dadea84</guid><category><![CDATA[Ecommerce]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Chambers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 02 Feb 2019 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_4_9242917764.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_4_9242917764.jpg" alt="How to Write Great Headlines For Your Store’s Blog"><p>Think about it: you scroll through hundreds of headlines in your email inbox every day. Which ones do you actually click on? Headlines are your first, and sometimes the only impression you’ll make on your readers. While <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-headlines/">8 out of 10 people will read your headline</a>, only 2 out of 10 will actually read your content.</p><p>Writing a good headline is crucial to getting your content noticed. Try out some of these simple formulas to write great headlines.</p><h3 id="how-to-verb-and-effect-">How to (verb) and (effect)</h3><p>People are more likely than ever to look to the internet for answers to problems they have. “How to” guide headlines can clearly state how to fix a problem, with an additional benefit.</p><p>Change your title from “Writing Headlines” to “How to Write Headlines That Will Get Read”</p><h3 id="listicles-numbered-articles-">Listicles (Numbered articles)</h3><p>Scrolling through social media outlets, you might come across articles like “15 Ways to Save Money on Groceries” or “7 Must Have Summer Wardrobe Items.” It seems like listicles are everywhere these days. Because there are a finite number of items to read, readers know what to expect and the information becomes easy to digest.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/YLHwkqayc1j7a.gif" class="kg-image" alt="How to Write Great Headlines For Your Store’s Blog"></figure><p>Change your title from “Awesome Startups in Atlanta” to “5 Atlanta Startups That Are Worth $100 million”</p><h3 id="-why-_____-or-the-secret-of-_____-the-irresistible-promise-">“Why _____” or “The Secret Of _____” (The Irresistible Promise)</h3><p>This one packs a little bit more punch than a how-to headline. The headline contains something that is desirable and as a result, readers won’t be able to resist the urge to click on it.</p><p>Change your title from “Popular Shoes Worn by Athletes” to “Why These Olympians Won’t Buy Anything Other than Nike” or “How to Get Great Skin” to “The Secret of Getting Flawless Skin”</p><h3 id="the-question">The Question</h3><p>Another method is to ask your headline in the form of a question that many of your readers would identify with. By asking a question, you can draw curiosity from your reader and they’ll want to know the answer.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/3o7TKJbg9tcu3OkF7a.gif" class="kg-image" alt="How to Write Great Headlines For Your Store’s Blog"></figure><p>Change your title from “Top Digital Marketing Mistakes” to “Are You Making These Common Digital Marketing Mistakes?”</p><h3 id="the-urgent">The Urgent</h3><p>It’s appropriate to use a slight bit of urgency and negativity when necessary. Instilling a sense of worry in your readers will make them want to read on.</p><p>Change your title from “Watch Out For Early Signs of Depression” to “Warning: These 6 Symptoms are Early Signs of Depression”</p><h3 id="bonus">Bonus</h3><p>Finally, adding adjectives can draw your reader in and can be combined with any of the above templates.</p><p>Change your title from “7 Tips to Help Perfect Your Golf Swing” to “7 Crucial Tips to Help Perfect Your Golf Swing.”</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Having Trouble Writing Content For Your Shop? Here’s How to Fix It]]></title><description><![CDATA[We’ve all been there. You have a deadline fast approaching– a college term paper, a summary to get to your boss, or entering a writing contest– and your fingers hover over the keyboard, unable to proceed further.]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/having-trouble-writing-content-for-your-shop-heres-how-to-fix-it/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9bbf36ef98a163dadea39</guid><category><![CDATA[Ecommerce]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Chambers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2019 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_3_4050623625.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_3_4050623625.jpg" alt="Having Trouble Writing Content For Your Shop? Here’s How to Fix It"><p>We’ve all been there. You have a deadline fast approaching– a college term paper, a summary to get to your boss, or entering a writing contest– and your fingers hover over the keyboard, unable to proceed further.</p><p>How can you overcome writer’s block? Here are some techniques I use to be more productive with my writing.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/adult-book-boring-face-267684.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Having Trouble Writing Content For Your Shop? Here’s How to Fix It"></figure><h3 id="write-a-story">Write a Story</h3><p>It’s <a href="http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/this-is-your-brain-on-good-storytelling.html">scientifically proven</a> that stories can invoke feelings and empathy in readers. Stories often resonate better than straight facts do, and it’s a powerful way to connect with your audience.</p><h3 id="mimic-the-experts">Mimic the Experts</h3><p>What makes you click on a blog post or email newsletter? What makes you keep reading the entire thing? Start taking note of what attracts you, and try to embody similar things in your own writing. It’s okay to look to the experts for inspiration.</p><h3 id="say-it-out-loud">Say it out loud</h3><p>I distinctly remember the day that our 8th grade English teacher, Mr. Burpee, brought in several pieces of pipe that looked like this:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/IMG_2026.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Having Trouble Writing Content For Your Shop? Here’s How to Fix It"></figure><p>He instructed each of us to take one, hold it up to our ear like a phone, then whisper our personal narrative drafts into one end. It’s amazing what a difference hearing your own voice makes– it was also a great exercise for those of us shy kids who hated sharing our work out loud.</p><p>Reading over your work out loud can help you not only find typos, but also eliminate boring or unnecessary sentences, and brainstorm new ideas.</p><h3 id="outline-it">Outline It</h3><p>This one’s an oldie, but a goodie. After making hundreds of outlines through schooling, I thought I’d never want to make one again. Turns out, my teachers and professors were right all along.</p><p>Outlines are a simple, but highly efficient way to plan out your thoughts. Start off by identifying your topic, and then brainstorming all the ideas that relate to it (“word vomit,” if you will). Next, categorize related ideas under topic subheadings. Finally, place them in a logical order, and fill in the gaps using transition words and phrases.</p><h3 id="take-breaks">Take Breaks</h3><p>When you try to write for hours on end, your mind gets tired and it’s easy to run out of ideas. Instead, break up your writing segments by using the pomodoro technique – write for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. These 30-minute “pomodoros” are just the right length of time to be productive. I like to use this online <a href="http://tomato-timer.com/">Tomato Timer</a>.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/cvmugq5cuJ4nC.gif" class="kg-image" alt="Having Trouble Writing Content For Your Shop? Here’s How to Fix It"></figure><h3 id="write-what-you-know">Write What You Know</h3><p>Finally, take a step back and examine your own life. Chances are, you’re probably an expert in something and you might not even know it. What you do might be novel and useful to someone else.</p><p>Are you a productivity hack geek? An extreme couponer? A rare baseball card collector? Write about it!</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[7 Quick Tips to Promote Your Ecommerce Store]]></title><description><![CDATA[Wouldn’t it be nice if you could sit back, relax, and watch your brand blows up as you rely on word-of-mouth marketing? ]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/7-quick-tips-to-promote-your-ecommerce-store/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9b9756ef98a163dadea0a</guid><category><![CDATA[Ecommerce]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Chambers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2018 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_2_6519300673.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_2_6519300673.jpg" alt="7 Quick Tips to Promote Your Ecommerce Store"><p>Wouldn’t it be nice if you could sit back, relax, and watch your brand blows up as you rely on word-of-mouth marketing? Unfortunately, it’s pretty unlikely for this to organically happen unless your company is completely radically unique and life-changing.</p><p>You need to actively get the word out about your brand on as many platforms as possible. If you’re already publishing content, consider publishing on other people’s sites as well. Here are seven quick and painless tips to help you start to promote your brand by publishing your content externally.</p><h3 id="1-check-prerequisites">1. Check prerequisites</h3><p>Some publications might have some requirements for content on their website. Maybe it all has to be original content or it has to stay within a certain word count limit. Be sure to follow their submission guidelines so they can help promote your brand.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/photo-of-orange-yellow-and-red-hello-molding-clay-954599.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="7 Quick Tips to Promote Your Ecommerce Store"></figure><h3 id="2-develop-relationships-with-online-influencers">2. Develop relationships with online influencers</h3><p>Do a quick search for online bloggers and influencers that already interact with your target audience. Don’t be scared to reach out to them- an easy way to do this is to compliment their work in public. Send a tweet saying you enjoyed something of theirs. In the future, they’ll be more likely to offer their site as a space to publish and promote your content.</p><h3 id="3-be-human">3. Be human</h3><p>This might sound obvious, but it’s something that many people are guilty of not doing. When you’re telling someone about your brand, pitch a story, not your company. A short, relatable story is much safer than a page-long summary about your company that might not ever get read.</p><h3 id="4-don-t-be-spammy">4. Don’t be spammy</h3><p>Don’t copy and paste the same pitch email to everyone you reach out to. Personalize every email to the person you’re addressing it to. It’s easy to tell when someone sends a generic email, and it comes across as lazy.</p><h3 id="5-be-helpful-not-promotional">5. Be helpful, not promotional</h3><p>As beneficial as it may be to promote your content on someone else’s site, remember that it should ideally be <em>mutually</em> beneficial. Frame your request in terms of helping them.</p><p>Instead of “hey, do you mind posting this on your site?” try “hey, I noticed that a lot of your audience is interested in learning how to effectively use social media, and I thought that my post about Twitter hashtags would be helpful!”</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/person-in-spiderman-costume-3381013--1-.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="7 Quick Tips to Promote Your Ecommerce Store"></figure><h3 id="6-craft-a-great-headline">6. Craft a great headline</h3><p>With all of the emails that editors and blog writers receive, they don’t have the time to sort through everything. Write a catchy and informative headline that will grab the attention of editors. If they don’t open the email, it’s likely that readers won’t read your content either.</p><h3 id="7-follow-up">7. Follow-up</h3><p>Understand editors are going to be busy, and things might slip through the cracks. If you don’t hear back from them within a couple of days, feel free to follow up and touch base with them. Don’t be too needy, though, following up only once or twice is enough.</p><p>Happy promoting!</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[3 Easy Steps to Defining Your Store’s Target Audience]]></title><description><![CDATA[Before you start your marketing process, ask yourself: who is your target audience? The better you know your audience, the easier it will be to connect with them, and generate content that’s specifically tailored for them.]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/3-easy-steps-to-defining-your-stores-target-audience/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9b4e96ef98a163dade9b8</guid><category><![CDATA[Ecommerce]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Chambers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 04 Sep 2018 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Audience.jpeg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Audience.jpeg" alt="3 Easy Steps to Defining Your Store’s Target Audience"><p>Before you start your marketing process, ask yourself: who is your target audience? The better you know your audience, the easier it will be to connect with them, and generate content that’s specifically tailored for them. There are three easy steps you can take right now to brainstorm your target audience. I’ll use footwear brand, TOMS, as an example to examine what their target audience might look like.</p><h3 id="1-what-is-your-niche">1. What is your niche?</h3><p>You want to think of a relatively specific niche, without being too selective that you end up isolating other potential customers. For example TOMS’ niche might be a group of “socially conscious females and males in their twenties who enjoy self-expression.” Audiences like “people who wear shoes” or “left-handed women aged 30-34 who live in Manhattan” are either too vague or too limiting.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-07-11-at-2.36.35-PM-e1468339008754-768x394.png" class="kg-image" alt="3 Easy Steps to Defining Your Store’s Target Audience"></figure><h3 id="2-who-is-in-your-niche">2. Who is in your niche?</h3><p>A helpful exercise is to actually create a full profile of an existing or imaginary customer. What’s his/her name? How old are they? What do they do for a living and during their free time? What are their life goals, passions, and objectives? Write a couple of different short summaries of your customers’ biographies.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Toms-Target-Audience-e1468338778932-300x245.jpeg" class="kg-image" alt="3 Easy Steps to Defining Your Store’s Target Audience"></figure><p>Here is an imaginary customer, Mark. He is 23 and recently graduated from a liberal arts college where he studied Political Science. As an undergraduate, he spent a semester in Argentina and stayed with a host family. He returned to the US with a newfound appreciation for his comfortable upbringing, and a commitment to helping others in need. He now buys TOMS shoes because he can support children in foreign countries while choosing a shoe design that suits his style.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-07-11-at-2.43.13-PM-768x416.png" class="kg-image" alt="3 Easy Steps to Defining Your Store’s Target Audience"></figure><h3 id="3-why-is-your-product-beneficial-to-your-niche">3. Why is your product beneficial to your niche?</h3><p>Think about how your product can act as a solution to problems that consumers will face. Mark, along with other consumers, are consciously choosing to stay away from shopping at fast-fashion brands, who are notorious for breaking labor laws in sweatshops all over the world. They want brands who are socially conscious. TOMS shoes are an answer to this problem.</p><p><strong><strong>How does defining a target audience help me?</strong></strong></p><p>Moving forward, knowing what you stand for and who it’s directed towards will save you time. Think about what your target audience will want from you as a brand. An e-book about how to make your own shoes with a sewing machine at home is no doubt useful to some people, but would be irrelevant and a waste of time for TOMS. Instead, the TOMS website features extensive information and stories about how their company is helping those in need. This type of content will attract their target audience and ultimately increase brand loyalty. Check out one of their recent stories here: <a href="http://www.toms.com/stories/giving/toms-x-nrc-giving-to-syrian-refugees-in-jordan">TOMS x NRC: Giving to Syrian Refugees in Jordan</a>.</p><p>Need more help defining a target audience? Send out a survey to current customers, or interview a small pool of them to understand their needs.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List]]></title><description><![CDATA[As a new business, one thing you’ll learn to appreciate is an email list. Most people check their emails at least once a day, and it’s an easy way to spread the word about your company.]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/4-ways-to-use-freebies-to-grow-your-ecommerce-e-mail-list/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9aef36ef98a163dade967</guid><category><![CDATA[Ecommerce]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Chambers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2018 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/three-pineapples-with-gold-party-hats-1071883--1-.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/three-pineapples-with-gold-party-hats-1071883--1-.jpg" alt="4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List"><p>As a new business, one thing you’ll learn to appreciate is an email list. Most people check their emails at least once a day, and it’s an easy way to spread the word about your company. How can you grow your email list without spending money on purchasing leads? It’s simple– provide freebies.</p><p>Freebies can come in many forms. What first comes to mind might be something tangible: maybe it’s a sample of your product. Don’t worry if this isn’t possible with your company. Coupons, blog posts, e-books, or other intangible items can be just as valuable to your audience. Here are four free and easy freebies you can offer.</p><h3 id="1-free-samples"><strong><strong>1. Free Samples</strong></strong></h3><p>If possible, physically give away something for free. For people to sign up for a freebie, they’ll need to enter some personal information.</p><p>Nivea requires only a physical address and an email address to get a free sample. Samples tend to be successful with health care and makeup products, which can be too expensive to buy without testing them beforehand.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-10.32.33-AM.png" class="kg-image" alt="4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List"></figure><p>To get a free sample of Truvia Sweetener, you must answer several survey questions in addition to your personal information.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-28-at-10.30.50-AM.png" class="kg-image" alt="4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List"></figure><p>Requiring survey answers is a great way to gain insight into consumer demographics, but think about the consumer. Is the free sample worth the time it takes to complete the questions? A consumer might be turned away if the barrier to entry is too high.</p><h3 id="2-social-media-sweepstakes"><strong><strong>2. Social Media Sweepstakes</strong></strong></h3><p>Consider holding a social media sweepstakes campaign. Give away a prize that is in line with your company’s brand, and choose a social media account that fits your target audience. Marketing towards millennials? Try Instagram. Women in their 30s? Try Pinterest.</p><p>Here’s an example of an Instagram campaign by Charlotte Russe:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-29-at-10.54.20-AM-e1468336662840-768x497.png" class="kg-image" alt="4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List"></figure><p>This campaign came just before July 4th- a good way to capitalize on the holiday celebration when it is a popular time for people to post on Instagram.</p><h3 id="3-coupon-codes">3. Coupon Codes</h3><p>If your company can afford it, try offering a coupon code to those who enter their email address upon arrival to your website.</p><p>At Rent The Runway, users are greeted by this email coupon pop-up. The barrier to entry is low for customers – all they have to do is enter their email address, a password, and birthday to receive a coupon.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-27-at-11.46.58-AM-e1468336465798-768x431.png" class="kg-image" alt="4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List"></figure><h3 id="4-e-books">4. E-books</h3><p>Ebooks and online guides can provide valuable insight to your target audience. These types of pop-ups probably look familiar to many of you:<br></p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-06-27-at-12.49.09-PM-e1468336613568-768x373.png" class="kg-image" alt="4 Ways to Use Freebies to Grow Your Ecommerce E-mail List"></figure><p>Websites often offer Ebooks when they don’t have a physical product to give away. If you are an industry expert, your knowledge can be useful to potential consumers. You can also pull from a variety of online resources, paraphrase, and put your own spin on it to reach your target audience.</p><p>Whatever you decide, you should always have your target audience in the back of your mind and consider if they are easily swayed by specific marketing tactics, and always remember to put yourself in your customer’s shoes.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The 5 W’s of Content Marketing For Your Product’s Brand]]></title><description><![CDATA[There are many, many types of content you can produce to the point where it can be overwhelming. How can you make sure that you’re being as efficient as possible?]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/the-5-ws-of-content-marketing-for-your-products-brand/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9b6b96ef98a163dade9ee</guid><category><![CDATA[Ecommerce]]></category><category><![CDATA[How To]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emily Chambers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2018 03:08:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_1_5381369549.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/imageedit_1_5381369549.jpg" alt="The 5 W’s of Content Marketing For Your Product’s Brand"><p>There are many, many types of content you can produce to the point where it can be overwhelming. How can you make sure that you’re being as efficient as possible?</p><p>Your content marketing strategy should be able to answer the following 5 W’s:</p><h3 id="1-who">1. Who?</h3><p>Who are you presenting to? Who is your target audience?</p><p>Who are the types of people you want to attract to your content and business? Refer to <a href="https://shipairlift.com/blog/2016/07/15/3-easy-steps-to-defining-your-target-audience">my last blog post</a> about defining your target audience.</p><h3 id="2-what">2. What?</h3><p>What content will you present to them?</p><p>First of all, let go of the dream that you will have a completely perfect content marketing strategy. The reality is, it’s a much better idea to focus your energy on many small, low-risk pieces instead of spending time planning something like a grand ebook that no one will end up reading.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/bonfire-surrounded-with-green-grass-field-1061640.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="The 5 W’s of Content Marketing For Your Product’s Brand"></figure><p>Marketing author C.C. Chapman explains that content marketing is like a campfire.</p><ol><li>First, you need small twigs to get the fire going. In other words, you need small pieces of content that are easy to produce like Tweets or Facebook posts that will arouse interest in your customers.</li><li>To keep burning the fire burning, add medium pieces of “wood” like blog posts or photo essays.</li><li>Finally, you can add large pieces like an ebook, or even a full-on event.</li></ol><p>Just because you’re finished <em>building</em> your campfire, it doesn’t mean you can stop creating content. Keep the fire going forever!</p><h3 id="3-where">3. Where?</h3><p>Where will you present the content to them? (Facebook? Email newsletters? YouTube?)</p><p>Where does your target audience get their information from? Is it worth creating a video if your audience has no interest in YouTube? Present content where you think your target audience is most likely to see it.</p><h3 id="4-when">4. When?</h3><p>When will you present the content to them?</p><p>An important tool for tracking when you will publish your content is an editorial calendar. Many people like to use an Excel spreadsheet or Google Doc. It can be as simple as complex as you want, but at the very baseline, you’ll want something that looks like this:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2016-07-15-at-5.26.00-PM.png" class="kg-image" alt="The 5 W’s of Content Marketing For Your Product’s Brand"></figure><p><br>To keep your audience constantly engaged, publish content across different platforms on a consistent basis.</p><h3 id="5-why">5. Why?</h3><p>Why will your target audience be attracted to your content?</p><p>Hopefully, you should be able to answer this one on your own. If you can’t, then it’s probably a good sign that maybe your content doesn’t really serve a purpose, and you can spend your time creating something more useful.</p><h3 id="bonus-how">Bonus: How?</h3><p>How will you evaluate that your content is successful?</p><p>It’s much easier to set and track quantitative goals like “increase number of followers to 1,500” than qualitative ones like “increase brand awareness.” Regardless, It’s important to set goals for your content, otherwise, you’ll never know how to improve.</p><p>Content marketing shouldn’t be a drag – try to find the sweet spot between what your audience will find useful/interesting, and what’s fun for you to create. It will show if your heart isn’t in your content.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Airlift’s New Content Marketing Intern!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Name? Emily Chambers
The one movie that you’ll never get tired of watching? Dirty Dancing
What do you love the most about Atlanta?]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/meet-airlifts-new-content-marketing-intern/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9abe26ef98a163dade947</guid><category><![CDATA[Updates]]></category><category><![CDATA[Atlanta]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sheehan Khan]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 29 Apr 2018 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Photo-Jun-28-10-24-43-AM-2.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3 id="name">Name?</h3><img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/Photo-Jun-28-10-24-43-AM-2.jpg" alt="Meet Airlift’s New Content Marketing Intern!"><p><em>Emily Chambers</em></p><h3 id="the-one-movie-that-you-ll-never-get-tired-of-watching">The one movie that you’ll never get tired of watching?</h3><p><em>Dirty Dancing</em></p><h3 id="what-do-you-love-the-most-about-atlanta">What do you love the most about Atlanta?</h3><p><em>I love Atlanta’s craft beer scene! The breweries are a fun place to hang out.</em></p><h3 id="hobbies">Hobbies?</h3><p><em>Call me a grandma, but I love to knit. Anything arts and craft related.</em></p><h3 id="what-s-an-accomplishment-that-you-are-incredibly-proud-of">What’s an accomplishment that you are incredibly proud of?</h3><p><em>I ran my first 5k ever using the app Couch25k, which I highly recommend for lazy runners myself.</em></p><h3 id="what-about-marketing-are-you-the-most-passionate-about">What about Marketing are you the most passionate about?</h3><p><em>I think story telling is a powerful way to connect with consumers by invoking emotions.</em></p><h3 id="find-her-at-">Find her at:</h3><p><a href="http://linkedin.com/in/emilyachambers">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="http://medium.com/@emily.chambers">Blog</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/emily0chambers">Twitter</a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Introducing Airlift]]></title><description><![CDATA[We believe small businesses are the backbone of a prosperous society. Businesses succeed when they focus on the qualities that make them unique, such as their product, their brand, and their customer experience.]]></description><link>https://shipairlift.com/blog/introducing-airlift/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ed9a6926ef98a163dade918</guid><category><![CDATA[Updates]]></category><category><![CDATA[Atlanta]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sheehan Khan]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 24 Feb 2018 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/warehouse-with-concrete-floors-4483610-1.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://shipairlift.com/content/images/2020/06/warehouse-with-concrete-floors-4483610-1.jpg" alt="Introducing Airlift"><p>We believe small businesses are the backbone of a prosperous society. Businesses succeed when they focus on the qualities that make them unique, such as their product, their brand, and their customer experience.</p><p>At Airlift, our mission is to give every entrepreneur the capability to share their products with anyone in the world.</p><p>That’s why we build tools to make frustrating things such as shipping, logistics, and fulfillment as simple and seamless as possible.</p><p>Airlift is a modern fulfillment platform that allows online sellers store and ship their inventory. A user can connect their online store and request pickups for their bulk inventory. </p><p>An Airlift driver picks up the inventory and stores it in our warehouse. Whenever the user makes a sale, we package it and ship it out using third party carriers.</p><p>Previously I ran a small ecommerce business. Pains included storage, shipping, and multi-channel fulfillment. I spent most of my time packaging orders and couldn't grow the business. As an engineer with the pain close to my heart, I had to find a solution.</p><p>Small ecommerce businesses can spend an upwards of 80% of their time managing logistics. Friction within logistics can even deter a small business from ever starting. We believe that businesses should not only focus on growth but also focus on their competencies not packing and shipping orders. Currently traditional fulfillment companies use legacy systems to solve this problem which results in a horrible customer experience and subpar service.</p><p>I'm extremely proud of the progress that our small team has made in the past few months in launching this service and we can't wait for the journey ahead!</p><p>— Sheehan Khan, Founder and CEO</p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>