If you’re looking into ecommerce shipping software, you understand the rewards of self-fulfillment. Chances are, you’re tired of having no control over delivery times or customer experience. You want to do better than competitors who outsource shipping to 3PLs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You’ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we’re taking a close look at shipping software for ecommerce. Read on to explore the full potential of self-fulfillment and choose your fighter in the battle for customers’ loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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1. To outsource or not to outsource?<\/a><\/p>\n\t 2. Benefits of using ecommerce shipping software for self-fulfillment<\/a><\/p>\n\t 3. Shipping software solutions for ecommerce<\/a><\/p>\n\t 4. How to choose the best shipping software for ecommerce?<\/a><\/p>\n\t 5. Top-3 shipping software vendors for ecommerce<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n That is the question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every ecommerce store owner has to consider the shipping dilemma. Do you outsource last-mile delivery to a third-party carrier or do it yourself?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both options come with pros and cons. Let’s consider outsourcing to a 3PL – the go-to choice of many ecommerce store owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-delivery, on the other hand, is risky and entails extra costs. But it also comes with having full control of the delivery experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of using ecommerce shipping software for self-delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What does it mean exactly, to “have full control of the delivery experience”? We start at the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ecommerce buyers want free and fast shipping<\/a>. While free shipping impacts sales, fast shipping impacts customer retention and loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re not able to deliver on time, you lose trust points. And on time delivery (OTD) is hard to guarantee when you outsource shipping to a 3PL or opt for dropshipping<\/a> in favor of cutting costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you opt for self-fulfillment with ecommerce shipping software, you can optimize delivery speed. Having your own trucks and drivers means you can guarantee fast shipping and on time delivery, every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Where is my order and when will it arrive?” has to be the most time-consuming and yet easily avoidable question an ecommerce store owner can get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When delivery times are unclear and order status updates are lacking or scarce, customers get anxious. When customers get anxious, they start making calls and\/or writing emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reality of outsourced shipping is that customers will still contact your store to ask about the status of their orders. And all you have as a store owner is the same tracking number the carrier shared with the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In self-fulfillment, you know exactly where your drivers are. With shipping notifications and live tracking, you can completely eliminate inquiries about order status, more on that later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As long as ecommerce shipping involves human involvement, delivery mistakes will happen. Wrong address, wrong item, no one home – the list of reasons continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be hard to keep a 3PL accountable, especially when there’s a lack of transparency in the delivery process. When you handle shipping yourself, there’s a greater sense of ownership on all accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By keeping a clear record of the fulfillment process and storing your delivery documentation in one place, you can improve accountability and avoid many misunderstandings and disputes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Outsource and forget” might seem like a lucrative approach. In reality, you rarely get to remove yourself from the shipping process as customers still see you as the main point of contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having full control of the delivery process, and assuming the responsibility for it, brings you closer to the peace of mind you were seeking in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The benefits we discussed above all result in a sense of control. When you can efficiently plan the shipping process and deliver on time, you get happy customers and a good night’s sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we’ve reviewed the benefits of using shipping software for ecommerce, let’s look at the specific solutions that make these benefits possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you improve delivery times? You get better at multi-stop route planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting better at route planning is about knowing exactly when your drivers will arrive at each location. Considering travel and service times, you can plan perfectly optimized routes and meet your estimated time of arrival<\/a> (ETA) and departure (ETD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Routing ecommerce orders is all about respecting your customers’ preferred time windows. Shipping software uses advanced route optimization algorithms to consider all of these factors and come up with the best possible routes for each driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shipping labels from carriers is something ecommerce store owners are well familiar with. Shipping software allows you to create and print custom shipping labels from a template.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among the elements you can include are QR <\/a>and barcodes which can be scanned by drivers before each route. By scanning unique barcodes for every item, drivers can avoid delivery mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is that you don’t need to invest in additional scanner devices. A barcode scanner app is part of the best ecommerce shipping software<\/a>. Any smartphone can be turned into an industrial-grade barcode scanner with the right software solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Automated customer communication is one of the biggest time savers that ecommerce shipping software can provide. By sending timely updates on order status with live tracking links, you can keep customers informed while minimizing calls and emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of contacting your customer support or sales team, buyers can click on the link in an SMS or email notification about order status. By\u00a0integrating\u00a0SMS API<\/a> into\u00a0your ecommerce\u00a0shipping software, businesses can send automated SMS notifications with tracking\u00a0links, allowing\u00a0buyers to check their order status without contacting customer support or sales teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following delivery progress in real time improves delivery success rate as customers are more likely to be at home when their orders arrive. It’s a win-win because you save time on answering calls and customers know exactly where their orders are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consistent branding is one thing you’re missing out on if you choose to outsource shipping to a 3PL. Customers will interact with the carrier’s brand, which can lead to confusion and frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t
To outsource or not to outsource?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Benefits of using ecommerce shipping software for self-fulfillment<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Delivery times<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Visibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Accountability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Peace of mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Shipping software solutions for ecommerce<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Route planning with ETAs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Scannable shipping labels<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Live tracking notifications<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Custom branding<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n