Apart from selling good quality goods, small businesses use efficient order fulfillment to ensure customer satisfaction, win more customers, and beat the competition.
With big and established businesses hiring third-party logistics companies to ensure timely deliveries of products to their customers, small businesses have resorted to more affordable solutions. They are using shipping software to achieve the same goal.
Shipping software is a program/platform that businesses integrate with their eCommerce platform to simplify their shipping processes.
Shipping software lets you import orders from your eCommerce platform, buy postage, print shipping labels and packing slips, track your shipment, and improve your return process. It also links to shipping platforms and helps you organize and streamline your shipping workflows, reduce shipping costs, and ensure customer satisfaction with timely shipments and deliveries.
Here are the eight best ecommerce shipping software for small businesses with all the above attributes.
1. NextSmartShip
NextSmartShip is one of the best shipping software for eCommerce. It makes order fulfillment easy by giving you all the tools. It takes all the fulfillment pressure from you and lets you focus on quality production and business management.
This shipping software has all the tools your small business needs to simplify eCommerce fulfillment. Its fulfillment solutions are simple, fast, and affordable. Its intelligent technology is simple and easy to use, automating your supply chain and ensuring real-time inventory management. Its eCommerce delivery management software also optimizes time and cost by selecting the quickest route at the cheapest cost.
NextSmartShip supports and offers seamless platform integration across multiple sales channels like Amazon, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, Wix, eBay, Walmart, Etsy, Backerkit, Wish, PrestaShop, Opencart, Squarespace, and WordPress. This enables it to access affordable/discounted shipping prices all over the globe to 224 countries worldwide.
It works with the largest shipping companies like FedEx, DHL, UPS, Postnl, GSL Logistics, TNT, Singapore Post, Royal Mail, DPD, and United States Postal Service to offer global shipping solutions to businesses.
NextSmartShip rates at 5 out of 5 because of its use of smart technology that ensures an efficient shipping and order fulfillment process,
Using this shipping software (robotic automation) will enable your business to offer fast/same-day or express delivery to your clients worldwide, helping you achieve up to 300% fulfillment speed.
Unlike other shipping software, NextSmartShip is not just a software. It is also a 3PL company who has fulfillment centers around the world. NextSmartShip can pick, pack and ship your orders. The software is free, easy to use and powerful. No set up fees.
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2. ShippingEasy
ShippingEasy is a shipping platform that makes shipping affordable for all businesses, especially small businesses starting out. It has a free plan that allows small businesses (startups) to get discounted rates and monthly shipments for up to 50 shipments a month.
This shipping software has features/elements that make it a powerful shipping software for any business. It automates shipments, links you to discounted carriers, offers carrier support, prints pick lists, shipping labels, and packing lists. It also helps you in tracking orders and returns and advanced reporting.
Overall, this shipping software rates a 5 out of 5 because of its various uses, making shipping easy.
Shipping Easy has other tools/integrations that streamline your business’ shipping workflows. You can integrate it with eCommerce channels like Squarespace, Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, AmeriCommerce, PrestaShop, AmeriCommerce, Volusion, and so on.
It is also a good marketing tool with interactive metrics, feedback requests, email marketing, and campaign management. Its automated inventory management system ensures optimum product and supplier management, purchase orders, and reporting.
It also makes selling on Amazon easy with its full Amazon seller support that supports using Alexa for shipping, FBA, and feedback management.
3. Ordoro
This cloud shipping software is the best for large drop shippers and small businesses. It helps them in inventory management and shipping.
Ordoro offers affordable (discounted) shipping rates and barcode scanning. It processes customer orders from various sales channels/eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, Shift4Shop, etc. It also supports worldwide order fulfillment using integrations with carriers like UPS, USPS, FedEx, Canada Post, DHL, and Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime.
Its dropshipping offers start at the pro-level plan. Its base plan has no seller-fulfilled Prime fees. In contrast, its higher plans have vendor portals, integrations, customized workflows, great customer care/support (customer service representatives), and supplier management. It also automatically sends the tracking number to customers upon shipment.
The Ordoro shipping software rates at 4 out of 5 because it supports different business types.
Aside from providing dropshipping solutions, it has a free plan and has no shipping limits on paid plans. It’s also an easy platform to learn/use with advanced reporting and analytics that make it easy to streamline your eCommerce operations on all channels.
4. Shippo
If you are looking for shipping software that provides worldwide shipping solutions, then Shippo it is.
Shippo offers integrations with the main worldwide carriers like UPS, DHL, FedEx, Hermes, APC, CouriersPlease, Deutsche Post, and so many more. These carriers give businesses or merchants discounts and better shipping options across borders.
This software allows you to search for real-time carrier rates to find the most affordable option for your business. Shippo provides for self-fulfillment, dropshipping, and third-party logistics using integrations with various fulfillment partners like ShipDaddy, ShipBob, ShipHero, Mainfreight, ShippingTree, Wizmo, Baja Fulfilment, and SnapShip.
Overall, Shippo rates at 4 out of 5.
This time-saving shipping tool will automatically sync orders and tracking details, provide address validation, and simplify returns. And best of all, it makes shipping internationally easy with its prefilled customs forms.
5. ShipStation
ShipStation is great for small businesses with an economical shipping model/system. This shipping software caters to small businesses that don’t want to use a third-party logistics company.
ShipStation has an easy-to-use platform that has a mobile application, increasing its usability across all devices. It provides integrations with eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Shopify Plus, Wix, BigCommerce, Magento, Ecwid, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Big Cartel, PrestaShop, Volusion, and Opencart. It also supports multiple sales channels like Amazon, Alibaba, Jet, Best Buy, eBay, Walmart, and Etsy. Its platform is easy to use and also has a mobile app.
ShipStation rates at 3 out of 5 because of its limited functionality.
Suppose you are a small business that does self-fulfillment and ships directly from your production center (home/warehouse/rental facility). In that case, the ShipStation shipping software could be the best option for you. You can automate your shipping workflows, print labels, and track numbers with this shipping software.
6. Stamps.com
Stamps.com is a shipping software that works differently from its counterparts. Instead of using multiple carriers, Stamps.com only connects with two shipping carriers (UPS and USPS).
This makes it an excellent shipping option for small businesses that only purchase and print postage from these two carriers. But like other shipping solutions, it provides integrations with many eCommerce platforms and marketplaces like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Opencart, CS-Cart, Shift4Shop, BigCommerce, Volusion, OsCommerce, and so on.
It also helps you import orders from your eCommerce platform, print in bulk, and send real-time tracking updates to customers/send shipping notifications. It also provides free address verification, schedules UPS and USPS pickups benefits, and processes orders more quickly with workflow automation tools.
Stamps.com rates at 3 out of 5 because of its limited carrier options.
Still, its software is easy to set up and use. It offers discounted rates on USPS Priority, First Class, International shipments plus UPS Two-Day and Air. It also helps you get discounted shipping rates from UPS and USPS.
Stamps.com’s free trial includes free postage. The only trouble is that the free trial period is payable when you sign up for the service.
7. ShipRush
This shipping software supports mainly small businesses that ship freight. It supports many different types of shipping, such as freight shipping, individual package shipping, and less than load (LTL) freight shipping to your available carriers. This is a very affordable solution that makes shipping more efficient.
ShipRush integrates with eCommerce platforms and marketplaces, CRM and accounting software apps, shipping carriers like WooCommerce, Shopify, Etsy, Drupal, eBay, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Big Cartel, Shif4Shop, Opencart, and so on.
ShipRush rates at 3 out of 5 because this platform takes a bit of time to learn.
It’s a great shipping solution that offers discounted shipping rates with USPS, UPS, and FedEx carriers. It also displays rates for all carriers, supports different shipping types, notifies customers when orders are shipped, and prints remotely to any printer.
Not to forget, it has a free 60-day trial that you can start with.
8. Sendcloud
Sendcloud is a shipping software enabling many eCommerce businesses to save time, effort, and money on their most crucial process, shipping.
It connects businesses to suitable carriers, helping them ship efficiently and fulfill orders worldwide. This platform has branded tracking emails, tracking pages, and a return portal, ensuring customer satisfaction.
Sendcloud is among the best shipping software for small business if you are getting ready for international growth.
Conclusion
Integrating your eCommerce platforms with best small business shipping software like NextSmartShip will take the pressure off order fulfillment off you and help you focus on scaling your business.
Our shipping software will organize, automate, streamline and improve your entire shipping process, ensure customer satisfaction, and increase sales and profits.