Few couriers, carriers, and retailers have the resources of behemoths like Amazon to truly scale their logistics and parcel delivery services. It is not an easy feat to strike the right balance between efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Scaling your eCommerce parcel delivery business requires optimisation of the right solutions at the right time.
eCommerce logistics a brief history
In the 1970s most businesses used direct deliveries from wholesalers or suppliers. When the ’80s arrived, eCommerce started using distribution centres to help streamline its delivery systems.
Import centres were used in the ’90s and in the 2000s the first eCommerce model and methodology were used from an e-fulfillment distribution network. The 2000s also welcomed cloud-based shipping software solutions like SmartConsign. Carrier Management Systems (CMS) designed to help simplify how businesses manage their parcel deliveries.
Fast forward to 2020 and the boom in eCommerce has accelerated demand for faster deliveries, putting pressure on margins.
Getting eCommerce Parcel Delivery Right
With faster shipping at the forefront of many business strategies, identifying the right solution is critical to future success. Here is our top three:
#1 Multi Carrier Shipping
Adopting a multi-carrier shipping strategy can help you scale and respond to market needs faster. You can quickly access and compare rates across multiple carriers, helping you identify the best rates faster and control your costs. The best solutions are carrier management systems that allow you to plug in all the major carriers. These applications give you instant access to all the carrier information you need from one single touchpoint.
#2 Faster Label Production
You can manage complexity out of your business by simplifying consignment production. Systems that offer standardised label production offer multiple benefits. You can replace the manual processing of labels, remove the need to print different size labels and separate printers for each carrier, and more.
To accelerate your parcel deliveries, switch to a faster CMS. Certain systems can process thousands of consignments in less than an hour and spot anomalies in real-time. For smaller batches of 1000 or less, there are applications that can produce 100 labels in less than 3 seconds. Where parcel delivery is concerned, speed matters and by addressing complexities in your process – you can respond to the market faster.
#3 Cloud-based CMS
It sounds obvious; however, in order to grow, eCommerce businesses need to stay agile and remain relevant. The best carrier management systems include features designed to directly address the challenges of faster parcel delivery including returns management.
The ease of installing cloud-based CMS’s helps to make it easier for you to get started quickly. You can effortlessly test a new CMS side by side with your current system. You only need to switch if you’re satisfied with the overall performance.
The efficiencies gained from using a high performing CMS can save you money and help satisfy your customer’s delivery timeline.
Scale your Business with smart shipping solutions
Progressive e-commerce businesses know that their delivery performance is a key differentiator over their competitors – this is one area where the use of innovative solutions can bring big benefits. To learn more about these ecommerce shipping solutions and more, get in touch.