eCommerce Shipping

Top 10 Best Cash on Delivery (COD) Courier Services Companies in India

The advent of the internet and eCommerce has been ground-shattering. Gone are the days when you needed to physically go to a store and buy a product you wanted. Not only can you order whatever type of commodity from whichever brand you want but you can also choose from a variety of payment methods. Due to the highly competitive nature of the industry, the introduction of a new technology that becomes pervasive can spread like wildfire, with other competitors also needing to adopt it to remain relevant and garner the attention of customers. This goes for convenience features, such as ultra-fast delivery, eCommerce order tracking, a pleasant unboxing experience, and more, as well as functional features, like offering a variety of payment options so that customers can choose their preferred alternative. While multiple innovative payment methods, such as UPI and online bank transfers, have completely changed the way we are able to conduct online transactions, a large portion of people in the country are still hesitant to rely completely on the internet, especially for something that involves their hard-earned money. Customers still prefer COD courier services as an option. They are often willing to sacrifice the convenience of paying with a single tap or OTP for the security of physically handing over cash once they have received their order in person. Thus, companies need to take this into consideration and offer a cash on delivery courier service as a choice to their customers, so they do not risk losing out on potential purchases. In this blog, we will give you all the information you need about COD courier services and list the top 10 options currently available. What is a Cash on Delivery Courier Service? Cash-on-delivery or COD courier service is the last mile delivery service that offers the option of cash-on delivery to customers while they are placing an order. This involves only receiving the entire payment once the order has been delivered to the customer at their doorstep. As a result of this, many uncertainties arise as to whether customers will accept the order, pay the amount in full, initiate an RTO, and other inconveniences. With online payments, the ball is usually in the seller’s court as they have already received the payment so the onus is on the customer to be available to collect it at the date and time that is mentioned on the order tracking page. However, with a cash-on-delivery courier service, orders are shipped with the hopes that all parties will hold their end of the bargain, which provides additional risks to sellers and can affect their profit margins if something doesn’t go according to plan. Therefore, most COD delivery courier services have certain fail-safes in play to negate any of these occurrences, such as COD reconciliation, proof-of-delivery reports, returns management, and more. These solutions enhance the ability of firms to offer COD courier services and help customers participate in the eCommerce purchasing process, that might not be entirely immersed in all the latest facilities offered by the internet. [contactus_lilgoodness] Top 10 Best COD - Cash on Delivery Courier Services Companies in India in 2024 A table of the 10 Best & Cheapest cash on delivery shipping companies in 2024 is mentioned below. RankCompanyCoverageDelivery SpeedPrimary Industry1.WareIQ27,000+ pin codesSame-day/Next-dayeCommerce2.EkartNationwideSame-day/Next-dayeCommerce3.Delhivery17,000+ pin codesSame-day/Next-dayLogistics4.Fedx220+ territories2 to 3 business daysTransportation5.Gati19,800+ pin codesSame-day/2-3 daysLogistics6.Xpressbees13,000+ pin codesSame-day/Next-dayLogistics7.DTDC14,000+ pin codes3-7 business daysLogistics8.Shadowfax7,000+ pin codesHyperlocal Hyperlocal9.Ecom Express27,000+ pin codes1-3 business dayseCommerce10.BlueDart17,677+ pin codesVariesTransportation WareIQ Source WareIQ is a technology-based eCommerce fulfillment company that debuted its services in 2019 in Bangalore, Karnataka, the startup capital of India. The company offers multiple eCommerce services, such as order fulfillment, an in-built WMS, a choice of shipping providers, an app store and much more. It also includes highly flexible pricing policies and accepts most payment options, including COD. To protect your orders from any undesirable situations, it includes features, such as COD verification, COD reconciliation and an RTO Shield that completely handles returns management and protects your products from the harsh impacts brought on by returns. All the facilities, technology and flexibility it offers make it one of the best COD courier services in the country. Looking for Courier Service Partners to Deliver from India to USA? Check it now. Ekart Source Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka, Ekart is an Instakart-operated logistics partner that is owned by eCommerce giant Flipkart. They send out over 1.5 million packages each month to almost 4,000 pin codes all across the nation. For some regions, the Ekart Logistics API allows both one-day and same-day delivery. They started offering COD courier services through Flipkart and now have almost ten years of expertise managing COD orders and assisting eCommerce companies with cash on delivery reconciliation. It imposes some of the most competitive rates in the industry. Delhivery Source Delhivery was founded in 2011 and is currently based in Gurgaon, Haryana. More than 13,000 pin codes in 175 cities are covered by the company. Delhivery offers services and the guarantee that your merchandise will reach safely and undamaged, lowering the likelihood of a failed delivery. On the downside, their cash on delivery service for ecommerce can take longer than prepaid deliveries. You need to enable developer access to the Delhivery API for quick integration. If you're an online seller searching for an all-inclusive shipping, tracking and cash on delivery service, Delhivery could be the option for you. FedEx Source FedEx is an American multinational logistics and distribution behemoth that was founded in 1971 in Arkansas and is currently based in Memphis, Tennessee, The company provides delivery services for more than 6,000 pin codes that are incredibly dependable and practical. However, they exclusively provide COD courier services to eCommerce businesses that fit within specific categories. Although it may be challenging due to the service's complicated terms and conditions, FedEx is among the best cash on delivery service providers to work with if you receive a lot of pre-paid orders. To support COD orders for all land, air and sea cargo, you simply need to create a FedEx account after you have integrated with the FedEx API. Gati Source Another well-regarded cash on delivery courier service in India is Gati, which offers its services in more than 5,000 pin codes. The company, along with others on this list, was founded before the popularity of the internet, in 1989 and is currently based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Along with their helpful customer support team, GATI uses a cutting-edge fleet of well-trained specialists to ensure prompt and effective delivery, which is a big benefit for any courier partner providing COD courier services. For orders that require handling cash, they impose an extra charge. Xpressbees Source One of the best eCommerce shipping and logistics companies in the country, XpressBees focuses on providing specialised services, such as same-day and next-day delivery. The company was pioneered in 2015 and is currently based in Pune, Maharashtra. If you get a lot of cash on delivery orders, XpressBees is one of the best COD courier services because they also provide many COD-focused facilities and have an efficient reverse logistics platform. The company services more than 2,000 cities and towns and has more than 3,000 offices scattered across the country. DTDC Source Despite serving a narrower, more well-defined variety of delivery requirements, DTDC is among the most well-regarded and experienced shipping and COD delivery services. The company was founded way back in 1983 and has its current head office in Bangalore. With the assistance of a well-established system of 12,000 offices around the nation, they provide some of the most affordable prices in the industry. Even at the most remote last-mile locations, you can reach clients using the DTDC API interface even though it necessitates longer wait times for customers to receive their orders. An additional limitation is there are only a few pin codes for which their cash on delivery courier service is available. Shadowfax Source Over 7000 pin codes are served by Shadowfax, one of India's top third-party logistics service providers. They have more than 150,000 delivery partners in their network. The company was founded in 2015 and is currently based in Bangalore. ShadowFax takes cash on delivery to the next level by offering doorstep delivery for a diverse range of business sectors, which can be paid for using cash or UPI payments. With more than 500,000 orders each day, Shadowfax is well-equipped to speed up the entire COD reconciliation process. Additionally, it provides features, such as in-transit storage, first-mile delivery, and last-mile delivery. Ecom Express Source Ecom Express, a leader in end-to-end logistics, serves more than 27,000 pin codes across more than 2500 cities in India. The company was started in 2012 and it currently has its head offices in Gurgaon, Haryana. They offer reverse logistics services as well as a whole slew of fulfillment services, such as express delivery and 24/7 customer support. Additionally, they provide doorstep quality checks and 72-hour pick-up and delivery services, which helps lower the frequency of canceled COD orders. It covers 27,000-plus pin codes across the country and implements advanced security measures for every order. BlueDart Source BlueDart was founded in 1983 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which is where its current headquarters are located. More than 35,000 venues, both domestically and abroad, are served by BlueDart. Their duration-bound services offer quick and reliable delivery that is made possible by the regular approvals they go through. They have pre-meditated rates depending on the weight of the shipment. With a well-defined structure in use for COD orders, the BlueDart API can manage larger, higher-value orders. The payment must be transferred from the receiver to your account before an order is marked as successful. How to Choose the Best Cash on Delivery service provider for eCommerce Business? Shipment Status Monitoring Partnering with a cash on delivery shipping company that gives you a comprehensive platform to keep track of the status of all your shipments is a must. This is especially important for COD orders, where the stakes are even higher because you haven’t made any money on the product while it is in transit and hasn’t yet been accepted by the customer. It also clearly lays out orders that have been successfully delivered, orders that are pending delivery, orders that haven’t yet been paid for, and more. This aids your accounting department in ascertaining any disparities between income received in relation to orders that have been dispatched. Efficient shipment status monitoring is hence an important point to consider while choosing a cash on delivery service provider. Integrations With Shipping Carriers and Online Selling Channels Being able to integrate the important order and inventory-related information from all your shipping carriers and across all the eCommerce marketplaces you sell your products on is a must. This enables you to have access to all your data in one location so you can track and analyse important metrics and pinpoint areas of success and those that need improving. This also leads to more efficiency as you can get real-time updates whenever a notable event occurs. Additionally, important services, such as COD reconciliation, NDR reports, reverse logistics, and more can also be accessed and monitored from the same dashboard. Integration is therefore, a key-point for a good COD service provider. Dedicated Customer Support Having a responsive customer support team can be beneficial to both you and your customers. If an issue arises relating to an order, they can simply contact the customer to make them aware of the issue and the revised ETA, to ensure that they don’t end up canceling the order because they are unaware of where it is, while also keeping you in the loop. Competent customer service can be responsible for reduced RTO requests, higher rates of successfully delivered orders, increased customer satisfaction, higher profit margins, and an overall, more efficiently-run company. Good customer support is a prominent factor for customers while deciding the best cash of delivery courier service, in India. NDR Management NDR stands for Non-Delivery Report and they play a vital role in eCommerce fulfillment, regardless if it is cash on delivery order or not. Since cash on delivery opens the door to more risky situations occurring, they become even more pronounced on orders with this payment option. Having a detailed NDR management system in place can help you identify trends as to why certain orders aren’t being successfully delivered, which will help you shortlist whether it is the product itself, the fulfillment partner, the type of customers, a specific location, and more. This will aid in eventually removing these inefficiencies and improve your rate of successfully delivered orders. Cash on Delivery Fulfillment This, of course, is the crowning feature that you should look for while partnering with a cash on delivery shipping company. Ensure that the company you want to partner with has a variety of cash on delivery options and has flexible policies relating to delays, returns, or any other unforeseen circumstance that can hinder your ability to deliver the product to its relevant customer and ensure that the payment is received from them. Some companies are more diverse than others when it comes to the scope of services they offer so go through each one and select an option that is right for you. Conclusion: Why You Should Pick WareIQ to be Your Cash on Delivery Shipping Company For Fulfilling Online Orders in 2024? While many people enjoy the perks of being able to purchase a product online with just a few taps, an equally large number still views online transactions with suspicion. They do not want to upload their important payment-related information onto online selling platforms, regardless of how many disclaimers they give that it is secure. Instead, they prefer to be physically present to receive their orders and only pay for them once that occurs. As long as there is a large enough segment of the population that prefers to pay with cash, offering cash on delivery as a payment option is of critical importance if you want to capitalise on every purchase. While it does enable risky encounters, most COD courier services provide measures to prevent them from transpiring. However, some offer a more comprehensive and complete list of services than others, so it is important to discern which ones are important to you and choose one that fits your requirements. If you need a cash on delivery service that also consists of multiple other eCommerce facilities, WareIQ fits the bill. WareIQ is an eCommerce fulfillment company that provides multiple payment and delivery options, including COD. We also provide security measures, such as NDR management, returns management, order tracking, customer support and more, to ensure that your orders are delivered on time and you receive your dues for every purchase. Some of the other services you can take advantage of are listed below: A nationwide network of fulfillment centers and dark storesSmart inventory placementIntegrations with more than 20 online marketplace and website buildersA partnership with more than 12 shipping companiesSmart courier allocationA custom WMSAn app storeInventory managementBranded order trackingCustomizable packaging Cash on Delivery Courier Services: FAQs Why is it necessary to provide cash on delivery services?A large chunk of the population in India still prefers to opt for COD or cash on delivery while purchasing online. So, it is beneficial for retailers to provide multiple payment options instead of risking losing out on a potential purchase. What is COD reconciliation?The term COD reconciliation describes the process of reconciling one's billing records to reflect all COD orders. The payment for a COD order is obtained by the carrier after processing and delivery. When a number of cash on delivery orders are completed and your company receives multiple collected payments, the orders can be closed. Do all 3PL fulfillment companies offer COD delivery?No, not all 3PL companies offer the support and facilities needed for COD orders. While choosing a fulfillment company, make sure they offer COD services if that is something you need. A few companies that provide COD services are Indiapost, WareIQ, ClickPost etc. Does WareIQ provide cash-on-delivery shipping services and assistance in returns management on the failure of delivery on COD orders?Yes, WareIQ provides COD courier services for all its eCommerce clients for 29000+ pincodes across India, through partnerships with all the leading national and hyperlocal courier companies. WareIQ not only takes care of the entire reverse logistics procedure but also provides an RTO Shield, that protects your products from the adverse implications of returns, which is very common during COD orders. Is there a fee for using COD services?Yes, there is often a fee for using cash-on-delivery (COD) services in India. The amount of the fee varies depending on the courier company, pincode or location of delivery, the weight of the shipment, and the total value of the order. Which is the best cod - cash on delivery courier service provider in India?Some of the popular COD courier service providers in India include Blue Dart, DTDC, India Post, and FedEx. These last mile delivery companies enable eCommerce companies to sell online using Cash on Delivery (COD) as a payment mode, which is the preferred payment modes for majority of Indian population. Which courier services provide cash on delivery?at is FAQ?Top courier services offering Cash on Delivery (COD) in India include WareIQ, Ekart, Delhivery, FedEx, Gati, Xpressbees, DTDC, Shadowfax, Ecom Express, and BlueDart. Check out the full blog for in-depth insights on their services. What are common cash on delivery problems?Cash on Delivery (COD) may face issues like delayed payments, return complexities, and tracking challenges. The blog delves into solutions and tips for a seamless COD experience in e-commerce. What is FAQ?Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. What is FAQ?Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

February 10, 2023

Top 10 Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce

Any business, big or small, that has been successful, has reached that stage, not just on its own merit, but also with the aid and services of partner organisations that handle important aspects of the business. Similarly, eCommerce businesses manage to reach high levels of success primarily because of their delivery experience. Read the blog on best 3pl for small business in India to understand how small businesses enhance customer delight through delivery experiences. To reach that success, these businesses have to walk a tight rope of having a logistical network that is not just fast and efficient to ensure a good customer experience but also proves to be cost-effective so as to not affect its revenue. This is where shipping aggregators for eCommerce step in and help eCommerce companies rise - by providing all the important logistics services in the most efficient manner, while also reducing logistics costs. What are Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce? A small or new business owner with fewer than 100 orders per month would approach their local courier service partner to transport the finished product from the seller/manufacturer/owner to the customer. But once the orders increase, and there is a sudden surge of orders, which could be because of the product gaining favourable customers and eventually traction, it might be difficult and cost-intensive for sellers to manage the demand while using the same courier service they were using before. One of the most crucial yet complex aspects of the eCommerce order fulfillment process is the logistical aspect, and thus, it would be prudent for sellers to partner with courier aggregators. They partner up with multiple courier channels, and as a result, provide the sellers access to multiple pin codes and extra value-added services like providing fulfillment status, micro fulfillment, cash-on-delivery, hyperlocal delivery, and same-day delivery. Shipping aggregators for eCommerce in India have existed for decades, but their prominence has increased in the last decade owing to the rapid growth of eCommerce in India. With courier aggregators being the natural need for any eCommerce player, their numbers have increased in India, thus providing a competitive landscape that is fruitful for the sellers. [contactus_gynoveda] Why are Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce Businesses Necessary? eCommerce Businesses find natural allies and partners in courier aggregators because they provide a 3PL cost-effective solution to the seller’s biggest need of transporting the product to the customer. This need becomes ever more crucial as the seller's progress to the 1st phase, which comprises 500-3000 orders per month, or 10 orders per day. This is when the need for a Shipping Aggregator is felt the most. A single logistical partner may fulfill the needs, but demand surges can be sudden, unpredictable, and, most importantly can lead to a loss of revenue. Thus, it is considered a prudent practice for eCommerce businesses to partner with the right Courier Aggregators to ensure that their product can be transported to the required customer destination, irrespective of the surge in demand. Shipping Aggregators for online business helps to provide the best service partners for the required pin codes, as some have an advantage over others because of the infrastructure they have set up and their prior presence in the market in that region. Advantages of eCommerce Shipping/Courier Aggregators eCommerce Shipping Aggregators provide the required platform for eCommerce players of any size. This is due to the following advantages that they bring to these players: Multiple Courier Partners The biggest advantage of Courier Aggregators is the option of partnering with multiple courier options and this provides the sellers with the freedom of choice to choose between which courier partner they prefer and that too in which geographical region. Thus, the sellers are able to capitalise on the strengths of the multiple courier options. Low Shipping Rates Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce use Economies of Scale to provide the sellers with cheaper shipping rates rather than approaching the same courier partner individually. Courier partners, when tying up with courier Aggregators, are assured of a fixed amount of orders per month/week, and thus, when assured of this steady inflow of business, courier partners are willing to provide discounts on their services. An individual seller will not be able to provide the same number of bulk orders when approaching these courier partners and would thus be devoid of the discounts available. Better Pin Code Coverage Individual courier partners are restricted by their pin code coverage. Some of the oldest players may have the best coverage, yet there will be some local courier partners with better coverage in a certain geographical region; this is especially prominent in a geographically and culturally diverse country such as India. Shipping Aggregators in India usually have about 5-20 courier partners, and their combined strength is what the seller gets to reap. Instant Backup Plans One of the biggest advantages of Courier Aggregators is noticed only in the face of adversity and is thus not often realised. In the event of a courier partner cancelling an order, they can approach the other courier partners that they have tied up with, and that too at the same cost or just marginally more. In that situation, it is necessary for the seller that the product reaches the customer. With Shipping Aggregators for online businesses providing multiple courier options, sellers can always be assured of their product reaching the customer. Single Platform Consolidation They provide a seamless experience to both the sellers and customers by providing them with all the details of their product in a single location and without the seller having to bounce between the sites of different courier partners. Order Tracking facilities The consumer and seller can follow their packages in real-time through the Shipping Aggregator. To trace the position of your order, one needs a customer tracking id or an air waybill number. On-Time Remittance Cash on Delivery is still the most preferred means of payment for the Indian eCommerce user. This payment is handled by the Shipping Aggregators but it is necessary for the payment to reach back to the seller. On every delivery, the courier aggregators make an on-time remittance, weekly remittance or daily remittance, which ensures the seller's continuous cash flow and allows it to develop. What are the Challenges Faced by eCommerce Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce in 2024? Shipping Aggregators in India regularly face some challenges in fulfilling their orders. eCommerce logistics in India is heavily dependent on roads, and during the festive season, there is an immense load due to the extremely high number of orders. These factors contribute to some of the perennial challenges that are faced. We shall take a more detailed look at some of these challenges and the causes behind them. This is so that sellers are aware of the challenges that Courier Aggregators in India face, which in turn, are passed on to the sellers. Thus, sellers can be mentally prepared for them and take precautionary actions beforehand. Festive rush and same-day deliveries: We have all experienced that moment when an unexpected guest comes over during the festive season with a gift for us, and as is tradition, expects we should now gift them something too, but there isn’t any gift because we never expected them to come in the first place. That’s when many of us place an immediate order for next or same-day delivery. Such instances and many more like this are the reason behind immense loads on sellers, and consequently, the Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce to transport multiple items and that too urgently. In India, during the festive season, order numbers increase by 40-50%. Safety and security of delivery: Despite proper training and hiring qualified drivers, incidents such as accidents are inevitable. These incidents, along with pilferage, can never be ruled out. It is thus necessary for Shipping Aggregators for an online businesses to take out insurance for their shipments and while these lead to added costs and extra paperwork, they do provide a guard against any such unwanted and rare event.Irregular cash flow: A study by CMS, one of India’s largest cash handlers, concluded that in the year 2020, nearly two-thirds of online shopping resulted in cash on delivery, with nearly 90% of rural consumers opting for this payment method. This peculiar characteristic of the Indian eCommerce market results in Courier Aggregators having to take on the extra burden of handling the cash and ensuring its security while also ensuring timely remittance back to the sellers. This entire process, which cannot afford to have any lapses or leakages, leads to added constraints on Aggregators in India.Returns management: Returns still constitute a high ratio in some products, especially clothing, and most returns are due to differences in size; thus, Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce must ensure that the product reaches back to the seller in perfect condition without any damage. This means added capital expenditure for maintaining an equally efficient, secure, and able reverse supply chain from the customer to the seller. Top Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce in 2024 WareIQ Source By providing full-stack eCommerce fulfillment solutions and giving its users an experience similar to Amazon Prime with same-day and next-day delivery, WareIQ has evolved to be one of the most excellent fulfillment firms in India. Established in 2019, this Y-combinator backed Shipping Aggregator is accessible to anyone. Besides its stronghold and expertise in the eCommerce fulfillment sector, WareIQ as a Shipping Aggregator stands apart from the rest because of the following aspects: Discounted rates and access to all major national couriers, as well as last-mile delivery services and couriers, guaranteeing same-day/next-day delivery. This is extremely crucial for sellers as they can ensure that they live up to their service level and enjoy a higher customer satisfaction rate, thus leading to further business.A powerful pan-India network of fulfillment centers, urban dark stores, and logistics network of national & hyperlocal shipping partners—all located near their clients, allowing them to provide timely and cost-effective logistical solutions.A centralised logistical center and tech platform for all eCommerce fulfillment-based requirementsA centralised platform for core operationsPost-shipping apps provide tracking capabilities and a smart communication platform to offer the greatest client experience. Multiple products and features are provided, such as the “WareIQ RUSH” that ensures same-day delivery and is amongst the rare fulfillment tech companies in the world, let alone India, to provide such a service, and is thus amongst the best fulfillment companies in India. WareIQ customers benefit from considerable cost reductions as a consequence of WareIQ negotiating the best terms with shipping partners, strategic warehouse presence, and data-driven decision making. Ware IQ’s central platform possesses a multifunctional NDR dashboard that helps reduce the processing time of NDR by 12 hours and reduces the RTO by 10%. Pickrr Source Pickrr has made its mark in the eCommerce industry by providing fast delivery in remote parts of India. Pickrr offers volume-based discounted rates to customers, further contributing to its popularity. It also boasts a unique collection of features, with its AI-powered dashboard being the most intriguing. Their dashboard can easily be integrated with Shopify, Magento, and many more e-commerce platforms. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 26,582+Value-added Services: CODCustom Tracking Page: No ShipKaro Source The next company on our list of the top 10 Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce is ShipKaro, which offers bulk orders and drop shipping at extremely reasonable prices. Despite the agility with which their shipping operations run, their returns handling system has great room for improvement. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 20,682+Value-added Services: Scheduled Pickups, COD Custom Tracking Page: No Shyplite Source Shyplite offers low-cost Shipping Aggregation services that are simple and efficient. They are popular amongst customers due to their responsive and professional customer service personnel as well as their AI-based recommendation algorithm. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 25,184+Value-added Services: CODCustom Tracking Page: Yes Silver Arrow Source Silver Arrow Logistics employs emerging technologies in various facets, which makes them an innovation-led company. From using AI-driven RFID tags to facilitate real-time tracking to using I0T (Internet of Things) to identify potential transportation safety risks, they utilise next-generation digital services to provide specialised logistics solutions for small, medium, and large eCommerce companies. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 26,193+Value-added Services: COD Services, Express DeliveryCustom Tracking Page: No ShipDelight Source ShipDelight has over 55 years of consolidated experience in the shipping and distribution industry. The founders of ShipDelight have supreme knowledge about how to solve the many problems related to shipping aggregation and seek to fully integrate the requirements of eCommerce retailers and the logistics and distribution services that are provided by the company. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 26,000+Value-added Services: COD Services, Order Management, Branded Tracking, Shipping AutomationCustom Tracking Page: Yes If you are looking for similar options check Alternatives to Shipdelight ShipDroid Logistics Source Since it has fewer courier partners, ShipDroid doesn't have the same reach as many of its competitors. However, it has remained a popular shipping aggregator for eCommerce due to its account management system, dashboard and fulfillment services, which allow retailers to efficiently analyse their sales and follow orders in real-time. This Shipping Aggregator's automatic allocation mechanism allows shipments to be made by air, train, or road. They don't have a monthly minimum order volume restriction, which makes them a good and affordable option for smaller e-commerce businesses. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 19,926+Value-added Services: CODCustom Tracking Page: Yes ShipYaari Source Since it is one of the top options in the market, Shipyaari is regarded as one of the most dependable shipping firms. Customers can choose from three different charge applications. Users are presented with a variety of options from which to choose based on their requirements. They have fairly variable timetables, based on monthly and yearly timescales. They also have four domestic partners and offer their services over international borders. They offer savings for large shipping purchases. They do not, however, have a multi-pickup facility. Shipyaari provides not only fast shipping but also express COD. Amazon, Shopify, Magento, and Woo-Commerce are among the seven online marketplaces with which they are integrated. They have an Advanced Plan and a Pro-Plan, both of which cost Rs. 2120 and Rs. 4235 and allow you access to all of their services. Their Start-Up package is free of charge for new businesses. ShipYaari is another significant eCommerce Shipping Aggregator that takes the cake in terms of customer loyalty and confidence, owing to its ability to manage massive volumes of orders at cheap pricing. Despite using several channels of communication such as phone, email, and WhatsApp, many consumers have been frustrated by the lack of connection with the customer care personnel. Highlights: Serviceable Pin Codes: 24,749+Value-added Services: Express Delivery, COD Services, Money Back Guarantee (MBG)Custom Tracking Page: No GoShippo Source GoShippo is a major Shipping Aggregator that automates and rationalises shipping procedures to save time, money, and effort. One can ship their packages quickly and save money by taking advantage of discounts from USPS, UPS, DHL, and other shipping companies. The shipping company also provides real-time pricing from a network of carriers, allowing you to choose the best fit. Some of its features are: Easy integration - By effortlessly syncing product orders and tracking details, you may save time.Facilitating returns, address validation, and schedule pickups - With in-built global address validation, return labels, and carrier facilities, carrier pickup schedules, you can have accurate deliveries.Personalisation - Customize your shipping labels, enable customer notifications, and provide a personalised experience by making your shipping tailor-made.Supports global shipment - To promote global shipping, the company provides pre-filled customs paperwork and paperless trading.Robust shipping tools - This is possible by using automated tools, enabling batch label printing, manifests, analytics, and reporting.Partial order fulfillment - Manage the splitting of orders into multiple shipments for back ordered items and inventory at different eCommerce warehouses with partial order fulfillment. EasyShip Source EasyShip is a prominent cloud shipping platform that helps retailers grow globally. Some of its prominent features are: Prevailing shipping API for eCommerce – The company provides comprehensive shipping capability to your ERP, warehouse, or platform, as well as management over shipping options on your website.Import duties and taxes (Item Category Based Tax) - The firm service calculates all duties and taxes for your international shipments. It ensures that you know how much you have to pay for various item categories, thus avoiding unpleasant surprises and shipping delays in any region. Conclusion: Why is WareIQ the Best Shipping Aggregator Company for eCommerce? There are some crucial points that any seller must keep in mind when they decide to partner with a Shipping Aggregator, and that is where WareIQ proves to be the best amongst the other Shipping Aggregators in India due to the following reasons: Quick Turn Around Time (TAT) - WareIQ’s courier partners ensure Amazon-like shipping experiences and combine WareIQ’s data-driven insights to give a nationwide warehouse network and established infrastructure, thus reducing the overall Turn Around Time, allowing sellers to provide their consumers the best and fastest delivery experience.A better first attempt strike rate (FASR): WareIQ as a Shipping Aggregator provides an incentive plan to its courier partners to deliver the maximum number of deliveries in their first attempt. This improves the FASR and thus provides sellers the best ROI and consumers their products on time and without any switch.WareIQ’s WMS: WareIQ, with its complete best eCommerce fulfillment services, manages to assist its courier partners by ensuring that the post-order process ensures that the delivery location is accurate, thus reducing chances of returns or wrong deliveries. This is achieved by:An automated communication system with the consumer through SMS, email, and WhatsApp, thus keeping the consumer in the loophole in case of a failed delivery and arranging for redelivery to improve the Non-Delivery (NDR) conversion.Pin code errors are often noticed in the last mile of delivery only, but with WareIQ’s cutting-edge technology, pin code allocation is automated and thus helps to correct wrong or incomplete addresses, which ends in saving unwanted extra logistics costs. Established in 2019, WareIQ, a Y-combinator backed startup, has rapidly grown to be the leading provider of full-stack eCommerce fulfillment services for some of the most reputed brands in India. WareIQ offers a full-stack platform for eCommerce companies to enable same-day delivery and next day delivery to customers – an Amazon Prime-like experience but accessible to everyone. WareIQ has customised offerings for merchants experiencing different order volumes as well as having different delivery speed expectations. WareIQ is probably one of the very few fulfilment tech companies in the world that have same-day delivery service for their customers under their product “WareIQ RUSH”. With world-class WMS functionalities, WareIQ handles the entire range of intricate operations in the eCommerce fulfillment process, ranging from Inbound Operations such as scanning and quality check, through 100% accurate Pick and Pack, to Inventory Management across all channels. WareIQ’s next-day delivery and same-day delivery services are helping eCommerce businesses set new standards with respect to setting customer expectations and fulfilling them with high efficacy. At the same time, WareIQ customers realise significant cost savings and wider reach due to better negotiations with shipping partners, strategically placed warehouses, economies of scale and scope in warehousing, and data-driven decision making. [signup] Shipping Aggregators for eCommerce FAQs Is WareIQ a shipping aggregator for eCommerce?WareIQ is a full-stack eCommerce fulfillment platform that provides the best eCommerce courier and last mile delivery services as well. Apart from that, also acts as a shipping aggregator for ecommerce with shipping partnership across all prominent National & Regional Couriers, along with integrations with same day delivery partners in metros, covering 27,000+ pin codes. Why should you partner with a courier aggregator rather than an individual shipping service provider for your retail business?There are 4 significant benefits of partnering with a shipping aggregator rather than an individual shipping services provider:1. Cost: Shipping aggregators often can negotiate bulk rates with carriers, which can result in lower shipping costs for their customers.2. Multiple Carrier options: Shipping aggregators offer a wide range of shipping options from multiple carriers, allowing businesses to compare prices and delivery times to find the best option for their needs.3. Simplified Shipping Process: Shipping aggregators provide a single point of contact for shipping-related inquiries and issues, which can simplify the shipping process and save time.4. Reliability: The level of reliability of a shipping aggregator will depend on the specific aggregator and the carriers they partner with. However, partnering with a reputable shipping aggregator can increase the chances of reliable delivery and customer satisfaction. What to note when choosing a shipping aggregator for your company?• Total number of courier partners• Range of serviceable pin codes• Shipping rates• COD is available or not • Delivery Time• Tracking method• Remittance Period• NDR Management• RTO Management• Protection Plan How long does WareIQ take to deliver?WareIQ provides the best service when it comes to delivery timeline. They offer same day or next day delivery services using their seller flex compliant fulfillment centers across India and strong partnerships with 30+ shipping/courier service providers like Delhivery, Blue Dart, Fedex, Ecom Express, Ekart etc. What are shipping aggregators?Shipping aggregators are platforms or services that consolidate shipping options from various carriers into a single interface. This makes it easier for customers to compare prices and delivery times from multiple carriers, and also provides them with a single point of contact for shipping-related inquiries and issues. Shipping aggregators help to simplify the shipping process for both customers and merchants, and can also offer cost savings by negotiating bulk rates with carriers.

February 08, 2023

10 Best eCommerce Shipping Companies & Startups in 2024

What are the things you need to think about when selecting eCommerce shipping companies? The company's infrastructure, price, customer service response time, and integration with your orders software are essential. However, ultimately choosing online shipping services comes down to order completion and customer satisfaction. From the moment the order is shipped, many factors come into play in the final destination before the arrival of your product. Having choices for delivery and shipping services in India can ensure a great customer experience. The evolution of the eCommerce industry has led to a rise in the number of shipping companies trying to offer the best courier service to eCommerce companies. There are numerous providers, each claiming that they are the best, making it difficult for companies to find a provider that meets their standards. What Is eCommerce Shipping? Transportation is one of the most significant aspects of eCommerce. It can either make or break your business, as it's a significant way to satisfy customers and make your business strategy work. As eCommerce becomes more popular, the relevance of shipping is becoming more and more prominent. All eCommerce shipping companies are trying to provide a seamless experience and great returns for their customers. Opting for better transportation service makes shipping affordable and more manageable. The goal of shipping companies is to come up with an affordable and effective way of delivering and returning items. It is challenging for small businesses to compete in the e-market since big companies are adopting new technologies for efficient shipping. For example, large companies can deliver your product within a day now. [contactus_lilgoodness] What are the Benefits of eCommerce Shipping? Customers today want to know the status of their purchase and how long it will take them to get the package. Companies need to compete in this free market with fast shipping while maintaining competitive pricing and ensuring they provide a free service. 5 Benefits expected from eCommerce Shipping Companies are as follows: Choosing the best carrier at the lowest cost It is the primary and essential thing that a seller cares about. The latest technology allows sellers to instantly compare the carriers and their services to choose the best service for each shipment according to the shipping priority and the cost of it. To meet the buyer's delivery expectations, you should know that there are benefits to having multiple carriers. With eCommerce shipping companies, retailers can compare and find the lowest-priced carrier option for your order by integrating advanced platforms into their supply chain. Smoothen the shipping process Online shipping services in India must achieve customer satisfaction above everything. These companies are designed to optimize every transaction. The best logistics will be automatically selected based on a specific customer's needs and region. eCommerce solutions help businesses simplify delivery. For example, a business may have customers in different countries or regions. Centralising distribution to one location simplifies things for companies sending products internationally. Retailers should be able to deliver numerous products to a large network. eCommerce shipping service companies determine when deliveries are not meeting expectations by using the best mix of carriers. Their courier partners offer flexibility in carrier services depending on the customers in that area. By aggregating rates for carriers and holding them accountable, companies can get better rates. Real-time solutions for shipping problems If you're an online shopper, you need to ensure that the eCommerce shipping companies can provide you with tracking. It ensures not only your confidence as a buyer but also for the retailer by proving that the shipment reached its final destination. Businesses can track packages to solve problems such as location delays and missed delivery dates. Tracking packaging will also allow customers to have up-to-date information on their deliveries and make their experience more personalised. Customer service departments can communicate with customers in real-time while they wait, troubleshooting and sending products from a local center if the customer is willing to wait. If the customer wants to collect their product from a store, they can do so. They will have reduced customer service calls and increased browsing on the retailer's website - offering more exposure to the products, and some customers may purchase more as a result. Data on carrier performance can complement negotiations. Tracking deliveries with exceptions gives reliable insight into data on carrier performance. Negotiating contracts and getting valid invoices Opportunities for savings exist when retailers partner with eCommerce shipping companies. These solutions allow retailers to recognize if any surcharges or other fees were incorrectly applied to their shipments. An audit system can automate the hard work of invoice matching. It will help you seamlessly identify discrepancies and allocate your account with ease and sophistication. Making data-driven decisions Without access to analyse real-time shipping data in a Business Intelligence platform, retailers are unable to comprehend how distance, delivery speed, package size, and density effects spending across their transportation carrier landscape. They can't see how (or where) improvements will (or should) take place, which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to carrier talks. Understanding how changes in fulfillment affect zone and carrier service-level downgrade possibilities is crucial, for example, if a retailer is increasing ship-from-store or locating a new distribution center. Creativity and education are essential in any profession, but one needs to understand that there is a type of creativity that comes only through training. It can be tricky to figure out carrier reliability using only a simple evaluation of delivery success rates. The solution might be through simulating deliveries and using the results. Retailers can use this process to find bad carriers and realise which are good by looking at simulation success rates. eCommerce shipping companies have significant benefits, one of which is better rates for package delivery. It can automatically match the invoices with deliveries that go out and track which parcels have been delivered. With a multi-carrier network, businesses can control rates and manage how packages will be provided. What are the Costs Associated with eCommerce Shipping? 73% of shoppers expect pocket-friendly, express deliveries when they shop online. One way to decrease the cost of your shipping rates is to use a carrier that offers competitive pricing. Here are the expenses associated with eCommerce shipping companies and some extra information to help you with your eCommerce shipping needs. Dimension of the Package Shipping rates depend on the size of the package. eCommerce shipping solutions will determine the price based on the length, height, and width measurements. They use the dimensional weight to determine the cost of larger packages. Weight of the Package The weight of the package is calculated by its dimensions. If this weight exceeds the dimensional weight, you will have to pay additional shipping costs. Intercontinental Shipping Options Shipping zone tracking is a way of measuring the distance between your package's origin and destination. The number ranges from 1 to 8, and in the continental US, they can vary from Zone 1 to Zone 8. Carriers calculate the logistics cost from where a package is shipped, but that zone may change depending on their location. Shipping and Handling When an order is placed and the seller dispatches the product, a carrier partner has to handle a lot of things and pay several types of fees. The shipping fee covers only the shipment of the item. Handling fees cover every step in getting it to its destination, including retrieving it on picking lists, moving inventory, packing shipments, and loading up trucks. 13 Factors to Keep in Mind When Choosing eCommerce Shipping Companies for Your Business Pricing There are several considerations when you choose top shipping companies in India for eCommerce business. You can go with free shipping and inherent costs, or you could look into a budget shipping option that fares much better. Can free shipping impact your business? Research your competitors' prices and shipping rates and the availability of insurance. You can buy insurance commissioned by you or one supplied by your postal carrier. And, be sure to verify that shipping prices are included in a plan before it's finalised for online sales. Speed The experience is worth the wait. The Customer will buy again if they know their order is progressing and that it is being tracked with a status of "In Process" or "Complete." Customers may need to wait an extra few days to place an international or customised order but say Amazon should be able to provide speedy service when delivering a same-day item. eCommerce shipping companies should have specialised personnel, large fleets, and vast networks of delivery personnel to ensure fast, reliable delivery. Ask your provider about potential fees beforehand to make sure you meet deadlines. SLA (Service Level Agreement) Both the price and delivery speed depend on your SLA. Consumers will generally order products from the company to receive their orders quickly. To reach this satisfaction, the company needs to deliver its order promptly and provide speedy delivery to customers. Your agreement may also include additional online shipping services required for the shipment. Service availability You should know when shipping companies for eCommerce operate, it could incur shipping delays. When providing delivery/ shipping dates to customers, specify the data in your SLA. Reliability People want to receive what they ordered. It would help if you worked with an eCommerce shipping solution-providing companies that guarantee the quality of your products and get shipments to your customers as quickly as possible, despite unforeseen events like severe weather or infrastructure challenges. Reach One of the important pieces of information that a shipper needs to identify is the reach of their carriers. It describes the locations and areas where they operate and the states and country encompassing their fleet. Delivery must be able to serve specific sites that may be hyperlocal or rural, so make sure that the eCommerce shipping companies are competent. Previously, a significant concern was delivering products on time, but other logistical issues may be more critical. Courier partners provide various services to the industry, including COD coverage and special handling for sensitive items. These added services could also expedite your shipment. Accountability Business owners lose money when the delivery time for their products becomes too long. It is a must for an eCommerce owner to know their package's whereabouts to provide quick customer service. The shipping company's warehouse is often situated outside the city, making the customer experience even more stressful. A simple tracking solution helps both sides to get through these difficult situations. Many eCommerce packages show shipping information on their apps, including pick-up locations, current status, and estimated delivery times. Monthly Goals By working with carrier partners, the possibility goes high to develop goals for reducing RTO. If you want more shipments, the best shipping company will also help you with this. You can set up milestones such as the average shipment quota to meet over a week or quarter. Payment Cycle Payments for services should come within a time frame, like monthly payments. While signing a partnership agreement with a new company, you should specify your payment cycle. Paying ahead of time prevents you from being charged late fees on a credit card. Use a clear payment cycle to avoid unexpected charges after the end of the month. Cash on Delivery Adjustments COD reconciliation is a crucial step in the whole range of services, including handling the item and collecting signatures from customers when they receive their orders. When you send a COD shipment, it includes the remittance of payment for that order, plus closing any mismatched accounts in the company's books. Charges for COD orders are not accounted for until they are transferred from the carrier to your company. You may be unwittingly paying more than you should. Value-Added Services eCommerce shipping companies often provide value-added services such as ensuring that your packages are safe and in perfect condition upon arrival. DHL can offer you exceptional packaging for your business, such as customised packaging and temperature-controlled transit. DHL also provides a choice of vehicles and other services. Before you decide on your order, consider the additional services you may need for the shipment if you are shipping internationally or domestically. Penalties It is essential to specify penalties. Missing shipments or deliveries should come with strict consequences proportional to the amount. Monitor the accounts and impose fines if it is not fixed. To prevent fraud from occurring, you can purchase insurance from the carrier too. Visibility Transparency is crucial to successful eCommerce shipping companies. Without visibility, you won't be able to keep track of your orders and stay on pace with your latest sale. Online retailers need to have a robust delivery system to keep their customers comfortable and satisfied. Customers get anxious when they don't know where their orders are, and thus, the courier partner must be able to provide updates on the package. From the customer’s point of view, you can improve your customers' delivery experience by choosing appropriate shipping methods. If you offer several shipping options, it is essential to choose the right ones. Limiting your options to the most reputable best-of-the-best shipping companies will reduce researching time. Before narrowing down your options, you should research each company's past track record to find the suitable option for your shipping needs. Read along to know about the top 10 shipping companies in India. Top 10 Most Trusted, Best eCommerce Shipping Companies [Updated List for 2024] More than 120+ eCommerce shipping companies in India provide high-quality, cost-effective services for small and medium to large-scale eCommerce businesses. Here's a list of India's top 10 Best eCommerce shipping/courier companies and what they offer. 1. Delhivery Source Delhivery started as a logistics company, but now it provides other services in the e-commerce industry. The company specializes in big companies, offering same-day and next-day delivery, and 75% of them are major eCommerce stores. Delhivery has efficient reverse logistics and COD without glitches. Delhivery also integrates with the user's software to generate shipping labels, cancel orders, estimate accurate EDDs, and manage exceptions for shipping companies. It provides supply chain solutions to 21000 active customers.It has a nationwide network servicing over 17000+ pin codes. 21 automated sort centers, 86 gateways, and 80+ fulfillment centers.It provides services like Express Parcel, Truckload Freight, Partial-Truckload Freight, Delhivery Cross Border, etc.It has a team of over 66000 people that works to deliver 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 2. DTDC Source DTDC specialises in handling eCommerce businesses. Offering many options for delivery, DTDC provides the convenience of using custom shipping methods that are convenient and readily available. With the DTDC API, you can access a variety of shipping methods, tracking notifications, and necessary documentation. The API also provides instant access to seamless on-demand services. Has a presence in more than 500 district headquarters through its huge network of more than 11,000+ franchisees.Has extended services to over 11,400+ Pin codes, handling more than 12.5 million shipments per month.Has a field workforce of more than 40000 resources with 4 Zonal offices, 20 strategic regional offices, and over 570 operating facilities across India. 3. Blue Dart Source Blue Dart is a strong contender for the best shipping company in India. It provides you with various packages, covering delivery to over 150 countries and 35,000+ pin codes in India. It also offers a tracking service, so your customer will know when their order is being delivered. Has delivered consignments to over 35,000 locations in IndiaHas delivery services covering over 220 countriesHas distribution services including air express, supply chain solutions, customs clearance, and freight forwardingHas warehouses at 85 locations across the nation as well as warehouses at the 7 major metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai) Learn More: 3PL Warehousing Companies 4. FedEx Source FedEx provides a range of services in other countries and is used by businesses that want to save money on shipping. It can work with various products, including heavy, fragile items and hazardous substances. It claims to be faster in residential locations than UPS Ground.It allows recipients to use their FedEx account when receiving shipments. 5. GATI Source GATI is a relevant peer on the list of top Indian delivery services. GATI is an Indian company with a reach that extends to 735 out of the 739 districts in India. Gati started its operations in 1989 and has delivered packages to 19,000+ different locations around India. They offer express delivery, transportation mechanisms, and warehousing solutions. They also specialise in COD orders, allowing customised pick-ups from warehouses. It has a nationwide network of 735 out of the 739 districts which cover 19,800+ PIN Codes in India.It includes Express Distribution, Cold Chain Solutions, Air Freight, E-commerce, First Mile Delivery, and Last Mile Logistics, etc.It also offers exclusive B2C services like Bike Express, Laabh, Student Express, and others.It has over 30 years of experience and the expertise of a dedicated team of professionals spread across the country. 6. DHL Source DHL is a primary international delivery service that can connect you with any location worldwide. Customers benefit from their sophisticated and comprehensive system to ship products efficiently. DHL Courier Company, the world's largest international courier company, has implemented a system that reduces waste and minimizes the company's carbon footprint. This renewed system covers more than 26,000 pin codes, shipping all over India. It covers 26,000+ pin codes across IndiaIt uses a system that reduces waste and minimizes the company's carbon footprintIt is the world's largest international courier company 7. EKart Source Indian-based Ekart Logistics is the number-one online shipping service provider in the country for both last-mile and first-mile delivery. Established in 2009, Ekart Logistics was initially an arm of the Flipkart eCommerce platform. With the Ekart Logistics API, e-commerce stores can provide various payment processing tools to their customers. It was initially an arm of the Flipkart eCommerce platformIt uses an API that helps e-commerce stores to provide various payment processing tools to their customers. 8. Ecom Express Source Ecom Express is the preferred delivery service for Indian eCopters. Ecom Express provides excellent customer service with unmatched industry standards. For example, you can return an item using a different courier service but guarantee that it will arrive within 72 hours. It is possible because these couriers offer expedited delivery options. It has a presence all over the country including 29 states and union territories. It operates in across 27,000+ PIN codes over 2650+ townsIt has also invested in Paperfly, Bangladesh’s largest third-party e-commerce logistics (3PL) firm.It uses automated solutions and cutting-edge technology to enable first-mile pickup, processing, network optimization, and last mile delivery. 9. Safe Express Source Safe Express offers the fastest and most efficient way to deliver a package. They've been in business for more than 20 years, serving more than 28000 different pin codes, and shipping all over India. They use PRS-enabled intelligent devices that can help companies get ahead by making sure packages are delivered efficiently and on time. Receiving proof of delivery is standard practice with Safe Express, which gives online retailers an added edge. It has the Largest-fleet of 9000+ GPS-enabled vehicles and the Largest Network of 31187 pin codes across India.It operates on 2088 routes and delivers 134 million packages a year to over 5000 corporates across India.Its 3PL Services has a total Warehousing space of more than 18 million+ square feet across the nation. 10. Shadow Fax Source Shadowfax is an end-to-end logistics company that offers fast delivery to eCommerce businesses. With this service, retailers and e-tailers can provide their customers with prompt delivery of their products. With Shadowfax, you can get quick deliveries throughout 10,000+ pin codes across 500+ cities. Shadowfax is the largest tech-backed logistics company in the marketplace that helps businesses to outsource last-mile activities.It launched India’s 1st delivery SuperApp to accelerate the growth of delivery partners to access multiple opportunities on a single platform.Currently it is fulfilling 1 million orders in a day, and has 100K+ daily active users (delivery partners) in more than 600+ cities in India, in 7000+ pin codes. Hope, Now you can decide amongst this list of top 10 shipping companies in India for the growth of your business. Conclusion: How Can a Fulfillment Company like WareIQ Act Like a Shipping Aggregator & Help eCommerce Businesses with Shipping? eCommerce shipping companies automate order fulfillment, logistics, and shipping operations for eCommerce businesses; it provides an automated way to manage these tasks. Good shipping companies for eCommerce will simplify the order fulfillment process and keep delivery costs low. This way, you can get your packages delivered to customers quickly and stay competitive in today's marketplace. Same-day and next-day shipping has become a major driving factor for many customers. 92% of them said they would choose the fast service over a slower one, enhancing their experience. The availability of free-of-cost and more secure deliveries by big names such as Amazon and Flipkart raises other D2C eCommerce brands' delivery expectations. Most customers abandon an online shopping cart because they don't want to pay for shipping, and others are deterred by long wait times. Shipping is a core function of eCommerce. It's easy to make customers happy if your products are delivered fast. You can use a shipping solution to streamline your order-processing workflow. Advanced eCommerce shipping companies will ease many previously struggling tasks, such as generating shipping labels, GST invoicing and handling order packaging. You can complete these jobs and get your package ready to be dispatched with a few clicks. Different shipping companies have their own pros & cons. Costs, shipping speed, quality of service, timely delivery, and customer support vary with each shipping/courier company. Hence, it's better to outsource the task of shipping not to a single shipping company, but to a shipping aggregator like WareIQ which has partnered with all the leading national & hyperlocal top shipping companies in India. Established in 2019, WareIQ, a Y-combinator backed startup, has rapidly grown to be the leading provider of full-stack eCommerce fulfillment services for some of the most reputed brands in India. WareIQ offers a full-stack platform for eCommerce companies to enable same-day delivery and next day delivery to customers – an Amazon Prime-like experience but accessible to everyone. WareIQ has customised offerings for merchants experiencing different order volumes as well as having different delivery speed expectations. WareIQ is probably one of the very few fulfillment tech companies in the world that have same-day delivery service for their customers under their product “WareIQ RUSH”. With world-class WMS functionalities, WareIQ handles the entire range of intricate operations in the eCommerce fulfillment process, ranging from Inbound Operations such as scanning and quality check, through 100% accurate Pick and Pack, Inventory Management across all channels. WareIQ’s next day delivery and same-day delivery services are helping eCommerce businesses set new standards with respect to setting customer expectations and fulfilling them with high efficacy. At the same time, WareIQ customers realise significant cost savings and wider reach due to better negotiations with shipping partners, strategically placed warehouses, economies of scale and scope in warehousing, and data-driven decision making. WareIQ’s WMS, a centralised tech platform helps to better manage undelivered orders by reducing NDR processing time by 12 hours – a multifunctional NDR dashboard helps to track and take immediate action for undelivered orders in real-time, thereby reducing RTO by up to 10%. Automatic replenishment recommendations and easy purchase order creation capabilities on the WareIQ platform further empower eCommerce companies to leverage all possible ways of increasing their ROI. [signup] Ecommerce Shipping Companies FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Which shipping companies are best for eCommerce in India?• WareIQ - WareIQ is like a shipping aggregator & has partnerships with all the top shipping companies in India. We can consider this the best shipping company in India when it comes to eCommerce and D2C.• Delhivery • DTDC • Blue Dart• FedEx • GATI • DHL • EKart Which is the fastest e-commerce shipping company in India?WareIQ is the fulfillment company that provides the fastest shipping & offers same day and next day delivery. WareIQ is a shipping aggregator that has partnered with 20+ national/hyperlocal shipping companies to provide the fastest shipping across all regions of India. What is the process to tie up with courier companies for eCommerce?Compare shipping rates, understand the mechanism and hidden costs involved in services, check how you may benefit, and don’t forget to talk to other e-commerce companies to learn more before you sign a contract with a courier firm. Once you've decided on a courier firm for your e-commerce, contact the service provider and you're good to go. How to get started with WareIQ for shipping for eCommerce?You can sign up and contact us here. WareIQ has a wide shipping network pan India via partnerships with all the major national, regional and hyperlocal shipping and last mile delivery services providers.

February 08, 2023

What is eCommerce Shipping? A Detailed Guide On Processes, Benefits, 10 Best Practices to Ship Online Orders & Make Logistics a Competitive Advantage in 2024

Transportation of a product procured from an online retailer by a customer to their door is known as eCommerce Shipping. The above is a simple definition. However, today's eCommerce shipping & delivery involves highly complex processes - ordering, picking and packing, labeling, shipping, tracking, communication, and returns - that work seamlessly to deliver the product at the right place, time, and price. What is eCommerce Shipping? eCommerce shipping is essentially the transportation of an ordered product from the warehouse or fulfillment center to the customer's location, where delivery personnel will handle the last-mile phase of the order fulfillment process to deliver it to the customer. Shipping for eCommerce is a critical function of online retail as it is a crucial differentiator in satisfying and retaining a customer. Any business strategy of an eCommerce set-up must consider the capability to ensure the timely delivery of a purchased product safely at a reasonable cost. Developing and implementing the right shipping process with the right partners ensures a controlled and inexpensive delivery operation. The goal of an eCommerce shipping plan is to have an inexpensive and efficient process that delivers the product safely and on time, every time. The advent of eCommerce has given rise to fast deliveries of products that one shops for from the comfort of their home. Thus, eCommerce shipping has become a vital aspect of a successful eCommerce business, as it offers both convenience and quick deliveries to customers. Hence, an eCommerce business that delivers a product purchased online quickly, safely, and on time can sway buyers, increasing sales and retaining loyal customers. Poorly-planned shipping for the eCommerce process may significantly impact the success of an eCommerce business. A weak shipping process implementation could lead to late deliveries, high shipping costs, unfulfilled or misplaced orders, wrong items shipped, ambiguous return policies, and poor or damaged packaging, thus, impacting the business [contactus_lilgoodness] Suggested Read: What is Shipping Policy? What are the Processes Involved in eCommerce Shipping & Delivery? The shipping process in eCommerce involves receiving an order from the customer and all the ecommerce operations after that to successfully deliver it to the customer including confirming the order, locating the relevant products in the warehouse, packaging them, and having them picked up by the shipping company, that will eventually transport it to the same city or town as the customer, from where on-ground delivery partners will pick it up and provide the last-mile delivery to the customer's exact location. The eCommerce shipping process has three preliminary stages: Order Receiving This process begins with the customer placing an order and the seller confirming it. Once it has been confirmed, the products need to be located in the warehouse and confirmed that they are in stock, after which the next phases can commence. Order Processing Order processing involves scrutinizing every detail of the order such as making sure that the product is not damaged, checking the number of items or units ordered, checking the accuracy of the delivery address and which route and courier provider would be the fastest, which lays the groundwork for the product to eventually be picked up and transported by the relevant eCommerce shipping company. Order Fulfillment This involved the chosen eCommerce shipping company picking up the order after all the final checks and inspections are done to make sure that everything is accurate. Depending on where the customer is located and the proximity of the warehouse or fulfillment center to them, the journey will vary accordingly. Once the order reaches the final destination, it is unloaded and is picked up by the delivery partner, who will eventually handle delivering the order to the customers' doorstep. What are the Various Costs Associated with Shipping for eCommerce? Shipping for eCommerce and logistics costs are complex, and hence an overview of the various expenses associated with eCommerce shipping is given below: Shipping Costs Shipping costs are calculated by considering the following: Dimensions (lxbxh) – volumetric and gross weight All shipping carriers assess both volumetric and gross weight for calculating shipping costs. The higher weight of the two is considered, and the rates are calculated accordingly. The gross weight is the package's actual weight, and the volumetric weight considers the size (l x b x h) of the box to determine the shipping cost. The distance to the door The distance between a package's origin and destination is considered when calculating shipping costs. Thus, the distance between two different points of origin, and shipping to the same destination, may significantly differ. And so, the longer the shipping distance, the higher the shipping cost. Shipping rates structures Generally, most eCommerce businesses use the following two shipping rate options: Flat rate shipping As the name suggests flat rate shipping is the rate charged is uniform for all orders within a particular range, like weight range (volumetric or gross), order value, delivery distance, or some other categorization. The disadvantage of this rate structure is that a few orders will be overpriced and others underpriced. Real-time rates With this option, the website displays the actual shipping rates offered by the carrier per the weight of the package, the type of service, and the shopper's location. This rate structure charges the correct amount to ship the package to the shopper's location. Free Shipping Most eCommerce businesses increase their sales conversions by offering free shipping. For most consumers shopping online, free shipping is one of the main reasons for completing a purchase on a particular site, thus building customer loyalty. eCommerce businesses can offer free shipping without losing money, as follows: Incorporating shipping costs into product costing.Offering free shipping for a minimum purchase value.Providing a loyalty program and charging a fee in place of free shipping on all orders. Suggested Read: What are other ways to reduce shipping costs? Handling Costs Handling fees cover everything other than shipping costs. It includes staffing costs for picking and packing items, labeling, loading/unloading the vehicle, and other fulfillment services. Packaging Packaging affects shipping costs and customer experience, affecting the brand image. The delivery person and the packaging represent a brand that the customer personally interacts with first-hand. A well-executed packaging is a vital feature that fosters brand loyalty and customer retention. Conversely, poor or easily damaged packaging leads to a disappointed customer. The Right Packaging There are plenty of packaging options from which one may choose. For example, consider the following to help determine the right packaging option: The type of product.The shape of the product.Weight (volumetric or gross) of the product.Is the product over-dimensional?Fragility or durability of the product.Does the manufacturer supply the product with packaging?Whether to go for plain packaging or brand the packaging. Custom Packaging Though custom packaging will be expensive, top-quality packaging can help one's brand stand out in a competitive environment. Good packaging can create a memorable experience, go viral, and build brand loyalty. Sustainable Packaging With rising eCommerce sales, the waste generated increases. Further, the widespread awareness of the current global environment scenario means that choosing sustainable shipping for eCommerce and packaging solutions will help improve one's brand image, leading to increased sales. Shipping Carrier Used Outsourcing shipping services to a 3PL can help eCommerce businesses expand operationally and negotiate better shipping discounts - lowering overall costs and increasing profits. A sizeable 3PL network of fulfillment centers can also help eCommerce stores with lower shipping costs and transit times. Surcharges Extra costs added to a base rate are surcharges. Any charge exclusive of the regular shipping and handling rates affects the shipping price. Here are a few surcharges: Fuel surcharge: it covers the fluctuating price of oil. It’s a percentage of the shipping cost and changes once a week.Over dimension surcharge: means an oversized or bulky non-standard package, which is non-stackable or fragile. Such packages get charged more.Surcharges for remote territories: are additional fees carriers charge for delivering packages to remote areas, like beyond city limits or the service area covered by the carrier.Dangerous/Hazardous goods: pose a possible risk to other packages carried with it and a delivery person or people near it. Hence such packages incur surcharges. Returns eCommerce returns have now grown into a massive issue. The Paypers’ 2021-2022 Report says shoppers return anywhere from 10% to 40% of their eCommerce purchases. For businesses, returns create challenges in terms of higher logistical costs, increased handling costs, and risk fraud. Also, if the customer returns the product in a damaged condition, the business bears the costs involved in either product refurbishing or disposal. The returns process can be daunting, inconvenient, and frustratingly slow for shoppers. 10 Best Practices in eCommerce Shipping for Competitive Advantage in 2024 Adopting the best practices for eCommerce shipping is vital for achieving success as this is the differentiator that helps one stand out amongst a host of competitors. It is also proven that nearly 50 to 60% of online shoppers don't buy from eCommerce stores offering high shipping costs. Hence, the strategies listed down below should be followed: Form a Team Source "You are only as strong as your team." — Dominique Wilkins. So go ahead and form a team. It is vital that the business generates leads, attracts shoppers to your site, increases conversions, and handles customers' concerns on shipping efficiently, effectively, and courteously. Accordingly, the following teams will be required sooner or later to grow a successful business: The Marketing Team: designs flyers and promotions to attract visitors to the site. The marketing team also carries out communications of such promotions to customers. Communication could be by emails, sms', blogs, vlogs, social media, and online advertisements. The Web Designers and Developers Team: ensure the site is attractive and easy to navigate for potential customers. Like the product listings and offers, the content is explicit and without ambiguity. Customers must also be able to notice the various shipping options and policies available, preferably before checking out. The Fulfillment Team: ensures that the orders received are processed quickly. The correct items per the order are picked, packed, shipped accurately, and on time. The Customer Service Team: is one of the most critical. A missed or delayed delivery is most aggravating for a customer. They must know how each phase in the product lifecycle affects the customer and how to respond to customer concerns satisfactorily. Concerns could be about a particular ongoing promotion, shipping options or policies, and myriad other issues. Set the Right Goals Source It is essential to set a goal for yourself. You must know where you wish to go and how to get there. One must review one's path from time to time and then make a course correction if required considering where one wishes to be. Then decide on a strategy that would best help one achieve the desired goal. Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based) business goals for yourself. Then decide on a strategy. The goals must be clear and concise, which will ensure a profitable shipping strategy with an efficient shipping process and operations. Here are a few questions that one needs to answer to set goals and strategy: What is your target market? Do you wish to acquire international customers or stay domestic? Do you want to brand yourself, or is it simply a side-hustle? Do you want to generate more business and earn profits? How would you do it?How can one increase conversions? By offering free shipping or various shipping options or offering competitive price rates, one can increase conversions.How can you increase the average order value? Maybe by offering free shipping for minimum order quantity/value or a flat shipping rate to high-value or multiple products bundled together.How can you expand the market or increase the target audience? You may do that by partnering with a large 3PL having an extensive network of fulfillment centres. Thus, being able to ship order to new geographies or by introducing newer, fast-moving products.How to decrease costs – by exploring possibilities of tying up with major carriers or 3PL, try cheaper packaging options or alternate suppliers offering to ship the product to the customer directly. Furthermore, by showing more affordable products than existing suppliers, increasing efficiency by streamlining the eCommerce operations through process reviews, and thorough education of fulfillment teams, one can decrease costs. Right Return Policy Source The reverse logistics process in eCommerce entails collecting a purchased product from a customer and putting the returned item in stock if undamaged. This process is a cost concern for an eCommerce business and, if mismanaged, will affect its profitability. Generally, a customer happy with a business's return policy will shop with the same retailer again. The reverse is also true: shoppers unhappy with the returns process will, in all likelihood, never shop with that business again. Hence, have a customer-friendly return policy and process returns quickly. Right Shipping Strategy Source Here are the following shipping strategies that one may use per one requirement. Several eCommerce businesses have successfully used many of the below-mentioned shipping aggregation methods as a strategy: Real-Time Rates Source Display rates in real-time directly from major carriers. Though this strategy will get you the best rates, it cannot be used as a promotional tool because there could be marked variation in rates. Benefits: Cheapest shipping option.You can offer to ship to new geographies at lower costs for expanding your business since you can take advantage of scale. Same-Day Delivery Source Same-day delivery requires a highly efficient fulfillment with equally efficient logistics operations. The disadvantage involves deploying plenty of resources, making the entire process costly. Benefits: The fastest delivery time will be the USP (unique selling point) to increase conversions. With increased conversions, one's reputation and brand image increase, leading to higher revenues.On the flip side, one should not adopt same-day delivery as the first go-to strategy. Instead, a two-day or overnight shipping would be a more uncomplicated strategy to implement initially.Once a robust team handles the fulfillment efficiently and a capable, trustworthy shipping partner is signed up, you could then think of offering same-day delivery service to your customers. Free Shipping Source Most customers shopping online expect to be offered free shipping. Benefits: It fulfills the customer's expectations.It directly improves conversion rates, which builds customer loyalty and retention, thus leading to higher profits. Though free shipping is free for the customer, ensure that higher product margins cover this cost, else you will lose money on every sale. Flat Rate or Standard Shipping Source One way to avoid offering free shipping is to provide a flat rate or standard shipping to the customer. A flat rate charged for shipping any product ignores the type or size of the product or order value. Table rate shipping offers a low flat rate for shipping a product close to the fulfillment center, which progressively increases with the distance from the fulfillment center to the destination. Depending on the minimum order value or order quantity, one could also charge a flat rate. Beyond a specific order value, one could offer free shipping if the costs are covered in the sale price of the product sold. Alternative Shipping Strategies Source You could try any of the above strategies that you are sure will not affect your bottom line. You could also think of alternative strategies like combining various shipping strategies to improve customer satisfaction and profits. This kind of alternative strategy could lend itself to designing new promotions. Here are a few: Offer standard and express shipping with assured delivery time at checkout so that customers requiring fast delivery can opt for it. OfferfFree shipping is it drives customers to your site. At the time of checkout, ensure to offer express shipping at a higher rate for faster delivery.Offer Tracking services for shipments.Offer branded shipping. Ensure the customer can track product shipments by providing a tracking service. Today, most eCommerce shipping solutions and 3PL offer tracking services that you could leverage. Opt for Multiple Carriers Source Opting to partner with multiple carriers to provide shipping for ecommerce has many benefits for online sellers. In addition to having the choice of the best services, it can also lead to lower costs. Benefits: Retailers are not dependent on a single shipping companyFirms can choose the shipping company with the best ratesFirms can choose the shipping company with the fastest delivery optionsThe order will always be delivered at the fastest rate and the cheapest priceRetailers can choose different shipping companies, depending on the nature of the goods What are the Benefits of eCommerce Shipping? Automated shipping process One can control the eCommerce shipping process with automated shipping. The system updates the inventory, the order tracking numbers, the courier reports, and the order delivery reports. An automated eCommerce shipping system replaces all manual processes, thus reducing human error and streamlining the fulfillment operations. An eCommerce shipping solution helps you import and export files, confirm/cancel orders, update inventory status, and choose the courier service. Sales channels integration Any eCommerce shipping solution will automatically sync the purchase orders with your sales to start further fulfillment operations. You can thus process the orders and provide the tracking details and status updates to your customers in real-time. Save time and money With an automated solution, you gain access to multiple channels and can offer faster deliveries at discounted eCommerce shipping rates enabling you to reach more customers. Non-delivery reports Orders not delivered and returned are a massive loss for any eCommerce business. Automated eCommerce shipping solutions can reduce this loss to a large extent. Reports detailing the delivered and undelivered orders are easily generated using automated solutions. You can even determine which courier/carrier partner was responsible for the delivered and undelivered packages and take action accordingly. At the end of each month, you may analyze which partner is diligent and saves money for you and which doesn't. Returns management For an eCommerce seller, handling order returns is the most challenging. An automated eCommerce shipping solution will help manage your returns. The system will effectively manage returns and make your customers' shopping journey a wonderful experience. Thus, an automated eCommerce shipping solution will help you with the following benefits. Quicker deliveries.Customer satisfaction, repeat purchase, and retention.Improved reputation and brand value.Higher sales and increased profitsSave time and money How to Choose an eCommerce Shipping Service for Your Business in 2024? Small eCommerce business owners must partner with a suitable eCommerce shipping carrier to offer cost-effective shipping solutions to customers. When choosing an eCommerce shipping service that is right for your business, one must consider cost, shipping schedules, and type of packaging.Customers must be able to track their orders.Have a return service that is friendly and efficient A 2018 research by Deloitte recorded that 72% of shoppers said that free shipping was the number one reason to shop online. Today, many customers expect free eCommerce shipping for their online purchases with a one or two-day delivery time. Established companies could easily attain this goal, but this would be an enormous undertaking for small business owners. Though small eCommerce businesses may find it impossible to offer this strategy, by accepting the challenge of providing free eCommerce shipping, they could gain a loyal and grateful customer who will come back to shop repeatedly. eCommerce businesses must strive to review their shipping and fulfilment strategy and processes to succeed. However, the overall process becomes easier to manage once you partner with the right shipping partners. Conclusion eCommerce is growing at a rapid pace. eCommerce Shipping is a challenging activity for any business, let alone an eCommerce business. Every business must find the most appropriate shipping strategy to adopt. It's not a one size fits all solution. Different companies have their challenges, and it will take time and continuous fine-tuning to arrive at the most optimum solution and strategy. Evaluate your strategy periodically to ensure that you continue to deliver the best service, with the best customer experience, as an outcome at the lowest price possible. WareIQ can help fulfil all your eCommerce shipping requirements in addition to a host of other services. WareIQ is an end-to-end solution for e-commerce fulfilment that allows you to ship 90% of your orders across India in 1 day – just like Amazon. Customers don’t want to wait for orders to reach them within 5-15 working days, instead by default, they end up comparing all shipping options to Amazon and expect their orders to reach them within 2 working days. Evidently, e-commerce stores that don’t offer this will lose customers to Amazon. To survive and remain competitive e-commerce businesses have to ‘deliver’ on this expectation. WareIQ’s technology prioritises speed and scale to give you complete control over your logistics and offer Amazon-like delivery to your customers. WareIQ unifies all your logistics operations into one platform so you can manage everything in one place – from inventory, orders, and warehousing, to shipping, delivery, and returns. No more wasted resources and fragmented data from a hundred different tools. WareIQ has shipping partnerships with all the prominent national and hyperlocal eCommerce courier service providers to enable last-mile delivery services for all eCommerce players. Our clients have an option to choose from 20+ shipping companies to enable faster delivery in 1-2 days. [signup] Ecommerce Shipping FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What is eCommerce shipping?Transportation of all the products and services purchased online from a retailer to a customer's delivery destination is referred to as eCommerce shipping. How do I choose an e-commerce shipping service for my business?Factors you should consider while choosing a shipping service for business are:• Shipping destination: Consider the countries or regions you want to ship to and select a shipping service that offers coverage in those areas.• Delivery speed: Determine the delivery speed requirements for your products and choose a shipping service that offers the necessary options.• Shipping cost: Compare shipping rates of different services and choose the one that offers the most cost-effective options for your business.• Package size and weight: Consider the size and weight of the products you will be shipping and choose a shipping service that can handle your needs.• Carrier reputation: Research the reputation of different shipping carriers and choose one with a track record of reliability and good customer service.• Integration with your e-commerce platform: Choose a shipping service that integrates well with your e-commerce platform to make shipping and tracking as efficient as possible.• Customer service: Consider the level of customer support offered by the shipping service, including response time and availability What are the top shipping solutions for eCommerce?• WareIQ• ShipperHQ• ShipStation• AfterShip• ShippingEasy How is eCommerce shipping & delivery cost calculated?To calculate a shipping cost, simply weigh the product and use a shipping cost calculator. If your package is small yet heavy, ask for a shipping cost based on dimensional volume, which may be less expensive. When calculating postage by weight, remember to use the entire weight of the package rather than the product's weight. How can I reduce eCommerce shipping costs? • Try to Reduce the weight of packages• Opt for right-sized packaging• Whenever possible choose flat-rate shipping• Keep monitoring rate changes• Use WareIQ shipping to cut costsRead about more ways to decrease shipping costs in detail. How does WareIQ help in shipping for eCommerce? WareIQ provides end to end fulfillment services to eCommerce companies. WareIQ gives an option to the eCommerce & D2C brands to select from the best courier/shipping partners to optimize eCommerce shipping & logistics. Apart from that, eCommerce companies can do the following:• Track shipments in real time• Collaborate at shipping level with your courier partner• Predict anomalies• Catch delivery failures• Overcome escalations How can you distinguish your brand through your shipping strategy? By offering good branding and a positive customer experience and this is what you can do:• Offer fast and reliable shipping: Offer multiple shipping options with delivery speeds that meet or exceed customer expectations. This can help set your brand apart and build customer loyalty.• Provide excellent customer service: Offer exceptional customer service, including easy-to-use tracking, prompt response to customer inquiries, and a streamlined returns process.• Personalize packaging: Use custom packaging that reflects your brand, including branded boxes, custom tissue paper, or branded shipping labels.• Offer free shipping: Consider offering free shipping for orders above a certain value. This can be an effective way to differentiate your brand and attract customers.• Add a personal touch: Include a personalized note or small gift with each order. This can help build a connection with customers and set your brand apart.• Offer eco-friendly shipping options: Offer eco-friendly shipping options, such as using biodegradable packaging materials or using shipping carriers that prioritize sustainable practices. How to ship products to online customers?You ship and deliver products to eCommerce in a few easy steps:1. Calculates the shipping charges2. Decide the courier company through which you will ship the order3. Pack the package properly so that it doesn't get damaged while transit4. Get proper shipping labels so that right product reaches the right customer5. Get the product shipped & dispatched through an eCommerce shipping company like WareIQ6. Track the order till it reached the customer

February 08, 2023

Top 10 Best Last Mile Delivery Companies & Startups for eCommerce [Updated List of 2024]

The advent of eCommerce retail has forever changed our lives, and it continues to do so. The convenience of receiving products and services at our doorstep is now an integral part of our lives. However, you would do well to stop and consider that a significant amount of this “convenience” arises from the speed with which our orders reach us. For example, Fulfillment by Amazon's incredible same-day and next-day deliveries has revolutionized the online retail model. Consumer expectations have risen dramatically and continue to do so. We now have hyperlocal delivery and 10-minute groceries – last mile delivery companies are constantly figuring out ways to deliver faster, better, and cheaper and planning new ways for the year 2024. What is Last Mile Delivery? As the name indicates, last mile delivery is the final leg of the journey of a product from the manufacturer to its final destination, i.e., the customer. This logistics cycle has three phases - the first mile, middle, and last mile. The last mile phase starts once parcels are picked up from the warehouse (or fulfillment center) of the final destination and is completed with the successful delivery to the customer. It is executed by last mile companies that pick up the parcel, load it onto a delivery vehicle, and transport it to the customer. The last mile delivery is the most challenging and costly part of an eCommerce shipping network. These last mile companies and their handy teams are forever battling tough weather conditions, road hazards, furious and demanding consumers, supply-chain holdups, and numerous other logistical costs and issues. As you can imagine, all the above challenges operations for last mile delivery companies an extraordinarily complex and challenging task. And don’t forget, this goes on day in, day out, across continents, time zones, tax regimes, governments, and market forces. Therefore, last mile delivery companies for eCommerce firms are a critical cog in the wheel and must be assigned the due importance. Without it, you won’t achieve customer satisfaction – and no business ever survived without happy customers. [contactus_gynoveda] What Services do Last Mile Delivery Companies Offer? Last mile delivery companies offer a host of services and solutions that help eCommerce firms conduct their operations successfully. Let’s look at some of their most popular services: Dynamic routing Route optimization significantly impacts the operations of last mile delivery companies. Efficient routing shortens delivery times, reduces logistics costs, and keeps eCommerce firms competitive by achieving customer satisfaction and happy clients. By using the latest technology-led dynamic routing systems, last mile delivery startups can route and re-route on the go, thereby achieving a high level of efficiency. Automated dispatches By logical extension of the point above, using automated last mile delivery software enables last mile delivery startups to plan, analyze and monitor deliveries via a fully automatic system. This optimizes resource utilization (e.g., fewer drivers, lesser idle times for vehicles), analyzes and solves inefficiencies, and reduces shipping cost. The result is a much more transparent and simplified process. Delivery visibility Modern GPS-enabled last mile software utilized by last mile delivery companies provides fleet managers with complete visibility of the end-to-end delivery process. This results in 100% transparency and equips fleet managers to monitor, course correct, handle emergencies, stay flexible, and exert control over the entire logistics operation. Electronic Proof of Delivery (ePoD) ePOD does away with the cumbersome and time-consuming processes of the old days when signatures, paperwork, lost receipts, forgotten documents (etc.) were an everyday struggle! ePOD enables last mile delivery companies to collect, store, analyze, and extract data and documentation when required. Audit tasks, data sharing, and transaction speeds are also greatly enhanced. Best practices benchmarking Modern tech-enabled logistics systems have greatly improved the insight available to fleet managers, including the planned vs. performance analysis by comparing critical KPIs. Fleet managers now have a holistic view from a centralized window across all operation elements, such as employee performance, customer rankings, the status of delivered or pending parcels, failed deliveries, delayed deliveries, fuel consumption, and 3PL performance. Deep data-analytical capabilities track these KPIs and maintain comprehensive reports to ensure top-notch performance. Flexibility Today’s last mile delivery companies that service eCommerce retailers are nimble organizations while achieving and maintaining the benefits of scale. Their modern last mile delivery systems allow them to offer options such as self-service to customers. This provides options for the customer, but it also reduces the burden on logistics, mitigates costs, and reduces the resources needed. Options like smart lockers at convenient locations are increasingly popular with eCommerce customers today. Crowdsourcing Customers want the convenience of doorstep delivery. However, with the burgeoning growth of eCommerce retail as a business model, it has become difficult for logistics companies to keep up. For example, the number of delivery people and vehicles required to service market demand could often become unsustainable. Therefore, last mile delivery companies in India have turned to crowdsourcing to fortify their operations. These new-age platforms help pair travelers with clients that need parcels delivered in the same localities. Customer satisfaction Like any other business where customer satisfaction is the final metric for running a profitable and sustainable business, the same goes for eCommerce firms. In fact, in the uber-competitive world of online commerce, it assumes greater significance. Therefore, customer satisfaction, customer journey, and experience are invaluable. Last mile delivery companies maintain omnichannel customer support, constantly collect customer feedback for incorporation into their operations, and benchmark against competitor actions and best practices – all of this is key for eCommerce firms and their last mile delivery startups, in achieving and maintaining happy customers. Last mile delivery companies/ startups are constantly adding new services and tracking trends. Some include: Ever-faster deliveries: From same-day and 24-hour deliveries, we are now seeing the arrival of 10-minute groceries and 2-hr deliveries. Micro-fulfillment centers: Smaller satellite warehouses and micro fulfillment centers conveniently located across an elaborate geographical network provide more coverage, lower costs, and faster deliveries. Autonomous vehicles: Autonomous vehicles such as drones and driverless cars are increasingly being tested in logistics and transport. Food, medicines, and light electronic gadgets are some products delivered via these new-age vehicles. Suggested Read: List of Top 3PL 10 Warehousing Companies in India Challenges in Last-Mile Delivery That Can Impact Your Business The last-mile carriers generally work towards delivering the product from an intermediate shipping centre to the final destination. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in this phase that can impact your brand and the overall profits. Some of the major issues businesses can encounter in last-mile delivery include: Return of orders and the rising cost of logistics While order cancellations are common in e-commerce, one of the major reasons for the return of orders by customers can happen due to the mistakes occurring in the last-mile of delivery. Delayed deliveries, inability to track the packages properly, delivery of damaged goods, and misplacing orders- all of them can lead to higher returns. Most of these mishaps can happen due to the negligence of the 3PL partner or the lack of technological capabilities that can prevent these issues. Return of orders increases your logistics cost further. They also affect your market share and customer loyalty. According to a report by KPMG, up to 20% of the total e-commerce shipments are return orders. This shows the scale of the problem and how much costs can be saved by minimizing the same. Return to Origin (RTO) This is another major issue that sellers face. It simply refers to sending back the order to the seller when it cannot be delivered to the customer. This can happen due to wrong addresses mentioned in the order or when the customer is not present/denies accepting the order, etc. Such incidents can lead to additional reshipping costs. Unable to address the rising demand in tier 2 and 3 cities With better internet connectivity, e-commerce demands have been rapidly rising in tier 2 and 3 cities of India. The last-mile delivery in this case presents its own unique challenges. The fulfillment center of your 3PL partner might be far from the delivery location. The interconnectivity between them can affect delivery speeds. Flipkart and Amazon are trying to solve this by partnering with local retail owners and creating pickup points from where customers can collect their orders. Remote locations are even more difficult to handle. Not meeting customer expectations Given the benchmarks that e-commerce giants like Amazon set, customers tend to expect the same elsewhere. They expect fast deliveries and may not care about the complications that can happen in the last mile. For example, harsh weather conditions, or a local lockdown can disrupt the delivery timelines. Customers also expect durability in their deliveries. They seek flexible timings and cheaper costs at their end like Amazon prime free delivery. Such a level of service is almost impossible without optimizing the supply chain in the last-mile. Things to Keep in Mind Before Partnering with a Last Mile Delivery Startup or Company Unless you have a good handle on your business requirements and, what you need from last mile delivery companies, you won’t benefit from the collaboration. On the contrary, it could result in disaster. Consider the points mentioned below as you research and select your last mile delivery startups: Your customer expectationsYour competitors’ delivery times and their last mile delivery startups/companiesThe impact of last mile delivery startups/companies on your shipping aggregators and delivery timesAre last-mile delivery costs sustainable as a percentage of your overall operating cost? Will it prevent you from becoming profitable?The avenues of lowering last mile delivery costs while maintaining efficiency How to Choose a Last Mile Delivery Company that is Right for Your Business? Without dependable and efficient last mile delivery companies, an eCommerce retailer would be severely handicapped. However, with innumerable options available, the onus to make the correct selection is on you, i.e., identifying last mile delivery startups that best match your requirements. Include minute details like holiday lists, working days, shipping limitations, parcel weight restrictions, etc. Given below are 10 leading factors you must consider: Price Quite obviously, this is one of the essential starting points to consider. Last mile delivery companies operate out in the real world, battling the forces of nature, traffic, and several other dangers. Therefore, they charge their clients a fee, often a hefty one, for their value. You must look at your cost-to-benefit ratio, i.e., match their service fees against how important it is for your business. Coverage Last mile delivery companies should cover the critical locations needed for your business operations, i.e., as many pin codes as possible. While you may not need to ship to every location in the country as a new eCommerce firm, it is important to check their coverage. You don’t want to bottleneck your expansion if your company doesn't service those areas. Technology The operations of last mile delivery companies are a complex process with little or no margin for error. Additionally, they work under the severe pressure created by ever-changing dynamics like costs, angry customers, road dangers, weather, and fleet availability. The list is endless. Modern delivery software that is utilized by last mile delivery startups/companies is vastly advanced and manages all the above variables to optimize your last mile operations. They do it with incredible speed and can handle vast scales. Ensure the companies that you are considering, use the latest technology to manage their operations. Order-returns Order returns, reverse logistics, inventory tracking, refunds, and rescheduling deliveries of incomplete or failed orders – all these instances are an unavoidable part of the eCommerce trade. However, if your last mile delivery startups have an efficient order-return management system, it would help to reduce the loss from such situations. Notably, during this process, the consumer tends to be annoyed or apprehensive, and managing it well would help create customer satisfaction. Tracking orders This feature is a leading indicator of changing consumer demands. The old-school thought process of delivery in a week or 5 days are gone. Today’s consumers want to be kept in the loop at every point of their parcel movement. Without real-time and live order-tracking features, you will not succeed as an eCommerce firm. Last mile delivery companies must offer a convenient order-tracking tool for your customers to track their orders. Delivery speed People often confuse the hyperlocal delivery model with last mile delivery. While both traverse the same routes while completing the final distance of their delivery, they aren’t the same. As the name suggests, hyperlocal is a highly localized delivery model and typically offers much shorter delivery times, e.g. 10-minute groceries. Last mile delivery, however, is the last leg of a much longer delivery route. Now, with modern technology and logistics capabilities, last mile delivery companies are also constantly working out on ways to keep reducing their delivery times and increase delivery speed. Customer support Customer satisfaction is the defining aspect of a successful or failed business model. Without happy customers, you won’t have repeat orders or positive word-of-mouth exposure. Therefore, using a modern omnichannel customer setup for eCommerce firms is critical to their success. Payment With a plethora of payment options available these days - ranging from credit cards, digital wallets, UPI, and online transfers – today’s consumers use options that suit their needs the most. From your end, however, if you don’t make all of them available, you will see a high rate of cart abandonment and incomplete transactions. Insurance Buying shipment insurance as a protective cover is an integral part of the supply chain movement. You must conduct research and shortlist last mile delivery companies that offer suitable options via insurance tie-ups for you and your type of cargo. Customer feedback Check to see the comments of current and past customers of last mile delivery companies that you are considering partnering with. Online reviews, forums, and direct opinions are a good way of arriving at a decision. That would reveal a lot about their capabilities and performance. 10 Best Last Mile Delivery Companies/Startups for eCommerce in 2024 WareIQ Source WareIQ is a category-defining, best- in class full-stack eCommerce fulfillment tech platform (with inbuilt inventory planning, order fulfillment & shipping system) for modern brands to accelerate online sales/ expedite revenue growth & profits with same/next-day delivery. How does WareIQ help with last mile deliveries? WareIQ's platform integrates with all major national and regional shipping partnersIt also helps users generate bulk shipping labels & invoices in just a few clicksTo create a premium post-purchase experience, WareIQ also provide the option to users to create a branded tracking page onto which the users can add the logo of their brand and also marketing banners to products from their D2C website, in order to keep their customers engaged even after purchase and open new potential revenue channels The platform also helps in sending auto-alerts to customers about the status of the shipment on channels like Whatsapp, SMS, and Email. With the help of RTO shield, an application that helps in identifying & flagging high-risk customers and consequently disabling COD options for them to reduce the probability of RTO happening, online businesses can also reduce their RTO losses. If RTO occurs, WareIQ covers the forward & reverse logistics costs.eCommerce & D2C brands can also automate cases of failed delivery attempts (NDRs) by the shipping partnerIt also provides information on shipping charges for various shipping partners according to:Base WeightAdditional Weight OffsetWithin CityWithin StateMetro to metroRest of IndiaNorth-east & JKCOD ChargesCOD% You can also opt for WareIQ if you are looking for Cash on Delivery Courier Service Partners. Source FedEx Founded in 1971 in the US, FedEx is one of the leading shipping and logistics giants and needs no introduction. With a global network of fleet vehicles, warehouses, and fulfillment centers, FedEx is a leader in eCommerce supply chain management and logistics and is also emerging as one of the most successful last mile delivery companies. In 2020, FedEx launched its last mile delivery solution specifically tailored for eCommerce firms, thereby launching a formal entry into the space with other companies.It provides cold-chain services.It provides expedited shipping for rush orders and services to handle customs on arrival.It is authorized to transport dangerous items such as electronic parts and lithium batteries.It offers services such as last mile delivery, eCommerce, transportation, cold-chain management, warehouse and inventory management, dangerous goods etc. UPS Source United Parcel Service (UPS) is a global shipping and distribution company that is also one of the leading supply chain and last mile delivery companies, worldwide. It was founded in 1907 in Seattle, United States, and has emerged as a Fortune 500 company. It provides last mile delivery solutions to eCommerce firms across the US and numerous worldwide locations. It transports goods across land and sea. It operates and manages massive warehouses and vast fleets of delivery vehiclesIt started delivering last mile solutions by drawing from USPS's elaborate postal network, called UPS SurePost. However, the company has been looking to launch its last mile delivery services at cheaper rates in recent times.Its website offers a handy shipping-rate calculator. Entering details of your shipment, such as dimensions, customer address, weight, pickup (etc.), gives you an estimate of your shipping rates.It offers packing materials and pallet boxes via its website.It offers services such as freight forwarding, express courier, logistics, etc. Amazon Source Amazon Inc. is a global eCommerce and fulfillment technology company that offers services such as cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It is also one of the leading last mile delivery companies. It was started in 1994 in Seattle, United States, it penetrated the expanding Indian eCommerce market in 2013. Due to its sheer size, relentless consumer focus, and constant innovation, Amazon is the lead challenger to established players (e.g., FedEx, UPS). Its 3rd-party shipping solution provides cost incentives (e.g., reduced overheads) for 3rd party contractors to start their own logistics firms to fulfill deliveries on behalf of Amazon. It amplifies its inorganic growth via acquisitions, e.g., acquiring PillPack for prescription delivery.Its “Project Wing” operation develops architecture and prototypes for autonomous drones. Its world-famous and industry-defining eCommerce fulfillment service, Amazon Prime includes benefits such as 2-day free shipping, same-day delivery, and guaranteed 1-2 hours of free deliveries via Prime Now.Its crowdsourcing delivery model, Amazon Flex, builds out its last mile and same-day capabilities that deliver orders to customers via Prime Now. This becomes a lucrative option for rideshare drivers who may not be comfortable with strangers or troublesome passengers in their cars. Anyone with a vehicle can become part of this service - if you have a valid driver’s license, car, and smartphone, you can log in to this app and make deliveries based on your availability. Packages can be scanned with a smartphone camera, and directions received via GPS. Convenient cashless payments to a digital wallet are also facilitated. Piggybee Source Starting from a crowd shipping community in Brussels in 2012, Piggybee began by servicing European locations but has grown globally since its inception. The platform enables users to search for travelers and identifies people that could transport their parcels by scanning arrivals/departures in various cities. This is the same way one would look up flights, trains, etc. Travelers/ delivery personnel can also make themselves available for delivery to a particular city/ location by posting their travel details.After a match has been made, the user/traveler can discuss fees. The remuneration doesn’t always have to be monetary; it could also be a swap for transport, accommodation, or other local payback services instead of a monetary fee. Packages can be tracked via the online platform in real-time. After completion, the deliverer can be “tipped” monetarily via Piggybee MoneySafe. A rating system is also provided for feedback. This helps travelers i.e., the deliverer, build a track record for future opportunities, much like how we rank our Uber or Airbnb interactions.Piggybee is often used for delivering cross-border packages worldwide. Hitch Source Hitch is an online delivery marketplace that uses crowdsourcing as its primary business model and allows shipping companies to partner with travelers to get their goods shipped to international locations. It is one of the up-and-coming last-mile delivery startups and one of its core propositions is that it seeks to challenge the shipping industry by utilizing unconventional means to ship cargo from the warehouses to its ultimate location. The platform pairs people with parcels to be delivered (these are the “shippers”) with travelers that are traveling to the same destinations.Shippers upload details of their packages and destinations, while the couriers upload their travel details to see if there are any overlapping requirements. The app uses GPS to optimize routing. Pictures via the traveler’s phone camera are used to provide proof of delivery.Payments are made using Stripe, a 3rd party payment vendor. Users can rank their transactions to provide performance history for future users. Postmates Source Founded in 2011 in San Francisco, Postmates is an urban logistics service that enables on-demand delivery for just about anything for anyone and has revolutionized the way consumers receive local goods, mainly within the hour. Postmates is easily used by installing the app on your phone. It is seeking to become one of the leading last-mile delivery companies. The mobile platform pairs businesses/couriers with customers to facilitate taking orders from local establishments, e.g., restaurants.Customers are paired with local couriers based on the product for delivery against its delivery address.Users can pay per delivery or opt for annual billing. Customized gift cards are also available.Communities are empowered by promoting local shopping and vendors, thereby allowing the ubiquitous small businesses to survive against larger retail chains.Postmates is currently operational in 40 metropolitan areas across the USA. Smartbox Source Smartbox is one of the fastest-growing last mile delivery startups in India that provides convenient and economic packaging units that are transparently priced. The units come in 2 sizes, 10kgs and 25 kgs, and are designed to accommodate a variety of products. Smart lockers are gaining popularity in the field of eCommerce due to the practical advantages they offer. Smart Box also offers a next-day delivery service to most locations in India. Benefits include minimizing the cost of delivery, optimization of logistics, and safety.Order-return logistics are faster with the quick processing of refunds and return order management.Smartbox is part of a new generation of last mile delivery startups in the field of last mile delivery companies. Clients can pick up packages at their convenience. Facilities and safety measures like passwords and private cards enable easy order-tracking in real-time and collection from the locker. Onfleet Source Onfleet is one of the leading last mile delivery companies and is headquartered in San Francisco.[1] It seeks to solve logistics problems in the last mile delivery space. Some of its leading customers include HelloFresh, Kroger, and GAP. It has also been described as “Uber for delivery” by multiple publications. Other services include hyperlocal delivery, online marketplaces, carriers, inventory control systems, and websites. It is a tech-enabled platform that offers real-time tracking, automatic tracking updates and ePOD (electronic-proof-of-delivery)It offers accessible data sharing internally using APIs that enable automated and efficient delivery management. The auto-dispatch system automatically pairs urgent delivery orders with available drivers.It offers services such as route optimization, last mile delivery, logistics services, analytics, dispatch, etc. Matternet Source Founded in 2011 in California, Matternet is one of the leading last mile delivery companies that attempt to solve last mile delivery challenges by changing the mode of travel itself, i.e., by using drones. Matternet produces products that help businesses around the world to build and operate drone logistics networks for transporting deliverables by air. This is achieved using smart drones and pre-defined landing stations via a mobile app and a robust back-end cloud software system.It services the retail, healthcare, and humanitarian sector. As you can imagine, the speedy delivery of medicines via drones prevents traffic congestion and has become a popular option to get medical goods to patients on time.It currently operates in the USA and Switzerland. Conclusion: How Can WareIQ Deliver Much Better Services than the Top Last Mile Delivery Companies in India? Last mile delivery companies in India offer services that are specific to last mile delivery challenges such as delivering goods on time and cutting down on delivery logistics costs. However, some companies, such as WareIQ, provide solutions, not only for last mile delivery, but also the entire suite of fulfillment requirements, thus delivering a much more stellar experience compared to conventional last mile delivery companies. How does WareIQ achieve this? By maintaining a holistic approach to running the business, WareIQ offers cutting-edge services to eCommerce clients. Starting with a good, solid understanding of its business model and, by extension, how they add value to its clients’ businesses, supply chains, and last mile delivery requirements, WareIQ helps clients by offering specifically tailored solutions to their problems. Established in 2019, WareIQ, a Y-combinator backed startup, has rapidly grown to be the leading provider of full-stack eCommerce fulfillment services for some of the most reputed brands in India. WareIQ offers a full-stack platform for eCommerce companies to enable same-day delivery and next day delivery to customers – an Amazon Prime-like experience but accessible to everyone. WareIQ offers last-mile delivery through its shipping partners. It has customised offerings for merchants experiencing different order volumes as well as having different delivery speed expectations. WareIQ is probably one of the very few fulfillment tech companies in the world that have same-day delivery service for their customers under their product “WareIQ RUSH”. With world-class WMS functionalities, WareIQ handles the entire range of intricate operations in the eCommerce fulfillment process, and enables scalability without any hassles. When there is a surge in demand, your enterprise can upscale quickly, similarly, in the case of a slack, downscaling is effortless with WareIQ's fulfillment services. Our pay-as-you-go model allows simplified and flexible scalability. There are no redundant investments or under-utilised resources. With the world evolving as it is, scalability has proved itself to be the make-or-break factor for a large number of e-commerce businesses. At the same time, WareIQ customers realise significant cost savings and wider reach due to better negotiations with shipping partners, strategically placed warehouses, economies of scale and scope in warehousing, and data-driven decision-making. [signup] Last Mile Delivery Companies FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What is the meaning of last mile delivery?Last mile delivery is the last step of operations where the product is dispatched from the warehouse and is delivered at the doorstep of the end customer. Does Amazon provide last mile delivery services?The Last Mile personnel assists customers in getting packages from delivery locations to their doorstep. Amazon's Last Mile delivery initiatives have grown over the years, allowing the company to reduce consumer delivery times. What Are The Top Last Mile Delivery Companies?Few of the top last mile delivery companies of 2023 are mentioned below:1. WareIQ2. FedEx3. UPS4. Amazon Shipping5. Blue Dart6. Delhivery7. Ekart What challenges do last mile delivery companies face?• High Cost • Missing delivery timeline due to harsh weather conditions• Bad infrastructure • Customer related Issues like unacceptance of package at doorstep• High returns in case of COD orders• Returns due to unavailability of customer during delivery attempt• Wrong address or contact details How important is it to optimize the last mile delivery process?Last-mile delivery processes must be optimized to ensure timely & faster delivery of products to the end customers & for the business to be more profitable. According to studies, last-mile delivery losses result in a 26 percent annual drop in profits. Companies will continue to lose money unless last-mile delivery is optimized.

February 07, 2023

What are Shipping Delays? Causes, Impact, and Solutions to Mitigate Effects of Delays in Shipping for Retailers in 2024

Shipping products is one of the most important processes in the retail industry. Products need to be transported from manufacturers to storage facilities for both online and offline businesses. In the case of eCommerce companies, they also have to ensure that products are delivered on time to their customers, which involves their items spending even more time in transit. In a bid to offer the best products at the cheapest prices and to generate as much hype as possible, sellers are often blissfully unaware that certain aspects of their shipping procedures may not be up to the mark and, as a result, are causing delays. Order delays can have dire implications not just for the business itself but also for its customers. This can lead to undesirable opinions of your business and can lessen the chances of it getting repeated as well as new customers. In this blog, we will take a look at the meaning, causes, impacts and methods to reduce shipping delays for your retail business. What are Shipping Delays? Any instance where raw materials that are being transferred to the manufacturer, finished goods that are being transported to a storage facility, or orders that are being transported to customers do not reach their destination on the specified date and time can be termed as a shipping delay. In essence, a delay caused while products are in transit can be considered a shipping delay. These delays can happen for a variety of reasons and not all of them are the fault of your own operations or negligence. Oftentimes, especially when a product is being transported, you are at the mercy of external influences, such as road repairs, vehicles being damaged, natural calamities, and much more. Therefore, it is important to try and forecast and account for as many of these situations as you can, in order to prevent and negate the negative outcomes caused by order delays. [contactus_uth] What are the Primary Causes of Order Delays in 2023? Labour Scarcity Since the onset of the pandemic, many countries and specific industries have faced vast labour shortages. This is especially prominent in developed countries, such as the US and UK, where job openings are at all-time highs and labour participation rates are dwindling. This obviously has an effect on the way products are able to be produced, shipped, and delivered to customers and it can cause severe shipping delays and disruptions throughout the fulfillment pipeline. One way to curtail this is to ascertain in advance how many employees you need to conduct operations successfully and procure the necessary resources instantly. Public Holidays The significance of various public holidays dictates the closure of many important services on those specific dates, resulting in uncertainty and, eventually, shipping delays. The fact that sellers often experience their highest demand of the year during specific holiday seasons just rubs salt into the wood in case they are experiencing late shipment deliveries brought about by the holiday restrictions. Additionally, because they are often a lot more orders to deal with during the holidays, it requires additional resources and effort in order to successfully fulfill all of them, which can expose the efficiency of your shipping processes for the better or worse. Suggested Read: Tips to Prepare Your Fulfillment and Logistics Strategy for the Holiday Season in 2023 Unsuitable Weather Conditions Orders are the most susceptible to damage or delays while they are in transit, as this is where they are the most exposed to external factors such as harsh weather conditions. From experiencing the direct impacts caused by fog and hailstorms to the indirect effects due to road closures caused by fallen trees or electrical wires and flights being delayed due to excessive rain or snow, weather conditions play an important role in the success rates of shipping practices. Although it is not possible to control weather patterns, you can brace yourself by investing in technology that will offset the impacts and making the necessary preparations. Supply Chain Disruptions The world and its populace have been through a lot in the past couple of years, firstly due to disruptions to supply chains caused by the global pandemic and all its restrictions, and then due to conflicts like the war in Ukraine and the closure of various trade routes, ports and pipelines that have contributed to an increase in the prices of transport, oil and gas. This has had a negative impact on retail shipping by making it more expensive to conduct the same processes as before. Thus, many extended shipping delays can be attributed to these supply chain disruptions happening in many parts of the world. Incorrect Shipping Details If there is any factor that is 100% assured to cause inevitable order delays, it is not having your eCommerce shipping information filled out accurately. For instance, any disparity in important details, such as the customer’s address, phone number, warehouse address, or SKU number, can cause multiple disruptions and ensure that orders are subject to heavy hindrances. In turn, this can also cause costs to skyrocket, RTOs to increase, and enhance the likelihood of goods being damaged. To prevent this, it is important to ensure that all details are filled out accurately. The Impact Late Shipments Can Have on Your Business Delegitimizes Your Brand in the Eyes of Customers Concerningly, around 41% of customers associate delayed deliveries directly with the brands they purchased them from. Customers will surely be upset when their order doesn't arrive when they anticipated it to when they expect businesses to deliver their orders on time. This dissatisfaction may spiral into future delivery-related agitation and even apprehension about placing repeat orders. Additionally, more than 32% of buyers worldwide suggest that one of the major downsides of making an online purchase is dealing with shipment issues or delays. This is why it is important to give your customers a positive experience and tackle the issue of shipping delays before it even starts. Makes You Lose Out on Valuable Revenue Retail income can be severely impacted by shipping delays. A single lengthy hindrance to production could wipe away as much as 30–50% of a company's revenue prior to paying taxes, interest and lost profits due to depreciation, according to a recent McKinsey article. Additionally, clients frequently find lengthy delivery schedules to be off-putting, which could hamper your chances of getting repeat purchases from them. They could either completely back out of the purchase or shop elsewhere. 32% of customers say they abandoned their shopping carts in the past year because the projected shipment time was too long. Thus, it is important to regulate your shipping processes to avoid mishaps and provide ultra-fast shipping. Creates Confusion Regarding Inventory Retailers may find it challenging to accurately predict demand and arrange their inventory due to shipping delays. As a result, businesses risk overstocking and incurring expensive storage fees for their inventory. Alternatively, they can underestimate consumer need, quickly run out of supply and be unable to replenish their inventory in time to satisfy actual customer demand. Inconvenient stockouts, which cost retailers $1 trillion annually, can result from overcompensating for fear of ordering too many items. Either way, it is important to forecast demand levels and ascertain the quantity of each SKU you need to store to fulfill orders. 5 Simple Ways to Mitigate the Effects of Shipping Delays in 2023 Provide Free Shipping as an Option Source Free delivery, according to 75% of customers, persists in having a big impact on what they buy. Offering clients free delivery is an opportunity to demonstrate your appreciation for them and dedication to offering excellent service. Free shipping goes a long way in enhancing the customer experience and motivating people to shop with you, even if orders are subject to shipment delays. Even if you use methods such as accounting for shipping costs in your eCommerce product pricing, providing free shipping if the cart value is above a certain amount and more, it will still give customers the perception that they are getting the item delivered for free. Have Clear and Transparent Communication Source Customers want to be aware of delivery expectations upfront. Over 45% of buyers actively seek out retailers who display delivery timeline estimations. Consequently, after making a purchase, most consumers desire real-time alerts on the status of their shipment. Trust can be developed by keeping lines of communication open with clients. In addition to improving their delivery procedures, 49% of the firms in a recent survey also pledged to be transparent about their delivery promises, such as by letting customers know when an item is being processed and dispatched. Encourage communication with customers on platforms like SMS and Whatsapp to keep them engaged on a more personal level, in addition to the updates they receive from the order tracking screen. Appease Customers With Consolitory Discounts Source On many occasions, dealing with shipping delays is inevitable, both for you as well as your customers. Even when things don't go as planned, giving consumers special offers and coupons is a good method to demonstrate your appreciation for their business and their lost time. Gift certificates and discounts can be provided to ease their agitation about the delayed arrival of their orders. This tactic will cost you a small amount of money but it's considerably less expensive and more impactful than having your consumers leave negative reviews or never do business with you again. Offer Customers the Ability to Pick Up Orders Source Giving customers the flexibility of picking up their own orders from a specified location can reduce shipping delays, and efforts and costs associated with last-mile delivery. For a better chance of getting their orders on time, 35% of customers consistently choose shipping options like curbside pickup. Customers are more receptive to alternative methods of receiving their products as they grow more aware of order delays. As a result, click-and-collect and curbside pickup are two options that 41% of retailers plan to divert more funding towards. Keep Track of Every Shipment Source Customers want to be aware of the arrival date of their orders so that they can the necessary arrangements to ensure it is picked up. 96% of respondents to a recent survey said they find order tracking helpful while awaiting deliveries. Even if it is delayed, shipment monitoring helps reassure customers that their order will make its way to them shortly. Order tracking can also help you be aware of where customers’ orders are and can help you address their grievances in a more informed way. Ultimately, order tracking provides a good way to keep customers informed in the event of an order delay. Conclusion: Partner With WareIQ to Ramp Up Your Shipping Processes to Avoid Delays Whenever products need to be shipped or transported from one location to another for whatever reason, there are bound to be delays somewhere down the line. Shipping delays are a harsh reality of the retail industry but companies need to take steps to mitigate the effects of delays and provide a better experience for customers. Clear communication, technology and a robust transportation network all play a role in minimizing shipping delays, which should rank highly in prioritization for every seller that deals with product shipments. Additionally, preventing shipping delays from occurring will enhance the perception and loyalty that customers have of your brand and increase the likelihood of becoming returning customers. Due to all the negatives associated with shipping delays, retailers need to pay extra attention to their in-house processes as well as external factors. This is why it is a good idea to partner with an experienced 3PL fulfillment company like WareIQ. WareIQ is an eCommerce fulfillment company that specialises in a vast array of eCommerce and retail solutions, including shipping. Through our WareIQ Global platform, we can help you streamline your shipping processes to avoid delays and offer your products locally and internationally. Here are some of the facilities we can provide to your business: Domestic and International Shipping Retailers can ship their goods natively and to more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. We also offer last-mile delivery, storage facilities and other services both local service and international courier service. Last-Mile Delivery By making sure that items are picked up before being delivered to the relevant customer's city and delivered right to their doorstep, we assist retailers with the final stage of the delivery process. Shipping Aggregation In addition to offering lightning-fast same-day and next-day delivery, we have worked with more than 20 of the biggest shipping providers in the nation and automatically assign the best and cheapest option for each unique purchase to increase customer satisfaction. Absence of Minimum Order Restrictions We don't have any minimum order restrictions for items to be dispatched, unlike other 3PL fulfilment firms. Additionally, we offer users a selection of the services they wish to choose from and they only need to pay for the resources they actually utilise, which boosts their profit margins and lowers their expenses. RTO Shield Our specialised RTO Shield enables a reduction in RTO requests and shelters sellers from financial losses through insurance and liability coverage. Suggested Read: What is a Shipping Policy? Shipping Delays: FAQs How can you manage high demand and avoid shipping delays during peak seasons?You can manage high demand during peak seasons in the following ways:- Investing in technology to improve logistics and warehouse management- Increasing their inventory levels- Offering multiple shipping options for customers to choose from What steps can be taken to reduce the effects of weather-related shipping delays?You can mitigate the effects of weather-related shipping delays in multiple ways. Some of them are mentioned below:- Using real-time tracking technology- Working with multiple carriers- Having contingency plans in place How can you communicate with customers about shipping delays?Customers can be kept in the loop about shipping delays by providing real-time tracking information, keeping them informed about any changes to their delivery schedule and offering clear and transparent communication about the delay. How can customers be compensated for delayed shipments?Your company can compensate for delayed shipments by offering discounts, vouchers or other incentives to customers who experience delays. How can I plan for unexpected delays caused by global events?Retailers can plan for unexpected delays caused by global events by maintaining a flexible supply chain, working with multiple carriers, and having a crisis management plan in place.

January 16, 2023

What Are Split Shipments In eCommerce Industry? Reasons, Benefits, Challenges In Frequent Split Shipping and Ways To Avoid Split Shipping in 2024

Global retail eCommerce revenues were anticipated to reach $5,2 trillion in 2021. By 2026, this amount is anticipated to have increased by 56%, to be around 8.1 trillion dollars. Split shipments in the eCommerce industry are a clever way for an online retailer to handle orders that include numerous products. With this tactic, the buyer receives many deliveries on various days while only placing one order. It is also a key component of a reliable shipping procedure. Split shipments are an essential component of distribution logistics, whether because a product is too big to fit with the other items in a single package or because the customer changed their mind and added something else to the order. As a consumer, you've presumably also been there before. Have you ever placed an internet order and received many boxes? The reality is that trying to keep track of each package's precise location and predicted arrival time is different from a walk in the park. Because they were unaware that a shipment was on its way or that there were several items they should have been anticipating, clients frequently missed deliveries. This procedure can be significantly simplified with order tracking solutions for split shipments. As a result, customers may receive their things as promptly as possible without encountering any delays because it is simple to monitor where each box is and when it is anticipated to arrive. What Are Split Shipments In eCommerce Industry? As the name suggests, a split shipment is when an order includes multiple things dispatched in different packages. For instance, when dealing with a backorder scenario, you might ship a portion of the order first, followed by the other. As a result, the end-to-end processing time may be sped up. A competitive edge may be maintained by shipping packages separately or delivering in-stock and out-of-stock items afterward. However, suppose your present tracking software does not offer precise, in-the-moment updates, delivery notifications, delivery exception alerts, etc. In that case, it may increase customer assistance requests. This is particularly true when clients contact the customer care center after receiving only a portion of the things they ordered and needing to be made aware that their order was divided into many packages. In addition, nobody wants consumers to complain or for deliveries to go wrong. Use technologies that can handle all sales under one roof while easily tracking split shipments in one dashboard to eliminate customer irritation, boost customer LTV (lifetime value), and reduce some of the load on your customer care team. What Causes Split Shipments To Occur? Even though split shipments are not a recommended practice in the industry. Mailing separate shipments for a single purchase may occur for the following reasons. However, firms shouldn't intentionally split shipments unless they exclusively offer huge things that couldn't fit more than one in a box. Inventory Is Spread Out In Several Locations and Unavailability of All SKUs From the Nearest Fulfillment Center Every SKU may have varying stock levels between facilities when an eCommerce business has inventory in more than one place. A single order comprising various products may need the usage of multiple warehouses if a single fulfillment center needs more inventory to complete the order. For example, the first item might come from one fulfillment center, and the second might come from another. Separate shipments from each fulfillment center will eventually deliver the products to the customer with faster delivery times than waiting for one fulfillment center to receive more inventory. Occasionally, when sending cargo or freight, there might need more space on a single truck or airplane for a complete order, necessitating the transportation and arrival of individual boxes. In addition, you must make sure that each cargo has the required documentation because overseas shipping might be challenging with customs forms. Similarly, only partially prepared inventory may be transported in segments, beginning with any components prepared for delivery. You May Read: 5 Easy Steps to Find and Choose a Fulfillment Center for eCommerce Sellers in 2023 Consumer Requires The Product To Be Delivered At Several Locations A consumer may desire to break particular items from a large order into several shipments, so they are shipped to various addresses, even though this is different in eCommerce. Most consumers will create distinct orders for each new shipment. Still, it might be simpler for customers to buy gifts for a single charge, especially around the holidays. You won't see the split shipments option at the checkout on the typical web store. Still, for bulk orders of pricey items, it would be helpful for someone to enter a different address for each item or each shipment. Suggested Read: 15 Important Strategies for Checkout Page Optimization Goods Would Not Fit In a Single Package Whether you must split shipments for a single order depends on the number of your items. For instance, purchasing four T-shirts should fit and be delivered in a single container. In contrast, if you ordered four huge pieces of luggage, you would anticipate receiving something other than one enormous package the size of a couch; instead, you would receive four separate boxes because each item requires a lot more space. Additionally, you must provide space for dunnage and packing supplies, especially if you are transporting fragile goods. eCommerce businesses should be aware of the impact of dimensional weight on shipping costs and utilize appropriately sized packaging (not too big, not too small). There are additional fees for heavy-weight and excessive shipments, and smaller, lighter loads are less expensive than large, heavy shipments. Separate shipments, however, are equally pricey. What Impact Do Split Shipments Have On Customers And Retailers? Retailers incur double the delivery costs when they send different shipments for the same order. As a result, the cost of shipping many products across the country or abroad can rise quickly. However, this must be evaluated against the urgency with which client orders must be fulfilled. Remember that clients anticipate waiting up to a few days for their order. Split shipments cause customers to receive their orders on several days, which is typically inconvenient. Additionally, customers must wait for the delivery of the order's remaining components. However, it does imply that they get a portion of their order sooner than they would if the store waited until all of the items were in stock and ready to ship the order. Sometimes, a customer may find it more practical to divide shipments. To guarantee the most significant possible customer experience, all split shipment decisions should be communicated to the customer so they are kept informed, have visibility into, and have ownership over the process. You may efficiently manage inventory, speeding up your fulfillment process and lowering expenses with the help of a customizable, automated Order Management System (OMS). A smart OMS will choose how to complete each order best and effectively utilize your network. It can save expenses and make split shipments an option by optimizing orders in accordance with both commercial shipping and logistical requirements. Benefits of Split Shipments for Online Customers Saves time: Instead of receiving one large package, customers can receive their items in multiple smaller packages, which can save them time when it comes to unpacking and organizing their purchases.Increases convenience: Customers can have items delivered to multiple addresses, such as their home, office, or vacation home, making it more convenient for them to receive their purchases.Reduces the risk of lost or stolen packages: By having items delivered to multiple locations, customers can reduce the risk of having all of their items lost or stolen in one package.Flexibility in delivery schedules: Customers can schedule deliveries for multiple items to different locations and at different times, which helps them to be at home for each shipment and avoid missing a package delivery.Cost-effective: splitting the shipment could reduce shipping costs to the customer, as sometimes single-package shipping costs could be very high. Benefits of Split Shipments for Online Sellers Increased efficiency: Split shipments allow sellers to send items in smaller, more targeted batches, which can save them time and money when it comes to shipping and handling.Reduced shipping costs: By sending items in smaller, more targeted batches, sellers can often reduce the overall shipping costs of an order.Better Inventory Management: With split shipments, sellers can more easily keep track of inventory levels across multiple locations, which can help them to more effectively manage stock and reduce the risk of overselling.Improved customer service: By offering split shipments, sellers can provide more flexibility and convenience for customers, which can help to improve customer satisfaction and retention.Better Tracking and Control: Split shipments allow sellers to track multiple packages for one order and know where each one of them is, which will result in knowing the exact location of the package and knowing when it will be delivered which is essential for customer satisfaction and better control.Customizable Packaging: with Split shipment sellers can customize the packaging for each package and location in a way to optimize the shipping cost. Challenges of Split Shipping for eCommerce Sellers Although split shipments have their own share of benefits for both the customer and online retailer, but it's not surprising that the real challenges faced with split shipments encountered are extensive: Increased Shipping Expenses You must pay for transportation twice or more per order to the same place. Often, this is an unneeded expense that cannot be avoided. A lack of insight into your order management system can cause frequent backorders, which may necessitate shipping several products separately and incurring additional transportation costs. You might not have the option to send products separately if you sell bulky items like lawnmowers or car parts. Poor Customer Service Management Your customer care representatives may receive more support tickets due to longer lead times for warehouses to process and ship goods. Additionally, you don't allow customers to independently track each shipment from the same order. In that case, they could initially contact your staff. And as the saying goes, if your customers contact you first, there is still time to offer a first-rate post-purchase experience. Some deliveries might be delayed because of bad weather, backed-up traffic, and other factors beyond your control. To lessen pressure from your consumers, you must offer proactive status updates and delivery alerts to inform them of any shipment delays. If you want to be successful and keep staff in this challenging business environment, keep clients updated throughout the shipping and delivery process and have all orders under one roof. Increased Packaging Waste and Higher Carbon Footprints Environmental issues concern Generation Z people (those born between 1995 and 2010). 62% of Gen Z consumers said they prefer to purchase sustainable brands and were more willing to spend 10% or more on sustainable goods. It may not sit well with certain consumers looking for eco-friendly and sustainable firms for sustainable supply chain management and eco-friendly shipping to ship several parcels individually, which is another motivating element for implementing a sustainable development strategy. How to Cut Down on Split Shipping in 2023? Snapshot of how one order is getting split into 3 shipments in Amazon You may need fewer split shipments if your supply chain is optimized. The following actions can be used to lessen split shipments in the eCommerce industry: Have Enough Stock of the Products Keeping stock levels high will cut down on the number of split shipments. You may monitor the following to make sure you always have enough inventory on hand: The quantity of stock you have at each fulfillment location.How long do you have to place new orders for each product before they run out?Seasonal and sales effects on your inventory.How much will it cost to deliver your goods if you move your inventory to a different fulfillment facility? Additionally, by suggesting to your customer's things that can only be shipped from the same place as the main item in their order, you can guarantee that you always have suitable products on hand. Consolidating the packages will allow you to use less packaging, and your shipping prices and times may be improved by distributing your product throughout your fulfillment facilities. In addition, by anticipating needs and monitoring your inventory, you may prevent running out of supply. Recognize the Trends In Customer Buying Patterns Understanding your consumers' shopping habits will help you streamline your eCommerce logistics operation and give your customers a better experience. Consider the following inquiries: Where are the majority of your clients situated?Can you spread your inventory over several fulfilment facilities?Which goods are frequently purchased in tandem?How often do customers make further purchases? Understanding your consumers' shopping habits will help you modify your inventory management and shipping procedures accordingly. If you frequently buy particular products, you can package them together as bundles to raise the average order value. Or it can be worthwhile to provide a subscription plan if you frequently see repeat consumers buying the same things. Let clients combine all their ordered items into a single shipment. Customers can delay the delivery of individual shipments in favour of receiving everything at once. Strategic Stock Management A robust inventory management plan will reduce the likelihood of out-of-stock items and the necessity for split shipments. To maintain a steady flow of goods, make forecasts based on historical sales data, seasonal demand, and delivery times. Pick Your Warehouse Locations Wisely Additionally, you can proactively prevent cargo splitting by carefully locating warehouses close to your suppliers and clients. As a result, fewer split shipments will be required, lowering internal transportation costs and shipping delays. Inform Your Consumers Finally, whenever feasible, give your clients a voice. For example, some clients place a premium on quick shipping. On the other hand, if they need to sign for it or want to be home to accept it, some customers would prefer their complete purchase to arrive at once. You can reduce customer service demands and unsatisfied customers by giving customers the option of a timely split shipment or a complete (but delayed) supply. Conclusion Split shipments are only sometimes preventable, but you must take all reasonable steps to avoid them to protect your revenue. Your retail supply chain will be more effective, you'll spend less on shipping, and there will be less waste if you reduce split shipments. You can streamline your shipment process, avoid divided orders, and raise your profit margin by working with a 3PL. WareIQ Can Help With Split Shipments and Increase Client Satisfaction WareIQ, an eCommerce fulfillment company, provides quick, cost-effective shipping to assist firms in increasing sales and expanding their operations. With the help of our expanding network of fulfilment facilities, businesses can use the areas that best suit the needs of their target audience. Our programme automatically selects the fulfillment nearest to the customer whenever an order is received. As a result, delivery times are shortened, and freight costs are decreased. In addition, you can avoid putting orders on hold or split shipments by preventing stockouts with our proprietary software. If one or more goods in your order are out of stock, you can choose to divide the order and have the available items dispatched. The other portions of the order will be handled automatically once the missing item arrives at our fulfilment facility. Let your consumer know that the order has been divided and that they should anticipate receiving two parcels rather than one. Split Shipments FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Which method of shipping is more affordable, combined shipping or split shipping?Because you have to create two shipping labels and utilize two sets of packaging for a single order, breaking up shipments into numerous packages typically costs extra. There are fewer handling charges, less fuel used for transportation, and there is less need for packaging materials when there is only one package, all of which lead to lower prices. Splitting shipments can occasionally be inevitable when a few SKUs ordered are out of stock in warehouses while a few SKUs are available, but eCommerce firms should attempt to limit partial shipping wherever possible. What does "Split Shipping" mean?The term "partially sent" (sometimes known as a "split shipment") describes a scenario in which a single order is divided up into several shipments. Several factors can lead to partial shipments:1- Several locations for the products2- Products that can't fit in a single package but are available to ship today instead of being on backorder How to reduce split shipping?Storing and retrieving all the things in a single warehouse is one technique to lessen splitting. However, it is challenging to construct and run such a warehouse given the enormous volume of goods sold by online supermarkets. Another strategy to lessen order splitting is to allocate products more efficiently among various warehouses. How WareIQ helps with minimizing the utilization of split shipments?WareIQ minimizes the utilization of split shipments and offers competitive pricing compared to other conventional 3PL suppliers. The WareIQ pricing model implies we accept the risk of splits and zones when we need to split an order into half shipments. You have the option to split orders in our fulfillment platform. Additionally, our upfront pricing includes Delivery Area Surcharges (DAS) and EDAS, so there are never any unexpected fees.

January 09, 2023

Future of eCommerce Shipping | 10 Prominent and Latest eCommerce Shipping Trends for eCommerce Sellers to Watch Out For in 2024

Every industry is subject to changing trends and newly introduced technologies and features. eCommerce is even more affected by the latest fads due to its highly competitive nature. For instance, if one company pioneers a service that has the potential to change the eCommerce landscape for the better, such as what Amazon did with same-day delivery service and order tracking, the onus is on other companies to follow suit and implement similar services, to avoid losing customers to businesses that have been able to successfully adapt. Shipping is one of the most crucial and painstaking eCommerce activities as it enables orders to be delivered to their customers on the specified date and time. There are constantly new eCommerce shipping trends that revolutionize the way orders are delivered to their customers. In this blog, we will examine the importance of keeping up with eCommerce shipping trends, the top 10 trends that are currently taking place, and the future of eCommerce shipping. What are eCommerce Shipping Trends? eCommerce shipping includes all the processes involved in getting an order to a customer’s doorstep, including preparing an item for dispatch, picking it up from the warehouse, transporting it to the customer’s location, and using last-mile delivery partners to get it to their doorstep. eCommerce shipping trends refer to the introduction of various technologies and services that can have a profound impact on changing or improving eCommerce shipping procedures. Additionally, they can also refer to the implementation of certain methods for conducting various tasks and processes on a massive scale by several eCommerce sellers, necessitating other retailers to follow suit for fear of being left behind if they don’t get on board. Some examples of past eCommerce shipping trends that have contributed to the way sellers currently ship their products include the enhanced popularity of same-day delivery, cross-border shipping, providing order tracking facilities and much more. [contactus_lilgoodness] Importance of Monitoring eCommerce Shipping Trends in 2023 Enhances Customer Satisfaction By monitoring and taking advantage of eCommerce shipping trends, you will be able to provide a better overall experience to your customers. eCommerce shipping trends gain popularity because they bring something new to the table that may not have been implemented before. Therefore, by utilizing the services and technologies that are made popular by certain trends, you can offer your customers the bleeding edge in terms of order fulfillment - something that they’re sure to appreciate. The positive customer feedback and reviews will make them more likely to make repeat purchases and will spark interest from potential customers that may have been on the fence. Reduces Shipping Expenditures As is laid out above, trends become trends by introducing new and improved ways of doing certain tasks. While the end result of staying on top of eCommerce shipping trends would ultimately be the same - delivering products to customers - the time and money spent would drastically reduce. This is due to the fact that advances in technology and services are often more expensive when it is newly introduced but fall dramatically when it starts to become mainstream. Thus, if you are able to identify trends beforehand, you can make use of it once it starts to become more broadly adopted. Increases Competition While this may not necessarily be a direct benefit for your business, it does pave the way for the hastening of trends becoming more widespread, contributing to the lowering of costs and scrambling by other companies to find a worthy alternative. Just like how customers benefit from increased competition by getting access to the best products and services at the cheapest prices, your business will benefit from other companies researching and introducing new and more efficient ways of conducting shipping operations. However, this does also mean that you need to stay on your toes and offer a service if it becomes pervasive. Streamlines Various Procedures Keeping up with eCommerce shipping trends can assist businesses with streamlining their operations and improving their efficiency, which can help them save time, effort, finances and resources. Since eCommerce shipping involves multiple different processes, enhancing the efficiency of even one of them can have a snowball effect on procedures further down the line, resulting in an overall more well-put-together shipping experience for both your business and customers. Improves Flexibility By following up with shipping trends, businesses can access a wider range of shipping options and be more competent at adapting to changes in the market or the needs of their customers. You will be able to preemptively make decisions based on the nature and scope of various trends, resulting in your business being more prepared to handle challenging situations. Additionally, if a trend introduces a new feature, you can be one of the early adopters and test the waters to see if it is worth the hype. What is the Future of eCommerce Shipping and Where Is It Heading? The future of eCommerce shipping looks bright and full of potential for innovation and growth. With the consistently rapid expansion of the eCommerce user base in terms of both sellers and customers in the past few years, there has been an increasing demand for efficient and reliable shipping options that can meet the needs of consumers. Overall, the future of eCommerce shipping is full of potential for innovation and growth. As technology continues to advance and consumer preferences evolve, we can expect to see a range of exciting developments in the way packages are delivered to customers. Here are a few statistics that showcase the direction eCommerce shipping is heading in: 73% of online shoppers specified that they were placing more online orders than in previous years.18% of the total retail spending in the world is generated by eCommerce.44% of consumers indicated that they were willing to only wait 2 days to have their orders shipped.57% of eCommerce customers have shifted to purchasing online from conventional brick-and-mortar stores.56% of Gen X and 55% of Millennials, the age groups that make up the majority of the world's population, prefer having their orders shipped to them than the other way around. 10 Emerging eCommerce Shipping Trends to Watch Out For in 2023 Increase in International Shipping Source eCommerce, unlike conventional brick-and-mortar stores, is not subject to the restrictions on international distribution imposed by country borders. The industry is expected to grow by $44 billion by 2025. It has become common for customers in one part of the world to order products that are listed, sold and manufactured in a completely different part of the world. Due to the rapid emergence of globalism and all the benefits that come with it, including being able to seamlessly distribute products globally, eCommerce retailers and customers alike are more inclined to take advantage of the tools at their disposal. International shipping enables sellers to locate a region where they can manufacture their goods at the cheapest rates and sell their products in a market that commands the highest prices. Accelerated Expansion in Rural Areas Source With more and more people gaining access to the internet every day and making a concise effort to change their age-old habits and use it for their everyday needs, eCommerce is expanding like never before to distant and isolated rural areas. This trend is especially prominent in countries like India, where it is possible to witness seemingly overnight changes in many regions. While the Indian population sits at around 1.4 billion, the total internet user base was just 300 million people in 2017. Since then, it has more than doubled, with 750 million users in 2020 and is estimated to reach 1.5 billion people, more than the current population of the country, by 2040. This will result in even more people choosing to use eCommerce for their everyday needs and will necessitate that sellers begin to streamline eCommerce shipping. Advent of Hyperlocal Order Fulfillment Source Hyperlocal delivery refers to the eCommerce shipping strategy that is currently used by most food and grocery delivery apps. Having strategically located hyperlocal or “dark” stores scattered across areas of high demand enable sellers to drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to deliver their products to their customers. Same-day and next-day delivery has been replaced by 30-minute and even 10-minute delivery timelines. Trends like this have resulted in eCommerce retailers needing to streamline shipping processes for eCommerce to take advantage of the increased visibility and convenience that customers associate with it. Use of Drones and Other Advanced Technology Source Drones are being tested for use in delivering packages to remote and hard-to-reach areas. Companies like Amazon have already implemented the use of drones for various delivery circumstances. eCommerce shipping trends such as this, although still in early in their lifecycle, have the potential to revolutionize the way packages are delivered and make shipping faster and more efficient. Other new technologies that could shape the future of eCommerce shipping include self-driving delivery vehicles and augmented reality technology to assist with package tracking and delivery. Once these technologies become mainstream, consumers will start to have more interaction with them, resulting in a better overall experience. Accelerated Shipping Speeds Source Providing ultra-fast delivery has been important for quite some time now, a sentiment that is reiterated by the fact that over 61% of customers would voluntarily pay more to get access to faster shipping. In years gone by, customers wouldn’t complain if their order reached them in a week. However, if the same thing were to happen today, they would instantly take to social media and online forums to voice their displeasure. Additionally, some sellers offer even quicker delivery times, such as 30-minute and even 10-minute deliveries to certain locations. The hyper-competitive nature of eCommerce has necessitated that retailers adopt features as soon as they become popular and due to the resounding success of ultra-fast delivery when it was first introduced, the entire industry has jumped onto the bandwagon. Enhanced Focus on Sustainability Source In our increasingly aware world, focusing on sustainability has become one of the most persistent eCommerce shipping trends. Many companies are focusing on eco-friendly packaging and reducing the carbon emissions and overall footprint of their shipping operations. Achieving this does not come easy and companies have had to go through massive changes to various tools and processes in order to generate success in being sustainable. Additionally, there is the added pressure of any mishaps or issues spreading like wildfire on social media so it is important for companies to ensure that they are reducing their contribution to global warming and pollution. Rise of Branded Packaging Source The unboxing experience is one of the most important factors in the entire purchase. After customers have spent their hard-earned money on purchasing a product and have waited patiently for it to arrive, they want to see a well-protected, well-designed package that feels premium and gives a sense of luxury. Therefore, many brands have started providing branded packaging where every element of the box and outer layers can be customized with various designs, materials, logos and more. It also provides much-needed publicity to the company’s brand itself, so if a customer is happy with their experience, they know who to thank. Over 40% of all eCommerce customers also share their unboxing moments on social media, contributing to eCommerce shipping trends like this one. Implementation of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Source Artificial intelligence and machine learning can help eCommerce companies optimize their shipping processes and improve efficiency. For instance, AI can be used to predict shipping demand and route packages in the most efficient way possible, reducing costs and delivery times. It can also perform tasks such as assigning the quickest and most cost-effective shipping carriers, determining the quickest route to a given destination, tracking orders across multiple fulfillment platforms, placing replenishment orders and much more. Another advantage of AI and ML is that because they are software tools, they are constantly being refined and updated with new features and capabilities. Use of Omnichannel Order Fulfillment Source Omnichannel order fulfillment occurs when retailers list and sell their products on multiple selling platforms. Advances in technology and integrations have enabled sellers not to put all their eggs in one basket and branch out to different online marketplaces so that they can get the maximum exposure and generate the most sales. For instance, a retailer may have more sales on Amazon than Flipkart but combined, they will have more sales than if they were selling on each channel individually. As a result, the number of orders that need to be shipped and delivered increases exponentially and sellers need to take the necessary steps to scale up their operations. Choice of Shipping Carriers Source In addition to traditional carriers like FedEx and UPS, some eCommerce companies have increasingly started using alternative carriers, such as USPS, DHL and more. This can help businesses find the most cost-effective and efficient shipping options for their products. It also helps reduce the effects of unwanted shipping delays and unforeseen circumstances by providing multiple alternatives so that orders can still get fulfilled on time. This ensures that customers can still receive their orders, despite challenging situations, increasing their faith and satisfaction in the brand they ordered from, prompting them to consider the same company for future purchases. Conclusion: Stay On Top of eCommerce Shipping Trends in 2023 With WareIQ eCommerce shipping has come a long way in recent years, introducing various convenience and lifestyle features that have contributed to an ever-increasing amount of people using eCommerce for their everyday requirements. It continues to evolve and adapt based on the changing state of technology and consumer expectations. Staying up-to-date with the latest eCommerce shipping trends can help your business improve its operations, reduce costs and better meet the needs of its customers. By keeping an eye on these trends, you can stay relevant and competitive as the eCommerce market continues to be inundated with sellers from every sector and industry. If you need assistance with monitoring eCommerce shipping trends, delivering orders to your customers and having a vast amount of shipping partners at your disposal, WareIQ could be the right choice for you. WareIQ is one of India’s fastest-expanding eCommerce fulfillment companies. We provide a vast range of services that can contribute to the efficient operation of your eCommerce shipping procedures. Some of them are listed below: International and Domestic Shipping Through our WareIQ Global service, retailers can ship their products locally and to more than 220 countries and territories around the world. We also provide storage facilities, last-mile delivery and more, both domestically and internationally. Last-Mile Delivery We help retailers with the last leg of the delivery process by ensuring their products are picked up from the warehouse after they have been transported to the relevant customer’s city and delivered right to their doorstep. Choice of Shipping Aggregator We have partnered with more than 20 of the largest shipping services in the country and automatically assign the fastest and cheapest option for each individual order to enhance customer satisfaction, in addition to providing ultra-fast same-day and next-day delivery. No Minimum Order Requirements Unlike other 3PL fulfillment companies, we do not have any minimum order requirements for packages to be shipped. Additionally, we give users a choice of services they want to opt for and they pay only for the facilities they use, which increases their profit margins and reduces their prices. RTO Shield Our custom RTO Shield employs methods to minimize RTO requests and prevents retailers from incurring RTO expenses through liability protection and insurance. eCommerce Shipping Trends: FAQs Why is it necessary to keep up with eCommerce shipping trends?Keeping up with eCommerce shipping trends can help businesses improve their operations, reduce costs and better meet the needs of their customers. It can also help businesses stay competitive in the rapidly-evolving world of eCommerce. What are the benefits of using fulfillment centers for eCommerce shipping? Fulfillment centers can help businesses reduce shipping times and costs, and they can also handle the packing and labelling of orders. This can help businesses streamline their operations and improve their efficiency and also ensures that orders are accurately selected, packaged and dispatched. Why do eCommerce companies use alternative carriers?Using alternative carriers can help businesses find the most cost-effective and efficient shipping options for their products. It can also provide businesses with greater flexibility and allow them to adapt to variations in the market or the needs of their customers. Additionally, many 3PL companies like WareIQ provide smart courier allocators to automatically determine the best option for every order. What are the challenges of cross-border eCommerce shipping? Cross-border eCommerce shipping can be complex, as it involves navigating different customs regulations and duties in different countries. It can also be more expensive due to the added costs of international shipping and customs clearance. Does WareIQ provide same-day and next-day delivery?Yes, WareIQ not only provides same-day and next-day delivery but provides a network of dark stores that aid in sub-30-minute hyperlocal delivery.

December 17, 2022

10 Simple Ways to Streamline Shipping Processes for eCommerce Sellers in 2024

eCommerce shipping is one of the most crucial parts of the entire industry. It consolidates a variety of tasks, such as picking, packing, dispatch, distribution, and first-mile delivery and last-mile delivery, to ensure that orders are successfully delivered to their respective customers. However, due to the volatile and constantly fluctuating nature of various external components that influence eCommerce shipping, such as fuel prices, distances, weather conditions, road closures, and more, paying more than you expected for each order is not uncommon. This is why you should streamline shipping processes for eCommerce. Even if a situation arises that you haven’t accounted for, its potential to cause delays and disruptions is reduced when all your shipping services are running smoothly. While there are many simple ways to ensure that your shipping processes are running at their maximum potential, you should also keep an eye on emerging trends that could have an effect on the way you are able to ship and deliver products to your customers. We will take a look at all these aspects and more so read along. What is eCommerce Shipping? eCommerce shipping refers to the process of delivering goods that have been purchased online to the relevant customer's doorstep. This typically involves locating the items in the warehouse, packaging them, arranging for a vehicle to transport them to the dispatch point, shipping the consignment to the customer’s destination, having a delivery partner pick it up and transport it to the customer’s end location and tracking the shipment to ensure that it arrives on time. eCommerce shipping can either be directly handled by your company or the first-party fulfillment solution offered by chosen selling platform or outsourced to a third-party logistics provider. Because there are various processes involved with eCommerce shipping, there are different costs associated with it, all of which can skyrocket if they are not managed properly. Hence, investing in the resources needed to streamline eCommerce shipping operations pays dividends. [contactus_lilgoodness] Why is it Important to Streamline eCommerce Shipping? Improves Customer Satisfaction When streamlining shipping processes for eCommerce, helps ensure that orders are delivered promptly and accurately, which can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Happy customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, which results in increased sales and revenue for your business. Many customers will also take to your website and other online forums to voice their positive experience with your business, which can lead to even more prospects deciding to give your business a chance over your competitors. Reduces Distribution-Related Costs Once you streamline shipping processes for eCommerce, it will help improve the efficiency of each operation, ensuring that it is running at its most efficient and cost-effective capacity. It will also reduce the number of errors and missteps that can lead to additional expenses. This can also have a snowball effect on other processes further down the supply chain, ensuring that your business receives a significant amount of savings that can then be redirected to more core business activities. Improves Inventory Management Inefficient inventory management can lead to more expensive holding and operational costs. When you streamline eCommerce shipping, it necessitates that you also invest in WMS software or OMS software that can enhance inventory management and group every product by size, weight, cost, SKU number and more, making it easier to locate each item so that it can be dispatched as soon as possible. It can also help improve the accuracy of demand forecasting, which can help to avoid overstocking and understocking situations. Top 10 Methods to Streamline Shipping Processes for eCommerce in 2024 Set Up Automatic Alerts Source Order tracking for ecommerceis a must-have facility that every customer needs access to, to prevent them from getting agitated regarding the whereabouts of their order. Using order tracking software that can automatically keep you and your customers informed about every stage of the supply cycle that an order passes through is one of the biggest steps to streamline shipping processes for eCommerce. It enables both parties to have peace of mind and can reduce RTOs and cancellations due to a lack of communication. Synchronise Shipping Data Into Your CRM Source CRM stands Customer Relationship Management and as the name implies, is a tool that consists of vital information regarding the various interactions you have with your customers. Integrating your shipping and order information into the CRM itself will let you know instantly if there is a delay or an actionable item with any customer’s order, giving you a headstart on rectifying it, which makes it a necessity if you want to streamline eCommerce shipping. Conduct Periodic Inspections Source The main goal of streamlining something is to identify areas of improvement or bottlenecks that are impeding your intended level of progress. Similarly, in order to successfully streamline eCommerce shipping, you must implement a process of rigorous periodic checkups that can keep an eye out for any inefficiencies that can hamper your ability to deliver orders to your customers on time. Things like scanning SKU numbers to check if the product matches the order can save you tons of hassle in the long run. Deliver Orders From the Closest Warehouse to the Customer Source Despite many advances in delivery technology, nothing can match the speed with which an order can be delivered if the physical distance is as small as possible. Many 3PL companies have software that can determine the best storage location to fulfill an order from, based on the factors like distance to the customer’s location, transit time and more. This technique will help streamline eCommerce shipping by ensuring that the shortest delivery distance is always allocated. Use Automated Courier Allocation Source If you or your 3PL fulfillment company has partnered with multiple shipping carriers, selecting the fastest option for each order is paramount. Many external fulfillment solutions are able to streamline shipping processes for eCommerce by automatically assigning the quickest option by comparing factors, such as the available routes, prices charged by individual shipping companies, delivery phases and more. This will ensure that orders are delivered quickly and efficiently. Automate Replenishment Triggers Source Either invest in a good WMS software or partner with a 3PL company that provides an in-house option. This will enable you to get access to data regarding which SKUs are being sold the most and which ones need to be restocked at particular intervals. Some alternatives can help you automate your replenishment triggers so that when units are running low in relation to the order frequency of a particular item, a reorder for a pre-determined quantity will be placed so you never have to worry about overstocking or understocking situations. Present Realistic Delivery Estimates Source While it would be nice to have same-day delivery guarantees for every item, it just isn’t feasible. There are constant factors that physically prevent certain orders from being delivered in such a short amount of time, such as distance, item size, harsh weather conditions and more. Therefore, if you want to streamline eCommerce shipping and avoid giving customers false hope, make sure you mention realistic delivery estimates once an order is confirmed to avoid criticisms and negative feedback. Store Similar SKUs Separately Source Even the smallest eCommerce seller has multiple items, often in the same categories, that look so similar, they cannot be differentiated without comparing their SKU numbers. To successfully streamline shipping processes for eCommerce, you need to ensure that these items are stored separately. If multiple similar-looking products are stored together and there is a flurry of orders coming in, the wrong item can easily be picked and shipped, leading to multiple delays and awkward encounters. Identify Supply Chain Bottlenecks Source Identifying bottlenecks or things that are slowing down your ability to dispatch orders on time in your supply chain. It could be something minor, like a staff member taking longer than needed to pick, pack and dispatch an order. Conversely, it could also be something major, such as mismatched serial numbers, disparities in inventory counts and more. Scouting for these issues and tackling them before they fester and cause further disruptions is imperative to streamline eCommerce shipping. Make Sure Your Objectives are Achievable Source The biggest mistake that eCommerce businesses often make is being too over-ambitious. It is important to discern where you are with where you want to be. For instance, if you have an objective to be able to sell and fulfill a certain number of orders a month, you need to ensure that your existing fulfillment infrastructure can handle it or you will have to make the necessary investments to improve its capacity. If that doesn’t happen, it can cause multiple issues, from unfulfilled orders and out-of-stock items being listed to massive delays and negative customer sentiments. Conclusion: How Can WareIQ Help Streamline eCommerce Shipping for Your Online Business? As online retail fulfillment continues to grow and evolve, the need for retailers to streamline eCommerce shipping cannot be overstated. In today's fast-paced world, customers expect their orders to be delivered quickly and accurately, and any mistakes or delays in the shipping process can lead to dissatisfaction and even lost sales. Overall, streamlining eCommerce shipping is vital for the prosperity of any online retail business. By offering fast and reliable delivery, you can increase customer satisfaction, reduce shipping costs and cement your place in the market. By investing in the right tools and processes, you can ensure that you streamline shipping processes for eCommerce and that your customers stay happy and loyal. If you need assistance with streamlining your eCommerce shipping operations, WareIQ can be the answer to your needs. WareIQ is an eCommerce fulfillment company that was founded in 2019 and is currently based in Bangalore, Karnataka. We offer a vast array of solutions, encompassing every facet of eCommerce, including shipping and physical distribution. Some of the key ways we can help you streamline eCommerce shipping are listed below: Partnership With Multiple Shipping Carriers We have partnered with more than 12 of the leading shipping companies in the nation to give you the best options for every order Ultra-Fast Delivery We provide ultra-fast same-day and next-day delivery through our WareIQ Rush platform that is guaranteed to delight your customers. Smart Courier Allocator We provide a custom courier allocator that automatically assigns the quickest and most cost-effective option for every order. International Shipping We provide international shipping to more than 220 countries and territories around the world through our WareIQ Global platform, in addition to storage and last-mile delivery internationally. Last-Mile Delivery We provide last-mile delivery facilities both locally and abroad, to ensure orders are delivered on schedule with the help of Last Mile Delivery Management Software. Streamline Shipping Processes for eCommerce: FAQs Why is streamlining eCommerce shipping necessary?Streamlining eCommerce shipping is necessary because it can help ensure that orders are delivered promptly and accurately. Additionally, streamlining eCommerce shipping can help to reduce costs by improving the efficiency of shipping processes and reducing the number of errors and missteps that can lead to additional expenses. What are the challenges associated with streamlining eCommerce shipping?eCommerce shipping consists of many different challenges. Some of them are listed below:- Increasing costs- Unforeseen delays- Incorrect address information- Goods getting damaged in transit- Customers expecting free shipping What are some of the costs associated with eCommerce shipping?Some of the main costs associated with eCommerce shipping are listed below:- Fuel costs- Maintenance costs- Loading costs- Last-mile delivery costs- Employee salaries How can customer satisfaction be increased by streamlining eCommerce shipping?Streamlining eCommerce shipping can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can lead to increased sales and revenue for your business. This is because customers will get access to benefits, such as timely order delivery, well-packaged items, order tracking and more. Does WareIQ provide both international and domestic shipping?Yes, WareIQ provides shipping services both domestically and internationally in addition to inventory storage, last-mile delivery, returns management and more.

December 15, 2022

Top 10 eCommerce Delivery Partners for Online Retailers in India for Fastest Shipping & Delivery in 2024

Order deliveries are part and parcel of the eCommerce experience. Whether it is ordering food through an app or making a purchase online, the main goal of the entire interaction is so that the item that the customer has ordered is delivered efficiently and safely to their doorstep on the promised date and time. If this isn’t done and the order arrives at a later date, there is a high chance that no one is around to collect it or that the customer has canceled the order and re-purchased it from elsewhere, which increases the likelihood of returns occurring. This can have a highly negative impact on a business because the product then has to go through the entire eCommerce logistics pipeline a second time without any revenue being earned from it. Therefore, choosing the right order delivery partners is crucial to maintain the success and reputation of your business. In this blog, we will go through some of the functions you should expect from your e-commerce delivery partners, list down the top 10 options of parcel delivery service for your business, and how WareIQ can help. What are E-Commerce Delivery Partners? e-commerce delivery partners are companies that provide a whole host of logistics, distribution and delivery-related features. Some of them include picking up shipments from the warehouse, transporting them by air, rail, road, or sea to the same destination as their respective customers, and assigning a delivery partner on the ground to complete the last leg of the journey to the customer’s doorstep. Thus, they play an extremely important part in ensuring that customers receive the products that they have paid for on the specific date and time that was mentioned on the listing page when they first purchased it. Some companies offer varying degrees of flexibility and services, so it is important to shortlist your own objectives before deciding which would be the best delivery partner for eCommerce. [contactus_lilgoodness] 5 Important Functions of eCommerce Delivery Companies in 2024 Automating Key Shipping Processes The automation of important shipping procedures can optimize the amount of time and resources that are required to complete a certain task and is often much more efficient than if they were done manually. It can also generate automatic alerts pertaining to your inventory levels, carrier reports, tracking numbers, delivery reports, and much more, which helps you in analysing your success rates and finding out if any changes need to be made to certain processes. Additionally, automation also helps in conveniently importing and uploading files across online marketplaces, confirming or canceling orders, providing real-time updates when a new event occurs, hastening your delivery process, and much more. Integrating With Multiple Online Marketplaces In today’s eCommerce industry, sellers do not need to relegate themselves to a single online selling platform. With the appropriate 3PL company or WMS, they can integrate with a variety of online marketplaces, such as Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Nykaa, Snapdeal, and more. Therefore, E-commerce delivery partners also need to fulfill orders across whatever platforms you sell products on, so they often provide direct integrations to these marketplaces so that important data across all of them can be accessed in one place, which makes things more efficient for them, as well as yourself. Managing Returns Returns are an often inevitable prospect in the world of eCommerce, with sellers having to provide ultra-flexible return policies to persuade consumers to purchase from them as opposed to their competitors. Therefore, this burden falls on your 3PL partner, which in turn uses E-commerce delivery companies to handle the reverse logistics procedure. This includes picking up the product from the customer’s location, inspecting it for damage, and ensuring it returns safely to the fulfillment center it needs to be stored. Having efficient returns management can help reduce the costs and hassle that are generally associated with returns. Filing of Non-Delivery Reports As mentioned above, returns, for whatever reason, are a real and frustrating part of eCommerce. However, it is often beneficial to understand what the cause of returns is and whether you can identify a common theme regarding the product, courier service partner, packaging, last-mile delivery partner, or the customer themselves. This can be achieved through the filing of accurate and consistent non-delivery reports whenever they occur. This will provide all the details regarding the order and why it wasn’t delivered or accepted by the customer. This will help you shortlist what is causing it and can help you make a change to reduce these outcomes in the future. Delivering Orders to the Customer Many e-commerce delivery partners provide last-mile delivery services, which are the on-ground stage of the fulfillment process, and are responsible for making sure that the order reaches the customer’s doorstep. This involves a delivery executive picking up the order from the warehouse it was transported to and finding their way to the customer’s location without any shipping delays, to make sure that they reach by the estimated timeline given to the customer. 10 Best Delivery Partners for eCommerce Businesses in India for Fastest Delivery in 2022 WareIQ Source Founded in Bangalore in 2019, WareIQ is one of India's most rapidly expanding eCommerce fulfillment companies. It uses technology as a base to support a range of eCommerce facilities, including order fulfillment, inventory management, reverse logistics, ultra-fast order delivery, customer support and much more. By erecting a large infrastructure of fulfillment centers and transportation hubs, the company is capable of providing incredibly quick delivery to any Indian pin code. The company offers a number of standout features, such as an app store with a wide selection of downloadable apps to enhance your productivity, a unique WMS that can interact with several online selling platforms, an RTO shield to protect sellers from having to pay for returns and much more. Some features of WareIQ that make it one of the best e-commerce delivery partners in India are listed below: It is in fact a shipping or courier services aggregator with partnerships with all the national & hyperlocal last-mile delivery partners in India.WareIQ's clients have the option to save time & cost for last-mile delivery by selecting any of their preferred delivery companies like Blue Dart, Delhivery, Xpressbees, Shadowfax, etc. as per delivery locationsIt provides bespoke packaging where every element can be custom-tailored.It provides highly customizable branded tracking facilities.It offers reasonable, transparent, and flexible pricing models.It offers a national network of fulfillment centers and dark stores that aid in hyper-fast delivery.It does not enforce any minimum order thresholds for any of its services. BlueDart Source One of the oldest continuously functioning e-commerce delivery company & shipping firms in the nation, BlueDart is a logistics and courier company that was founded in 1983. Mumbai, Maharashtra serves as its present headquarters. The business serves upwards of 35,000 pin codes within India and conducts business in more than 220 other nations, making it one of the biggest and most seasoned Indian e-commerce delivery partners. They provide a range of common eCommerce services in addition to some special features like letting consumers choose the delivery day and time they want by assigning scheduled time slots. Additionally, it offers an API that enables the provision of specialised facilities like automated proof-of-delivery alerts, weather-resistant packaging and more. Some features of BlueDart that make it one of the best E-commerce delivery services in India are listed below: It offers most common payment options.It has a great deal of industry knowledge with more than 40 years of experience.It offers both domestic and foreign services.It offers specialised features, such as impermeable packaging.It allows for scheduled delivery on specified dates and times. Delhivery Source Delhivery, is a logistics and shipping-focused company. It was established in 2011 and is currently headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana. It provides a range of services to help bolster the supply chain, including order fulfillment, marketplace integrations and warehousing facilities. The company's main goal is to provide a robust infrastructure that enhances eCommerce operations on a daily basis. To achieve this, it uses technology to service 18,000-plus pin codes, offer 24/7 customer support, provide a vast network of fulfillment facilities and more. This has elevated it to become one of the most well-respected E-commerce delivery partners in the nation. Some features of Delhivery that make it one of the best e-commerce delivery partners are listed below: It provides all customers with year-round, round-the-clock customer care facilities.It provides shipping aggregation services for both B2B and B2C sectors, both domestically and internationally.It offers a vast network of various types of fufillment centers and warehouses.It provides 2 to 4-day deliveries for long-distance orders.It offers returns management to decrease the harm and delays caused by returns. FedEx Source FedEx is an international eCommerce powerhouse that provides supply chain facilities, distribution partner and eCommerce fulfillment to various sectors, including retail, healthcare, electronics, and more. The company was founded 50-plus years ago in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the United States, though it has shifted its corporate offices to Memphis, Tennessee. More than 220 countries are served by the company, which offers eCommerce retailers options like the ability to integrate their vital information and inventory files from several selling platforms in one location. The company will be able to satisfy any request with ease, given its significant eCommerce fulfillment experience. Some features of FedEx that make it one of the best e-commerce delivery courier services are listed below: It provides a global network of services.It offers a number of connections with different eCommerce selling platforms.It offers a sizable distribution network.It maintains a slick, easy-to-use and intuitive UI.It offers swift package delivery and reverse logistics services. DHL Source The shipping and courier service provider DHL, abbreviated as Dalsey, Hillblom, and Lynn, was established in 1969 in San Francisco, California and now has its corporate headquarters in Germany. The company is recognized all over the globe for its courier services and warehousing facilities, and currently operates in 220-plus countries. Its distribution business provides doorstep delivery by air, land, and water, as well as freight forwarding services. By simply managing customs clearance and other complications that may arise during foreign distribution and providing insurance on all parcels, DHL provides a considerable advantage to its partners. Some features of DHL that make it one of the best e-commerce delivery partners are listed below: It enables efficient distribution management through automation.It provides next-day deliveries in 80-plus cities across India.It provides inventory integration and channel-wide optimization. It offers a variety of B2C and B2B eCommerce operations.It offers a centralised technology platform for carrying out eCommerce tasks, including order fulfillment and inventory management. Xpressbees Source Xpressbees is a company that provides logistics and shipping services. It was established in 2015 and is currently based in Pune, Maharashtra. It specialises in dropshipping, channel management, reverse logistics, payment collection, cross-border shipping, fulfillment services facilities and software solutions. It provides cross-border, logistics, B2B Xpress, and B2C Xpress services with a competitive edge in precision, convenience and adaptability. 2000-plus cities and towns are served by its extensive national distribution network. It is the preferred logistics partner for the biggest names in the eCommerce, food, healthcare, heavy equipment, automotive and finance sectors. Some features of Xpressbees that make it one of the best eCommerce delivery courier services are listed below: It provides a vast array of various types of eCommerce fulfillment services.It services more than 2000 cities in the nation.It has a team of more than 500 customer support personnel.It consists of a network of around 3000 offices and service centres across the country.It has a fulfillment network made up of more than 100 fulfillment center locations. Shadowfax Source Shadowfax is a 2015-founded and Bangalore-based homegrown logistics and E-commerce delivery company. The company offers a wide range of delivery options, such as marketplace and warehouse pickups, first and last-leg delivery, hyperlocal delivery, and ultra-fast delivery. In addition to providing beneficial services like on-demand pickup both domestically and abroad, and in-transit storage, the company is widely renowned for its speedy delivery services. Some features of Shadowfax that make it one of the best E-commerce delivery partners are listed below: It makes first-mile and last-mile deliveries easier.It provides the majority of widely used payment methods.It provides services, including in-transit inventory storage and demand-based pickup.It offers a variety of delivery options.It has made more than 7000 pin codes in the nation serviceable. DTDC Source One of the most experienced and well-regarded courier and eCommerce fulfillment businesses in the country is DTDC. It has been offering courier services since 1990, covering a nationwide serviceable area of more than 10,000 pin codes. With the aid of a state-of-the-art management information system (MIS), the business can control large shipments and guarantee seamless pick-up and delivery through the provision of a fulfillment status. Some of their value-added services include cash-on-delivery and a customised shipping process for imported and speciality commodities. Some features of DTDC that make it one of the best parcel delivery service partners are listed below: It services more than 17,000 pin codes across the country.It is able to receive most commonly used payment options.It offers expedited shipment.It enables the specialised fulfillment and distribution of expensive, large, and dangerous objects.It provides order-tracking facilities in real-time that are enabled by a custom API. Ecom Express Source eCommerce fulfillment services are provided by Ecom Express, a courier and logistics company. It was started in 2012 and is based in Gurgaon, Haryana. One of the key selling points of the company is its ability to deliver expensive items, like jewellery and gadgets while ensuring additional precautionary measures. The company is operational on a daily basis, including public holidays and weekends, and promises sub-72-hour delivery from the time the order is confirmed. They also have a 72-hour return policy. Some features of Ecom Express that make it one of the best eCommerce delivery partners are listed below: It covers more than 27,000 pin codes across India.It provides strengthened security features for every order.It offers a 72-hour delivery guarantee from the initial confirmation of the order.It is open 24/7, including on weekends and holidays.It offers returns management and takes care of reverse logistics Ekart Source Originally founded in 2009 as a Flipkart affiliate, Ekart has now changed ownership and broadened its service portfolio to offer fulfillment to a number of other online selling platforms. The organisation, which is based in Bangalore, Karnataka, is well-known for both its blazingly speedy delivery and its reasonably low prices. They currently offer same-day delivery in 13 cities and next-day delivery in 50 locations. Additionally, the company offers a tracking API that assists with order alerts in real-time, label printing and more. Some features of Ekart that make it one of the best E-commerce delivery courier service partners are listed below: It offers reverse logistics facilities.It offers some of the cheapest prices in the industry.It uses a custom API that enables features, such as insights into order data and inventory levels.It is compatible with the majority of popular payment methods.It services about 4,000 pin codes across India. Conclusion: Why is WareIQ the Best Delivery Partner for eCommerce Sellers in 2024? As we have discovered through the course of this blog, many eCommerce delivery partners provide a wide range of services, some more than others. There are also disparities related to the quality and extent of their facilities. Therefore, the impetus is on you to ascertain the exact features you need and the available budget you have. It is also advisable to partner with multiple E-commerce delivery companies so that if an unforeseen occurrence plagues one of them, you can always have a backup that's ready to go. However, this may cost an undue amount of money which can make things hard if you are on a tight budget. Therefore, we suggest that you partner with a 3PL company like WareIQ to take care of your delivery requirements. WareIQ is an eCommerce fulfillment company that has emerged as one of the best options in the country. We provide a vast consortium of eCommerce services, including shipping aggregation with all national and hyperlocal delivery companies. With our shipping aggregation facilities, you will have access to the following features: A choice of more than 12 of the largest eCommerce shipping companies.A smart courier allocator that always assigns the fastest and most cost-effective option for every order.Integrations with multiple selling platforms so that you can get real-time updates about your order and inventory data across all of them.Last-mile delivery services ensure your customers receive their orders on time.Complete returns management that takes care of the entire reverse logistics princess and also an RTO Shield that reduces the harsh impacts of returns on your business. eCommerce Delivery Partners: FAQs What are the benefits of using eCommerce delivery partners?There are many benefits of using eCommerce delivery courier service partners. Some of them are listed below:- They speed up delivery- They introduce automated shipping processes- They reduce costs- They negate the need for manual labour- They increase the efficiency of order delivery How to become a delivery partner?To join as a Delivery Partner with WareIQ, you should possess a valid Aadhaar card, preferably own a vehicle, and have a smartphone. Does WareIQ offer other eCommerce services?Yes, WareIQ provides many additional eCommerce services. Some of them are listed below:- eCommerce fulfillment- A pan-India fulfillment center network- Customisable packaging- An in-house WMS- Branded order tracking What are e-commerce delivery services?E-commerce delivery services refer to the transportation of goods purchased online from a seller to a buyer. These services involve a wide range of activities including order processing, packaging, shipping, and delivery. Some common e-commerce delivery services include standard shipping, express shipping, same-day delivery, and pick-up options at designated locations. E-commerce companies may use a combination of their own delivery fleets and third-party logistics providers to fulfill orders. Effective e-commerce delivery services are essential for creating a positive customer experience, building brand loyalty, and growing a successful online business. Which is the no.1. E-commerce Delivery Company?It will depend on the type of services you require and other factors but to name the top 3;1. FedEx2. DHL3. WareIQ Which delivery company provides the best e-commerce delivery service in India in 2024?WareIQ provides the best delivery courier service for eCommerce companies in India. It acts as an aggregator of 30+ national and hyperlocal delivery companies in India. eCommerce clients can choose their preferred delivery courier company and optimize for speed & cost.

November 12, 2022

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