6 Ways Shipping Scales Improve Business Efficiency

Customers want their orders as soon as possible, which is why shipping efficiency is a top priority for businesses, whether they’re mega-corporations or home-based. Using shipping scales, weighing scales specifically designed to weigh packages and parcels, is the number one way to improve business efficiency. This blog will outline six reasons why this is, as well as our tips for choosing the right one for your business, and which shipping scales we recommend.

How Do Shipping Scales Improve Business Efficiency?

1.     Streamlined Order Fulfillment Process

For businesses that sell products rather than services, especially from online stores, speed equals satisfied customers. Therefore, streamlining the order fulfillment process is important. Shipping scales quickly provide accurate weight measurements necessary for shipping calculations such as price and potential transit times. The weight of the package being shipped can affect when and how it’s transported, to prevent overload on the plane, ship, or lorry.

2.     Cost Savings

Having accurate measurements from a shipping scale saves money by eliminating both overage charges as well as incorrect postage. Overage charges come from a package being either heavier or larger than what was on the shipping label. Because the label was incorrect, the original shipping cost estimate would be too low, and your business would need to make up the difference.

Shipping scales also help to properly pack parcels, reducing waste. The filler items used to protect products do add weight to shipments, so shipping scales help determine the optimal amount of filler and packaging materials that reduce shipping costs while still preventing damage.

3.     Enhanced Customer Experience

Because shipping scales streamline the order fulfillment process, customers are more likely to be satisfied with their experience purchasing from your business. Accurate weight estimates allow for better transit time estimations, improving and enabling trust and transparency between business and customer. There’s also less likely to be any errors that delay the shipment and cause frustration.

4.     Inventory Management and Stock Control

Shipping scales, especially those featuring functions such as counting and/or checkweighing, are very useful for inventory management and stock control. This is because you’re able to accurately track outgoing shipments, keeping you well up to date on how much stock is left to be sold. This will help you when it’s time to restock products, as you’ll know exactly how much you need to order.

5.     Data-Driven Decision Making

For businesses, the more data the better. In this case, having a shipping scale allows the shipping data to be used for analysis as well as optimisation. You would be able to easily identify hold-ups in the process and make improvements, then make sure those improvements worked. Staying informed is the only way to make beneficial decisions, and shipping scales tick one more box.

6.     Scalability and Growth Opportunities

When your processing time is fast and efficient and your costs are down thanks to shipping scales, you’re able to handle much higher order volumes. This will help guarantee customer retention and also have a positive impact on business growth and profits. Should it come time to grow the business and expand into new markets or areas, shipping scales will help keep you in line with international shipping standards, smoothing the process. 

Tips for Choosing the Right Shipping Scale

Here are a few things to consider when shopping for a shipping scale:

Capacity and Size

The capacity of a scale is how much weight it can handle, so it’s important to choose a scale that has a high enough capacity to handle the heaviest of your products. It’s also a good idea to keep in mind what your largest product is when deciding the size of your shipping scale, as it’s best to avoid having parcels hang over the edge of the pan.

Accuracy and Precision

Keep in mind, however, that the higher the capacity, the less fine the readability, which is essentially how accurate and precise your results are. Therefore, if your products vary wildly in size, it may be a better idea to get multiple scales, one for your larger products that don’t need as high accuracy, and one for the smaller products that do need a higher degree of accuracy.

Power Source and Connectivity

We know that electrical outlets are hot commodities, so if all of yours are filled, a shipping scale with a rechargeable battery may be best, that way you can weigh wherever the scale is necessary.

In terms of connectivity, you may want a shipping scale that can connect to a printer or software that helps develop and maintain records. Thorough record-keeping comes in handy when it comes time to analyse that crucial data.

Trade Approval

If the product that you’re selling changes price based on its weight, then your scale needs to be trade approved by law. This is just an extra certification that your scale is accurate and is proof of your business’s honesty and integrity. Companies that are caught without a trade-approved scale may face heavy fines.

Additional Functions

All the scales on Inscale can weigh – what makes them unique from each other includes what else they can do. Do you need a counting function, checkweighing, or dynamic weighing for products that may be moving? With some research, you could find a shipping scale that does exactly what you need.

Our Recommendations for Shipping Scales

LBX ‘Latitude’ Compact Bench Scale

Capacity: 3kg – 30kg

Readability: 0.5g – 5g

The LBX ‘Latitude’ Compact Bench Scale is easy to operate and low cost, perfect for small businesses. The LBX features a rechargeable battery with a life of up to 240 hours for optimum mobility. This scale is also extremely versatile, offering checkweighing, percentage weighing and basic counting functions.

BKT Label Printing Bench/Floor Scale

Capacity: 8kg – 600kg

Readability: 0.1g – 50g

The Adam BKT Label Printing Bench/Floor Scales are built with shipping departments in mind. This scale can print weigh as well as customisable labels, QR codes and bar codes in several languages. These labels can improve organisation in large warehouses where pre-packed products may sit, waiting to be ordered. 

PT Platform Scale & GK Indicator

Capacity: 1 Tonne – 3 Tonnes

Readability: 200g – 500g

The PT Platform Scale with GK Indicator are a terrific team. This platform scale features a tough chequerplate surface for increased friction when weighing parcels, pallets and even crates.  With the GK indicator, checkweighing is a breeze, and so is data collection with the RS-232 output to connect to printers and PCs. 

AELP Pallet Weigh Beam Scale

Capacity: 1 Tonne – 3 Tonne

Readability: 200g – 1000g

When shipping in bulk on a pallet or when weighing abnormally large goods, the AELP Pallet Weigh Beam Scale is right for you. The AELP Pallet Weigh Beam Scale is a set of lightweight, portable weigh beams connected by cable. The weigh beams can be placed the desired distance apart (up to 5 metres) to accommodate the large package or pallet, with the result displayed on the independent indicator. Once weighing is completed, AELP’s beams and indicator can be stored together, taking up much less room than a platform scale.

If you need any help deciding on which scale to buy for your business, contact the Inscale team at 01908 972 660.