As an e-commerce business, online shipping is the best way to deliver goods to your customers. Shipping software will assist you in getting organized, streamlining your shipping workflows, saving money on shipping, and keeping your customers satisfied with on-time deliveries, tracking, and more.
Although with the many e-commerce shipping options out there, you need to know enough to choose one that meets your needs. In this article, we will look at the e-commerce shipping process and the best shipping platform for e-commerce to help you find the right one for your online store.
What Is Online Shipping?
Simply, it is transporting goods from sellers to buyers through online platforms or e-commerce websites. It involves coordinating various services and processes to ensure the timely delivery of packages to customers. The services included in e-commerce shipping can vary depending on the platform or logistics provider, but some common services are:
- Order Fulfillment
- Packaging and Labeling
- Shipping Carrier Selection
- Tracking and Delivery Confirmation
- Insurance and Liability Coverage
- Customs Clearance
- Returns and Reverse Logistics
- Customer Support
- Warehousing and Inventory Management
- Value-added Services
Understanding the Shipping Process
The e-commerce shipping process involves several stages that ensure the efficient and timely delivery of goods from the seller to your online business store. The details may vary depending on the logistics provider and shipping method. Below is a general overview of the e-commerce shipping process:
- Order Placement
- Order Processing
- Carrier Selection
- Package Handover
- Transportation
- Sorting and Processing
- Transit and Tracking
- Customs Clearance (for International Shipments)
- Last-Mile Delivery
- Delivery Confirmation
How to Choose the Best E-commerce Shipping Platforms
Here are some factors to consider when evaluating and selecting an e-commerce shipping software:
Integration with E-commerce Platforms
Ensure that the e-commerce shipping platform integrates seamlessly with your chosen e-commerce platform, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento.
Carrier Options and Shipping Services
Check if the e-commerce shipping platform offers a wide range of carrier options, including major carriers like UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. Multiple carrier options allow you to compare shipping rates and choose the most cost-effective and reliable service for your shipments. Also, you should consider the availability of various shipping services such as standard, expedited, international, and same-day delivery.
Shipping Rates and Discounts
Look for an e-commerce shipping solution that provides competitive shipping rates and discounts or negotiated rates with carriers. Some platforms have carrier partnerships or volume discounts, enabling your e-commerce business to save on shipping costs.
Automation and Workflow Efficiency
Evaluate the automation features offered by the shipping platform. Look for capabilities such as:
- Bulk order processing,
- Automatic order fulfilment,
- Batch printing of shipping labels, and
- Address validation.
These automation features help streamline your shipping workflow, saving time and reducing manual errors.
Order Tracking and Customer Communication
Check if the platform provides order-tracking capabilities and customer communication tools. I’m sure you want to be able to track your packages in real-time and receive status updates. Look for features like:
- Branded tracking pages,
- Automated shipment notifications, and
- Delivery notifications to enhance the customer experience.
Customer Support and Training
Consider the level of customer support and training the e-commerce shipping platform provides. A reliable platform should offer responsive customer support to assist with technical issues or inquiries. The best shipping solutions should offer training resources, documentation, and tutorials.
Cost and Pricing Structure
Lastly, consider the shipping costs and pricing structure of the shipping platform. Compare pricing plans, transaction fees, and any additional costs associated with using the platform. Balance the features and benefits the platform offers with its cost to ensure it aligns with your budget and provides value for your e-commerce business.
Top E-commerce Shipping Software Options
The best shipping software for your e-commerce business will optimize daily operations, simplify rate calculations, and facilitate printing packing slips and shipping labels. Other top shipping solutions may even provide discounted rates through carrier partnerships. Here is the best shipping software we recommend.
- ShipStation
ShipStation is a widely used e-commerce shipping software that integrates with popular e-commerce sales channels such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon. It offers shipping services like:
- Multi-carrier support,
- Automation features,
- Batch processing,
- Order tracking, and
- Customizable branded shipping labels.
ShipStation also provides discounted shipping rates and real-time shipping rate calculations. Integrate your online store with ShipStation today and enjoy their shipping services.
Pricing: ShipStation offers six payment plans:
- Starter: $9.99 per month for 50 shipments
- Bronze: $29.99 per month for 500 shipments
- Silver: $59.99 per month for 1,000 shipments
- Gold: $99.99 per month for 2,000 shipments
- Platinum: $149.99 per month for 5,000 shipments
- Enterprise: $229.99 per month for 7,500 shipments
- Shippo
Shippo is a comprehensive e-commerce shipping software that integrates with major e-commerce sales channels like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. Shippo shipping service includes:
- Multiple carriers,
- Real-time shipping rates,
- Shipping labels,
- Order tracking, and
- Returns management.
Shippo offers discounted shipping rates and features like address validation and batch label printing.
Pricing: Shippo has three pricing plans.
- Starter: FREE
- Professional: $10 per month
- Premier: Pricing according to customer’s needs
- Easyship
Easyship is a global e-commerce shipping software that integrates with various e-commerce sales channels, including Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. It offers access to:
- Over 250+ shipping solutions,
- Real-time rates comparison,
- Automated customs documentation, and
- Tracking capabilities.
Easyship also provides pre-negotiated shipping rates and tools for managing international shipping and fulfillment.
Pricing: Easyship offers a free plan for up to 50 shipments per month and three paid plans:
- Plus: $29 per month for 500 shipments
- Premier: $69 per month for 2,500 shipments
- Scale: $99 per month for 5,000 shipments
- ShipBob
ShipBob is a fulfilment and shipping software designed specifically for e-commerce businesses. It integrates with popular e-commerce sales channels like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Squarespace. ShipBob provides:
- Inventory management,
- Order fulfilment,
- Real-time order tracking, and
- Multiple shipping carrier options.
It also offers warehousing services and fulfilment centres in different locations for efficient order processing.
Pricing: ShipBob offers customized pricing according to your e-commerce business needs.
- Ordoro
Ordoro is also one of the best shipping and inventory management platforms that integrate with various e-commerce sales channels such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. It offers:
- Centralized inventory management,
- Order routing,
- Shipping labels,
- Order tracking, and
- Dropshipping capabilities.
Ordoro also provides shipping analytics and insights to optimize shipping processes.
Pricing: Ordoro offers three payment plans:
- Express: $5 per/month
- Pro: $49 per month
- Enterprise: $999 per month
- ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy is a cloud-based shipping software that integrates with popular e-commerce sales channels like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce. It offers
- Multi-carrier support,
- Shipping labels
- Order tracking,
- Customer communication tools, and
- Inventory management features.
ShippingEasy also provides discounted shipping rates and automation features for efficient order processing.
Pricing: ShippingEasy offers two payment plans:
- Starter: free
- Growth: $19.99 per month
- Stamps.com
Stamps.com is another best shipping software that allows e-commerce businesses to print postage directly from their computer. It integrates with major e-commerce sales channels and provides access to discounted USPS shipping rates. Stamps.com offers features such as
- Label printing,
- Order tracking,
- Batch processing, and
- International shipping support.
Pricing: Stamps.com offers three different pricing tiers for its shipping plans:
- Pro: $17.99 per month
- Pro Plus: $34.99 per month
- High-Volume Warehouse Shipper: Contact for pricing
Conclusion
Selecting the right ecommerce shipping software for your e-commerce business is essential for efficient order fulfilment and customer satisfaction. The recommended best shipping options—ShipStation, Shippo, Easyship, and ShipBob—offer a range of features and benefits to streamline your shipping processes.
By selecting the most suitable shipping software, you can streamline your online store operations, calculate accurate shipping costs, and simplify printing packing slips and shipping labels, ultimately enhancing your e-commerce shipping process.
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