Introduction
Every eCommerce business starts small but eventually needs at least 2-3 carrier partners to manage order fulfillment. However, maintaining a relationship with several international and regional carriers while fulfilling 2,000, 10,000, or 20,000+ monthly orders can be daunting.
This task requires a multicarrier shipping system that can manage hundreds of orders across a plethora of shipping carriers at once. Traditionally, eCommerce businesses tracked orders from the respective courier company’s platform.
To avoid this messy hassle, most online retailers across the globe have now shifted to shipping aggregators and other more advanced multi carrier shipping solutions.
Logistics aggregators allow quick integration with multi carrier shipping APIs based on predetermined contracts to increase accuracy and reduce manual processes.
These multi carrier shipping platforms handle complex shipping and courier API integrations using the latest tech to give customers the best shipping experience.
In this article, we’ll be running you through some details of the best multi-carrier shipping systems and how you can pick the greatest fit for your brand.
Top 10 Best Multi Carrier Shipping Software for eCommerce Business [2024 Updated List]
Multi carrier shipping software can help e-commerce businesses manage and perform various shipping functions. They use a variety of tech-enabled solutions like AI-driven engines and eCommerce Shipping API integrations to enable order creation and tracking, NDR management, return optimization, etc.
However, each multi-carrier shipping system has its own set of specialized services and operational advantages.
The first step to understanding and selecting the best multi-carrier shipping platform for you is to be aware of the best ones. With that in mind, these are eCommerce's top multi-carrier shipping software companies.
1) ClickPost
ClickPost is a top-rated premier SaaS platform that handles multi-carrier shipping operations of both domestic and international shipments.
It provides easy integration with 150+ shipping partners and the most prominent online marketplaces and store platforms, like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and more.
Features:
- ClickPost provides its customers with a single API to integrate with the various order creation APIs. With this API, ClickPost can print labels and process orders for dispatch.
- ClickPost's easy WMS enables customers to maintain their supply chain and inventory.
- Order creation, Waybill and shipping label generation, and pickup are all pushed by the same API integration.
- ClickPost provides automated carrier allocation based on metrics like shipment type, delivery time, specific shipping needs of customers, etc. Alternatively, users can also choose their preferred carrier or compare carriers.
- ClickPost's dual push-and-pull APIs track shipments using API integrations to get real-time tracking information from shipping partners.
- API integrations are also set up to enable efficient returns, NDR management, and shipping partner performance analyses. With ClickPost's easy return management process, customers can print return labels at home for a specific carrier and save time.
- The NDR Management protocol of ClickPost automatically resolves failed deliveries based on the respective causes.
Pros: ClickPost is a favorite amongst the ecommerce industry players for providing the fastest carrier integrations, enabling you to go live in just 24 hours with any carrier. ClickPost also supplies 24/7 tech support as well as an easy-to-navigate dashboard.
Cons: ClickPost provides a great experience with large order volumes. However, it is not well suited for SMBs and is better for companies scaling up.
2) AfterShip
A Hong Kong-based logistics startup company, AfterShip provides its parcel shipping and transportation management system software on a global scale.
It offers integration with 900+ international carriers and numerous different ecommerce plugins like Magento and Shopify.
It is best known for providing automated tracking services via package tracking API integration. With AfterShip, users can track shipments, notify customers on their phones and emails, and simplify the shipping process with complete control.
It helps in tracking shipping partner performances. AfterShip currently serves 10,000+ global eCommerce customers. Some users have experienced technical difficulties while shipping. In such cases, using the popular AfterShip similar types of software can prove helpful in eliminating those issues.
3) FreightPop
FreightPop, like ClickPost, was founded in 2015. However, this startup began its journey in California and now operates globally.
It is one of the world's most extensive transportation and supply chain management software and is tied with 300+ international shipping companies.
FreightPop provides a range of integrated shipping services, including export and import, with an ERP or WMS. It uses tech to amplify eCommerce enterprise auditing capabilities to find freight discrepancies by tracking orders and invoices. Freight Pop helps users in reducing costs and transit time.
4) MetaPack
MetaPack is a parcel shipping and supply chain management software service based out of London that operates nationally and internationally. It enables eCommerce businesses across the UK to ship packages with 400+ carriers.
In addition to express delivery, international delivery, and shipping labels, it provides pick-up and drop-off services at over 350000+ facilities across the globe.
This system's primary service is a simplified viewing platform for all parcel shipments across multiple shipping partners. As a global eCommerce logistics provider, services are provided to help with customs clearance.
5) Narvar
Narvar, alongside FreightPop, is a California-based company providing an integrated parcel shipment system across North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific, operating in 38+ countries.
Integrations with 800+ carriers enable the creation of shipping labels and order-tracking services through a single API.
One of Narvar’s more unique services is its Concierge facility, which allows an eCommerce store to select a designated Concierge center near them for pickups and drop-offs in accordance with the shipping partner employed for each separate order. However, Narvar can turn out to be expensive for small businesses with lower monthly orders. To avail of Narvar-like services at economical rates be sure to check out the Narvar competitors.
6) ReachShip
ReachShip is one of the most popular multi carrier shipping systems that ease the shipping process. It is integrated with leading storefronts like WooCommerce, and major shipping carriers like UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL, and Australia Post.
7) Shippo
Shippo is another California-based package shipping and supply chain software company that operates primarily in the United States. Although, it also handles global shipments and international delivery.
It can aid in import and export documentation as a worldwide operational service provider. Shippo software provides easy order management through automated shipping labels and packing slip creation.
It also enables online businesses to provide their customers with a single-view tracking page to receive real-time delivery updates on their packages and automated notifications informing them when their respective order has been picked up or is out for delivery.
8) ShipRocket
ShipRocket is a courier aggregator, and, much like Pickrr, it is amongst the most popular in India currently. It is tied up with 16+ carriers, serving over 26,000+ pin codes across the country.
In addition to easy storefront integration and international delivery, it offers fast shipment delivery services like hyperlocal delivery, speedy COD remittance, and NDR management.
Its central feature is a single viewing platform for all orders handled by various integrated shipping carriers and a custom tracking page for customers to view their order status.
ShipRocket also offers three payment plans depending on serviceability, required integrations, and order volume. It provides some of the best shipping rates in the industry.
9) ShipStation
ShipStation is a carrier integration software with operations in numerous countries across North America, Australia, and Europe.
In addition to multiple shipping company integrations, it enables businesses to integrate with virtual marketplaces like Etsy and Walmart, as well as selling channels and storefronts like Shopify and Squarespace.
ShipStation also offers multiple payment options (more than 3), designated based on the volume of orders, starting at $9 for 50 orders/month and ranging up to $159 for 10,000 orders/month.
In addition to inventory management services and customized packaging, ShipStation also offers integration with accounting software like QuickBooks to help maintain profitability.
10) Veeqo
Veeqo is a multi-carrier delivery system launched in the UK in 2013 and maintains specialty services in inventory management. It does this by synchronizing inventory tracking across various marketplaces and selling channels like Magento and Shopify.
This software enables regular stock appraisals to be carried out, which promotes and automates inventory forecasting and other inventory management services.
The goal of these services is to ensure the availability of stock to fulfill any order at any given point in time. In addition to inventory management services, Veeqo provides a single platform for viewing all orders across multiple partners.
How to Select the Best Multi Carrier Shipping Solutions for Your eCommerce Businesses?
Now that we’ve narrowed down the list of multi carrier shipping software to the best ones across the globe, each eCommerce business still has to complete the task of selecting its ideal courier partner.
This can be difficult as each multi-carrier shipping system has specialization and provides different services across different regions, as mentioned above.
So listed below are the specific criteria you would need to review to determine which carrier integration platform is right for you.
1) Serviceability of Multi Carrier Shipping Software
Serviceability, in this instance, refers to the area of operation for each multi-carrier shipping system. This criterion requires you to precisely understand which regions your business serves and compare that to the different areas reached by the respective shipping system.
Some may operate globally but may have a lower capacity or fewer shipping partners in your selected regions. This criterion can help you narrow down your choice of shipping system.
2) Shipping Costs of the MultiCarrier Shipping Software
The bottom line of any business is profitability. Reducing the amount of money spent on order fulfillment is a great way to maintain profitability, but shipping services cannot be compromised to reduce costs.
The right multi carrier software will provide you with the best serviceability and services at the most affordable price. Aggregators and some software offer pre-negotiated overall shipping rates.
Other multi carrier platforms allow you to negotiate your rates with carrier organizations and charge a nominal fee for the use of the software.
3) Business Priorities
Whether choosing a parcel shipping company or a multi-carrier system, you must have a strategy ready.
This lets you know what your business needs to focus on, which areas need improvement, and how various challenges must be faced. It's also good to assess what kinds of shipments you ship regularly.
Some carriers work better with small shipments, while others work better in bulk. Keeping these in mind, you can determine the essential services you need and the price you can pay for them to maintain profitability.
For example, if managing returns is an area your business has struggled with, ClickPost would be an ideal fulfillment system as it provides a streamlined dashboard for handling and customizing return requests.
4) NDR Management
A non-delivery report or NDR is a notification the courier receives when a failed delivery attempt. It is used to understand the reasons for failure so the customer can be contacted with possible solutions to the issue.
A delivery may fail for various reasons, including, but not limited to, incorrect address, incorrect contact information, unavailability of the customer, miscommunication, fault of the carrier, and more.
A multi carrier shipping software must manage NDRs to make all possible attempts to deliver successfully, eliminate RTOs, and save money.
5) Ease of access
The point of a multi-carrier shipping solution is to facilitate managing orders and the shipping process. To justify the need for the software, one of the essential features it must include is simplification.
A shipping software must collect and collate all relevant information and present it to the user concisely, thereby making the process much less time-consuming.
It must be able to standardize various features and terminologies across multiple partners and give such data in an organized fashion.
Such software is expected to have an uncomplicated dashboard with access to multiple parts from a location.
6) Returns management
Managing product returns in eCommerce is a stressful and unfortunate activity. The process involves repeating all actions in reverse order and incurs two-fold shipping costs.
However, the process can complicate things further and often cause loss or damage to the returning product, resulting in additional losses.
A shipping software must be selected after analyzing the returns management system it offers. It should be able to monitor and manage the complete life cycle of the returning order.
The software may also enable consumers to place return orders through a webpage or application with branded UI without hassles.
Final Conclusion
Using the latest technological advancements is the only way for any eCommerce business to survive in this increasingly competitive market. But no company can do it all alone.
When your store grows to the point where you have to put your faith in multiple parcel shipping partners, an added layer of security is needed to ensure there aren’t too many cooks in the kitchen spoiling the broth.
Multi-carrier integration systems work to address a wide variety of parcel shipping management issues that may arise as your business scales up.
Such software provides tech-enabled solutions that optimize delivery mechanisms and maximize order fulfillment while at the same time allowing your business to focus on expanding.
FAQs
1) Which is the best Multi-Carrier Shipping Software?
E-commerce enterprises use multi-carrier shipping systems to handle and perform various parcel shipping activities. The top names on the list for the finest Multi-carrier shipping software are 1) ClickPost, 2) Narvar, 3) Aftership, 4) ShipStation, and 5) Shippo.
Regarding post-purchase customer experience and visibility tracking, ClickPost and Narvar are the top options. ShipStation and Shippo specialize in cost-effective logistics if you're searching for affordable shipping operation optimization.
2) How to choose the best Multi-Carrier Shipping Software?
These four considerations will clarify the criterion for selecting the best Multi-Carrier Shipping Software.
First is the platform's serviceability, which refers to its operating territory and the maximum number of orders it can handle.
Second, compare the software's logistics services and returns management systems to your business's requirements.
The third thing to consider is the software's visibility or the speed with which tracking notifications are received and communicated with clients. Finally, there's the cost.
The platform's price should reflect all of the platform's benefits, including the variety of services. And lastly, direct communication with the partner itself. Though it's not a prerequisite, you will find that having an open channel for communication always helps matters in the long run.
Software
|
Founded in
|
Headquarter
|
Founder
|
Employees
|
Location Served
|
Revenue
|
ClickPost |
2015 |
India |
Naman Vijay, Prashant Gupta |
100+ |
United States |
$2.4M |
Aftership |
2011 |
Hong Kong |
Teddy Chan, Andrew Chan |
120+ |
United States |
$7.5M |
FreightPop |
2015 |
USA |
Kurt Johnson |
50+ |
The U.S.A. |
$4.3M |
MetaPack |
1999 |
London, UK |
Marcin Wójcicki, Patrick Wall |
200 |
USA |
$46.4M |
Narvar |
2012 |
USA |
Amit Sharma |
312 |
United States of America |
$38.6M |
Convey |
2013 |
USA |
Carson Krieg, Jenny Bebout, Dan Bebout and Rob Taylor |
100 |
The United States (USA) |
$14.5M |
Shippo |
2013 |
The U.S.A. |
Laura Behrens Wu Simon Kreuz Max Diez |
260+ |
The United States of America |
$64.4M |
ShipRocket |
2013 |
India |
Saahil Goel |
250+ |
U.S.A./USA |
$83.3M |
Veeqo |
2013 |
UK |
Matt Warren |
75 |
U.S.A./USA |
$8.7M |
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