If the 2021 holiday shopping season seemed a little “weird,” that’s because it was. After a particularly stressful 2020 holiday season amid Covid-19 lockdown, many consumers expected to have a semi-normal season this year with family gatherings (at least small ones) and gift-giving. Supply chain breakdowns, shipping delays, and the ongoing pandemic—now filled with additional […]
Established in the US by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is designed to support local economies and is a great opportunity for marketing. Part of the “Shop Local” movement, ShipStation proudly supports small businesses and their customers by helping provide streamlined, efficient order and delivery fulfilment – building trust for all those small […]
UPS announced their 2022 rate change on November 5th and the rate increase will go into effect on November 14th. The announced rate increase of an average net 5.9% can mean different things to you as a shipper based on your shipment profile. This average rate increase matches rate adjustments already announced by rival carriers FedEx and DHL. As […]
No-one likes ambiguity, especially when it comes to that eagerly awaited parcel a customer has ordered. From the moment someone presses purchase on your store, customers expect to know where their order is at all times and providing complete visibility into the shipping process is a must nowadays. In our recent survey, we found that […]
Beginning October 1, 2021, many senders and recipients of USPS first-class shipments began to face delays and extended delivery times. This is no accident—these mail delays are strategic and self-imposed as part of a plan set forth by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. Originally proposed in March of 2021, DeJoy implemented the new system as USPS […]
With the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) still fresh in our minds, we look at the impact of ecommerce on sustainability and why it’s everyone’s responsibility in the industry to consider changes that can make a difference. Over the last two decades, the ecommerce market has grown exponentially – and so has its […]
En cette période de fin d’année, bien préparer son processus d’expédition est un des éléments fondamental pour assurer l’acheminement des commandes en temps et en heure. Honorer les commandes et faire face aux demandes d’acheteurs de dernière minute requiert de bien connaître les délais de livraison des services des transporteurs et de bien les communiquer […]
There are very few things more frustrating than undercharging on shipping. Knowing what to charge customers can be challenging and overwhelming, especially if you sell a variety of products of all different shapes and sizes. Here are some of the things to be aware of when shipping online orders and calculating your shipping prices. How […]
Learn how to prepare your backend for Black Friday and Cyber Monday with tips from our partner, Rewind.
Returns are an unfortunate part of any ecommerce business. No one wants to do returns. According to Statista, the key reasons people in the UK return items bought online are “it didn’t fit” (66%), “item not as described” (39%) and “it looked different in person” (36%). Returns are only increasing in the UK, and consumers […]
Online spending is on the rise. ShipStation’s study: The Global Pulse: Ecommerce After COVID-19 found that: 42% of consumers expect to spend more in 2021 than they did in 2020 65% of consumers say they plan to shop online vs. in-store even after the pandemic ends Only 36% of consumers say they have started shopping […]
Welcome to the final post in our four part blog series, where we highlight what was covered in a recent webinar on essential business practices for international expansion, which you can access on-demand. The webinar was brought to you by experts from Lengow, Avalara, and of course, us here at ShipStation. Together, our three platforms […]
Meta description: Expanding into international markets? Here are some essential business practices to consider for handling cross-border shipping, delivery and returns. Welcome to part 3 in our four part blog series, where we highlight what was covered in a recent webinar, which you can access on-demand. The webinar was brought to you by experts from […]
COVID-19 has significantly accelerated the growth of ecommerce, forcing businesses to up their online game. According to ShipStation research, online spending continues to rise, with 42% of consumers expecting to spend more in 2021 than they did in 2020. With more consumers shopping online than ever before, and with the peak sales season almost upon […]
The global ecommerce market is expected to total $4.89 trillion in 2021. And according to Forrester, cross-border transactions will outperform domestic transactions by 17% between 2017 and 2022. So there’s never been a better time to expand into new international markets. But a profitable expansion requires a detailed and dynamic plan that considers technology, business […]
Every part of your ecommerce business is going to experience an influx of some kind or another during the holidays. Your website will see more traffic. Your customer service representatives will field more phone calls. And your packing and shipping area will process more orders. With the pandemic starting to ease and Peak season just […]
What is LTL and what does it entail? LTL, aka Less than Truckload, is the transportation of products or goods that does not require a full truckload due to the smaller nature of the parcel. LTL shipments are usually arranged on pallets and can range anywhere from 150 pounds to 10,000 pounds. LTL carriers specialize […]
Consumer behavior has changed dramatically — and likely permanently — as a result of the global pandemic. Since March 2020, ShipStation has kept a pulse on the progression of COVID-19 and how it transformed ecommerce long-term. The results? Consumers globally are spending more, they’re supporting small businesses, they’re demanding more visibility into shipping and delivery, […]
The retail landscape changed dramatically in 2020. One major consequence of the pandemic was a huge upsurge in online shopping, which shows little sign of slowing even as UK lockdown measures start to ease. And as more people have turned to home delivery than ever, it’s not surprising that returns are on the rise, too. […]
The ecommerce retail space has come a long way in recent years. Just a few years ago, delivery expectations were low – customers expected to wait up to 10 days to have an item delivered. But slowly, expectations started changing. First, standard delivery options shortened to 3-4 days; then, expedited 2-day or next-day shipping raised […]
The impact of COVID-19 has had serious implications on the international supply chain and to consumer expectations. Whereas previous years saw a shortening of expected wait time, 2020 saw the average amount of time a consumer is willing to wait grew from 5 days to 8 days. However, with this lowered expectation around ship time, […]
Instagram makes it easier than ever for shoppers to explore and purchase the products they love.
FedEx announced their annual rate increase in mid-September 2021, slightly earlier than usual announcements of this nature. FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, and FedEx Home Delivery shipping rates will across the board increase by 5.9%. As with most years, a 5.9% increase might be more or less for a merchant, depending on their shipping profile. Most […]
Learn how the integration between ShipStation and SAP Business One helped BILLY Footwear improve their fulfillment strategy.