It’s not just in the UK that online retailers are facing increases in postal prices and format changes. It already happened in the US and now it’s the turn of Australians to face higher costs for mailing certain sizes and weights when shipping with AusPost.
Carrier opportunity
Many retailers in the UK have been poring over the new Royal Mail postage rates trying to figure out which is the best tariff for which parcels and even Royal Mail themselves now openly encourage their customers to use their sister operation, Parcelforce for larger items. This means retailers are forced to engage with multiple carriers instead of using a single supplier.
Delivery specialists MetaPack say “this may not be such a bad thing and may prove a significant opportunity for retailers”.
They go on to explain that many SME retailers view delivery as a necessary evil that can’t be tamed – ie delivery charges are fixed, out of their control and have no impact on their business except cost. 77% of shoppers will repeat purchase from a web store if the ‘delivery experience’ was good, then the key differentiator between retailers is not size, but delivery and communication. Large retailers understand this and now, it’s time for smaller retailers to now embrace delivery and use it to compete on a level field with the corporate brands.
MetaPack Services
MetaPack’s service enables retailers to use and manage all UK carriers and most across Europe in a single system. For example, it holds all the rules for Royal Mail’s services, so you don’t have to calculate the best service with the lowest ‘cost to serve’ – MetaPack will do this for you, in real time, per parcel. At time of despatch, the label printed always appears for the correct service.
Furthermore, you can introduce any other carrier into your operation. Simply setup their pricing rules and the system will select the best carrier service for your parcel. In the case of the new Royal Mail rules, the system will automatically trip onto Parcelforce for large consignments, or, any other carrier you wish to trial or adopt. All controlled via simple, user-friendly web-based menu screens.
Should you wish to cut out carrier integration altogether you can also opt for MetaPack’s Complete Delivery Solution which is perfect for companies who don’t have the resources to manage multiple carrier accounts. You get all the advantages of the MetaPack software without the need of negotiating carrier contracts.
Never get caught out by hidden surcharges
Strategically, MetaPack can give you the freedom to change your focus, from trying to achieve the lowest carrier ‘cost’, to reaching the much more valuable lowest ‘cost to serve’, ensuring you don’t fall victim to all those unexpected surcharges (such as fuel and insurance surcharges). Whether you have your own negotiated carrier rates and Royal Mail contracts or if you want savings by using MetaPack’s negotiated rates, the use of software to automatically select the best rate can save money, save time and serve your customers better.
