You’re in need of a new phone, and the current prices of phones offline are through the roof. But you hear you can get it cheaper online, so you check them out.
After getting some guidance from our introductory guide to online shopping, you like the prices and place an order.
You get to the checkout page, and it’s double or even triple the price, and you don’t know why.
By the end of this article, you will find out why, how you can avoid any surprise at checkout, and how you can get the best deals with the lowest delivery fees and charges.
What Are Delivery Fees And Why Do You Have To Pay Them?
Delivery fees are an inseparable part of online shopping.
Whether it’s a single or multiple product order, or small or large product orders, you have to pay an additional fee to have it delivered straight to you.
Delivery fees cover the cost of transportation from one location to another, as well as handling, processing, packaging, and maintenance.
All these factors are considered when calculating shipping fees, as well as the weight of the product, the size of the product, and the distance to be covered when delivering the product.
Shipping fees are important as they help to support the infrastructure necessary for storage and delivery of products, such as warehouses, as well as bikes, ships, and cars necessary for delivery.
They also go a long way in developing and maintaining the technology that provides premium customer service, such as real-time tracking of your product, product delivery notifications, and optimal path planning.
With that, let’s dive into the various shipping fees and other charges involved when ordering products online.
Types Of Shipping Fees
1. Standard Delivery Fee
Typically, the most economical or cheapest option, but it can take several days to weeks, depending on the distance and shipping provider.
Prices could vary on the same factors as well, although most platforms offer what is known as flat-rate shipping, where a uniform price is offered across different products irrespective of weight and distance.
Watch out for such platforms.
2. Expedited Delivery
Faster delivery options, such as two-day or next-day shipping, cost more than standard delivery options.
Say you have a wedding you want to attend by Sunday and you make an order by Friday. If you want it on Saturday, expedited delivery should be the option you should go for although it usually cost more.
If you’re opting for this, ensure you can pay the extra charge; if not, just avoid it,
3. International Delivery
When purchasing from overseas or foreign platforms like Amazon, international shipping fees apply and can be quite high.
International shipping fees depend on the shipping method, distance, and weight/size of the package.
You can reduce the cost of delivery by ordering from nearby countries if the product is not available in your country.
4. Handling Fees
Some sellers charge handling fees in addition to shipping to cover the costs of packaging and processing the order.
This is common, especially on shopping platforms with multiple vendors such as Jumia or Jiji.
Other Factors That Influence Final Checkout Price
Taxes And Duties:
- Value Added Tax (VAT): In Nigeria a fee known as value added tax is sometimes added to the final price when shopping on most online shopping platforms
- Customs Duties: For international orders, extra charges may be added due to customs duties and import taxes, which also affect the final price of the goods.
Payment Processing Fees:
- Credit Card Fees: Some online platforms may charge a fee for credit card payments, though this is increasingly rare as it is often absorbed by the retailer.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: When purchasing from an international seller or foreign seller, your bank or credit card issuer may charge a foreign transaction fee, typically a percentage of the purchase amount.
- Conversion Rates: If you’re purchasing from an international seller and paying in a different currency, your bank or payment provider may charge a currency conversion fee.
This is typically a small percentage of the total transaction.
- Exchange Rates: The exchange rate applied by your bank or payment provider may differ from the market rate, leading to a slight increase in the overall cost.
- -Return Delivery Costs: If you decide to return a product, some retailers may require you to pay for return delivery, restocking, and refund processing, especially if it’s not due to a fault of the product.
How To Avoid/Minimize Delivery Fees
- Look for free delivery promotions offered by most shopping platforms or discount codes that cover shipping costs.
- Use local or national shopping platforms around you to avoid international shipping fees and customs duties.
This also makes it easier to return products directly to their offline offices if they have one, to avoid return delivery fees.
- Pay attention to return policies to avoid unexpected restocking or return shipping fees.
- Compare prices and fees across different platforms before making a purchase.
- Consider using fee-free payment methods, especially for international transactions and foreign platforms, if you can’t find your desired product.
How To Shop Without Caring About Delivery Fees
Still concerned about delivery fees?
Well, what if I told you that there was a way you didn’t have to worry about delivery fees at all?
ZOLARUX is your lifesaver. How?
With Zolarux, we do all the shopping for you and find the platforms online with no delivery fees or the ones with the lowest possible prices.
Request a product, and we will get it for you with the lowest possible prices.
Whether you want expedited shipping or standard shipping, you don’t have to jump from platform to platform in search of the best deals or deal with outrageous delivery fees both nationally, locally, or internationally.
Don’t bother about all that anymore because… WE WILL DO IT FOR YOU!
So what are you waiting for?
