Introduction:

In the world of logistics, staying ahead of the competition and meeting customer expectations is crucial for success. As a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, you understand the importance of streamlining operations and maximizing efficiency. One area that can significantly impact your performance is the first mile of the supply chain.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the “first mile” concept and how implementing first mile solutions can help 3PL providers optimize their operations, drive growth, and deliver exceptional service to clients.

What is the “First Mile”?

The first mile refers to the initial stage of the supply chain, where goods are transported from the point of origin, such as a manufacturer or supplier, to the 3PL provider’s facility. Additionally, the first mile involves various activities. These activities include pickup, sorting, packaging, and local transportation.

Overall, the first mile is a critical phase that sets the tone for the logistics process as a whole. Implementing effective first mile solutions ensures smooth operations, timely deliveries, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Why is the “First Mile” so important?

Efficient management of the first mile is vital in overall logistics performance. Not only does management increase supply chain efficiency, it also reduces transportation costs and enhances customer satisfaction. Businesses can establish a solid logistical framework by optimizing activities in the first mile.

Also, this helps to enable faster order fulfillment, minimize delays, and lay the groundwork for a seamless shipping experience. Thus, prioritizing the first mile stage is essential for businesses seeking to excel in logistics operations and to gain a competitive edge in today’s dynamic marketplace.

Benefits of First Mile Solutions for 3PL Providers:

Effectively managing the first mile is beneficial in creating a seamless shipping experience for your customers. Also, implementing solutions can benefit your 3PL work environment and operations. Some of the benefits of implementing first mile solutions include the following:

Efficient Order Processing:

Organizing the first mile process enables quicker order processing and reduces delays. There are many advanced technologies you can implement to help with this. For example, Barcode scanning, automated data capture, and order management systems allow for seamless integration and improved order accuracy.

Inventory Visibility and Management:

First mile solutions provide real-time visibility into inventory levels and movement. Further, they enable 3PL providers to have better control over stock. You can use inventory management tools and implement robust tracking systems to help.

Also, with these tools, you can optimize storage, minimize stockouts, and improve overall inventory accuracy.

Optimized Transportation:

Applying first mile solutions helps 3PL providers optimize transportation routes and modes. By utilizing route planning software, vehicle tracking systems, and real-time traffic information, you can reduce transportation costs, improve delivery speed, and enhance operational efficiency.

Effective Vendor Collaboration:

First mile solutions facilitate greater collaboration with vendors and suppliers. To help with this collaboration, you can implement shared systems, communication platforms, and data integration into your operations.

These help to streamline order placement, inventory restocking, and overall coordination. Additionally, this results in improved accuracy, faster response times, and better relationship management.

Enhanced Customer Experience:

A smooth and efficient first mile process positively impacts the end-to-end customer experience. By implementing first mile solutions, you can ensure faster order fulfillment. You can also ensure accurate tracking and proactive communication with customers.

This implementation thus causes increased customer satisfaction, improved retention rates, and potential for positive referrals.

How Can You Optimize the First Mile?

There are multiple solutions you can carry out to create an optimal first mile stage for your 3PL operations. Some solutions include:

Technology Integration:

Invest in robust technology solutions that align with your first mile requirements. These include warehouse management systems (WMS), inventory tracking tools, order management systems (OMS), and transportation management systems (TMS).

You can further optimize your operations when you leverage automation, data analytics, and integration capabilities.

Collaboration and Partnerships:

Forge strategic partnerships with technology providers and vendors specializing in first mile solutions. Collaborate with industry experts to identify innovative solutions and leverage their expertise to implement best practices.

Data-Driven Decision-Making:

Utilize data analytics and reporting tools to gain insights into your first mile operations. Analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as order cycle time, on-time delivery rates, and inventory accuracy to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

Continuous Improvement:

Regularly evaluate and refine your first mile processes. Encourage feedback from your team, customers, and vendors to identify bottlenecks, address issues, and implement process enhancements.

Embrace a culture of continuous improvement to stay agile and adaptable in a rapidly evolving logistics landscape.

Need a Hand? eHub’s Got Your Back

eHub understands the struggles 3PL providers like you face, especially in managing the multiple stages of the fulfillment process and customers’ needs. Not only that, you do this all while trying to maintain high customer satisfaction rates and find good leads.

eHub helps eliminate stress from searching for high-quality leads that align with your business goals and services. By joining eHUb’s network of over 50 vetted 3PLs, you can be worry-free in searching for leads and let eHub find them for you. That way, you can focus on other areas of your operations, such as the first mile, while gaining customers that align with your business and goals!

Conclusion:

Optimizing the first mile is essential for third-party logistics providers seeking to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and drive growth. By implementing first mile solutions, 3PL providers can enhance order processing, inventory management, transportation optimization, vendor collaboration, and customer experience.

Investing in advanced technology, fostering strategic partnerships, leveraging data-driven decision-making, and embracing a culture of continuous improvement are key steps toward unlocking the full potential of the first mile.

In the competitive world of logistics, standing out as a reliable and efficient 3PL provider is paramount. By prioritizing the first mile and implementing tailored solutions, you can differentiate yourself from the competition, meet customer expectations, and drive sustainable growth.

Unlock the power of the first mile and position your 3PL business for success in today’s dynamic logistics landscape.

Introduction

Regarding e-commerce shipping, the location of your warehouse plays a vital role in determining costs and productivity. Picture your East Coast warehouse as the starting point of a cross-country road trip, with shipping zones acting as the states you encounter along the way.

There are pros and cons to a coastal warehouse. An East Coast warehouse provides easy access to major ports, allowing for simplified import and export operations. This closeness enables faster international trade and reduces transit times for your goods. Locating on the East Coast provides excellent connectivity to transportation networks, including highways, rail lines, and airports. This translates to faster, less costly transportation of your products.

With an East Coast warehouse, you can better serve customers on the East Coast and quickly expand your reach to neighboring regions. This strategic advantage opens up new market opportunities for your e-commerce business.

The Pros of an East Coast Warehouse

An east coast warehouse offers several distinct advantages when considering a warehouse location. First and foremost, it provides easy access to major ports, streamlining import and export operations. The closeness to these ports advances international trade and significantly reduces transit times for your goods. Additionally, being on the East Coast ensures excellent connectivity to transportation networks, including highways, rail lines, and airports. This sturdy organizational structure translates into faster and more cost-effective transportation of your products, saving you both time and money.

Furthermore, an East Coast warehouse allows you to effectively serve customers in the immediate region while opening doors to neighboring areas. This strategic advantage expands your market reach and presents new opportunities for growth and expansion. By leveraging an East Coast warehouse, your e-commerce business can tap into a broader customer base and establish a strong presence in multiple regions.

Understanding Shipping Zones

Shipping zones are an essential aspect of e-commerce shipping. Shipping carriers divide the country into different zones based on distance and logistics considerations. Each zone represents a distinct geographic region, typically numbered from 1 to 8. As the zone number increases, so does the shipping distance and associated costs.

Challenges of Shipping Zones for East Coast Warehouses

While an East Coast warehouse offers numerous benefits, there are challenges when it comes to shipping to zones farther away. Shipping to these distant zones can result in higher shipping expenses due to the additional logistics and resources required to transport goods over longer distances. These increased costs can significantly impact your bottom line.

Another challenge is the potential for extended delivery times when shipping to certain zones. In today’s fast-paced e-commerce landscape, customers expect timely deliveries, and any delays can lead to dissatisfaction and negative reviews. Ensuring prompt delivery to all zones is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Avoid Shipping Challenges with a 3PL Network

Partnering with a reputable third-party logistics (3PL) network can help overcome the challenges associated with shipping zones. A 3PL network offers several valuable solutions to enhance shipping operations and avoid costs.

First and foremost, a 3PL network provides an adequate distribution infrastructure. With strategically positioned warehouses across different regions, including inland areas, a 3PL network lets you store inventory closer to your customers. By reducing shipping distances, you can minimize costs and improve overall productivity.

Decreasing Costs

In addition, a 3PL network employs better routing strategies and zone-skipping techniques. Using their expertise and industry knowledge, they can minimize the number of shipping zones your packages must cross. This approach helps you avoid unnecessary costs and decreases transit times, ensuring faster customer delivery.

Resource Access

Effective inventory management is another advantage offered by a 3PL network. Their advanced inventory management systems enable strategic distribution of stock across multiple warehouses. This ensures faster order fulfillment and timely deliveries to customers in different shipping zones. With inventory strategically located throughout the network, you can meet customer demands promptly.

A 3PL network also provides expandability and flexibility to accommodate your business growth. As your e-commerce business expands or experiences changes in demand, a 3PL network can adjust the distribution network accordingly. Their infrastructure and resources ensure prompt order processing, inventory management, and distribution across multiple locations.

What Can eHub’s 3PL Do For You?

Partnering with a 3PL network like eHub grants access to logistics and supply chain management expertise. Joining a network of vetted 3PL allows e-commerce businesses to take advantage of 3PL benefits. eHub offers access to a vast network of strategically located warehouses across different regions, including critical coastal and inland areas. This expansive network allows businesses to optimize their shipping operations by strategically placing inventory closer to customers, reducing shipping distances, and minimizing costs.

With a 3PL’s expertise in routing strategies and zone-skipping techniques, businesses can effectively navigate shipping zones and avoid unnecessary expenses associated with long-distance shipments. By leveraging eHub’s 3PL network, businesses gain a competitive edge, streamline their supply chain, and deliver exceptional customer service nationwide.

Conclusion

By understanding the advantages and challenges of an East Coast warehouse and leveraging the power of a 3PL network, e-commerce businesses can enhance their shipping operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. Strategic warehouse locations and reliable logistics partners are essential for successfully navigating the shipping landscape and fostering business growth.

In summary, an East Coast warehouse and a trusted 3PL network can drive better shipping, extended market reach, and satisfied customers nationwide.

What is Kitting Logistics?

Kitting logistics is a fulfillment process where individual items are pre-assembled into kits. This approach offers several advantages, making fulfillment faster and more efficient. Many eCommerce entrepreneurs are unaware of the benefits that kitting can provide, but with eHub’s assistance, you can unlock its potential for your business.

More Than Just Bones in a Box

Assembling kits for shipment in eCommerce fulfillment can be surprisingly similar to the work of a paleontologist carefully unearthing and reconstructing fossil fragments. Once fossilized bones are unearthed, they are wrapped in a layer of protective burlap plaster and packaged into a heavy-duty wooden crate.

Wrapping the fossils in plaster allows them to be organized and packed efficiently, primarily because of the awkward size of the fossils, as well as the sometimes extreme weight!

Similar to how a paleontologist uncovers, packages, and eventually connects scattered bones to reveal the complete skeleton of a prehistoric creature, kitting involves carefully packaging individual products to create a comprehensive kit for customers. The care that goes into this process is done with the intent of protecting the product but also making it easier to ship various pieces of the product together. This also holds true for awkwardly shaped and heavy items.

Just as the paleontologist’s painstaking process of preparing and reconstructing fossils requires attention to detail, properly shipping multiple products or pieces in one package also demands a deep understanding of the products involved. By strategizing the selection and arrangement of products, businesses can ensure that they complement each other and provide value to customers.

When Does Kitting Happen in the Order Fulfillment Process?

This process occurs before order fulfillment starts. You select the products for your kit and establish a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for your process. This SOP ensures that your kits are packed in a specific order, providing a delightful unboxing experience for your customers.

Additionally, the process should always consider the best way to pack multiple items together, ensuring they arrive in perfect condition. Once you’ve developed your kitting SOP with an experienced 3PL team, the fulfillment process begins. The kits receive new SKUs and are assigned a dedicated warehouse location. Typically, skilled warehouse “kitters” assemble the kits at a separate station, away from pick and pack fulfillment operations.
By eliminating the pressure of filling standard orders as quickly as possible, the kitters can focus instead on efficiently assembling kits with rigorous quality control standards.

Advantages of Warehouse Kitting

By leveraging this warehouse strategy, you can reap numerous benefits that will help your eCommerce store thrive:

Create an Efficient Assembly Process: With a refined SOP in place, creating kits becomes more efficient, primarily if you sell the same group of products repeatedly. Instead of picking items from multiple locations, kitting allows for a streamlined assembly process.

Reduce Fulfillment Errors: Traditional picking processes involve rushing from one end of the warehouse to another, increasing the likelihood of errors. However, with pre-kitted items, the picker only needs to make one stop, significantly reducing fulfillment errors and safeguarding your business reputation.

Add Speed to Order Fulfillment: Simplifying the picking process by providing a single SKU for the assembled products accelerates order fulfillment. The packer’s work is minimized, with their primary task being the addition of a shipping label.

Save on Packaging Costs: Collaborating with our 3PL team to develop a kitting process that optimizes packaging. This includes fitting more items into smaller boxes and reducing packaging costs while ensuring product protection during shipping.

Use Flexible SKUs to Maximize Stock: Kitting enables inventory management flexibility. In cases where demand fluctuates, the original product SKUs can be retained, allowing kits to be disassembled and returned to their individual SKUs. This flexibility helps you quickly adapt to changing customer preferences and demands.

Which eCommerce Companies Benefit from Warehouse Kitting?

Warehouse kitting is advantageous for various eCommerce businesses. Here are some examples of companies that can leverage kitting fulfillment:

Subscription Box Companies: If you offer subscription boxes, kitting is essential to ensure a seamless and enjoyable unboxing experience for your customers. It allows you to make packaging an integral part of your product.

Online Retailers of Heavy or Bulky Items: By combining lightweight accessories with more oversized products, kitting can help reduce shipping costs associated with oversized items. Customers receive a single package, enhancing convenience and saving money on packaging and shipping.

Holiday or Seasonal Gift Box Sellers: Kitted gift assortments alleviate the stress of gift shopping, especially during holidays. By offering beautifully packaged gift sets, you provide a convenient solution for your customers and increase your revenue. Customers will appreciate the thoughtfulness of a well-curated gift kit.

Businesses That Offer Volume Discounts: Kitting is an excellent strategy for businesses that provide volume discounts or bundle similar products together. Bundling offers customers a price break for ordering in larger quantities, leading to increased sales.

Any Online Retailer for Items Commonly Ordered Together: Kitting can benefit any eCommerce business, regardless of the industry. If you frequently notice customers purchasing certain items together, creating kits can simplify the ordering process for them and increase customer satisfaction.

Streamline Your Fulfillment Process with eHub

At eHub, we understand the importance of kitting logistics in eCommerce fulfillment. Our expertise and capabilities allow us to match businesses with the perfect 3PL solution tailored to their specific needs. By implementing kitting strategies, the right 3PL can optimize your order fulfillment, reduce errors, improve efficiency, and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction.

With our assistance, you can create a seamless assembly process, save on packaging costs, and maximize your inventory. Whether you’re a subscription box company, an online retailer of heavy items, or any eCommerce business needing efficient fulfillment, eHub is here to help.

Contact us today to discover how 3PL kitting logistics services available within our network can benefit your business and take your eCommerce operations to the next level. Streamline your shipping, exceed customer expectations, and grow your online store with eHub as your trusted partner.

Introduction

In today’s competitive business landscape, efficient logistics and supply chain management are critical for success. One powerful solution that has gained immense popularity is partnering with 3PL (third-party logistics) companies.

In this guide, we will explore the world of 3PL companies, their services, their benefits, and how they have revolutionized supply chain operations.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand why businesses across various industries are turning to 3PL providers to optimize their logistics and drive growth.

What are 3PL Companies?

3PL companies are third-party logistics providers that specialize in handling various aspects of logistics and supply chain management on behalf of businesses. They offer various services, including transportation, warehousing, inventory management, order fulfillment, and distribution.

By outsourcing these critical functions, businesses can focus on their core competencies while benefiting from the expertise, scalability, and cost savings that 3PL companies provide.

Industries that Benefit from 3PL Services

Multiple industries benefit from partnering with 3PL companies. For instance, e-commerce businesses can leverage 3PL providers to manage warehousing, order fulfillment, and last-mile delivery efficiency.

In the retail sector, we can look at just a few examples: 3PL companies help optimize inventory management and provide timely replenishments. Manufacturers can streamline their supply chains by outsourcing transportation and distribution, while healthcare organizations rely on 3PL providers for specialized handling of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Automotive companies, too, utilize 3PL services for efficient parts distribution and aftermarket logistics.

Across these industries (and many others), 3PL companies enable businesses to overcome logistical challenges, enhance customer satisfaction, and reduce operational costs.

Factors to Consider when Choosing a 3PL Company

Selecting the right 3PL partner is crucial for achieving optimal results. When evaluating potential providers, consider factors such as industry expertise, network coverage, technological capabilities, scalability, track record, and customer reviews.

A reliable 3PL company should align with your specific business needs, possess a robust infrastructure, and demonstrate a proven ability to handle similar operations effectively.

Conduct thorough due diligence and ensure your chosen 3PL provider has a solid reputation for delivering exceptional service.

Transformative trends mark the future of 3PL. Automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and sustainability are driving innovation in the industry.

Automation and robotics streamline warehousing and order fulfillment processes, improving speed and accuracy. Artificial intelligence enables predictive analytics for demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and route planning. Blockchain technology ensures transparency, security, and traceability across the supply chain.

As these trends continue to shape the industry, partnering with a forward-thinking 3PL network provider like eHub ensures that businesses stay at the forefront of logistical innovation.

Conclusion

By harnessing the expertise of 3PL companies, businesses can transform their supply chain operations, streamline processes, and unlock new levels of efficiency and growth. With the multitude of services offered by 3PL providers like eHub, businesses can focus on their core competencies while leaving the intricate logistics to the experts.

From transportation and warehousing to order fulfillment and distribution, eHub leverages a trusted and vetted network of 3PL partners and resources to optimize supply chains, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency.

By partnering with eHub, businesses gain access to a team of logistics professionals who understand the industry’s complexities and are dedicated to delivering exceptional service.

With its extensive network of 3PLs and advanced technological solutions, eHub ensures seamless integration with your existing systems, enabling smooth operations and timely delivery of products.

In conclusion, 3PL companies are vital in today’s fast-paced business environment by providing efficient and cost-effective logistics solutions.

By outsourcing logistics operations to trusted providers like eHub, businesses can focus on their core competencies while enjoying the benefits of expertise, scalability, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

In the world of modern commerce, logistics can make or break a business. To stay competitive and efficient, many companies turn to third-party logistics providers or 3PLs. But what exactly is a 3PL meaning in the context of eCommerce, and how can it benefit your business? In this article, we will delve into the definition of 3PL and explore how eHub can help connect your business to reliable and vetted 3PL partners.

What is a 3PL?

3PL Meaning Third-party logistics refers to the outsourcing of logistics and supply chain management functions to an external provider. These functions include transportation, warehousing, order fulfillment, and inventory management. The goal of a 3PL provider is to provide businesses with a comprehensive logistics solution that allows them to focus on their core competencies.

Here are several types of 3PL providers, including:

Transportation-based 3PLs: These providers specialize in transportation services, such as freight forwarding and shipping.

Warehouse/distribution-based 3PLs: These providers specialize in warehousing and distribution services, such as inventory management and order fulfillment.

Forwarder/NVOCC 3PLs: These providers specialize in international freight forwarding and non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) services.

Financial-based 3PLs: These providers offer freight payment and auditing services.

Information-based 3PLs: These providers offer technology solutions for logistics management, such as transportation management systems (TMS) and warehouse management systems (WMS).

How Can a 3PL Benefit Your Business?

Outsourcing logistics functions to a 3PL provider can bring many benefits to businesses, including:

Increased efficiency: 3PL providers are experts in logistics and supply chain management, meaning they can streamline and optimize these processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Access to technology: Many 3PL providers offer solutions to help businesses track and manage their logistics processes more effectively.

Scalability: 3PL providers can adapt to changes in a business’s logistics needs, whether that means scaling up during periods of high demand or scaling down during slow periods.

Cost savings: By outsourcing logistics functions to a 3PL provider, businesses can save on the costs associated with maintaining their own logistics infrastructure and personnel.

How Can eHub Help Connect Your Business with a 3PL Partner?

At eHub, we understand the importance of reliable and efficient logistics solutions for businesses of all sizes. That’s why we offer a vetted network of 3PL partners that can provide a range of logistics services to meet your business’s needs. Our network includes providers specializing in transportation, warehousing, order fulfillment, and more.

To connect with a 3PL partner through eHub, submit your logistics needs through our online form. We will match you with a 3PL provider that meets your specific requirements, ensuring that you have access to a reliable and efficient logistics solution.

In addition to our 3PL network, eHub also offers a range of other services to help businesses optimize their logistics processes. These services include freight auditing and payment, transportation management, and more.

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, logistics can make all the difference. By outsourcing logistics functions to a reliable and efficient 3PL provider, businesses can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and focus on their core competencies. At eHub, we are committed to connecting businesses with the best 3PL partners for their specific needs.

Small parcel shippers have a plethora of options when it comes to choosing carriers to ship their packages. While it may be tempting to stick with one carrier – an approach the carriers prefer as long as they are the single chosen provider! – using multiple carriers can offer a range of benefits that can positively impact a business’s bottom line.

Whether you are a Small Business, Midmarket, or even an enterprise-sized company, it is essential to understand the benefits of using multiple small parcel carriers.

Cost savings

One of the most significant benefits of using multiple carriers is the potential cost savings. When businesses rely on a single carrier, you will be subject to that carrier’s pricing and structure alone. While you may have negotiated discounts below an initial proposal, the resulting rates may not always be the most cost-effective option.

Using multiple carriers, businesses can compare rates and choose the most cost-effective option for each shipment. Additionally, having multiple carriers can help you when it is time to negotiate rates with each carrier as they compete for the business.

Improved delivery times

Another benefit of using multiple carriers is that it can optimize your delivery time vs. cost optimization. Different carriers may have different time-in-transit expectations to a particular address, so choosing the most suitable carrier and service for any particular package is crucial for optimizing cost with a good customer experience.

In addition, some carriers may offer better “express” type services than others, and so for those expedited shipping requirements, being able to choose a better-performing carrier will facilitate the meeting and hopefully exceed your customers’ expectations.

Increased flexibility

Using multiple carriers can also offer increased flexibility when it comes to shipping. If a business only uses one carrier, it may be limited to shipping to those destinations that the particular carrier supports.

For example, if you need to ship a package to a rural location, you may choose a carrier specializing in delivering to rural areas. Again, by having multiple carriers, you can choose the carrier that offers the best option for each shipment.

Reduced risk of service disruptions

When you rely on a single carrier, you may be vulnerable to service disruptions if that carrier experiences any issues or network outages. If one carrier experiences an issue, the business can quickly switch to another carrier to ensure that the package is still delivered on time.

These disruptions can be from weather impacting part of that carrier’s network (while another may be able to bypass it), or disruptions in service due to labor issues, similar to what the two largest US carriers are facing this year.

By using multiple carriers, you can reduce the risk of delayed deliveries and poor customer experiences because you have backup options available.

Improved customer satisfaction

Is this really a 5th reason? In almost all cases, carrier diversity ends up with the potential for improved customer satisfaction. Improved customer satisfaction will lead to an increase in repeat business.
Access to additional services
Different carriers may offer different services, such as international shipping, hazardous materials shipping, or temperature-controlled shipping.

By using multiple carriers, you can deliver to a new customer segment or offer new products that may have special handling associated with their transportation, allowing you to grow your business.

Increased Visibility and Control via Multicarrier Technology

Using multiple carriers without a central technology platform can lead to potential chaos. Trying to corral data from multiple stand-alone systems can quickly become a headache when sourcing individual tracking updates, billing-related information, and spending.

With a multi-carrier technology platform in place, you have the ability to track each package and monitor its progress through the shipping process regardless of carrier and service. This platform can also create automation capability by creating rules for carrier and service selection based on defined business logic.

This takes the decision-making out of the hands of the shipping clerk, reducing human error and increasing efficiency in your fulfillment process.

Having a single back-end platform managing and collecting your shipment information saves you time and money when it comes to invoicing customers, auditing your carrier invoices, and optimizing your business rules around carrier and service usage.

Using multiple carriers via a multi-carrier technology platform can offer a range of benefits for small parcel shippers. From cost savings to improved delivery times and increased flexibility, you can leverage the carrier that offers the best option for each shipment.

By having alternative carrier options available and quickly ready to activate, you can reduce the risk of service disruptions due to carrier network issues. Overall, using multiple carriers via a multi-carrier platform, you will have the shipping tools and capabilities you need to optimize your shipping process, improve performance, lower costs, and grow your business.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, outsourcing shipping fulfillment offers numerous advantages for businesses in today’s complex business landscape. By partnering with a reliable logistics provider, businesses can focus on their core competencies while leaving the intricacies of shipping and logistics to the experts.

Cost savings can be achieved through the elimination of the need for in-house infrastructure and the ability to take advantage of economies of scale. Increased efficiency and scalability are also key benefits, as logistics providers have the expertise and resources to optimize operations and adapt to changing order volumes.

Improved customer experience, including faster and more reliable shipping options, can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, increasing sales and revenue.

Considering these compelling reasons, businesses looking to optimize their shipping and logistics operations should consider outsourcing and exploring their options with reliable logistics providers.

Nearly every parent has experienced abandoning a shopping cart filled to the brim with ice cream, frozen waffles, and fruit snacks as they drag a screaming, flailing toddler out of a grocery store at least once.

Luckily for the store stockers, the parent, and the toddler, that doesn’t happen often.

But if your online store were an actual, physical place, you’d probably have more abandoned carts littering your aisles than products on your shelves.

What is shopping cart abandonment?

Shopping cart abandonment, when online shoppers start to checkout but quit before clicking “complete order,” is a natural and expected part of e-commerce. The virtual version of telling a salesperson, “I’m just looking, thanks,” consumers hit “add to cart” because they want to:

Even though it’s just part of doing business, shopping cart abandonment is an $18-billion-dollar problem for retailers annually.

The average documented shopping cart abandonment rate across all industries is a whopping 69.57%. For mobile users, rates jump up to 85.65%.

That’s a lot of money left on the virtual table. Essential Hub wants to help you get it back.

Top 5 reasons for online shopping cart abandonment

The top 5 reasons consumers give for checkout abandonment are:

  1. Extra costs (shipping, taxes, fees) are unexpected or too high (49%)
  2. The site will not allow checkout without creating an account (24%)
  3. Shipping and delivery timelines were too long (19%)
  4. The checkout process was too long or confusing (18%)
  5. The checkout portal did not appear to be secure (17%)

It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that Amazon’s Prime program has dramatically impacted consumers’ online shopping and shipping experience.

According to the statistics above, a whopping 68% of online shopping carts are explicitly abandoned because businesses don’t meet consumer shipping expectations. Even more strikingly, 28% of shoppers will abandon their carts if shipping costs show up as an unexpected “gotcha” during the checkout process.

When you combine the expectation of free and fast shipping with increased consumer privacy rights, those top reasons for shopping cart abandonment make a lot of sense.

EHub’s shopping cart abandonment solutions

You’ll never be able to eliminate shopping cart abandonment completely, but there are things you can do to reduce it significantly:

  1. Offer free shipping.
  2. If you don’t have free shipping, be upfront about all extra costs, like shipping, taxes, and fees, from the first click.
  3. Simplify and secure your checkout process to improve page load times and reduce confusion.

Free shipping
According to AlixPartners, 72% of US consumers said that including free shipping “greatly impacts” their online purchasing decisions. There are multiple use cases from businesses that have seen their orders increase by as much as 90% after implementing free shipping.

You must be thoughtful about adding free shipping to your customer service arsenal if you want to stay in the black. Setting up simple reports to track product pricing, profit, and shipping expenses can give you the data to adjust your market pricing strategy effectively.

At EHub, we help you crunch the numbers to determine which of our streamlined shipping solutions will meet your needs. Because we aggregate shipping costs across all our customers, EHub can offer cheaper solutions than you’d get working directly with the shipping company.

Basically, we make offering free shipping more accessible, cheaper, and faster than you thought possible.

Be upfront about shipping costs
If free shipping isn’t feasible, shipping costs must be clearly visible throughout the entire shopping process. Customers will abandon carts with lightning speed if they are hit with an unexpected shipping charge, even if it’s only $15.

EHub’s proprietary API can seamlessly integrate with your checkout processes to make sure your customers know exactly what kinds of shipping costs to expect (which, as we mentioned, are among the industry’s lowest if you use EHub).

Additionally, EHub can deliver faster, provide tracking, and give you detailed reporting and analytics capabilities that will take shipping from your biggest headache to a walk in the park.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that Amazon’s Prime program has dramatically impacted consumers’ online shopping and shipping experience

Simplify and secure your checkout processes
Checkout optimizations can improve your conversion rates by 35.26%, which translates to significant profit growth for a small business. Offering guest checkout, optimizing images for faster page loads, adding a progress tracker, and using HTTPS connections are all steps we can take to help you streamline your checkout process and decrease your shopping cart abandonment rates.

Get those carts to the registers

EHub is here to help you optimize your checkout processes and offer shipping solutions to keep your customers digitally pushing their carts to the “complete purchase” button. Contact us today to see what we can do for you.

Suppose it seems like UPS peak season surcharges are not only higher but lasting longer, too; you’re right. Since March 2020, UPS has had to adapt to the significant changes in e-commerce and the global supply chain. In a nutshell, people were buying more online… a lot more. Thanks to this increased demand, most shipping carriers had to adapt, UPS included.

One adaptation included changes to peak season surcharges. Typically, peak season is just around the 4th quarter, the busiest time of the year for retail. Since the logistics industry hasn’t quite recovered from 2020 (have any of us?), we’re seeing peak season stretch beyond 4th quarter.

It’s already here. Not only that, we’re seeing it split into what resembles a tier system. If you thought surcharges were expensive, well, I have some not-great news for you.

Peak Season Surcharges: Tier 1

July 4 — October 2, 2021 Fees:
The following applies to all US domestic, import, and export shipments, qualifying customers who have shipped >1,000 total packages or more than ten that required Additional Handling during any week following February 2020.

Peak Season Surcharges: Tier 2

October 2, 2021 — January 15, 2022 Fees:
The following applies to all US domestic, import, and export shipments, qualifying customers who have shipped >1,000 total packages or more than ten packages that required Additional Handling during any week following February 2020.

The Over Maximum Limits peak surcharge will be $250.00 per package

Handle your shipping costs and communication to customers accordingly, and have a plan for when things go sideways

Bonus Round of Surcharges for High-Volume Shippers

October 31, 2021 — January 15, 2022 Volume-Based Fee:
The following applies to certain UPS Air Residential, UPS Ground Residential, and UPS SurePost, who have shipped more than 25,000 packages during any week following February 2020.

October 31, 2021 – January 15, 2022

UPS SurePost

110% to 200% of February 2020 volume$1.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume$2.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume$3.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume$4.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume$5.15 per package

UPS Ground Residential

110% to 200% of February 2020 volume$1.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume$2.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume$3.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume$4.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume$5.15 per package

UPS Next Day Air Residential

110% to 200% of February 2020 volume$2.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume$3.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume$4.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume$5.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume$6.15 per package

All Other UPS Air Residential

110% to 200% of February 2020 volume$2.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume$3.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume$4.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume$5.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume$6.15 per package

Current Service Levels With UPS Service Guarantee:

The following applies to certain UPS Air Residential, UPS Ground Residential, and UPS SurePost, who have shipped more than 25,000 packages during any week following February 2020.

How Does This Affect Your Peak Season?

I think the most important thing to remember is that the peak season results in a lot more shipments, which can mean increased waiting times for customers, delays, and maybe increased charges. Handle your shipping costs and communication to customers accordingly, and have a plan for when things go sideways.

It could also be worth taking a look to make sure you’re getting the best rates on your business shipping. Our shipping specialists can perform an analysis that tells you where you’re already shipping most efficiently and exactly where you could be saving more. Contact us to get started on a custom analysis for your business.

If you’re an e-commerce store looking to grow your sales, you must get serious about pop-ups.

Contrary to popular belief, pop-ups don’t have to be annoying. Executed correctly, they have the power to make a big difference in your conversions. It all goes down to segmenting them correctly and making them relevant to your visitor.

Today, we will look at the seven best pop-up tools you can use to take your conversion to new heights. Let’s get started:

1. Privy

Privy grows your sales with exit-intent popups, flyouts, announcement bars, and more. It’s a valuable tool if you’re looking to increase your email list and reduce cart abandonment.

The easy-to-use program makes it easy to experiment and tweak your email popups. You can test different messages based on color, design, display time, and more to see what works the best, even with no coding skills.

Another area where Privy excels is segmentation. To make your popups relevant to the visitor, you can segment them based on which country they come from, how they landed on your website, how much they have in their shopping cart, etc.

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2. Sumo

Sumo is a top-rated conversion tool trusted by over 600,000 businesses worldwide. The platform includes multiple features to help stores win more sales, generate conversions, and increase subscribers.

From the platform admin, you can create unique offers and discounts to get your customers’ attention. By making customers sign up, you’ll increase your store’s average order value and boost sales.

Just as shoppers are about to leave their cart, Sumo reaches out with a popup that encourages them to follow through with their purchase. It also retargets customers with a follow-up email when subscribers view your product without buying.

 

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3. Justuno Pop Ups

Justuno uses artificial intelligence to boost conversions with pop-ups, exit offers, countdown timers, and more. It offers endless ways to customize your upsell and cross-sell offers.

The platform’s AI software analyzes billions of data points to tailor pop-ups based on each visitor. It tracks visit frequency, geolocation, cart value, and more to ensure your store sends the right message at the right time.

Justuno comes with advanced analytics to track your marketing success and measure performance. You’ll gain exact insights into what strategies work and what don’t.

 

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4. Omnisend

Omnisend is one of Shopify’s most popular email marketing apps, with a near-perfect 4.7 rating. It connects your email efforts with other channels such as SMS, Facebook, and Google.

On top of using pop-ups to generate sales, you can optimize your landing pages for conversion. It’s also known for its Wheel of Fortune pop-up that offers customers the chance to win a special voucher on your store.

 

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5. Salespop

Social proof is a powerful tool for conversion. 91% of customers trust reviews as much as their own friends and family.

Sales Pop helps you use social proof to boost sales by displaying real-time customer activity. When visitors know that others are buying from your store, they are more likely to buy themselves. It also makes your store look busy and creates urgency.

The app does this by connecting to your Shopify and tracking recent sales. Customers will also be able to click on the pop-up to look at the purchased product.

 

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6. Pixelpop

With Pixelpop, you can capture visitors’ emails and sync them to Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Constant Contact, or Conversio. You can also add banners that display special offers, such as free shipping.

Pixelpop has various ways to style and customize pop-ups on your store. The different types of pop-ups you can use on your website include email signups, announcements, coupon codes, social follow, etc. The sky’s the limit!

Pixelpop doesn’t require any coding background to get started and only takes a few seconds to install on your store.

 

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7. Wisepops E-commerce Pop-Ups

Thanks to its drag-and-drop editor, Wisepops makes it possible to create high-converting emails within seconds.

One aspect that makes Wisepops stand out from other popup tools is its vast choice of templates. The platform makes it easy to find designs that reflect your brand.

Wisepops sends the right message at the right time with contextual targeting. You can target customers based on various factors such as their cart value, their timezone, location, and more.

 

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Conclusion

Pop-ups are great for growing your email list and landing more sales. We hope this list of tools will help you pick the right pop-up tool for your business. Experiment with each platform and see which fits you the best!

For eCommerce businesses that ship internationally and domestically, shipping factors and variables are a bit different. However, modern technology and improvements have created a situation where numerous companies have the resources to ship internationally with ease, not only significant corporations – this used to be the case in past generations.

Introduction


At eHub, we’re happy to help with a wide range of international shipping needs and challenges, from helping you choose the ideal carrier to filling out the correct paperwork, managing international returns, and many other areas. That first area, choosing a carrier, is often a bit more complex for international shipping than for domestic – this two-part blog series will go over several factors you should be considering, which our team will be happy to help you with during any international shipping process.

Major Carriers

Generally speaking, there are four significant companies or carriers that ship internationally:


International First

One crucial tip for companies who perform both domestic and international shipping: When finding a new carrier, ask about international shipping variables first. As noted above, the significant carriers vary widely in their international shipping guidelines, pricing, and more – there isn’t as much difference between them when you get to domestic shipping areas, so your primary focus should be on the area with more variability.

When finding a new carrier, ask about international shipping variables first

Certain carriers might limit regions or countries they will ship to, which could be a big issue for your business. If you’re unsure about a given carrier, you may consider only shipping internationally to a few countries first to see if the program works for you.


Wrapping Things Up

For more on choosing an international shipping carrier or to learn about our eCommerce shipping services, speak to the staff at eHub today.