The High-Cost of Free Shipping Software
Carrier-provided software is free shipping software that allows you to ship packages to your customers. UPS WorldShip, FedEx Ship Manager, and USPS Click and Ship are 3 examples of this software, generously provided by their respective carriers. They are extremely popular and widely used among e-commerce companies. The big draw to these programs is that they are free and relatively easy to learn. The old saying, “nothing in life is free” applies to these popular shipping software programs. What is the true cost?
A Lack of Productivity
Carrier-specific software does not integrate with your desired marketplaces. Since there are no integration capabilities, countless man-hours are spent doing repetitive tasks such as copying and pasting tracking information or sending tracking emails to fulfill marketplace requirements. This is a huge deal when shipping out hundreds of packages a day from multiple marketplaces. Your valuable employees are forced to juggle between multiple computer screens, transitioning from the software to marketplaces, entering tracking information, and sending emails.
Mistakes happen. While you’re rushing to get that last-minute order out, you may forget to fulfill the marketplace tracking information or send your customer tracking information. Or, perhaps, you didn’t copy and paste that address over right! It happens all the time. Now that “free” shipping software just cost you money, valuable time, marketplace ranking, and quite possibly a customer. It not only hits your pocket book, but creates hassles that could have been avoided.
You’re Paying Higher Rates
Carrier’s love when you use their provided software because that prevents you from rate shopping between carriers. Once you’re locked into their software, you will automatically use the respective carrier for all your shipping needs. This means you will pay higher rates as you have now limited your options. You wouldn’t limit yourself when searching for a new car, so why limit your options when shipping out your packages?
When you sign up for ShipWorks, you can use multiple carriers. In addition to that, we do the rate comparing for you! Our best rate tool automatically compares rates across carriers and services to give you the best rate and ensure your customer receives their packages on time.
You also receive a free Stamps.com account. The FREE Stamps.com account provides you with commercial based pricing, which is always cheaper than retail rates quoted at the post office. Once you purchase the postage it will automatically apply the discounted rates. See the following:
- Priority Mail Express: Up to 14% off Post Office Prices
- Priority Mail: Up to 40% off Post Office prices
- First Class Package Service (First-Class Parcels): Up to 28% off Post Office prices
- Priority Mail Express International: Up to 5% off Post Office prices
- Priority Mail International: Up to 5% off Post Office prices
- First Class Package International Service: Up to 5% off Post Office prices
Transit Times are More Important than EVER!
Along with losing the ability to rate shop, you lose the ability to check transit times among multiple carriers. Customers are becoming accustomed to receiving their packages faster and faster, often in two days or less. Locking yourself in with one carrier forces your hand when selecting days in transit. Again, with our Best Rate tool, ShipWorks will allow you to compare rates and different shipping services. You will find that price will vary depending upon the carrier.
Amazon has made 2 days transit the norm for e-commerce customers. A big part of the user experience for an e-commerce customer is the time it takes from ordering to arrival. In order to compete with Amazon, all e-commerce companies are going to have to get their packages to their customers sooner. ShipWorks will help you do that.
Control Your Image
Every contact point with a customer is important. Customers want to know when their packages are on the way. Software such as UPS WorldShip, USPS Click and Ship, and FedEx Ship Manager lacks customizable email offerings for your customer. Instead of sending your customer a generic email, wouldn’t you love to send them a beautiful email that displays your logo? After all, you want your customer to remember you, not the carrier.
Your image is what makes your brand so successful. Customizable templates are available with ShipWorks for you to display your image in any way you deem necessary. Make this consistent across the board with packing slips, invoices, emails, etc.
Customer Returns
One of the more frustrating things to deal with when selling online are customer returns. Returns not only slow down your day but can cost you money depending upon your policy. While using carrier provided software, additional steps are added to the process adding time to your day. This dreadful process not only frustrates you but your customer as well. ShipWorks takes that dreadful process and turns it into a breeze. A few clicks later, an emailed label will be on its way to the customer.
In Conclusion
ShipWorks is the ideal alternative to UPS Worldship, FedEx Ship Manager, and USPS Click and Ship. While it’s very generous of these carriers to provide these programs free of charge, they are costing you money. Trim operation costs and save yourself money on rates. Show off your exciting brand to your customers!
Change can be difficult for any organization, especially with business-critical software. Just know that we are here to help! We have an onboarding team coupled with weekly demos showing off our software. The best part is, our incredible support staff is located right here in St. Louis, MO from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT. We are here to help make your transition as easy as possible.
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About the Author:
Joe Reynolds is a Business Development Representative at ShipWorks, responsible for educating new customers on how to automate existing shipping procedures. In this role, Joe works closely with new customers and ShipWorks technology partners.
Joe has over 4 years of e-commerce shipping experience, bringing great value to new and existing customers. His main responsibility is to help save customer’s time and money by overhauling their current shipping processes.