The Benefits of Multi-Carrier Shipping Software

An emerging trend in direct-to-consumer retail is fulfilling orders using multiple shipping carriers. In today’s fast-paced world, this strategy has become vital for success, as relying on one carrier for all of your shipments puts you in a tough spot when things go wrong for that carrier (damaged goods, performance issues, etc.). Businesses must provide reliable and cost-effective shipping options to customers in order to remain competitive.  

The rise of direct-to-consumer shipping has placed new demands on businesses, requiring them to be able to manage multiple shipping carriers and complex business rules, or automation, from a single platform. This is where multi-carrier shipping software comes into play. This software, usually housed within a TMS, provides businesses with a convenient and efficient solution for managing and comparing multiple shipping options, printing shipping labels, tracking shipments, and more. In this article, we will explore the benefits of multi-carrier shipping software and why it is an essential tool for businesses looking to streamline their direct-to-consumer shipping operations.

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What is multi-carrier shipping software?

Multi-carrier shipping software is a powerful tool that allows businesses to manage their shipping operations efficiently and effectively while using multiple shipping carriers. It is a comprehensive platform that allows businesses to seamlessly integrate with multiple shipping carriers and usually takes the form of a TMS or sometimes an ERP. Utilizing this software enables cross-carrier rate comparison, label printing, and management of all shipments from a single, unified platform. Some of the benefits include simplifying automation processes and reducing many of the manual tasks associated with shipping, ultimately saving businesses time and money. We’ll go over the benefits in greater detail below.

What are the benefits of multi-carrier shipping software?

Logistics professionals are constantly seeking tools that simplify processes, enable improved shipping visibility, and enhance customer experience. Multi-carrier shipping software achieves all these objectives.  

Lowers shipping costs

The cost of shipping is at the forefront of many shippers’ minds. A multi-carrier shipping software can help logisticians reduce shipping costs by providing improved cross-carrier visibility. This means shippers can input the exact dimensions, origin, and destination of a parcel and see the exact rates that would be incurred when utilizing different carriers.  

This enables shippers to make data-driven decisions that are best for their bottom lines. Some multi-carrier software platforms also allow shippers to create custom business rules to automate shipping decisions and costs, another must for simplifying operations.  

Faster delivery

Customers expect fast delivery as a rule, and in a competitive industry, a quick delivery can be the difference between an order and an abandoned cart. With fully capable multi-carrier shipping software, businesses can optimize their shipping strategy by comparing delivery times from multiple carriers and setting up automations to have packages delivered in a manner that meets or exceeds customer expectations.  

Improved order tracking  

Multi-carrier software can also help businesses stay organized with their shipping orders. Businesses can track their packages’ locations, shipping costs, delays and delivery statuses, and more. In addition to improved order tracking, businesses can collect and analyze historic shipping data, informing everyone from CX to marketing. This is another key to making great data-driven decisions.
 

Minimizes human error  

Manually keying in data for every order can be time-consuming and increases the risk of human error. Good multi-carrier shipping software automates manual processes, allowing businesses to focus on other important tasks without the worry of potential mishaps.

International shipping  

International shipping can be a huge benefit for reaching new customers, but it can also be a headache for shippers. Manually keying data for every order is time consuming and increases the risk of  error. Multi-carrier shipping software allows for informed decisions pertaining to international shipping, reducing the risk of potential mishaps.  

Fulfilling orders using multiple shipping carriers is increasingly a best practice for eCommerce companies. Using software that is designed to manage this strategy is the best way to incorporate it into your business. The ShipCaddie TWMS platform features well-designed and incorporated multi-carrier capabilities, including label printing, rate comparison, and shipping insurance. If you’re interested in a free dem, contact us today. https://shipcaddie.com/contact/