You have been contemplating it for a while, and you have decided to go for it and open a Packing & Shipping store. You are aware it is a huge commitment and diving into the packing & shipping industry feels a little bit like learning a new language, and not an easy one.

You’ve decided to open a store, that was the first step, but now it’s time to decide which software to use.  Now the question is, what should I be looking for?

 Here are the top 7 things to consider before choosing the best shipping software for your store:

1. Do they offer a demo, a free trial so you can get a feel for it? Is the software easy to use? This is very important, and should definitely be a priority because you will be using your software from the moment you open the store till when you close. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have software that you are comfortable using.

2. Does the company providing the software offer training? It is important to ask if the company offers training for the software, both at the beginning when you are a new user, and also ongoing training. In addition, do they offer training for your staff? New employees?

3. How about support? What is their support availability? What are their hours? Their response rate?

4. Another thing that is important to consider is how much market share do they have. Are they the leader in the industry? And if they are not then ask yourself, why not?

5. One of the best things to look at when choosing between software is to see what other customers who are already using the software have to say about the product. Check testimonials, Facebook reviews, Google Reviews, Forums, give them a call or pay them a visit, etc.

6. Have you browsed through their website? Is there website helpful? Does it have useful and valuable information? Is it easy to navigate?

7. Finally, you have to think within the industry now. By opening a shipping store, you are now part of the shipping industry. Therefore, it is important to ask if they participate in industry events and what are their standings with the carriers, are they approved and certified by the carriers (meaning UPS, FedEx, etc.)

When you are about to buy a house or a car, you more than likely do a lot of research. It is the same with purchasing software for your store. Make sure you do your homework. Remember, the software should help you run your store with ease, it should make life easier for you.