MULTI CARRIER SHIPPING SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS TRANSFORM THE BUSINESS OF E-COMMERCE

E-commerce has seen tremendous growth year over year since the worldwide adoption of the Internet. With just a click of a button, consumers can purchase goods from anywhere in the world and have them shipped directly to their doorstep. A recent study found over 40% of worldwide Internet users have purchased items online, and in 2013 worldwide B2C e-commerce sales reached more than 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars. In other words, e-commerce is growing at a rapid pace and isn’t going away anytime soon.

The rise of e-commerce has led to an increased demand from customers for greater shipping options, expedited delivery and on-demand availability. Nowadays, when customers order items online, they expect to be able to choose between free shipping and next-day delivery; they want to be able to personalize their delivery options and not have to wait for warehouses to restock their shelves. And for businesses, meeting customer expectations often requires the use of flexible shipping software that has an extensive list of features and functions. Ever since Amazon began offering Prime two-day shipping, other e-commerce shops have been forced to modify their shipping offerings if they wish to maintain a competitive advantage.

Adding extra shipping options to compete with the Amazon’s of the world means retailers need to account for new transportation costs. Particularly for small companies, an increase in shipping costs poses a challenge as they struggle to balance their profit margins with more expensive transportation options. With a multi carrier shipping software solution, companies can rate shop for different calculations that impact costs while uncovering the best price among different carriers. And a flexible solution can help retailers maintain their competitive advantage while meeting the fluctuating needs of their customers.

Multi carrier shipping software solutions, in particular, must be able to seamlessly integrate with an e-commerce business’s current software and support multiple carrier options. As retailers move from a more traditional supply chain to an interconnected, digital landscape, they seek software that adapts to changing consumer demands. Customers could be ordering from any number of locations around the globe, so it’s important for multi carrier shipping solutions to support both regional and international shipments. A solution like PRECISION Multi Carrier Shipping Software provides businesses with the ability to control all aspects of their e-commerce international shipping needs while adding carriers and countries to their network to accommodate their global customers.  

Because customers are ordering from all parts of the world, it’s necessary for a multi carrier shipping solution to calculate a shipment’s true landed cost so customers understand exactly how much they are paying for their order. The cost of your online order is much more than just the retail price of the object itself; the amount you pay also includes the cost of tariffs and any fulfillment costs that are associated with your order. And consumers are increasingly on the move. With the help of mobile technology and social media, customers are shopping on-the-go and across multiple channels, forcing e-commerce sites to implement a more omni-channel shipping solution.

Precision Software offers both multi carrier software and trade compliance software, making them the only company to provide global shipment execution, trade management, shipment visibility and execution management and trade compliance capabilities on a unified platform. As an international e-commerce business, having these features can help you calculate a shipment’s true landed cost including carrier surcharges, handling fees and duties. While traditional high volume multi-carrier solutions can print compliance labels for more than 50 parcels, Precision Software solutions go beyond simple carrier labeling requirements. Multi carrier shipping capabilities geared towards the global e-commerce sector provide businesses with the ability to regulate error-free, international trade compliance documents and manifests.

As retailers begin to move away from physical brick-and-mortar stores, the need to meet the demands of online customers has forced companies to adopt flexible shipping solutions. The growth of e-commerce has provided customers with more options for purchasing and shipping goods, and companies need to transform their fulfillment processes to match these new demands. With a flexible multi-carrier shipping software solution, retailers can seamlessly integrate their business online, maintain their competitive edge and meet customer expectations.