1. Overview of Shipping Software for Small Business
One of the biggest challenges faced by ecommerce businesses is delivering orders to customers successfully and without delays. This is especially true for small ecommerce businesses with fewer resources and delivery agents to handle courier and shipping logistics. But since fast and accurate delivery is the cornerstone of online shopping, small businesses have to take active measures to streamline their shipping operations.
Today's customers want faster deliveries than ever before. While they may be somewhat accommodative of small businesses still new in the ecommerce industry, in no way will they stand by waiting if your order delivery times do not improve. The goal of today's article is to introduce you to the best shipping, courier, and inventory management solutions provider in the ecommerce industry. No matter your size or the scale of your operations, your customers' shipping and post-purchase experience should always be a priority.
Our curated list of the top 15 shipping and courier logistics management software companies will assist you in shipping, packing, storing, delivering, and even improving your overall shipping performance. We suggest every business start looking for a transportation management system after exceeding a specific order volume.
However, the thing to remember is, a small ecommerce business with relatively small order volumes will not stay small for long. And when those order numbers multiply, you'll be hard-pressed to find the best logistics software for your ecommerce business. So start looking now!
2. Top 15 Best Shipping/Courier/Logistics Software for Small Business in eCommerce [2024 Updated List]
Below you will find a list of the 15 best shipping softwares for small and large businesses. All the logistic softwares listed below are easy to use, provide ample growth opportunities, and do not cost a fortune. They also come with attractive features like warehouse/inventory management, fulfillment services, track and trace, branded tracking, and more. We are positive you will find the best shipping software for your business from this mix.
2.1) ClickPost Shipping Software for Small Business
ClickPost is a global shipping software and logistics management company that helps ecommerce entrepreneurs scale up their businesses and simplify their shipping processes. It has 150+ carrier integrations and is trusted by over 200 ecommerce businesses worldwide.
Key Features:
-Connect your online stores seamlessly with the ClickPost software and manage all your orders from a unified dashboard.
-Provide a customer-facing branded tracking portal for real-time order tracking of shipments. Trigger automatic order status notifications to customers on their WhatsApp, Email, SMS.
-Reduce RTO% with ClickPost's NDR management tool that quickly assesses the reason for delivery exceptions and notifies customers and sellers of the same.
-Get access to shorter COD remittance cycles with ClickPost's standard cycles that do not make you dependent on your carrier and help you maintain cash flow.
-Enable effortless returns with ClickPost's returns management system that automatically picks up return orders and processes refunds/cancellations faster.
2.2) Shippo Courier Software for Small Business
Shippo is a multi-carrier shipping software with many shipping and fulfillment services for small and large ecommerce businesses. Shippo company was established in 2013 and has its headquarters in San Francisco, United States.
Key Features:
-Automate shipping label generation and printing with the help of shipping APIs.
-Shippo integrates with ecommerce platforms and carriers. Businesses can integrate with those platforms with a single click from the Shippo dashboard.
-Print return labels and allow customers to initiate returns quickly with Shippo. It can print shipping labels of all kinds.
2.3) ShipStation Logistics Management Software for Small Business
ShipStation is a logistics and courier delivery software. It came into being in 2011 with the single-minded objective of improving customers' shipping and after-sales experience.
Key Features:
-Import and manage orders from various selling channels or create orders manually if you like. Automatically assign rules for particular orders.
-Quickly print shipping AWBs and get the best shipping rates from a selection of varied carriers.
-Track inventory, set alarms for dwindling stocks, and receive reports on inventory levels from ShipStation.
2.4) EasyShip Shipment Software for Small Business
EasyShip is a SaaS-based shipping software that is perfect for small businesses for the discounted shipping rates it provides. Scale-up easily with EasyShip and ship internationally.
Key Features:
-EasyShip manages duties, customs clearances, and all additional paperwork that comes with international and cross-border shipping.
-Get access to Easyship's worldwide network of fulfillment centers that reduces logistics costs, improves delivery times, and eliminates taxes.
-Provide a branded tracking portal for order tracking and send branded order update emails and texts.
2.5) OnFleet Best Shipping Software for Small Business
OnFleet is a last-mile delivery solutions provider and shipping software. It delivers to 90+ countries worldwide and is one of the most affordable shipping software for small businesses.
Key Features:
- This intuitive platform features a route optimisation engine that finds the best route for delivery based on time, location, logjams, etc. In case of sudden changes, drivers receive real-time rerouting directions.
-Obtain proof of delivery on successful order fulfilment in the form of digital signatures, time stamps, etc.
-Provide nearly accurate EDDs with intelligent predictive tools and deliver on the customer promise.
2.6) Track-POD Small Business Shipping Software
Track-POD is a delivery management and shipping software company. As the name suggests, it provides POD on every order. Proof of Delivery after order fulfillment helps ecommerce businesses reduce paperwork and keep a check on fake delivery attempts, delayed orders, and delivery exceptions.
Key Features:
-Let Track-POD's well-trained safety management team take care of your high-value shipments as they make their way to the customers.
-Enable order tracking with real-time branded order updates to customers.
-Enforce QC during delivery to ensure orders are always delivered in the best condition. Receive instant photos in the case of product damages or losses.
2.7) ShipRocket Packaging Optimization Software for Small and Medium Size Business
ShipRocket is a shipping and courier aggregator that provides many helpful shipping services for large and small ecommerce businesses. ShipRocket delivers to 200+ countries and covers 29000 pin codes across the world.
Key Features:
-Source products locally and provide superfast deliveries to customers with hyperlocal deliveries.
-Automatically allocate the best carriers based on a range of metrics like shipment type, location, weight, etc.
-Make returns profitable by getting reverse logistics at much cheaper rates than forward logistics.
2.8) Pickrr Shipping Software Solution for Small Business
Pickrr is an end-to-end logistics and shipping aggregator software. It delivers globally to 200+ countries. Small businesses can download Pickrr for free and pay only when they use its shipping services.
Key Features:
-Ship orders weighing anywhere between 500g to 10kgs by air, road or ocean freight services.
-Avail of multi-location pickup services and schedule pickups from any of your warehouses or locations
-Be on top of your shipping performance with daily/weekly actionable insights.
2.9) VamaShip Small Business Shipping Program
VamaShip is a courier delivery and shipping aggregator designed to make shipping easy and effortless for small ecommerce businesses. Get instant access to all integrated domestic and international carriers as soon as you finish onboarding with VamaShip.
Key Features:
-VamaShip allows small businesses to integrate easily with selling channels like Amazon, Etsy, and ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and shipping APIs.
-Get the tech help you need with 24/7 customer support that also answers customer queries.
-Maintain transparency with customer doorstep QC for all product returns.
2.10) Qapla Small Business Shipping App
Qapla is a shipping software that helps ecommerce businesses improve their post-purchase customer experience. Qapla can provide a fully branded experience for your customers with branded tracking pages, emails, and notifications that give you additional opportunities for selling your merchandise!
Key Features:
-Qapla is dedicated to giving a personalized shipping experience to customers. The shipping software can communicate with your customers in their native language.
-Handle 150+ carrier integrations and choose from the best-discounted shipping quotes from the Qapla dashboard.
-Reduce the probability of human errors by generating shipping labels over shipping APIs.
2.11) Shipsy
Shipsy is a shipping and delivery management software that makes local and international carriers more accessible to ecommerce businesses. In addition, small businesses can benefit from Shipsy's geocoding engine that provides faster deliveries to accurate drop-off addresses.
Key Features:
-Ship orders overseas at the cheapest cargo rates with real-time bidding and vendor quotes.
-Enable QR scanned pickups from Shipsy's android and iOS apps.
-Set fixed rules for automatic allocation of warehouse pickups and driver fleets.
2.12) ShipWell
ShipWell is a logistics and shipping software that uses technology to power three vital shipping services - transport management, order tracking, and multi-carrier shipping.
Key Features:
-With ShipWell's AI-driven TMS (Transport Management System), businesses can automatically ship with preferred carriers, select vehicles based on storage capacity, and duplicate route plans or rerouting directions.
-Maintain shipment visibility at all times with advanced order tracking and real-time status updates. Orders can also be tracked for various data points from the ShipWell app.
-Instantly start shipping with your selected carrier with ShipWell's plug-and-play network of carriers.
2.13) WeSupplyLabs
WeSupplyLabs is an after-sales management and shipping software that aims to boost conversion rates and increase ROI with a unique in-store and online shopping option. Their ROI calculator can be found on the website itself.
Key Features:
-Set flexible return rules for order categories to create a trouble-free returns process. For example, smart returns help small businesses cover losses from returns during sales, damages or international orders, etc.
-WeSupplyLabs gives you access to CSAT (Customer Satisfaction), CES (Customer Effort Score), and NPS (Net Promoter Score) to measure how well you're delivering on your customer promise.
-Reflect accurate EDDs at checkout and set the right customer expectation.
2.14) Shipping Easy
ShippingEasy is an ideal logistics and courier delivery software for small and growing ecommerce businesses. It provides heavily discounted shipping rates on shipping with popular carriers like UPS, USPS, etc.
Key Features:
-Integrate with all the selling channels, ecommerce marketplaces, storefronts, etc., that you sell on with ShippingEasy.
-Provide a branded experience to customers with branded shipping labels, branded tracking pages, personalized email notifications, and more.
-After order fulfillment, send promo emails to happy customers to increase footfall to your store and generate revenue.
2.15) PirateShip
PirateShip is an end-to-end shipping and logistics management solution. It is one of the best shipping softwares for small businesses. PirateShip offers up to 89% and 76% off on shipping USPS and UPS shipping, respectively.
Key Features:
-Upload CSV and ODS delivery addresses to the PirateShip system and easily print shipping labels on any type of paper.
-If you are a bulk shipper or a PirateShip subscriber, you can switch to their batch shipping option for quick shipping.
-Get all the help you need with PirateShip's 24/7 support team that's always on standby to help ecommerce clients and their customers.
3. How to Choose the Best Logistics/Courier/Shipping Software for Your Online Shop
Part of running a successful ecommerce company is figuring out how to choose the best shipping management solution designed to help your delivery process. Several things become a part of that decision, like price points, serviceability, payment options, returns management, inventory management etc.
Weighing all of the pros and cons to find out the best transportation management system for your small business can be a tough call. So, we have made a list of the top 10 things all online sellers should look for in their shipping and logistics management software.
3.1) Shipping Costs
When choosing a shipping or transportation management system, shipping costs should naturally make up a big part of the decision-making process. Shipping software does cost more than logistics companies or 3PLs. But the services you get in place of that are incomparable. Automated shipping, help desk, expedited delivery, real time electronic proof of delivery, faster returns all make shipping software an ideal choice for e-commerce businesses. For shipping costs, compare the services offered with the prices to find the most cost-effective shipping plan.
3.2) Range of Delivery
As a small business, we assume that your range of delivery or the locations you deliver to will be small. But if you hire shipping logistics management software, your delivery range will increase without putting too much pressure on your business. That's because all these delivery management software integrates with multiple carriers and logistics service providers to offer worldwide shipping. Growing your customer base is the sure-shot way of gaining popularity as an ecommerce store.
3.3) NDR Management
One of the reasons many small businesses find it hard to make it big is the mismanagement of shipping and delivery exceptions. For a small business, managing delays and failed deliveries can be challenging. However, logistics management software with an NDR management feature can track the number of failed deliveries, determine their cause, and immediately contact the seller to manage customer expectations.
3.4) Reverse Logistics
As soon as you start selling products online, you will also begin to see return or exchange requests. To stop returns from turning into a source of loss, look for courier delivery and services software with returns management. Packaging optimization software helps customers place return/exchange requests easily, processes returns/exchanges faster, and ensures safe passage of goods back to the warehouse/seller. A faster return/refund/exchange delivery process keeps customers happy.
3.5) Multi-Carrier Shipping
One of the reasons ecommerce businesses choose shipping software is because it provides multi-carrier shipping options. So, that's something you should ensure when selecting a powerful delivery management software partner for your business. Multi-carrier shipping widens your market reach, and it also lets you choose from many shipping prices offered by carriers.
3.6) Unified Order Tracking
The order tracking feature is a necessary part of online shopping. Still, smaller ecommerce businesses may find it hard to provide their customers with real-time order tracking because of how much it costs. Tying up with a courier and shipping software can help small businesses offer customers a much better order tracking experience. Moreover, it will not charge you an arm and a leg to provide automated order status messages to customers.
3.7) Delivery Options
The ecommerce industry is highly competitive, and the only way to stay ahead in the game is by offering better and faster services to your customers. Shipping and logistics software can help you achieve that. With options like Same/Next day, hyperlocal, on-demand, scheduled, and curbside deliveries, you will have something for every customer.
The better you serve your customers, the happier they will be, and the sooner you grow as a business. Therefore, ask your shipping software company about all the delivery options they offer to ecommerce businesses. Most shipping platforms today use route optimization to manage shipments and delivery operations. Talk to your delivery management software provider for the kind of task management services they provide.
3.8) Analytics
Analytics/performance reports are something every small ecommerce business should ask their logistics partner about. Analytics reports are a great way to understand how well your business is serving its customers. Analytics can give you data on shipping performance, shipping expenditure, RTO%, delayed deliveries, and more.
While analytics reports are good for ecommerce stores of all sizes, it's vital for small businesses. With the help of performance reports, small businesses can decide the direction they want to build their business and address challenges before they become significant issues.
4. Conclusion
We promised at the beginning of this article to give you a detailed tour of the best logistics softwares for small businesses, discuss their features, and give you tips on choosing the best logistics/shipping/courier software for your business. We hope we have successfully upheld our end of the deal. Now, all that remains is for you to figure out which shipping services you are in most need of and chalk out a plan to hire the perfect shipping software company for your business. Good luck!
5. FAQs
1. Which is the best Shipping or Courier Software for Small eCommerce Businesses?
Shipping and courier logistics software companies help small eCommerce businesses with fewer resources and delivery agents, in shipping, storing, delivering, and even improving overall shipping performance. Here’s a list of top courier logistics software: 1) ClickPost, 2) Narvar, 3) Shippo, 4) ShipStation, and 5) WeSupplyLabs. By selecting one of these competitors, you may gain access to a wide range of shipping options. From ClickPost and Narvar's post-purchase and last-mile delivery experiences, WeSupplyLabs's optimized shipping operations to inexpensive shipping pricing of Shippo and ShipStation.
2. How to choose the best Shipping or Courier Software for Small eCommerce Businesses?
When looking for the best shipping and courier logistics software companies, there are four important factors to consider. First, the shipping software's serviceability, indicates that it can handle your order volume and runs in all of your required locations. The platform's shipping services, on the other hand, must be suitable for your company's requirements. Third, a more technologically enhanced delivery service that provides customers with greater transparency and faster tracking rates. Finally, it ought to be reasonably priced.