Many are still dreaming of it and others have already taken the plunge: their own online shop. It could all be so simple: set up a shop, run ads, process payments, and ship goods. But it is precisely this last step that quickly proves to be a stumbling block, over which many an online retailer has already fallen.
Online Retail: Save on Shipping Costs and Send Parcels Cheaply with Packlink PRO + pictibe
Achieving low shipping costs for one’s own shop is the big challenge. Because whether you are an established online retailer or a newcomer, if you don’t control costs, shipping expenses will quickly eat into your margin. And if shipping costs eventually rise, your own shop becomes increasingly unprofitable. A parcel cost comparison is therefore essential for every good webshop.
The same applies, of course, to all those retailers who sell their products via online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon and Co. Here, the decision must be made: outsource shipping processes to the marketplace and swallow the sometimes exorbitant fees, or manage shipping independently. The latter option naturally means more effort for the online retailer, but also offers opportunities to achieve the cheapest possible shipping in online retail.
Whether you are a retailer with your own shop or a seller on marketplaces, there are a number of tips that will help you achieve the lowest possible shipping costs and increase your profit.
The German Parcel Market for Online Retailers with Price Comparison (Parcel Cost Comparison)
The good news: In the field of shipping services, Germany is considered one of the most mature markets, with a dense network of shipping services and healthy competition among various providers. This is also why Germany has rapidly developed into one of the countries with the most online purchases. It is all the more important to save on shipping costs and find favourable prices.
To compare parcel costs, German online retailers should take a closer look at the following shipping service providers:
DHL: DHL, the shipping service provider belonging to the Deutsche Post DHL Group, is the undisputed leader in parcel shipping in Germany and offers the widest network of parcel shops and packing stations throughout Germany. Those with a large shipping volume can get good shipping rates from DHL.
DHL Express: Do you send time-critical shipments nationwide and worldwide? Then DHL Express is the right choice. With DHL Express, you can reach almost any country in the world, with reliable and secure express deliveries. In addition to parcels, DHL Express also transports documents and pallets (pallet shipping & bulky goods).
DPD: Originally founded as „Deutscher Paket Dienst“, DPD is now part of the French GeoPost Group. The group is the European market leader in e-commerce shipping. Favourable prices, a strong international network and advanced tracking with „DPD Predict“ make DPD particularly interesting for online sellers. Those who send parcels daily can arrange for daily collection of parcels.
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GLS: The shipping service provider GLS offers ideal coverage in Germany and Europe with a particularly dense distribution network. Thanks to low damage rates, GLS is a particularly reliable partner. The standard transit time within Germany is less than 24 hours. For voluminous but light shipments, GLS is often the cheapest option in comparison.
UPS: The shipping service provider UPS is characterized by particularly high service quality and reliability. If you transport time-critical shipments or sensitive goods, this is the right place for you. Similar to DHL Express, UPS also offers excellent shipping services worldwide. If you have access to business customer conditions (e.g., via a shipping platform, see below), you can also ship very cheaply with UPS.
Which shipping partner should I choose to send packages cheaply?
Anyone who has been involved in online retail for a long time has probably already developed a preference for one or perhaps two to three shipping partners. However, this preference does not necessarily have to match your customers‘ preferences. Ideally, you should offer various shipping options in your shop’s checkout process to meet your customers‘ needs.
Many customers are willing to pay a little more for express delivery or insured shipping. Diverse shipping options help to differentiate your offer from that of your competitors and to promote customer loyalty.
How do I automatically get low shipping costs for my online shop?
As a professional shipper, you do not have to accept the general shipping prices of transport companies, but can gain access to shipping services at business customer conditions with sometimes considerable discounts. These are the key to keeping your shipping costs as low as possible.
The negotiating position as a small online retailer with the shipping giants is not always easy. Many require a not inconsiderable monthly shipping volume. As a new retailer, however, you can only estimate the volume with great difficulty, especially at the beginning, and fluctuations from month to month can be considerable. What you need, especially at the beginning of your online activity, is flexibility, both in the selection of shipping services and in the quantity to be implemented.
Our suggestion for online retailers: Use an online shipping platform for package cost comparison and save on shipping costs!
What is an online shipping platform for package cost comparison?
The idea behind the shipping platform is simple: the offers of all important shipping service providers are summarized in one central location, and their services can be offered at low shipping costs thanks to the bundled shipping volume of all customers. We were particularly impressed by the free solution Packlink PRO.
How it works: The retailer registers for free on the Packlink PRO platform. The search function is used to enter the shipping data, size and dimensions of the parcel, as well as the sender and destination, to receive a list of all available shipping services. The desired shipping service can be booked directly online via the platform. Now all that’s left is to print the shipping label – done!
The clever part for online retailers: The shipping platform can be connected to a number of shop systems and marketplaces, which saves a lot of manual work by importing ready-to-ship orders directly into the platform and sending them immediately with the desired shipping service.
Here is an overview of the advantages of Packlink PRO for online retailers:
- 100% free to use: No contractual obligations or minimum quantities
- Immediate access to up to 70% cheaper rates with DPD, DHL Express, GLS, UPS, TNT, and many more
- Over 300 national and international shipping services to choose from: Standard, Express, bulky goods, pallet…
- Easy marketplace integrations with e.g. eBay, Amazon
- Automatic shop integrations with e.g. PrestaShop, WooCommerce, 1&1 ePages, STRATO
- Telephone consultation and support from a personal contact person
For us, Packlink PRO is the ideal solution for online shops looking for a way to offer diverse shipping services while simultaneously reducing their own shipping costs. As a WordPress + WooCommerce agency, we also offer the appropriate integration, help, and advice regarding automatic low shipping costs and also ensure more sales with online marketing.
The great thing is that registration is non-binding and free of charge, with no contractual obligations or minimum quantities. The parcel price comparison for the cheapest shipping costs is immediately available.
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