Category: Shipping
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Managed shipping RFP template: 27 questions to ask every vendor
Read moreIf you're running an RFP for a managed shipping or multi-carrier TMS partner, the right questions matter more than the right pitch. Below are 27 questions iDrive Logistics thinks every buyer should ask — including...
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A Quick Shipping Carrier Guide
Read moreThe iDrive Logistics platform chooses optimal carriers for the parcels going through our network based on location, service level requirements, parcel profile, time of the year, and more. However, for shippers who don't have automated...
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Rate shopping: Why the cheapest carrier rate is rarely the cheapest shipment
Read moreMost teams shop rates based on what they see upfront, even though the cost‑prediction engine and the billing system are disconnected — which is why the invoice so often fails to match the estimate. The...
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When to switch from a self-serve shipping platform to managed shipping
Read moreIf you're on a self-serve shipping platform and you're spending more time on shipping than on growth, you're at the upgrade decision. Managed shipping isn't a replacement — it's the layer that sits behind your...
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Managed shipping for international brands entering the US market
Read moreIf you're a UK, EU, or APAC brand launching direct-to-consumer in the US, your shipping bill will be the line item that surprises you most. US parcel rates are zone-based across a country the size...
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Managed multi-carrier shipping: How rate-shopping across 12+ carriers actually works
Read moreMulti-carrier rate shopping sounds like a lookup — get the cheapest rate, print the label. In practice it's a per-shipment optimization across cost, speed, zone, weight, dimensional weight, surcharges, business rules, and carrier capacity. Done...
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How managed shipping absorbs GRI increases (instead of passing them through)
Read moreEvery late Q4, FedEx and UPS announce a General Rate Increase (GRI) for the following year. The headline number — typically in the 5–6% range in recent cycles — is rarely the number that hits...
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Managed parcel shipping for DTC brands doing 100K+ orders a month
Read moreAt 100K+ parcels a month, your shipping line is loud enough that small percentage shifts move material P&L dollars. The brands that compound those savings year over year are the ones that stop running shipping...
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Managed shipping vs. direct FedEx and UPS contracts: when each one wins
Read moreA direct contract with FedEx or UPS gives you one carrier's volume tier, one set of surcharges, and one capacity bucket. Managed shipping gives you 12+ carriers under contracts negotiated against $5B of aggregated volume,...
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Managed shipping vs. 3PL: Overlap, differences, and when you’d use both
Read moreA 3PL stores your inventory and packs your boxes. A managed shipping partner picks the carrier, audits the invoice, and absorbs the general rate increase. They overlap on one thing — they both touch shipping...