Essential Shipping Final Touches - Packing Slips and Thank You Notes

It is surprising to me how often I order an item online and when it is received there is nothing in the box besides the item and some packing material. A thank you note done properly can go a long way to sealing the deal and creating return customers.

In no way do you need to make a long message of thanks. In fact, you want to keep it short to keep the attention of your customer. Simply thank them for their business, remind them you are there for their needs, and add your contact information. Likewise, on the packing slip just add a line for each item included in the box, the price, and a total. It is probably wise to add in bold or large type the phrase "This is NOT a bill" just to avoid confusion. If you wanted to you could simply create a packing slip and add your thank you wording to it. One sheet all done.

On a personal level I like the thank you messages that are typed and then signed by hand (no stamped signatures). It is easier than writing the entire thing but the hand signature gives it that personal touch. This is what we aim to do at Sourcical.com. We have a base template of thanks but then add a greeting with the buyers first name, mention the item they purchased, and sign above our contact info at the end. If someone buys Tyvek wristbands or green powder coating tape from us we'll mention that in the thank you. That is going that extra personal step in my opinion. I realize that some aspects of this may be too time consuming for some businesses but choose what is important to you and try and not make the message sound too canned.

Undoubtedly there will be times when your packing slip is simply ignored by the buyer but for those who do take the time to confirm the order and read how you appreciate your business it can go a long way. As I've mentioned in previous posts, why not take that extra step for your business to stand out. In virtually every line of business competition is growing as the internet has allowed for more small and at home businesses to sell to consumers. With so much competition it is essential that you give your company the edge in every way possible even if it does seem small. Even for only occasional eBay sellers a thank you note and nice organized packing slip can get a buyer to add you to their favorite sellers or get that positive feedback and 5 star detailed seller ratings you need.

What information do you put on your packing slips that may not be ordinary? What are the most important things to include in a thank you note? Give us your comments and help out other online retailers.