What does an ideal order fulfillment process look like for an Australian e-retailer? To me, this is what it looks like:
- The e-retailer receives an order on call, email or in person
- Order gets registered into the ERP or other software (if any)
- Customer gets notification about the order
- Retailer sends the Order to the warehouse manually or through a sales order management app
- Worker visits the warehouse, finds the ordered item, and picks it up
- Packing takes place
- Order shipping process begins
- Notifying customers about the order preparation and shipping
- Delivering the order
Now, if you are modern e-retailer, you must be aware as to how companies like eBay and Amazon manage their shipping processes. They offer swift delivery options and ensure that the customers are satisfied with deliveries. For ecommerce retailers based in Australia who face shipping troubles, technology offers the option of integrating an Australia Post Shipping Extension, using which the e-retailers can ensure smooth and seamless order fulfillment and shipping.
Timely Delivery – The Biggest Factor
Ask any retailer as to what their customers expect and they will say one thing. They want their orders on or before time. Also, just so that you know, customers do not mind paying extra shipping and handling charges if they can get the ordered product the next day.
Now, let’s say that as an Australian e-store owner, you have an Australia Post Shipping Extension in place. Using it, you will be able to offer your customers with a variety of shipping options when they check out. Not just that, you would also be able to provide your customers with a tracking options to know the whereabouts of their parcel, choose from international, priority, fast delivery options etc.
So, how would you go about selecting the right shipping extension? Here’s what you can do:
Check the Extension Compatibility
Just because it is a shipping extension, doesn’t mean it would work with your ecommerce store. As the first step, you need to find out which shipping solution would suit your needs. Do you have a Magento e-store? Who is your shipping partner? Are you looking for Magento FedEx Shipping Extension?
Mull over these questions and evaluate which extension would integrate easily with your ecommerce store. You also need to consider your current inventory management system as well as the carriers that you prefer. If the answers to all the above factors is positive, you can consider investing into the extension.
Is it Meant for the E-Retailers of a Particular Region?
This is the second and the most important step. Find out as to what region is the shipping integration built for. Most of the extension makers mention the name of the region when they sell it on the marketplaces. For example – Australia Post Shipping Extension is meant for the e-retailers based in Australia. So, find out as to what regions did the extension start selling first.
There is also a possibility that the support team of the extension is more proficient in supporting carriers belonging to a particular region. It takes longer time to support when it comes to resolving issues with a New Zealand carrier in comparison to an integration specific for Australian carriers like Star Shipping. A Magento Startrack Shipping Extension can serve as a good example here.
Should You Go for a Shipping App or a Freight Aggregator?
There are some shipping integrations available in the market that work as freight aggregator. These aggregators take care of the shipping process on your behalf by choosing the carrier and fix the ticket on every shipment by providing you with an access to competitive shipping rates.
AppJetty’s Australia Post Shipping Extension enables you to manage your shipping account with ease and use the carrier that works the best for you. For example, if you work with FedEx and have a Magento based ecommerce store, you can also find a Magento FedEx Shipping Extension and make the most out of a shipping plugin that offers live rates, shipping notification, address validation and more. Imagine the amount of time you can save with order fulfillment when you can handle these tasks in a matter of seconds.
Wrapping Up…
In case you are still in to minds whether or not to integrate a shipping extension to your ecommerce store, think about the time you would need in case you had to fulfil an order manually. Thereafter, you can multiply the figure by the number of orders you obtain over a month or week. Find out the value you would place on the hourly rate and you will; be able to find the right cost of manual fulfilment.
Why not integrate Australia Post Shipping Extension and check out how it speeds up your order processing? We are an official Australia Post Partner and provide this extension for both Magento 1 and 2 store owners. If you want to know about this product and its features in detail, book a demo with us now!
