1) Overview of Multi-Carrier Parcel Management for Ecommerce
In the face of skyrocketing customer demand and fierce competition among online retailers, ecommerce companies are left with no choice but to choose a multi-carrier shipping solution provider to manage logistics. Ecommerce has blurred national boundaries necessitating the use of multiple carriers to fulfill deliveries within the country and without. A single carrier cannot be expected to cover as many regions/areas as multiple carrier software can. Not to mention that by using multi-carrier delivery management software an online store is always ready to mitigate risk with backup options in case something goes wrong during shipping.
2) What is a Multi-Carrier Parcel Management Software?
A multi-carrier parcel delivery software is essentially a logistics and supply chain management company that uses multiple courier partners to deliver orders to customers. It provides shipping solutions to ecommerce stores so that they can fulfill orders at home and abroad in a timely manner. A multi-carrier logistics firm brings markets from all over the world within the reach of an online store.
3) Top 10 Multi-Carrier Parcel Management Software for Ecommerce Business [2021 Updated List]
Having multiple carriers at your disposal can help ecommerce companies ship orders faster, penetrate remote areas and quickly choose a fallback option in case of emergencies. All of these factors make multi-carrier software companies an ideal choice for online store owners. Below, we have listed the best multi-carrier parcel management software to make your search a little easier.
3.1) ClickPost
ClickPost is a leading SaaS platform offering end-to-end logistics solutions to e-commerce companies worldwide. ClickPost is pre-integrated with 150+ couriers to deliver orders and can integrate with a carrier for an online store in a single day. Their multi-carrier shipping feature leverages the strengths of all carriers to bring the best delivery experience to your customers. With so many carriers at your disposal, you can go shopping to find the best shipping rate for your service. This intelligent A.I.-powered software auto-allocates carriers to ensure the fastest delivery based on customer location, order type, shipment volume, etc. ClickPost can help online stores with managing delivery exceptions with a solid NDR Management system (Non-Delivery Report).
3.2) Shippo
Shippo is a multi-carrier shipping aggregator serving ecommerce ventures since 2013. It is headquartered in San Francisco and integrates with different carrier partners to deliver various kinds of services both domestically and internationally. Shippo allows stores to compare rates between carriers, print shipping labels, schedule pickups, manage returns, etc. In all, it allows businesses to fully customize the post-purchase shipping experience of their customers.
3.3) XPS Ship
XPS is a shipping software that provides multi-carrier delivery benefits to online stores. It provides integrations with the best marketplaces and shopping carts worldwide like Amazon, Walmart, WooCommerce, etc. It ties up with UPS, USPS, FedEx and other carriers to deliver multi-channel shipments. It does not charge any fees from online stores. This is one of the biggest advantages of using XPS and frankly, what sets it apart from its competitors.
3.4) ShipStation
ShipStation is a shipping platform that offers shipping solutions to businesses all across the globe. They have 55 active carrier integrations which can be used to deliver orders to North America, Europe and Australia. This Austin-based shipping company makes shipping easy and cost-efficient with order management, order fulfillment and inventory management services.
3.5) StarShip
Starship is a parcel management and delivery software that offers multi-carrier delivery options with the help of 22 carriers that deliver products in a time-sensitive manner. It offers fast ecommerce and ERP integrations with Magento, BigCommerce, Acumatica, Acctivate, Fishbowl, etc.
3.6) MetaPack
MetaPack is a shipping and delivery management software with international offices in France, Germany, UK, US, Brazil and Netherlands. It connects online stores with 470+ couriers worldwide to optimise order delivery. MetaPack provides Next-day and Same-Day deliveries. It can also automate carrier selection for orders based on their destination, shipping class, order type, etc.
3.7) ShippingEasy
Shipping Easy is a shipping and customer marketing solutions provider software. It brings multi-carrier shipping options to ecommerce businesses with UPS, USPS, FedEx and other international carriers. The parcel management software can be used to automate shipping, tracking and product returns. Shipping Easy can also print labels and offers the lowest discounts on orders of all sizes.
3.8) Centiro
Centiro is a cloud-based global shipping and supply chain management software company with headquarters in Sweden. It was established in 1998 with offices in Sweden, India, the US, and the UK. It currently delivers multi-carrier deliveries in 120+ countries with the help of 100+ carriers. Depending on the current scale of your online business, Centiro can help design personalized shipping plans that deliver on their promise of fast deliveries while also saving you money.
3.9) ShipWorks
Shipworks is a multi-carrier shipping software based out of St. Louis, Missouri. It came into being in 2000 and distributes orders at home and abroad with the help of 6 major carriers - FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, OnTrac and Global Post. It provides swift integrations with online marketplaces and carts like - Shopify, PrestaShop, Amazon, Etsy, etc. apart from shipping solutions, ShipWorks also offers fulfillment services like warehouse management and order management services.
3.10) OrderHive
OrderHive provides ecommerce automation for online stores with the help of 50+ carrier partners across the globe. OrderHive works through a mobile app as well for easy order management. It also offers warehousing solutions, Amazon inbound shipments, advanced logistics and reverse logistics management. OrderHive also allows online stores to display tracking information from carriers to their customers. With OrderHive’s shipping software you can compare rates across all supported carriers and choose the best rate.
4) How to Choose the Best Multi-Carrier Parcel Management Software Solution for Your Online eCommerce Store
Looking at the abovementioned carrier services has given you an idea of what your business needs. In general, any multi-carrier order delivery software that provides excellent overall assistance to businesses is a good option. Still, there are a few requisites of good multi-carrier shipping software that an online store should find out.
4.1) Extensive Serviceability
Greater reach and serviceability is one of the biggest perks and features of tying up with multi-carrier parcel delivery software. Therefore, the greater the number of carriers supported by a logistics provider the better. Check the number of carriers supported by a shipping company and see if the regions serviced by those carriers work for your business. Also, talk to your courier provider to find out the process of integrating any new carriers for your business.
4.2) Reduced Shipping Costs
A logistics partner can significantly lower the operational costs for an ecommerce company. Along with bulk-shipping options that usually come at huge discounts, they also offer loyalty programs and other opportunities for cost reduction. These software companies have economies of scale that help them make deliveries across borders at very cheap prices. An in-house shipping team of an online store can never manage to ship as effectively or offer the same advantages as these carrier companies.
4.3) Rate Shopping Options
A multi-carrier parcel management system offers incredible rate shopping options. With so many carriers to do your bidding, an online store can compare shipping rates between several carriers (often above 100 or so) and choose the one that best fits their budget and guarantees a cost-efficient solution.
4.4) Better Customer Care Support
A multi-carrier parcel management software company like any other shipping company has a robust customer service team to answer client and customer questions. This is one of the most important factors influencing customer satisfaction and business success. What customers hate the most after failed or delayed deliveries is the inability to contact the seller or carrier when their order is delayed or they have any questions. By having a dedicated customer support team ecommerce companies will always manage to keep their customers happy.
4.5) Order and Inventory Management
Ecommerce businesses often find themselves lacking insufficient storage or warehouse space. A multi-carrier order management software can come in handy in such situations by providing warehouse management for online stores overwhelmed with order volumes. Such software can also help online shops restock inventory and manage product returns. Such fulfillment services can ease the burden of shipment management on online storefronts.
5) Final Thoughts
Many ecommerce stores feel content with using only one carrier for all delivery operations. However, if you are planning to radically speed up operations and hit newer geographical markets, you will do well to consider multi-carrier shipping software. Not only do they provide access to a wider ecommerce market but also provide a fail-safe option in case of an unforeseen situation. A multi-carrier parcel management system will also significantly reduce your cost of shipping because of its rate-shopping functionality that allows you to choose the best service at the cheapest rates. We believe our selection above will convince and help you to figure out a multi-channel system that works for you.
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