Top 10 eCommerce Courier Services Provider Companies in Singapore [Cheapest and Fastest]

Overview

Singapore is one of the world’s most successful economies which has acted as a popular logistics hub for connecting Asian countries and the rest of the world. The country’s small size allows the government to tightly manage the entire nation, allowing it to leverage its strategic location.

However, in a country like Singapore so well situated on the world map, how exactly do internal logistics transpire? This is made possible by its several logistics and shipping companies that ensure that enterprises in the country remain connected and running at all times. 

In this article, we will discuss the best solutions providers for courier services in Singapore and what they offer to businesses in the country. We also shed some light on how to select the ideal courier service company for an enterprise and how different factors affect a business.

Top 10 Best eCommerce Courier Services Provider Companies in Singapore [Cheapest and Fastest] [2024 Updated List]

Since Singapore is a renowned logistics hub, naturally the international logistics industry has trickled its influence down to the local economy.

However, it is an arduous task to choose an ideal solutions provider when so many options exist in the market. Therefore, here is a list of the top courier service companies in Singapore.

1) EasyParcel

EasyParcel is one of the most popular courier services in Singapore. Originally founded in Malaysia, it was established in 2014 and has since expanded its presence to Thailand and Singapore.

In Singapore, it allows businesses to deliver to several countries around the world through strategic partnerships, track orders, create bulk orders and generate labels along with allowing eCommerce integrations with leading platforms. 

2) UPS

United Parcel Service or UPS is an international courier service provider that was founded in 1907. It allows businesses in Singapore to deliver packages to over 220 countries around the world.

It employs over 500,000 people globally and is one of the largest logistics companies in the world, managing an average of 4.7 billion packages every year. It allows businesses to schedule pickups, manage returns, generate labels, ship across borders, track orders, as well as ship items in bulk. 

3) UParcel

UParcel is a Singapore-based logistics and courier services provider. It is an on-demand delivery platform that allows businesses to make domestic as well and international deliveries.

It was founded in 2015 as a delivery company and has now expanded its service portfolio to include freight and fulfillment services, facilitating eCommerce and cross-border logistics in the country.

It offers shipping, inventory management as well as order fulfillment services to businesses in Singapore, along with a host of express delivery solutions.

4) FedEx

FedEx is one of the largest courier companies in the world. It was established in 1971 and has since expanded its presence to over 220 countries. It has a workforce of more than 600,000 people distributed in several countries.

It handles an average of 12.5 million shipments every day. It allows businesses in Singapore to ship products overnight and on the next day, move sensitive items, deliver to the last mile and even across borders. For international shipments it offers customers clearance services, freight and more solutions. 

5) Blue Dart

Blue Dart is an international shipping company founded in 1983. It was acquired by the European shipping giant DHL in 2004 and has since expanded its international presence to over 220 countries allowing businesses in Singapore to reach customers worldwide. It has a total of 12,200 employees around the world, allowing companies to make efficient international as well as domestic deliveries.

It also maintains strategic partnerships with several shipping companies to offer a variety of services in different regions. Blue Dart allows businesses in Singapore to ship products, make cross-border deliveries, get customs clearance, store products, pack products and more. 

6) Pickupp

Pickupp is an end-to-end courier solutions provider founded in 2016. It is one of the most popular shipping companies in Asia working with over 20,000 businesses in the region including Singapore.

It currently has operations in 4 nations and allows businesses to deliver products all around the world through strategic partnerships. It offers on-demand delivery solutions to businesses, real-time GPS tracking of orders, proof of delivery, package insurance, as well as dedicated solutions for different industries including fashion, retail, eCommerce, food and more.  

7) Lalamove

Lalamove is a leading courier service provider in Singapore. It works with over 5,000 businesses in the country and offers several courier& logistics solutions.

It is popular for offering express delivery solutions to businesses and allowing them to make domestic and international deliveries. It offers on-demand deliveries and real-time rate comparison for businesses and even allows users to track orders in real-time.

8) DHL

DHL is a popular international courier service provider that was established over 50 years ago as a delivery service. It has since expanded its presence to over 220 countries and several logistics solutions.

It allows businesses in Singapore to deliver products to domestic and international customers, track orders, send freight via air, sea or land, consolidate shipments and send bulk items. It is one of the world’s largest courier service companies with almost 380,000 employees managing an average of 1.8 billion packages every year. 

9) Grab Delivery

Grab Delivery is the logistics arm of the popular ride-hailing service of Singapore, Grab. It was founded in 2012 and has been offering its services to businesses in Singapore ever since.

It allows businesses to make hyperlocal deliveries to their customers. Its popular fast delivery service known as GrabExpress allows businesses to make on-demand deliveries based on flexible arrangements, optimized routes, and through a technology driven platform. 

10) DTDC

DTDC, short for Desk to Desk Courier & Cargo, is a popular international courier service provider with significant operations in Singapore. It was founded in 1990 and employs a total of 35,000 employees that help businesses in Singapore deliver items to over 240 countries and territories around the world.

It offers several logistics solutions to companies including supply chain management, warehousing, order fulfillment, eCommerce shipping, reverse logistics and 3PL solutions.

Top 15 factors to consider when choosing a courier service company in Singapore

As businesses look for courier service partners, they must have the right information and ask the right questions before settling for a relationship.

However, businesses often find themselves in a conundrum when it comes to deciding for the selection criteria. Therefore, here is a list of factors that businesses must consider when choosing a courier service company for their operations.

1) Coverage

Businesses must ensure that their courier partner offers serviceability in the region when the enterprise operates. Several courier companies have limited geographical presence restricted to certain areas in Singapore which affects the business's operations directly.

Coverage area is also important to ensure that a business relationship has scope for expansion. When a courier service company offers higher serviceability, a business can easily scale its presence without having to enter into new negotiations.

2) Dimensions and mass of packages

Courier service companies often place restrictions on the size and weight of the package that they will be able to deliver. Therefore, before choosing a courier service company in Singapore, it is essential for an enterprise to understand what kind of packages the business needs to be delivered, and if the courier service provider allows it. Apart from its allowance, it must also be checked if the courier partner has a capable fleet to deliver a particular size of packages relevant to the business.

3) Costs

The cost of operations is important to the viability of any enterprise. Therefore, it is critical that businesses understand the pricing structure of a courier company before partnering with it.

Courier service companies offer different pricing slabs to companies depending on several factors, and an affordable price point generally translates into long-term viability.

However, it does not mean that the cheapest option in the market automatically becomes the ideal option as it may be plagued with inadequate service and quality.

On the other hand, the most expensive option in Singapore would be unsustainable. Therefore, it is important that businesses strike a balance between price and quality, selecting a reasonably priced courier service that provides high-quality service.

4) Hidden Costs

Courier service companies often have hidden charges which are buried into the terms and conditions of the partnership agreements. This causes businesses to bleed revenues and pay for services that they do not wish to avail themselves.

Therefore, before selecting a courier company in Singapore it is important that businesses keep a check on the hidden costs that are associated with a courier service agreement, and assess which partner offers the best terms of agreement for its solutions.

5) Delivery Speed

Businesses rely on the efficiency of third-party service providers to ensure smooth operations. In order to achieve efficiency in the logistics operations, they need to maintain partnerships that yield quick results with high success rates.

To achieve this, it is important to partner with courier service companies in Singapore that offer faster delivery options. Providers which allow businesses to reach customers in a single day, the next day or within two days, enable better customer experience and high revenues for businesses. 

6) Specialization

Different courier services specialize in different aspects of the logistics industry. They are usually suited to serve a particular type of business and are more efficient at providing services related to such domains.

While businesses in Singapore looking for a courier service company, assessing the service that are required by the enterprise is important to evaluate a good fit. When a business knows which types of service are expected from the courier service company, they are in a better position to select the right courier partner for their logistics needs.

7) Safety and Insurance

The safety of the product being delivered by the courier service provider is important for a business. Before choosing a courier service company in Singapore, it is necessary to check the rate of damage of items that a courier service has recorded and accordingly assess the fit.

It is also important to look for courier service companies that offer insurance for shipments to ensure that the business is compensated in the event of loss or damage to the items in transit.

8) Delivery Ecosystem

A business must be aware of the entire system that surrounds the courier service partner. It must ensure that from the start to the end of an order fulfillment process, the courier service company maintains high standards for its services.

This allows businesses to entrust the courier service and does not create gaps in the service quality when assurance is overlooked rarely. This also saves the time of the company spent assuring quality at every instance. 

9) Proof of Delivery

The logistics industry has always witnessed a fair amount of frauds where delivery agents misplace and fake deliveries in Singapore. In the past, before the advent of digital technology, it was extremely difficult to ensure if a product had truly been delivered by the agent.

However, with modern smartphones that come equipped with high-quality cameras and real-time internet connectivity, it is now much easier for businesses to verify if a package has actually been delivered.

Therefore, businesses must look for courier service companies that provide proof of delivery for every package to ensure that products are genuinely being delivered to the end consumer. 

10) RTO Percentage

RTO stands for return-to-origin and is the instance where delivery fails and the package has to be returned to the location from where it came. It is an extremely unfortunate event for a business as it means that potential revenue is lost along with costing the business twice as much to handle shipping.

RTO can arise for a variety of reasons including failure to contact customers, incorrect addresses, etc. In order to avoid RTOs, businesses in Singapore need to choose a courier service company that relies on multiple measures to ensure that the product is successfully delivered.

These measures include, inter alia, address verification, multiple delivery attempts, and customer communication through multiple channels. 

11) Returns Management

Reverse logistics is one of the most critical aspects of the logistics operations for any business. The process exposes packages to the same risks that existed when it was first delivered to the customer.

The process also means that the business loses on revenue and spends money again on getting the product back to the original warehouse.

Therefore, it is important that businesses choose courier service companies that are efficient at managing returning orders to save up on the cost of operations and ensure that the package is delivered back to the original destination. 

12) Shipping Exceptions

Shipping exceptions refer to the several events that transpire during the transit of a product that may prevent a product from being delivered to the end consumer. Shipping exceptions usually include stuck shipments which may occur due to issues with customs clearance, delays in pickups, and more.

To avoid these, businesses in Singapore must partner with courier service providers that take the necessary steps to ensure that shipments are moved on time and smoothly, overcoming any difficulties that may arise during the process.

13) Technology

The use of technology has seen a significant rise in almost every industry in the world, especially Singapore which is a largely technology-driven economy. Therefore, it is only logical the courier service companies employ the use of technology in their logistics process.

Technology allows businesses to track and manage orders while also resolving issues with the delivery, should any arise. While choosing an ideal courier partner, the businesses must opt for providers which rely on advanced technologies to provide several solutions to ensure higher accountability and improved quality of service. 

14) Value-added Services

Value-added services, though not the primary requirement of a business, are an important part of the logistics experience.

When businesses look for courier services, they may notice companies that offer several value-added services, and although they may not require the service when they are looking for providers, these services are a great way to assess the range and capabilities of a service provider.

The availability of value-added services also allows businesses to scale their operations easily without having to change partners for different services. It also allows businesses to explore more options that would otherwise be unavailable to them. 

15) Past Performance

The previous performance of any business is a marker for its quality and an important factor to consider while choosing a partner. Businesses must look for reviews and previous clientele of a business to understand the quality of service and capacity of a courier service provider.

The record of past performance also allows businesses to understand if a courier service company will be able to handle the kind of products that the enterprise deals with, enabling them to make an informed decision as to the choice of the courier service partner in Singapore. 

Conclusion

The economy of Singapore is diverse, with manufacturing from services all working in cohesion to create the success that the country is. Owing to its strategic location the country has witnessed tremendous growth in the logistics sector which has surely made its way to the local economy, allowing businesses in the country to leverage the enhanced domain knowledge of the country.

The logistics industry in Singapore is rapidly growing, allowing businesses to reach the farthest corners of the world and even the most remote of regions.

As more companies enter the logistics market in the country, it becomes harder to choose the ideal partner and businesses must keep every tool at their side to make an informed decision at all times.