Top 10 Shipping Platforms: Best Ecommerce Shipping Solutions

Running an ecommerce store is not rocket science but neither a cakewalk. There are multiple aspects of which you need to take care of. With the rise of ecommerce, there has been an extra emphasis on convenience and shopping. Implementing an effective and reliable shipping strategy is one of the most crucial steps you need to take for growing your business online. Better shipping experience can make your customer remember about ecommerce store.

As an ecommerce store owner, you need to implement a shipping solution that makes safe and secure deliveries on time with effective costs. You would be surprised to know 45% of online customers abandoned their cart when the order value didn’t qualify for free shipping, while 52% of the customers have extra items added in their cart so that they can qualify for free shipping. 56% of the customers are ready to pay for shipping when the discounts or offers on items can compensate for the shipping costs.

Why is a Shipping Platform Essential to E-commerce Success?

Now, let’s learn how ecommerce shipping solutions play an important role in e-commerce success. 

• A shipping platform helps you pack faster and ship smarter, assisting you in comparing shipping rates. 
• Also, it recommends the option to pack your order, automatically print the slips, and find you a better carrier for the job. 
• E-commerce can experience streamlined and automated inventory management. 
• Also, with the best ecommerce shipping solutions, business owners and customers get real-time details of the shipping process.

Also read: How to develop an eCommerce website

Best Shipping Provider For Your Ecommerce Store

Different ecommerce stores have different shipping requirements, so there is not a single shipping solution that we can say is best for you. In this article, we have prepared a roster of 10 shipping software solutions among which you can easily analyze which is right for you.

1. ShippingEasy

ShippingEasy stands up to its name and provides a highly easy mode of web-based shipping solution which is reliable for small and medium scale businesses. It is free for less than 50 orders per month. While the price range for $29/month for up to 500 orders and for unlimited orders, there is an enterprise plan at $149/month. It comes with automated labeling and tracking in addition to comprehensive onboarding and support. There are USPS discounts by which you can save costs. ShippingEasy solution can integrate with almost every major ecommerce platform.

Pros

• Easy to use and reliable customer support
• The free plan comes with plenty of features
• Integration with Amazon seller account
• Integration with an unlimited number of stores/carts/marketplaces in the free plan

Cons

• Can’t link carrier accounts other than USPS in the free plan
• Minor Display issues that occur from time to time
• Slight learning curve

2. Shippo

Shippo is another shipping which is highly easy to set up and use. It includes all necessary features and functionalities that a small business can leverage in a web-based shipping platform. It comes with a pay-as-you-go pricing model which is probably the best feature. It is free for up to 200 monthly orders, and then 5 cents plus postage for every order. If you have a high volume of orders then you can subscribe for the Professional Plan which is priced at $125 per month for up to 5000 orders. It also comes with discounted insurance rates and also offer discounts with USPS and DHL. It gets integrated with Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Weebly, GoDaddy, Stripe, Etsy, and Shopify.

Pros

• Easy to Use
• Different Pricing Options
• Availability of Discounts

Cons

• Limited Customer Support
• Confusing Billing Practices
• A limited number of integrations

3. Sellbrite

Sellbrite is majorly an inventory management platform. It is best for both small and medium-scale platforms. Shipping is not the primarily focused feature of Sellbrite but it comes with integration with ShipStation and Amazon. It has channel analytics, orders, products, and inventory. Its starter plan is $49/month, standard plan $79/month while the premium plan is priced at $129 per month. It is a cloud-based web platform that is easy to set up.

Pros

• Auto-Sync Capabilities
• Information Analytics
• Availability of Knowledgeable Customer Relations Specialists
• Easy Order Tracking
• Flexibility

Cons

• Amazon Integration isn’t that much reliable
• Does not automatically add Ebay’s Meta Tag for Mobile-Friendly.
• Does not import UPC numbers from Amazon for eBay Listing Compliance.
• Periodically removed Multi Variations and listed as Fixed Price.

4. Refund Geeks

Refund Geeks isn’t a traditional shipping solution as others mentioned in this list. However, if you are an ecommerce owner who needs to ship bulk orders through FedEx or UPS, then you should consider this one. Both FedEx and UPS guarantees for the timely delivery else return the money. Refund Geeks comes with the automation of filing claims for eligible refunds. Refund Geeks don’t come with any subscription but charge you commission of 25% of the refund amount.

Pros

• Comes with shipment analytics for optimal shipping rates
• Highly customized dashboard with arranged data
• Easy to set up with UPS and FedEx accounts
• Automatic audits of shipments
• Check lost packages or invalid surcharges and files claim once identified.

Cons

• Currently, Refund Geeks supports only UPS and FedEx
• Took big cut from the reimbursement amount
• The on-boarding process is a little confusing

5. Shipstation

Shipstation prices are highly competitive in comparison to the other shipping solutions. This shipping solution is web-based which is intuitive to use but however, it will take time to learn some of its features. It comes with out-of-the-box features such as custom views, automated tagging, shipping rules, mobile application, and excellent reporting tools. It is an all-in-one sales management platform with vast support for importing data. You can manually add preferred carriers and preserves discounts from carriers.

Pros

• Ease of use and feature richness
• Best for companies who are looking for a label printing solution
• Good filtering options
• Seamless integration with different platforms
• Easy connection with FedEx, UPS, as well as USPS

Cons

• Mistakes made between placement and delivery of offers can create havoc, especially if more than 1000 shipments are made per day. There is no option for one to edit manual orders.
• A slower interface as you move around in the interface

6. Ordoro

Ordoro is a reliable platform for both small to large scale businesses. It is best for those who made a high volume of the orders or use truck freight. It comes with free shipping for up to 50 orders per month. For unlimited orders, you need to pay $129 per month, and if you require features like drop-shipping and inventory management features then you can opt for pro version at $299 to $499 per month. You don’t need to install it as it is completely web-based. Its interface is easy to navigate.

Pros

• Manages inventory across multiple platforms quite well
• Come with great features like deep discounts off of regular USPS rates
• Linked to the courier solutions easily and the labels get created automatically
• Best for bringing orders at one central location
• Incredible customer support and customer care team.

Cons

• Sync will multiple channels can make the speed slow
• Not optimal for importing and housing historical orders

7. Shopify Shipping

As the name indicates, Shopify shipping is best for those who are already using the Shopify ecommerce platform for their online store. In fact, it gets already included in the Shopify subscription. It doesn’t come with advanced features as it is a shipping-only solution. It is optimal for small businesses and can you hook up with discounts from major carriers including USPS, UPS, and DHL.

Pros

• A huge number of add-ons to integrate with other platforms
• Easy to learn interface and design

Cons

• Not all the add-ons are cheap
• Limited access to reporting features

8. Veeqo

Veeqo is not a traditional shipping solution but a cloud-based inventory management solution that also comes with shipping. It comes with higher costs in comparison with other shipping solutions of this roster due to its wide range of services. Its costing begins from $200 for small scale businesses to $1350 for large scale businesses. If you are looking for an inventory management solution and a comprehensive product then you should go for Veeqo.

Pros

• Works well with the 3rd party channels
• User-friendly interface with good reporting
• Easy Onboarding Process
• Tech support is quick to respond

Cons

• Costings are high
• Takes a long time for the huge catalogs

9. Metapack

Metapack shipping solution is best suited for medium and large scale online businesses. You can integrate hundreds of carriers with the Metapack solution. With such a huge library in the pack, you can extend your business to the new markets, and optimize the delivery efficiency through Metapack. It is slightly expensive in comparison to the other shipping solutions and you have to reach the sales team for a quote.

Pros

• Better delivery management
• Doesn’t require a lot of information so easy to search orders

Cons

• Not a good fit for every merchant

10. Freightview

Last but not least, the Freightview shipping solution is designed for small and medium scale businesses that ship through LTL freight. You can negotiate rates, pickup scheduling, automatically print bills with labels and track the shipments through this central hub. Its prices start from $99 per month to $999 per month. It can integrate with multiple ecommerce platforms as well as courier services.

Pros

• A higher number of carrier integrations
• Lightning-fast response from the customer service
• You can check the rates and compare all options whilst choosing the best option.

Cons

• High Pricing
• BOL editing capabilities need to be more flexible

How to Choose the Best Shipping Platform for Your E-commerce Business?

Various factors should be considered before you choose the best shipping platform. 

1. Integration with Your E-commerce Platform 

A seamless integration is the key, so be sure the platform you choose meets this requirement as it simplifies inventory management, order tracking, and more. 

2. Shipping Rates and Options

Choose the options that offer a balance between speed and cost-effectiveness. Also, look if the platform offers overnight and 2-day shipping services for e-commerce businesses. 

3. Scalability

With the growing business, you need to meet the increasing shipping requirements. Choose a shipping platform that can run with your business and easily handle increased volume. 

4. Customer Support

Ensure the platform offers reliable customer support when dealing with shipping delays or issues.

Ecommerce Shipping Methods

1. Regular Shipping

This shipping you can observe from any ecommerce store. A customer doesn’t need to pay an extra charge if the minimum order value condition has been fulfilled, else the regular shipping charges may apply. The shipping duration can be from 5 days to a week.

2. Same-day delivery or 2-day shipping

Ecommerce stores like Amazon are offering same-day delivery or 2-day shipping for some extra cost. Nearly two-thirds of the customers are ready to pay more for a faster delivery that takes place within 1 or 2 days. Successfully executing on same-day delivery requires coordinated operations, resources, courier services, and technology.

3. Overnight Shipping

This is a shipping method of which you are probably not aware of. There are many ecommerce brands that guarantee their customer to deliver their product to the next day after night. Mostly such shipping is carried by the local ecommerce retailers. There can be different price points for this shipping method.

4. Expedited Shipping

Expedited shipping can be any shipping method faster than the standards. The time for the expedited shipping deliveries can vary depending on the carrier and shipping services. The expedited shipping can reduce the abandoned cart rate on your ecommerce store, and can build better customer loyalty.

Also read: How to develop a mobile app for eCommerce business

Ecommerce Shipping rates

There are 3 main types of shipping rates:

1. Flat Rate Shipping

Flat rate shipping involves a fixed rate of shipping for all orders of a specific weight and distance range. It should be an average of all shipping costs. So that you can cover the shipping costs of every order type. You would be overcharging some shipping, while shipping for some orders wouldn’t be completely covered.

2. Real-time carrier rates

In this shipping method, the shipping costs are displayed at the time of checkout. The shipping rates are calculated at the instant on the basis of order weight, distance, and other classification. By using this shipping method, you can charge the customer the exact cost of shipping that it costs your business to ship the order.

3. Free Shipping

If you are offering free shipping then it may reduce the cart abandonment. It will also increase conversions and build customer loyalty. However, giving free shipping on every order can turn your business sales in even loss. Henceforth, you need to follow some strategies to stay profitable such as:

• Includes shipping costs in the product price
• Provides free shipping above a minimum order value
• Taking advance fee for a free delivery membership as like in Amazon prime

Wrapping Up

Choosing the shipping solution for your business may be very challenging for you but it highly important aspect for your business. After all, you have put all the efforts i.e. building a website, marketing, got customers, got orders, so the delivery shouldn’t be missed at all. As if the delivery is not timely or adequate all your efforts will go in vain. At Emizentech, the best ecommerce development company, we not only build ecommerce stores but also give proper consultation to every extra integration.