Providing eCommerce Merchants Access to Cross-Border & International Parcel Solutions

Cross-Border & International Parcel Solutions

Chicago-based third-party logistics (3PL) services provider SEKO Logistics and Austin, Texas-based ShipStation, a provider of Web-based e-commerce shipping services, recently announced they have formed a partnership focused on increasing the ability of e-commerce retailers, or e-tailers, to grow in cross-border markets.

Through this partnership, the companies said e-tailers will have the ability to connect to SEKO Logistics via ShipStation and gain access to various benefits, including:

• reduced transit time and lower cost to international markets for faster expansion;
• reduced cart abandonment rates internationally with lower shipping costs; 
• an easy and monetized returns solution with international in-country return capabilities; 
• unified tracking internationally regardless of final mile postal carrier; and 
• retailer/Seller custom-branded tracking portals

Brian Bourke, SEKO vice president of marketing, told Logistics Management that this partnership was spurred on by SEKO’s focus on building out its bundled parcel and freight solutions, including cross-border commerce, next-day, and returns for the past five years.

“We made a strategic decision earlier this year to partner more with technology providers to more easily facilitate the integration of our solution as retailers and e-tailers alike work with such a disparate spectrum of ERP, platform and other technology stacks where both API, EDI, and even XML become standard integration formats and can delay the onboarding process,” he said.

“We wanted to work with the leader in this space, and ShipStation was the natural start for us as the market leader in helping retailers integrate quickly and easily with both carriers and shopping cart platforms.”

As for the biggest shipper benefits of this partnership, Bourke explained that ShipStation clients in the USA, UK, Australia, and other countries now have immediate access to SEKO’s cross-border, next-day and returns solutions for parcel shipping and delivery.

And he added that by providing small and medium-sized shippers that ability to leverage SEKO’s cross-border reach and final mile postal integrations, they are able to leverage a global solution at both a good price as well as a good transit time.   

Bourke also stated, “We can see substantial growth opportunities to expand our partnership. ShipStation is already the largest eCommerce TMS provider in the US, but they also want to expand more in the UK and Australia, which we can support our established operations in both countries.”

“We will also have the ability soon to extend our ‘White Glove’ services to ShipStation merchants selling heavier weight products in the US. This is a dynamic partnership that will help ShipStation merchants expand their brands and sales across our international network.”

About ShipStation

ShipStation is the world’s leading web-based shipping solution that helps e-commerce retailers import, organize, process, and ship their orders quickly and easily from any web browser. ShipStation features the most integrations of any e-commerce web-based solution with over 150 shopping carts, marketplaces, package carriers, and fulfillment services. ShipStation's many integration partners include eBay, PayPal, Amazon, Etsy, WooCommerce, Magento, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Shopify Plus, Prestashop, and Walmart; along with carriers such as SEKO Logistics, Royal Mail, FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, Canada Post, Australia Post, and Fulfillment by Amazon. ShipStation has sophisticated automation features such as automated order importing, custom best practice rules, product profiles, and fulfillment solutions that enable its users, wherever they sell and however they ship, to be exceptionally efficient at shipping orders. For more information, visit http://www.shipstation.com.

About SEKO Logistics

SEKO Logistics provides a suite of logistics services, which enable you to use your supply chain as a competitive differentiator. As a customer-centric organization, we are powered by the expertise of our people and our in-house developed, best-in-class, customizable technology.

About SEKO Omni-Channel Logistics

SEKO Omni-Channel Logistics' clients span from global multi-channel retailers to niche brands and product owners requiring small-scale or specialized eCommerce logistics. By enlisting a dedicated logistics team, retailers are free to concentrate on their brand, product range, purchasing and sales while The SEKO Solution integrates their eCommerce platforms and ShipStation to seamlessly deliver products to international customers - and manage your returns overseas and all the way back to you.

Thanks to our close connections with every major integrator and mail provider in larger eCommerce markets, along with our contracts with domestic/regional parcel carriers, we are able to give retailers access to the ideal delivery solution. We provide intercontinental fulfillment options, plus, as a major global air freight forwarder, we are able to manage the entire Omni-Channel retailing process in-house; from down route access at the origin, through line haul and local injection services at the destination.

We have a flat management structure, with just three layers between you and the CEO, making us ‘fast on our feet’ in delivering solutions that can meet your exact requirements. This lean and nimble structure increases our decision-making speed and gives us the ability to implement customized solutions, which far exceed those of our competitors.

Related Article: Managing Online Shipping & Returns Expectations

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