Lower your real delivery cost per order while keeping orders moving and customers informed. The trick is to look beyond the transport price and count what each parcel actually takes to prepare, hand over and follow up.
Start by comparing the delivery options and prices that apply to your parcel.
The goal: know your true delivery cost per order
A lower transport bill can still mean a more expensive order if it adds packing work, handover coordination, delays or avoidable returns. Compare like with like over the same period, and include the costs your team often overlooks.
How to reduce delivery cost per order: a routine to follow
- Choose a review period and count the orders shipped in it.
- Add the delivery-related costs for those orders, including your team’s packing and coordination time.
- Calculate cost per shipped order, then compare delivery options using the same order types and period.
- Review dispatch reliability and customer updates alongside cost before changing your process.
Can smarter packaging lower your delivery cost?
Measure the packed parcel, not just the product. For each common order type, trial the smallest package that still protects the item. Compare the packed dimensions and weight, and check the applicable chargeable-weight rules before updating your packaging standard. Keep enough cushioning and strength for the item, and secure heavy contents so they do not shift.
When does consolidating parcels make sense?
Treat consolidation as an operations choice—not an assumed discount. Group parcels into a planned handover when it fits your workflow, then track whether waiting for a batch delays dispatch or customer updates. Check the applicable pricing rather than assuming several parcels will be charged as one.
What handover routine keeps orders moving?
- Check each order and recipient’s details.
- Pack and label the parcel.
- Match the parcels against your order list.
- Record the handover or tracking reference.
- Send the customer a dispatch update.
- Put exceptions—such as missing details or an unavailable recipient—on a separate follow-up list.
What should you track besides delivery spend?
Track cost per order alongside parcels dispatched on time, packing time, packaging spend and customer status enquiries. Reviewing these together shows whether a lower transport cost is actually helping—or adding labour, slowing dispatch or leaving customers uncertain.
Common mistakes that make delivery seem cheaper
- Comparing transport prices while ignoring packaging and staff time.
- Packing bulky parcels without checking their packed dimensions.
- Assuming consolidation saves money without checking its pricing effect.
- Waiting to build a batch without counting the impact on dispatch and customer updates.
- Cutting protective packaging so far that damage or returns become a concern.
Moveka is Kenya’s largest courier and one of Kenya’s most deeply connected courier networks. Compare the options shown for your parcel, including Express and Same-Day where applicable, and choose with your full order cost in view.
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