As online shopping grows, small businesses have to meet higher customer expectations. Over 45% of shoppers want alerts when their packages arrive, and 68% want to know when their orders are shipped.
Small businesses need shipping software that easily works with their marketplace and tech setup to keep up. This helps meet customer needs and keeps them happy.
The top shipping software comes with handy features like:
A good shipping management system can simplify admin tasks, speed up shipping times, and improve the customer experience. All this can lead to better reviews!
In this article, we'll check out the best shipping software for small businesses. We'll focus on those selling on platforms like Shopify, Etsy, eBay, and other marketplaces. We'll start by explaining what shipping software is and how it can help your business grow.
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Shipping software makes managing shipping and post-shipment tasks easier. With these apps and services, you can:
You can create automation rules for labels and pick carriers based on the best rates or fastest delivery times. Plus, notification systems keep customers updated when their order is shipped and delivered.
You're aware of the advantages of shipping software, but how do you discover the ideal solution? Several factors should be taken into account:
Understanding your objectives is key to crafting an efficient e-commerce shipping plan. So, what outcomes do you aim for with your software? Are you aiming to:
Identify your primary shipping hurdles and seek solutions to address them effectively.
Your shipping software should ideally blend smoothly with your existing platform and operations, ensuring a seamless transition. Seek solutions that provide real-time integration, capable of automatically:
Some platforms offer integration via their shipping API. That gives greater flexibility and customization options.
Comprehensive reporting features can elevate inventory management. It can enable you to make informed, data-driven choices.
When managing order fulfillment and shipping independently or with a small team, efficiency is crucial. You need shipping software that saves time and simplifies your workflow.
Look for software that provides:
These functionalities will help you save time, enabling quicker order fulfillment and reducing the likelihood of errors. Spending less time on shipping and order management allows you to prioritize customer service and provide top-notch products to shoppers.
Shipping expenses can impact your profitability significantly. Yet, the appropriate shipping software can alleviate this issue. Many providers offer pre-arranged shipping discounts to assist merchants in saving on expenses.
In addition to discounts, seek solutions that offer transparent rate comparisons and suggest more economical alternatives without compromising delivery quality.
Shipping management isn't complete once packages leave your premises. Many things can occur between pickup and delivery. Shipments might face delays, packages might go missing, or customers might opt to return their purchases. Having a shipping solution capable of managing these "reverse logistics" post-shipment issues is invaluable.
Search for solutions that facilitate the resolution of non-delivery reports and returns effortlessly. Many platforms offer integrated return portals, return label generation, and automated status updates to enhance the customer experience.
Shipping software offers more than just help in finding optimal shipping rates and printing labels. Many providers also furnish detailed reporting features to simplify your operations, such as:
Key Features
ShippingEasy provides robust features to simplify the shipping process. It allows you to manage orders from a single dashboard, create custom order views, merge or split orders to save costs, generate shipping reports, and more.
Customers appreciate its integration with many e-commerce platforms. They also value easy order cancellation and refund options, and helpful support. Yet, some users find the interface difficult to navigate.
Pricing
Key Features
Shippo's shipping app provides access to over 40 carrier options. It allows users to select the best rates and lower shipping costs. You can automate label creation by setting shipping rules and create custom forms and invoices for international customers.
More than 100,000 online businesses use Shippo to expand their reach and manage shipments. That includes everything from scheduling pick-ups to ensuring delivery.
Users appreciate Shippo's intuitive design and helpful customer support.
Pricing
Shippo offers several non-API pricing options:
Key Features
Pirate Ship offers a simple interface with no learning curve. It allows you to quickly buy and print UPS and USPS-certified shipping labels in just three steps, whether you're shipping one package or thousands. Enjoy the cheapest shipping rates without monthly fees, as Pirate Ship is paid by the carriers, not by you.
Users appreciate the intuitive interface, instant setup, and friendly customer support available every day via live chat or email. There are no commitments, so you can try it risk-free.
Pirate Ship operates on a pay-as-you-go model with no monthly fees. Simply pay with any card or PayPal as you use the service.
Key Features
AfterShip's platform ensures customers stay informed with updates and tracking for their shipments. AI-powered estimated delivery date predictions enhance accuracy and streamline the post-purchase process.
Real-time tracking and automated returns management alleviate small business responsibilities while enhancing customer satisfaction. You can opt for SMS notifications at an additional charge to keep customers informed via text, or stick with email notifications.
Pricing
Key Features
Ordoro, a small independent shipping software based in Austin, TX, aims to simplify and streamline shipping for small sellers. Their shipping app offers comprehensive tools for order management and fulfillment, including order filtering, splitting, merging, and cloning. Notable features include Amazon FBA order routing, shipping insurance, and automated order routing options.
To ensure a smooth customer journey, Ordoro offers customized packing lists, shipping labels, and email notifications.
Additionally, Ordoro offers inventory and dropshipping solutions for sellers looking to manage other aspects of their business.
Pricing
Key Features
Easyship is a comprehensive shipping platform that seamlessly integrates with various sales channels. It also provides access to pre-negotiated shipping rates. With over 250 couriers worldwide to choose from, merchants can find the best rates conveniently from one platform.
Small e-commerce businesses seeking to expand and offer international shipping will find Easyship's global shipping tools invaluable. The platform calculates tax and duty costs and prepares the necessary paperwork to facilitate customs clearance.
Customer-facing features, such as branded tracking pages and customized packing slips, contribute to a more positive customer experience.
Pricing
ShipStation offers a range of pricing tiers tailored to meet the needs of small businesses at different stages, catering to shipments from 25 to 7,500+ packages per month. Its order management tools empower business owners to merge, divide, or refine orders as required.
Users have access to real-time shipping rates displayed on the dashboard. That facilitates easy comparison and selection of the most favorable rates.
The platform boasts dedicated customer service, with representatives keen to understand your business and provide support in overseeing all orders and shipments from a unified central hub.
Pricing:
Key Features:
Established in 2009 and headquartered in Canada, 2Ship aims to simplify shipping by enabling real-time carrier rate comparison and management from a single dashboard. The platform provides live charts and graphs to keep users informed. The One Rate table displays all available shipping services from various carriers.
The standout feature of 2Ship is its ability to view, compare, and select carriers and prices from one centralized location. The ONE Ship button allows users to generate carrier-compliant labels effortlessly. Additionally, 2Ship monitors shipments and alerts users if any are delayed.
For users new to 2Ship, the Shipping Assistant mode guides them through each step of the shipping process.
Pricing:
Key Features:
OrderCup is a web-based e-commerce shipping platform. It helps streamline retailers' order management and shipments. Its features, such as shipping rules and intelligent defaults, along with discounted shipping rates, contribute to saving time and money.
The platform seamlessly integrates with leading e-commerce solutions like Etsy, Shopify, and Woocommerce. It also provides support for many carriers, enhancing the shipping process.
Being a fully web-based platform, OrderCup offers accessibility to all its features from any Internet-connected device.
Pricing:
Key Features:
XPS Ship provides shipping software designed to simplify the process of finding the best shipping rates, printing shipping labels, and tracking orders. Users can save money by accessing discounted shipping rates from major U.S. carriers. The software allows for easy import of order data from Shopify and other sales channels, streamlining order status updates and tracking. With features like automation rules, batch fulfillment, and live customer support, XPS Ship aims to optimize shipping efficiency and reduce manual labor for businesses.
Pricing:
Contact the vendor for pricing details.
Shipping software simplifies the often complex shipping process, particularly for independent e-commerce businesses. These software options seamlessly integrate with popular e-commerce platforms and carriers. They serve as a centralized dashboard to streamline your workflows.
Additionally, they provide access to shipping discounts and help with rate comparison, all in one convenient location.
Many of these solutions provide free trials or free account options. That allows you to explore their features and functionalities before committing to a specific one that best suits your business needs.