If you run a business that primarily serves local customers — like a florist or bakery — you may need a quicker delivery time than what big shipping companies offer. Before you even start looking at carrier options, take the time to get familiar with your shipping options — because there are lots of them. To simplify things, let’s look at the types of shipping that are most relevant to small businesses.
Stay on top of shipping cost changes
If you’re aiming to stand out in the competition, understanding how your application will be evaluated can give you a strategic edge. Once your packaging is in order, you’ll need to keep close track of fluctuating carrier costs. Storing, picking, packing, and shipping orders is an intensive process.
Initiative to Assist Small Businesses Financially Impacted by COVID-19
Securing resources to grow and thrive is one of the biggest challenges small businesses face. For many, this grant represents a pivotal turning point, transforming ambitious ideas into tangible success stories. FedEx and BigCommerce have aligned to offer all BigCommerce customers access to FedEx shipping discounts. Known as the FedEx Advantage Program, it will give current small and medium businesses on BigCommerce access to FedEx e-commerce solutions, including competitive shipping discounts.
- As shipping rates rise, you can pass costs on to the consumer, or you can leverage flat-rate shipping, use cost-cutting best practices, and leverage technology to offer the best prices to consumers.
- Over 95% of retailers offer some form of free shipping at checkout, but many companies require you to hit a certain order threshold to claim your zero-cost shopping.
- Launched in 2012, this annual initiative provides financial backing and tailored business solutions to US-based small businesses.
- The FedEx Small Business Grant Program employs a meticulous judging process to ensure that winners exemplify entrepreneurial excellence and align with FedEx’s values and mission.
- Before you even start looking at carrier options, take the time to get familiar with your shipping options — because there are lots of them.
- Don’t let this opportunity pass you by — explore your eligibility, assemble your materials, and take a confident step toward shaping the future of your business.
FedEx’s small business programs
In 2024, over 3,900 applications were submitted, reflecting the program’s reach and the diverse array of industries it attracts. Each year, the program awards substantial grants to selected businesses. For instance, in 2024, the grand prize recipient received $50,000, while nine additional winners were awarded $20,000 each.
If you’re like most small business owners, you’re managing the shipping and fedex small business center fulfillment yourself. Sure, this gives you more control over the process and customer experience, but it’s also an intensive process. Mixing and matching your carriers allows you to offer the best shipping options to your customers. Thanks to advancements in logistics, it’s easier than ever for small businesses to ship products to their customers’ doorsteps. In 2022 alone, 21.2 billion parcels were shipped in the United States.
FedEx offers multiple programs for small businesses that can help reduce shipping costs and simplify operations. The FedEx Small Business Grant is an annual program that supports small businesses in the United States by providing financial assistance, resources, and promotional opportunities. Established in 2012, the grant is designed to empower entrepreneurs by helping them grow their operations, enhance their services, and achieve long-term goals.
A/B testing will allow you to find your minimum order “sweet spot,” so you can offer free shipping when it’s practical for your business’s profit margins. Automation and technology save businesses time and money while keeping customers happy. Don’t overlook these costs when calculating your shipping fees, as they can eat into your profits. All of this convenience comes at a price – and that price can seriously lower your profit margins. It’s important to weigh your options carefully here to determine whether dropshipping is viable for your business. While it’s tempting to stick to one carrier to simplify things, working with multiple providers may be advantageous.
- Established in 2012, the grant is designed to empower entrepreneurs by helping them grow their operations, enhance their services, and achieve long-term goals.
- Contact Firebear to learn how we can transform your business with automated import and export processes and integrations.
- If you find that a multi-channel approach is your best option, you’ll need to incorporate the shipping requirements for each channel into your strategy.
- If you’re aiming to stand out in the competition, understanding how your application will be evaluated can give you a strategic edge.
- When you know what the shipping rate will be for every package, you can find ways to standardize your savings, too.
- Grantees can use the $500 credit from FedEx Office for printing banners, posters, floor graphics, custom branded boxes and more.
Service discounts are generally available within three to four business days. Small Business Administration (SBA) Grants, Amber Grant for Women, Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, Nav’s Small Business Grant, and various local and state-level grant programs. These options offer funding opportunities tailored to specific industries, regions, or business needs. Certain businesses, such as nonprofits and franchises, are not eligible.
What are the alternatives to the FedEx Grant?
Shipping rates fluctuate based on supply, demand, and overhead, such as fuel and labor costs. Businesses must stay on top of these changes, which often go into effect in January. If your cost-cutting measures lead to higher breakage rates, it’s better to pay more money to reduce returns and keep consumers happy. You’ll find software options that allow you to set strict rules, such as selecting the cheapest or fastest shipping at the time of ordering. Brands can allow customers to choose the shipping that best fits their needs with real-time checkout rates. Remember that there’s no rule saying you have to rely strictly on third-party logistics or your in-house team.
If you’re considering whether to apply for the grant, now is the time to act. Winning the grant can unlock doors to new markets, enhanced operations, and industry recognition. To get started, explore the FedEx Small Business Grant Program Official Page. This program underscores FedEx’s commitment to nurturing innovation, supporting communities, and empowering small businesses to compete in an increasingly complex marketplace. With its annual disbursement of significant funding and access to tailored services, the program has become a critical resource for businesses aiming to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities. By delineating these criteria, FedEx ensures that the grant program remains a robust platform for genuinely small businesses poised for growth.
With Firebear’s digital transformation expertise and the FedEx grant’s financial backing, your business could gain the momentum it needs to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by — explore your eligibility, assemble your materials, and take a confident step toward shaping the future of your business. The program has garnered significant interest from the small business sector.