It is a must for any online business to offer shipping services. After all, what good would your business do if your customers are not able to receive the items they ordered? There are many companies that offer shipping services and it is always a smart move to partner with them. When choosing a company to engage the services of, consider the following: 1. the number of years it has been in the shipping or courier business 2. shipping limitations (what items are being disallowed for mailing --- liquid items, perishable items, etc?) 3. company reliability; be particular about reports pertaining to non-delivery, delivery to the wrong addressee, or mishandling of products 4. Shipping methods – it’s good if the company offers several methods of shipping --- air, land, and sea 5. Cost – obviously go for one with the cheaper rates, but make sure that the quality of service is not compromised in any way Do keep in mind that some times, shipping costs can be more expensive than the total price of the item to be shipped. Thus, if you don’t want to scare off your customers because of this, try to keep your shipping rate as low as possible; better if you can offer them free shipping if they order in bulk.