Shipping can make or break your business. And although it’s probably not the first thing on your mind when you’re putting together a marketing strategy, shipping can be one of the most crucial elements of your business. After all, people usually want their products quickly and with minimal fuss. And then, when your package finally gets delivered somewhere on time and in complete condition, you’re paying more money than you should have spent to get it there. Here are some tips on hacks for fast and easy shipping:

1. State shipping prices and times upfront

If you’re going to charge shipping, you must state the time and price upfront. That way, if customers start looking for a plug-in lamp in your store and then see that it’s $14.95 with a $5.95 shipping fee, they won’t get angry later when they look at the invoice. Make sure your website clearly states how shipping prices and times work with each of your products, so you don’t have to field dozens of calls from angry customers who are getting hit with crazy fees on delivery day.

2. Invest in good packing materials

If you want your products to arrive safely, then you should invest in good packing materials. Buy boxes, bubble wrap, and tape rather than relying on shipping companies to send your items out in adequate boxes. Paying for good packing materials will usually pay off when it comes to customer satisfaction by assuring that the product arrives with no dings or dents.

3. Vacuum seal larger soft items

Don’t rely on the packing materials of your shipping carrier to do the trick when it comes to larger soft items. Instead, make sure you buy a decent vacuum seal for $100 or less that will allow you to have everything shipped in one big box and not a series of smaller boxes taped together. Vacuum sealing everything will usually pay off by creating more compact items that can be shipped out more quickly, saving you time and money. When sending or receiving large soft items, such as books, blankets, or other items that can get crushed easily, use a vacuum seal to ensure they arrive in one piece. That way, you don’t have to spend extra time packaging them in air-tight plastic bags that won’t protect the item.

4. Research your shipping carriers

If you’re sending a large shipment, you might save a bit of money by getting into a contract with a shipping carrier, such as FedEx or UPS. These contracts can often be negotiated down to reasonable prices. Letters can be sent out when you’re sending the product, and then they can take your product to their warehouse facility, where they’ll load it onto a truck.

5. Offer free shipping as a promo

When you’re starting and sending a small number of orders a month, offer free shipping to entice new customers. Not only will this help you sell more products in the beginning, but it will also lead to future sales as long as customers keep returning to your business.

6. Have a plan in place for busy seasons

If you’re a small business owner, then you might as well be prepared for busy seasons. Seasonal product lines like Christmas trees, Halloween costumes, and Mother’s day flowers are all popular items that can lose valuable customers if the shipments don’t come in on time. Planning for busy seasons is important to avoid further losses by ordering your product lines before peak shipping dates.

7. Automate your shipping

If you ship the majority of all of your products to consumers and stores, automating your shipping by paying a courier to come to your business once or twice a week and pick up all your packages in bulk will save time and money because you won’t have to hand off individual packages. Also, automated shipping begins a fulfillment process as new orders are placed—from picking items from inventory, packing boxes, and getting packages in transit to be delivered to customers—automation will ensure accuracy, speed, and make shipping as seamless as possible.