• Home
  • Business
  • 6 Tips For Growing Your Small Business And Boosting Your Bottom Line
Business

6 Tips For Growing Your Small Business And Boosting Your Bottom Line

Growing Your Small Business

As a small business owner, you aim to scale your operations and increase your sales and profit over time. However, it doesn’t usually come on a silver platter. With hundreds or thousands of other businesses similar to yours, you may need to put in some extra effort to achieve the growth dream.

The good thing is that it’s doable with patience, diligence, determination, and the proper strategy. Below are tips you’d want to consider to take your business to the next level:

Important Detail About Growing Your Small Business And Boosting Your Bottom Line

1. Harness Technology

Harness Technology

Adopting the latest technology in your industry significantly helps to boost business efficiency. Higher efficiency means you can offer more services, produce more goods, and serve more customers, which equates to growth.

In 2021, U.S. businesses spent about USD$ 1.94 trillion dollars on technology products, showing how seriously entrepreneurs are embracing technology. Your business must follow suit.

Technology adoption is wide. One of the critical technological tools to adopt is industry-specific jobbing software. Almost every industry has specially designed software to streamline operations.

For instance, if you’re in the business of heat, ventilation, and air conditioning, it’d help to acquire HVAC Business Software. It helps with estimating, quoting, scheduling, job management, invoicing, and customer relationship management.

Other technological tools you should consider are as follows:

  • Payment management system
  • Customer relationship management
  • Cybersecurity solutions
  • Project management tools
  • Inventory management tools
  • Chatbots
  • Big data processing tools

Remember, technological adoption isn’t optional. Customers expect every business to level up to modern standards. So, embark on a solid plan to improve your small business’ technology and meet customers’ demands.

2. Smarten Up Your Marketing Plan

Smarten Up Your Marketing Plan

Marketing is an effective way to reach out to your target audience and let them know your business exists. Ultimately, you attract new customers to your brand and remind the current ones to keep doing business with you.

One innovative strategy could be to generate solar leads. For businesses dealing with solar energy, this strategy involves finding ways to attract potential customers interested in solar energy products or services.

Notably, marketing is remarkably dynamic, with new trends emerging daily. Thus, it wouldn’t be prudent to stick to age-old tactics like sending brochures via mail and other paper-marketing techniques, mass printing physical promotional materials, and cold calling. Adopt new-age strategies like the ones listed below:

  • Search engine optimization (SEO): In 2021, 69% of marketers used SEO, chiefly because of its exceptional conversion rate. Organic search boasts of an average conversion rate of 16%, which is quite impressive. So, you’d want to set up a business website and optimize it for search engines to allow web users to find it easily.
  • Social media marketing: About 77% of marketers claim that social media marketing is a very effective strategy. It’s because the current generation spends a lot of time on social networks. You may want to capitalize on this.
  • Email marketing: Personalized email marketing is said to potentially boost conversions by 10%. So, don’t see it as outdated. Build an email list and send regular promotional messages to your subscribers.

With such future-proof marketing strategies, you can significantly attract and convert more leads, increasing your sales and profit.

3. Invest In Your Team

Business growth comes with a lot of responsibilities. As you scale up, you soon realize you can’t handle everything. Your winning point is having a responsible group of workers who share your vision. It’ll help advance your business.

Start by hiring highly competent staff. Advertise for positions in your firm with a clear expectation of the academic and professional qualifications you’re after. Also, take time to assess your staff’s cultural fit into your company. Never hire hurriedly because it might cost you a lot further down the road.

Once you onboard your team members, craft strategies to continuously develop their skills. Have regular upskilling training sessions to advance your team members’ know-how in handling various business matters. Better yet, support those who wish to go for further studies because they’ll benefit your business.

4. Boost Customer Retention

Roll out a customer loyalty program

The chances of selling to a new customer are 60-70% and 5-20% for new customers. So, it’s in your best interest to focus on retaining your current customers and ensure they make repeat purchases. Acquiring new customers is costly. You may want to consider the following tips to ensure you don’t lose your precious customers:

  • Provide the option of creating customer accounts to make repurchasing easier.
  • Roll out a customer loyalty program to reward clients who purchase repeatedly.
  • Polish your customer support system to promptly address all their needs.
  • Always collect customer feedback and seek ways to act on suggestions or complaints.
  • Create favorable return policies to build trust with your customers.
  • Cut down delivery times as no one wants to wait ages before getting what they ordered.

With statistics showing that it costs five times more to get new clients than to retain current ones, you’d better up the ante in your retention tactics. Enhancing their shopping experience and satisfying their needs go a long way to inducing loyalty.

5. Give Back To Your Community

Social corporate responsibility

Social corporate responsibility is an excellent stratagem for endearing the masses to your brand. You portray your business as one with steadfast values and a genuine interest in bettering lives. People will keep purchasing from you because of your kindness.

You may want to donate cash or products to nonprofitable organizations or try any of the following:

  • Organize And Host Community Events, Such As Sports Competitions, Cultural Food Festivals, or concerts.
  • Adopt socially responsible business practices like using renewable energy sources or sourcing raw materials locally.
  • Provide employment opportunities for local talents.
  • Sponsor students’ education.

These acts of kindness convince the locals that you’re the right kind of company to work with, and they won’t hesitate to buy from you.

6. Cut costs

Cut costs

You must ensure your revenue exceeds your expenses to boost your bottom line. Find opportunities to cut your operating costs. Below are some tips to help:

  • Negotiate with your vendors to give discounts.
  • Hiring one full-time team member might be more cost-effective than outsourcing to several freelancers or companies.
  • Do away with products that don’t perform well.
  • Seek ways to save on insurance.
  • Unsubscribe to the software you don’t use very frequently.
  • Consider going remote if it’s not a must you work in a physical office space.
  • Buy in bulk.

There are many ways to cut costs. Remember, saving a penny here and there significantly adds up to hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Conclusion

Growing your small business requires a deep understanding of strategies that work, like the ones outlined above. As you pursue these tactics, it helps to evaluate the effectiveness of each.

Identify critical performance metrics that can tell you the success of each growth game plan. It might be the increase in sales volumes or the number of additional customers coming to your business. Ultimately, you’ll scale your operations and attain the desired profit levels.

Read Also:

author-img

Abdul Aziz Mondal

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

How Photo Books Elevate Business Meetings

The Art Of The Deal How: Photo Books Elevate Business Meetings

In today's fast-paced business environment, the art of making a lasting impression is paramount. With the constant bombardment of digital media, it's easy for messages to get lost in the shuffle. Enter the photo book: an old-fashioned concept given a modern twist, proving to be a powerful tool in the boardroom. But how exactly can a photo book help you seal a business deal? The Tangible Impact Of Physical Media There's a tangible quality to printed materials that digital displays simply can't replicate. Flipping through a high-quality photo book offers a sensory experience - the feel of the pages, the visual appeal of crisp images, and even the book's weight contribute to its perceived value. In a business meeting, where first impressions matter, presenting a photo book can position your brand as sophisticated and detail-oriented. Visual Storytelling: Making Complex Ideas Accessible Every business, regardless of industry, has a story to tell. Whether you're pitching a product, a service, or an idea, the narrative is critical. Photo books serve as visual storytellers, condensing complex concepts into accessible and engaging visuals. Instead of relying solely on slideshows or wordy brochures, photo books can guide your clients through the journey of your proposal, making the information digestible and memorable. A Tool For Personalization Clients and business partners want to feel special. They want to know that you've invested time and effort into understanding their needs and preferences. Customized photo books can serve as a testament to this understanding. By tailoring the content of the book to address specific pain points, challenges, or aspirations of the client, you're showing a level of dedication that won't go unnoticed. Data Speaks Louder: The Power Of Incorporating Metrics For many decision-makers, the bottom line comes down to numbers. Including a data table in your photo book can reinforce your points with empirical evidence. Metric Before Implementation After Implementation Percentage Improvement Customer Satisfaction 72% 88% +22% Sales Conversion Rate 18% 27% +50% Return on Investment 5x 8x +60%   Embedding such quantifiable data within the broader narrative of your photo book ensures the figures are contextualized within your overall pitch, making the case even more compelling. Read Also: How To Start A Business In 2021 – Best Business Strategies An Everlasting Business Card Long after the meeting has concluded, the photo book will remain. Unlike a typical business card or brochure that might find its way to the trash, a high-quality photo book is likely to grace the shelves or coffee tables of your prospective client's office. It serves as a continuous reminder of your brand and the potential partnership or deal, ensuring you remain top of mind. Making Your Pitch Unforgettable Incorporating photo books into your business meetings isn't just about aesthetics. It's a strategic move to engage, impress, and influence. In a competitive market, details matter, and offering a tangible, visually appealing narrative can be the difference between a missed opportunity and a sealed deal. Additional: how to keep your employees motivated 8 best practices for managing remote teams What to do when your boss makes you feel incompetent

Falguni Nayar

Falguni Nayar Becomes India’s Wealthiest Self-Made Female Billionaire

Nykaa founder Falguni Nayar has created history in the world of Entrepreneurship as she became the seventh woman billionaire and wealthiest self-made billionaire on 10th November 2021. However, her phenomenal success in the beauty and personal care products of the E-commerce business was not that easy. Her journey was quite challenging in the initial days of her start-up. However, Nykaa's owner has created a history in beauty and skincare fashion brands through her website and apps. Only a few words cannot define her entire success story. Let’s dig deep into her entire journey to have a better understanding of it.  Early Life  Falguni Nayar Falguni Nayar was born and brought up in the Gujrati Family in Mumbai. Before she had founded Nykaa in 2012, she was an ordinary girl like all middle-class families. But her extraordinary passion and vision have made her a successful female entrepreneur of the world. She has completed her graduation from the Sun Denham college of commerce & Economics. She has also post-graduated from the Indian Institute In Ahmedabad (IIM). However, many of us are not aware of the details of the Falguni Nayar education in detail. Career Of Falguni Nayar In the year of 1985, she had worked as a management consultant in AF Ferguson & Co. Then, for 19 years, she worked in the Kotak Mahindra Group. In the year 2012, she was appointed as a managing director of the Nykaa. She founded Nykaa with $2million of her own money. The capital stock of Nykaa is now shooting up at a rapid pace.  Success Story Of Nykaa Group And Falguni Nayar Nykaa founder became the first woman self-made billionaire in India. According to Bloomberg’s billionaire index, beauty startup owner Falguni Nayar has become the wealthiest self-made billionaire in 2021. On Wednesday, her shares in the stock market were listed with a great hike, and investors are hopeful for getting better returns from it. Nayar owns more than half of Nykaa, and its current worth is around $6.5 billion. The shares of this company surged 89% when the trading started on Wednesday. India’s woman-led entrepreneur has created the next significant landmark in 2021 to hit the stock exchange with a boom. The product line of the Nykaa brand comprises 4000 beauty and personal care products that are available worldwide. The best part of Nykaa products is all are available in their E-commerce portal and on the mobile app. In addition, 80 odd bricks and mortar stores also fall under the umbrella of Falguni Nayar’s Nykaa brand. Life-Changing Facts Of Falguni Nayar’s Journey Towards Entrepreneurship Today, we all are witnessing the high IPO rate of Nykaa Shares in Bloomberg stock exchanges, but we are not aware of the journey of this daunting lady who has made things possible. So, let’s find out some of the exciting facts about Falguni Nayar and her journey till now. 1. A Short Synopsis On Early Life The founder of Nykaa Falguni Nayar was born and brought up in Mumbai. She belongs to a Gujrati family. Her acumen towards business has grown from her childhood life as she was raised in a complete business environment. Falguni’s father ran a small-scale business of bearing company where her mother used to help her father in their family business. From there, terminologies like the stock market, trade, and investments became familiar to her. 2. Journey Of Her Career And After Life Falguni went to IIM( Indian Institute Of Management) to pursue her MBA career there in Ahmedabad. After obtaining a master’s degree in MBA, she started her career as a management consultant in the company AF Ferguson & Co. Nayar’s husband, whom she had met in the B-school, is now one of the renowned chairmen of KKR & Co. 3. Beginning Of Her Professional Life In 1993, she had joined the Kotak Mahindra group and had spent 19 years of her life. At the end of her Journey in the Kotak group, she became the managing director. Starting from 2005-2012, she worked in Kotak Mahindra. In many interviews, she has clearly stated that she was delighted with her job In the Kotak group. But despite that, she has chosen to start the journey of Entrepreneurship. 4. Career Hike And Rise Of Entrepreneurship In many of her interviews, Falguni Nayar said that she was happy while working with Kotak Mahindra, and she quit her job to fulfill her big dream of becoming a self-made billionaire. Nykaa IPO has reached this height due to the burning passion of Falguni Nayar for becoming the seventh-largest Beauty care giant in the world, whose annual worth is $6.5billion. 5. Life-Changing Decision Nykaa has a self-imposed deadline that she has to try becoming an Entrepreneur at the age of 50. This was when at the age of 50, Nykaa was born in 2012 with a vision to focus on the project of the Nykaa. Another essential fact here is that she left the study for the US while concentrating on an entrepreneurship project.  6. Spirit Of A Risk Taker At The Age Of 50 She was a risk-taker, and 60 daily orders have never cut the prices. Their idea is to sell the right color of lipstick at a full price. One other half, Wrong shade, can make the buyer unhappy within some of the minutes Nayar has disclosed to Bloomberg. At the age of 50, Nayar has started her journey in Nykaa with a full set passion. 7. Start Of Nykaa The CEO Nykaa, after the setup and the growth of the Nykaa business in its initial days, was accompanied by her family members like Son Anchit. He graduated from the Columbia E-commerce business in the beauty segment market. On the other hand, Adwita, who completed the MBA from Harvard business school, headed towards the fashion vertical.  8. Full Grown Business Empire In 2021 Nykaa IPO touched the sky and became a full-grown business empire. She is now richer than the Muthoot Family and Muthoot Finance. Harsh Mariwala and Asian Paints Abhay Vakil have clearly stated that Falguni Nayar has surpassed the considerable market share in all sorts of market sizes in upcoming years. 9. Comparison With Her Competitors Different types of marketing techniques of Falguni Nayar have made Nykaa the market leader in the beauty and fashion segment. In the E-commerce Industry, Nykaa has created a considerable landmark for businesses. You have to make your choices in the right way while correctly developing your business. 10. Attitude Towards Life And Business She always put up a positive attitude towards life and business were a never say die spirit and never give up perspective has made her a market leader. You have to work out the best plans that can work well in your favor. The deeper we get through her profile, the more inspiration a younger entrepreneur will get in a short time frame. The Nykaa IPO is breaking all the records of the Stock markets in the upcoming years as expected by the experts.  What Is The Networth Of Falguni Nayar? The current Falguni Nayar Networth is $6.5billion. She is one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurs to date. Falguni Nayar’s marketing tactics are pretty unique and new compared to its competitors in her segment of business niche. In most cases, it has been found that newborn entrepreneurs in this decade are doing a miraculous job in the upcoming years. What Was The Winning Marketing Technique Of Falguni Nayar? Falguni Nayar’s LinkedIn profile narrates the whole story of her out-of-the-box thinking technique that has created wonders in the beauty and E-commerce segment this current year. But, don’t think she is trending now due to her highest IPO launch on Wednesday; her unique marketing technique has made her a great entrepreneur of the decade. Some of the core marketing techniques off her are as follows:-       She had discovered the gaps in the Indian market between the demand and supply position of the beauty products in the E-commerce Industry. Work out the plans that can work well in your favor.    She has taken advantage of the diverse demography of the Indian market who are shopping lovers. Her E-commerce app of Nykaa has made the life of her customers more accessible than ever.  At the right time, she has recognized that the application of digital platforms will perform well for her. The reviews and the peer recommendations can work well in favor of any brand in this digital era.     Making a proper market study is the key in this digital age, according to her. It reveals how strong her analytical abilities were whenever she found a problem in the market. Tracking consumer behavior is an art, and you cannot ignore this fact, according to Falguni Nayar.     Growth Curve Of Nykaa Over The Years The growth curve of Nykaa over the years clearly demonstrates how well she has handled the business over a particular period of time. Moreover, her 19 long years of experience in the Kotak Mahindra group have brought colors to her hard work and effort.        Nykaa’s Consolidated GMV( Gross Market Value) in millions Final Words Hence, if you want to become a successful entrepreneur like Falguni Nayar, this article can help you. Develop your mindset so that one day you can also become a successful entrepreneur like Falguni Nayar to achieve your business goals in the best possible ways. Work out the best strategy that can have a long-term impact on your business, and you better return from it.  Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ's) [su_accordion class=""] [su_spoiler title="1. What Is The Net-worth Of Nykaa’s Owner?" open="yes" style="default" icon="plus" anchor="" anchor_in_url="no" class=""]The net worth of the Nykaa owner is nearly $7billion, and in the upcoming months, it will increase at a faster pace as expected by the business owners.[/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title="2. Is Falguni Nayar A Billionaire?" open="no" style="default" icon="plus" anchor="" anchor_in_url="no" class=""]Yes, she has become a billionaire in 2021, and it has boosted the share prices of her organization over the past few months.[/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title="3. Who Is The CEO Of Nykaa?" open="no" style="default" icon="plus" anchor="" anchor_in_url="no" class=""]Falguni Nayar is the current CEO of Nykaa. And her business is growing at a faster pace. You have to understand the market first before making any comment.[/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title="4. Is Falguni A Malayali?" open="no" style="default" icon="plus" anchor="" anchor_in_url="no" class=""]No, Falguni Nayar is a Gujrati, and her popularity in the business world is growing at a faster pace over the past few years.[/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] Read Also: Why  Create A Powerful Business Continuity Plan? How To Start A Business In 2021 – Best Business Strategies Is Nykaa Going To Dominate The Market With Their Recent Launch?

Dropshipping Business 

How To Start A Dropshipping Business In 2021 – A beginners Guide

Are you willing to start your dropshipping business in 2021? If yes, you need to follow certain norms that can help you achieve the same for your business. Here you must plan the things in proper order. It will help you to achieve the desired goals for your dropshipping business.  Many of you have questions in your mind about how to start a dropshipping business? The answer to this question is quite simple you have to follow certain norms as per the situation’s needs. It will help you achieve your goals effectively. Proper planning can help you to get things done in the correct order.    Different Ways To Start The Dropshipping Business    Multiple ways are using which you can start your dropshipping business. Here you must plan things well to get the desired goals for your business. Proper planning can help you to achieve your goals effectively.    1. Select  A Niche    You first need to dive into the concept that which is the best niche for your dropshipping business. Here, proper planning can help you to achieve your business goals effectively. How to start a dropshipping business is not a big question? Instead, which niche will you select to start your dropshipping business is a huge question.      The reason is whichever product you select or choose; you will have to face the competition. You need to have the confidence with you that you can bypass the competition properly. Here, you need to innovate things properly. It will help you to achieve your goals.  2. Perform the Competitor Product Research  You must know your competitors well, and you must do your research correctly. It will help your business to expand and proliferate at the right moment in time. Proper planning can help you to achieve your business goals properly.  How to start a dropshipping business is not a big question to ask here? Instead, you must know how you can outsmart your competitors in your dropshipping business. More effectively, you need to do proper competitor research. It will help your business expand rapidly. You need to make some careful considerations here.  3. Find  A Reputable Dropshipping Supplier    You need to find out a reputable Dropshipping supplier that can help you achieve your business goals effectively. The reputation of the supplier will help you increase your affiliate products’ sales to a great extent.    Here, you need to plan things as per your requirements that can help your business expand beyond the boundaries. The selection of the right supplier will help you build mutual trust between your customer and your business. You cannot take these factors casually at your end.  4. Build An Online Store  You need to build your online E-commerce store to make your products available to your potential customers. You need to plan things properly here. How to start a dropshipping business is no longer a big question if you have a proper online store with you. Adequate planning here holds the key to developing your business in the right direction at the right point in time.  Having an online store will help you achieve your desired goals for making your dropshipping business successful and providing a platform from where you can earn money at your wish. Proper arrangement of the product line will play a vital role here. You must select the best product that can help you to achieve your goals effectively.  5. Improve & Analyze Your Store    All the products in your online store may not have equal demand. You need to analyze the product line that will provide you the maximum returns and have less potential to give you the required profitability. The more you know the market, the better you can develop your brand image.     Identify the products in your store that are resulting in the loss of your business. Find out the critical areas of their defect and make the proper solution to eliminating these defects adequately. It will help you to achieve your business goals effectively. You need to make the right decisions at the right time to avoid the wastage of your products from your online store. Proper planning can help you to achieve your business goals effectively at the right time.  6. Properly Market Your Dropshipping Business     You need to build awareness of your dropshipping business effectively. It will help you to achieve your desired goals effectively. Your potential target audience will search for the best offers from your company. Now I think that the concept is clear how to start a dropshipping business?  If you can provide them the best offers that they are searching for from you, it can help you increase your profitability in the long run. Proper planning here holds the key. It can help you determine whether your potential customers will buy from you or your competitors. You must make a robust branding policy to help your business grow at a rapid pace.   Is Dropshipping A Profitable Platform Now?  With the growing popularity of the affiliate business model, dropshipping is one of the best business models or the platform that can help you earn in millions. It can help your business grow to the next level as you want to develop it from your counterpart. Proper planning can help you to achieve your goals in the right direction. Here you need to make your niche popular as it will help you increase the profitability of your business in the long run. The demand for dropshipping is growing at a rapid pace now.  Conclusion   Hence, if you plan to develop your dropshipping business in such a way that it can help you grow your affiliate marketing business effectively. Selection of the niche here is crucial as it can make or break your business in the long run. Before you start your dropshipping business, you must give a complete idea of the niche you will market your product in the market. Select the best product that can help you to select the best profitability in a short time. Ensure that you have made the right choices from your end.  Read Also: What Is A Mass Market Paperback? Explained In 2021 How To Start A Landscaping Business With Less Investment In 2021 What Is A Business Development Consultant, And What Are Their Job Roles?

FOB vs CIF

FOB vs CIF: What Are The Differences?

FOB vs CIF: What are the differences between the two? – There are many differences between CIF and FOB. However, there is one principal difference. In FOB, the seller gives up responsibility for the goods once they are loaded onto the ship. However, in a CIF agreement, the seller has the responsibility for the goods until they reach the destination port. After that, the buyer assumes responsibility. FOB vs CIF: A General Overview Of Shipping Agreements According to Investopedia, “Cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) and free on board (FOB) are international shipping agreements used in the transportation of goods between buyers and sellers. They are among the most common of the 11 international commerce terms (Incoterms), which were established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in 1936.” Although the definitions of FOB and CIF differ with countries, both contracts contain details on origin and destination information. These data help in determining the beginning and end of liabilities. Apart from that, these pieces of information also outline the responsibilities of both buyers and sellers based on scenarios. What Is Free On Board (FOB)? Under the free-on-board (FOB) agreement, the supplier of the product does not take responsibility for the goods after they go into the shipping vessel. Hence, the supplier pays only for the transport of the good to the port and onto the vessel. As a result, the seller of the product has limited responsibilities for the goods under the contract. After the goods go into the ship, the buyer of the product takes on the responsibility of the goods. The buyer takes full responsibility once the voyage starts. This includes transport, insurance, and other added fees. The buyer also pays for the unloading of the goods. What Is Cost, Insurance, And Freight (CIF)? Sellers use this technique mostly during large deliveries, especially for oversized goods that they ship by sea. The seller of the good takes responsibility for the good until it is delivered to the buyer’s port. The buyer assumes full responsibility for the goods as soon as it reaches the destination port. Hence, if there are extra costs after the good reaches the destination port, the buyer will need to take responsibility for the same. After the payment, the transport service transfers the documentation for the goods over to the buyer. FOB vs CIF: Major Pros And Cons According to an article on Alibaba.com, “With a CIF agreement, the seller is liable for the goods during transit, and with a FOB, the buyer is liable for the goods during transit. […] Generally, FOB is considered a more cost-effective approach. This is because buyers can make more cost-effective decisions about the shipment, such as buying the minimum insurance policy or going with a lower-cost freight company since they are in control.” The following are the major pros and cons of FOB and CIF that you must know: Pros And Cons Of Free On Board (FOB) Here are the major pros of FOB that you will benefit from: The buyer of the product has more control over the delivery process. It is possible for the buyer to make various cost-effective decisions in some cases. The seller does not have to take responsibility for added costs. Here are the major cons of FOB that you need to be aware of: Since the buyer has more responsibilities, the individual will need to deal with added costs if necessary. If the goods are damaged during transit, the seller is not responsible for that. This might send the buyer into an absurd situation. Pros And Cons Of Cost, Insurance, And Freight (CIF) Here are the major pros of CIF that you will benefit from: The seller has more control over the goods delivered to the customer. Also, the buyer of the product has little to no responsibility when it comes to the delivery of the product. The buyer gets a more seamless experience with the CIF process. As a result, the delivery process is less stressful for the buyer. As the buyer is getting more convenient with this process, it gives the seller a certain advantage over its competitors. Here are the major cons of CIF that you need to be aware of: The seller has to take full responsibility for the damage to goods in transit. Buyers of the product have little to no control over the cost of the delivery process. There can be additional costs for sellers. This raises the costs of the goods at the time of delivery. FOB vs CIF: Which Is The Best One To Buy? During international shipping, most companies opt for either Free on Board (FOB) or Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) agreements. According to Investopedia, “Inexperienced buyers typically prefer CIF, which places much of the shipping responsibility on the seller, including shipping costs, insurance, and freight to the destination port, while giving the buyer greater convenience. However, because the seller takes on more risk and responsibility, CIF often comes with a higher cost.” Basically, in CIF, the seller of the product takes care of almost everything up to the final delivery at the destination port of the buyer. On the other hand, the ones that have enough experience in international shipping tend to prefer FOB. This is because they have more control over the goods in this case. When the goods leave the ship, the responsibility for the goods goes to the buyers. The seller considers the goods as delivered once they clear the goods for export and load them onto the shipping vessel. Apart from that, the FOB also offers flexibility over logistical details. These are to learn the needs of the buyer and to lower the costs since the seller cannot negotiate directly with shipping companies. On a side note, the scale and expertise of the company also determine the choice between FOB and CIF. Wrapping Up FOB vs CIF: Hope this article was helpful enough to provide accurate information. You can see from the article that, in general, sellers choose FOB more than CIF. However, if it is a big item and you want to have more control as a seller, choose CIF. Consider sharing your ideas and opinions with us in the comments section below. Explore More Finance By Clicking Below!! Periodic Inventory System: What Is It, How It Works, Applications, And More What Is Free Alongside Ship? Essential Things To Know About It Cost Insurance Freight? Everything You Should Know About It