The average error rate for shipping is 1%- 3%, which is an incredibly low number. But guess what? It doesn’t matter to the particular customer that you got their order wrong; to that customer, you missed their order and are 100% in the wrong.

Integrating a shipping request form ensures you have all the information you need about every customer order and give them exactly what they want. So, let’s look at the pros of having your shipping request form and how to create one with Formplus.

What Is a Shipping Request Form?

Your shipping request form collects all shipping details from your customers to ensure you dispatch their orders correctly. The major difference between this form and an order placement form is that the shipping request form collects information on where and when the order will arrive while an order placement focuses on what the customer from you.

What Should Be In Your Shipping Request Form?

The goal of your shipping form is to ensure you deliver the package to exactly where the customers want it, here is the information you need to do that:

• Sender Information: This is your business name, address, and contact information. This is for shipments where your users are sending to another person, so you’re handling the end-to-end logistics. However, for cases where the customer is buying directly from you, you don’t need to add this to your form.
• Recipient Information: Your customer’s name, delivery address, and contact information.
• Shipment Details: item description (weight, dimensions, number of packages), item classification (e.g., fragile, perishable), handling instructions (e.g., temperature control, insurance)
• Shipping Preferences: preferred shipping method (e.g., ground, air, express), delivery date, shipping carrier preferences (if any)

Do You Need a Shipping Request Form?

If you are in any of the following industries, you need a shipping request form:

• E-commerce: Most sellers’ e-commerce businesses don’t directly handle logistics, instead you contract them out to carriers like FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. So, using a shipping form helps process customer orders and coordinate shipments with carriers.

Example: E-commerce seller using third-party logistics ⬇️ Image credit: Reddit

• Warehousing and Logistics: If you are operating a logistics company, shipping forms help you collect all the information you need for collection and delivery, especially for external shipments. It also helps you track your inventory of dispatch, delivered, and waiting shipments,
• Manufacturing: Unlike other shipping, you need the right permissions to move raw materials, finished goods, and components between different locations. A shipping request form helps authorities know you’re moving heavy equipment and raw materials upon request.
• Healthcare: medical logistics especially pharmaceuticals come with a level of scrutiny, a shipping form details your driver is transporting medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and sensitive materials based on the healthcare facility request.
• Retail: Shipping forms help you distribute the right products in the right amount to retail stores or directly to customers. You can also use a third-party carrier for this, except that the sender in this case will be you.

Why You Need a Shipping Request Form

Here are the major benefits of collecting and documenting your customer’s shipping details:

• Improved Efficiency: Collecting shipping information shortens your customer journey, you don’t have to go back and forth trying to confirm the delivery address unless they contact you about making a mistake on their end which is not your fault.
• Reduced Errors: Shipping forms help customers spell out all their delivery preferences, for example, they can indicate if their items are fragile. It also improves your accuracy which is usually accompanied by high satisfaction, followed by recommendation.
• Better Tracking: Using a shipping form also helps you to easily track items from point of dispatch to delivery. Also, if there are any issues, you can easily confirm if you’re responsible and need to bear the cost.

Best Practices for Collecting Shipping Details

Here are some tips to help you create an effective shipping request form:

• Simple and Logical: The main goal of your form is to collect shipping details; stick to it. There’s absolutely no need to create a lengthy form asking for unnecessary information. Your questions should also have a natural flow that doesn’t overwhelm or confuse the user.
• Include Clear Instructions: Use description and help text to guide users through the form.
• Use Drop-down Menus and Checkboxes: Provide options to customers instead of open-ended questions where possible to simplify data entry and reduce errors. This way, your users can’t submit invalid information.
• Conditional Logic: You can also personalize your users’ experience by asking only relevant questions based on previous answers. For example, if the user selects “Air” for shipping methods, the next question will be about flight delivery.
• Ensure Data Security: You collect sensitive information when shipping such as protecting customer addresses and contact details. Make sure you use a secure form with end-to-end encryption and follow relevant data privacy regulations.

How to Use a Shipping Request Form Effectively

Here’s what you need to do to get the best out of your shipping form:

• Ensure all employees involved in the shipping process know how to use the form’s data. They should know how to use the information on the shipping request form to categorize shipments by location, fragility, etc.
• The form should be accessible to everyone involved in the shipping process- customers and internal or external logistics partners.
• Connect the shipping request form to your business workflow, such as inventory management software and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, to speed up data entry and improve efficiency.
• Emphasize the importance of filling out the form correctly to both customers and employees collecting or giving out the shipment details to an external logistics company (if applicable).

Free Shipping Request Form Template with Formplus

Step-by-step guide to using the template:

1.  Go to the free shipping request form template.

2 Customize the form to match your company’s branding and specific requirements.

3. Add logic to display relevant questions based on the selected shipping method or other criteria.

4. Thoroughly test the form to ensure it functions correctly and that all fields are accurately captured.

5. Share the form with relevant employees via email, intranet, or other communication channels.

6. Integrate the form with your existing business systems, such as your inventory management software or CRM, to streamline data entry and improve efficiency.

7. Regularly monitor form submissions and analyze the data to identify any areas for improvement.

Conclusion

A well-structured shipping request form acts as the foundation for smooth and accurate deliveries. It captures all the essential details upfront, these forms minimize errors, reduce delays, and improve communication throughout the shipping process.