If you’re like me, you bought most of your holiday gifts online this year. And it isn’t just the retailers that benefit while I found the perfect presents from the comfort of my couch. Someone has to ship all those packages from place to place. That means the logistics industry– including shipping franchise owners– is making big money, too.
How big? Cyber Monday Sales hit $3.45 Billion this year, and many people did their Black Friday and Christmas shopping online, too (with those sales numbers also in the billions).
In general, more people shop online than enduring the hassle of the mall, or a brick-and-mortar location. (Check out this article for more on these trends.)
And as online sales continue to grow year-round, the timing has never been better for entrepreneurs and sales professionals to consider bringing their skills and passion for relationship-building to a shipping franchise opportunity.
Not only do huge retailers like Amazon exist entirely online, others like Target and Wal-Mart have items you can only order online, special online discounts, etc. And with the massive popularity of online selling platforms like Etsy (who had more than 1.5 million active sellers in 2015), there are scores of small-to-medium sized business owners out there looking for a reliable, affordable way to move product from their shop to their customers– fast.
For people who own a shipping solutions franchise, these numbers add up to big growth opportunities and an ever-expanding “target market” for their business. Not only that, with the back-of-house support of the right franchisor, and the buying power of major shipping and freight in their corner, a franchisee needs only to build relationships and sell customized shipping solutions.
And there’s never been a better time to get in on the ground floor of a shipping and logistics franchise. You can sell in virtually any territory, choose from a large pool of ideal customers, and cultivate long-term business and trade models that benefit both you and your customer with flexibility, stability, and longevity.
When you think about starting a shipping franchise, it can seem a little intimidating at first. Where do you start? How do you learn about the industry? How do you know which trade and business models are right for you? Luckily, there are franchisees out there getting world-class support for their shipping solutions business, and doing so on their own schedule, from the comfort of their home office. If you’ve been looking for a career change that will put you in a booming industry that shows all signs pointing to growth, starting a shipping franchise might be a great step forward.