Choosing the right shipping provider for your Ecommerce business can make all the difference in customer satisfaction, not to mention your bottom line.
Ultimately, the provider you choose is a custodian of your customer experience, and customers will associate any difficulties or hitches along the way with your brand, whether or not you’re to blame.
In this guide, we’ll talk through some of the main considerations to make before settling on a shipping provider, so you can make an informed decision.
What is an ecommerce shipping provider?
Simply put, an ecommerce shipping provider is a third-party company that handles the delivery of online orders from sellers to customers. They usually offer services like order processing, shipping, packing, labelling, dispatch, tracking, delivery, and sometimes warehousing or returns management.
For an in-depth look into the whole process from the moment your customer clicks ‘confirm order’, check out our Guide to Ecommerce Fulfilment.
Why do businesses use a third party for these services?
Businesses will typically use a third party operator for these services in order to save time and resources, access better (bulk) rates, expand reach and international coverage, improve tracking and reliability, and scale more easily.
It's a lot easier and more efficient to lean on the existing expertise and infrastructure of a dedicated shipping partner than it is to try and handle shipping in-house.
What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing a Shipping Provider?
As with any operator you partner with, you probably want to do your homework on them before handing over the keys to the castle. You’ve worked hard to build your brand’s reputation, and a single bad shipping experience could ruin a customer’s perception of your product or service.
If you’ve got connections in your field, reach out to them to learn about their experiences with the big names under consideration; the chances are they’ll have some useful insights about what they’re like to work with.
Here are some of the main factors you’ll want to think about when shopping around for a shipping provider:
Reliability - do they have a strong track record in your industry for dependable service and excellent customer support? What are their reviews like?
Cost - are their prices competitive, flexible and transparent? Do their prices fluctuate? Because either you or your customers will have to foot the bill if they do.
Speed - Customer expectations are higher than ever when it comes to speed and convenience. You’re likely up against the big players in the ecommerce world who can often offer free, next day delivery. Even if your shipping provider can’t quite offer that, you want to be able to look competitive enough to give the customer options.
Customer Service - We can’t overstate the importance of rock solid customer service. Things will naturally go wrong once in a while, but can you be sure both you and your customer will be looked after when they do? This will likely come down to word-of-mouth, so make sure you ask around before picking a provider.
Flexibility - Can your customers easily change delivery slots? Is the tracking process simple and mobile-friendly? Can they set a safe place or a local collection point if they’re not often at home? Can returns be easily arranged without needing to print a label or drive to a drop-off location miles away?
All of these things can present major bumps in the road for your customers that influence whether they shop with you again in future.
Scalability - As your business grows, the demand and scope of your shipping challenges will too. When your needs change, make sure your provider can accommodate your needs.
Customer Expectations - What does your customer base expect from you? What does the competitive landscape look like in terms of the delivery options your competition is offering?
Sustainability - Most businesses will now have green targets. Can your delivery partner help you contribute towards these goals with eco-friendly packaging and carbon-neutral shipping? Certain procurement contracts (as well as customers) will look at this when considering doing business with you.
It really comes down to the nuanced specifics of your company and your business goals - you’ll want to be sure that your chosen provider understands your business needs and is established and experienced enough to handle whatever you might throw at it.
How Can SEKO Help?
At SEKO Logistics, we support hundreds of high-volume sellers just like you by offering scalable global fulfillment solutions through a network of over 60 countries, enabling faster deliveries, reduced shipping costs, and a streamlined customer experience.
Reach out to our friendly, knowledgeable team today! We’re on hand to answer any questions you might have about supercharging your retail or ecommerce delivery offer.
Just complete the form below and we’ll be in touch!
