How to Choose an International Parcel Service that Delivers

The journey from the fulfilment centre to your customer’s door may be short, but it’s the most important part of the customer experience.

You can have the most engaging store, a seamless checkout experience and a streamlined warehouse, but it’s all for nought if your customers receive their items late or damaged. Just one poor delivery experience is enough to make consumers never shop your brand again.

That’s why finding a cost-efficient, international parcel service is so important. But with so many carriers available both in the UK and abroad, how do you find the most effective solution for your store?

Today, we’re cutting through the noise, pulling back the curtain on the parcel service industry and showing you exactly what you need to look for in a carrier.

What is an International Parcel Delivery Service?

Let’s start with the basics. An international parcel delivery service fulfils the final mile of your product’s journey from warehouse to end destination.

This carrier takes on significant responsibility. The final mile is the most time-consuming and expensive part of the process. It’s also the only part of the eCommerce experience where customers have a one-on-one interaction with someone linked to your brand. That makes your carrier a key connection between store and customer. They need to get orders to customers quickly, keep everyone updated throughout the journey and slot neatly into your existing infrastructure so that the journey from store to door is as seamless as possible.

Who Can Act as an International Parcel Delivery Service?

Brands can choose from several business models when finding the best international delivery service. Each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. So it’s a matter of finding what works for you.

Single carriers

A single carrier is often the first choice for retail brands just getting into eCommerce. By working with a single partner like DPD in the UK or DHL in Germany, brands can simplify their operations and exercise greater control over final mile delivery.

Problems arise when you limit yourself to a single carrier, however. They struggle to keep pace with a high volume of orders, fail to offer the range of delivery options you’re looking for, or impact your profitability when prices rise. International sellers may also struggle to keep track of multiple carriers across the continent.

3PL

A third-party logistics (3PL) provider acts as a middleman, giving retailers access to a fleet of carriers without having to handle the resulting logistics. Because brands aren’t relying on a single fleet, they shouldn’t need to worry when order levels spike. Working with multiple carriers will also let you offer customers a wider range of delivery options (next-day, delivery to store, etc.).

4PL

Fourth-party logistics (4PL) providers, also called Lead Logistics Providers (LPPs), are similar to 3PL providers but take on more accountability and responsibility for the supply chain. They will often manage large amounts of a company’s supply chain and work with them as a consultant to optimise it.

The 4PL provider may work with a network of 3PL providers or single carriers to provide the best delivery service possible. But brands will only be dealing with their 4PL partner, who, in turn, will take on responsibility for most of the delivery process.

What to Look for in a Final Mile Carrier

Whether you work with a single carrier, 3PL or 4PL, the characteristics that make an excellent international parcel delivery service partner are always the same. Think tracking, coverage, service, integrations and costs.

Detailed Tracking for Retailers and Customers

If you care about your customers, an international parcel service tracking system should be non-negotiable. Convey found 93% of customers expect regular updates about their delivery status.

Customers should receive notifications when their item is dispatched, shipped and out for delivery at a minimum. Where retailers ship across borders, these notifications should be in the local language.

Retailers should expect a tracking portal, too. Not only will this confirm their partner is fulfilling their SLA, but it will also allow brands to spot and correct issues like incorrect shipping information that could otherwise result in a failed delivery.

Geographic Coverage Everywhere You Sell

Whether you limit sales to mainland UK or deliver across the globe, you need an international delivery carrier capable of delivering everywhere you have a presence. Ideally, that means geographic coverage beyond your current markets to cater to future expansion.

Multiple delivery options in each market are also critical. So is a localised service that caters to the specific needs of each consumer market. Some delivery options like ship to store and pick up, drop off are far more common on the continent, for example. A network of fulfilment and distribution centres is also advantageous as it will allow for faster shipping.

A Range of Delivery Options

Even the smallest eCommerce retailers will need to provide customers with a range of delivery options to stay competitive. Standard delivery is exactly that: standard. Brands need to also offer expedited delivery, delivery to store and delivery to local pick-up lockers.

Seamless Integration With Your Business

Partnering with an international parcel service shouldn’t mean more work for your team. Yet that’s what happens to many retailers when they choose a partner who can’t integrate with their existing systems. Cross-referencing spreadsheets and printing out dozens of stickers for each product is a hassle your team doesn’t need.

Instead, choose a solution that integrates with your existing eCommerce platform. Or, if you’d rather not connect with a third party via API, then select a carrier with bulk upload functionality to save your team time. In either case, extensive onboarding support is a must.

Guaranteed Driver Availability

The UK’s driver shortage has been well publicised. Brexit and the pandemic are exacerbating underlying issues in driver recruitment and making it harder for everyone — from hauliers to international carriers — to find and retain staff.

Now more than ever, retail brands need to confirm driver availability with international parcel services to ensure they’re well-staffed and able to deliver on their promise. For most brands, the safest move will be to work with a 3PL or 4PL provider with access to a network of carriers and can seamlessly shift orders between carriers as driver levels fluctuate.

If you were already concerned about trusting all of your international deliveries to a single carrier, this should really make you think twice.

Exceptional Customer Service for You and Your Customers

Think of your international delivery service as an extension of your company. They’re the ones dropping off orders at your customers’ homes, after all. With that in mind, you’ll want to find a partner you can trust to deliver the best customer service possible.

Part of that customer experience comes with delivering on time using the customer’s preferred delivery method. But it also involves offering customer-focused services like SMS alerts and rescheduling. The more services your final mile carrier offers your customers, the less you have to worry about complaints.

Your team should expect a similar level of customer service. Whether that’s through the onboarding process or years into your relationship, look for carriers that offer dedicated account managers to answer any query or concern.

Great Value Shipping

There’s no getting away from the fact that final mile delivery can be expensive. According to Business Insider, last-mile delivery costs account for over half of all shipping costs. It’s not always possible to pass those costs onto the customer — particularly in the most competitive sectors.

That’s why price will always be a concern for retailers, and finding a carrier with low shipping costs should absolutely be a consideration. But cheap shipping rates shouldn’t detract from the services offered. If the lowest price carrier delivers such a poor service that it costs you customers in the long run, then it’s a false economy.

Instead, look for a carrier that provides the best value service — one that has the delivery options, customer service level and geographic coverage you’re looking for at a cost you can afford.

Finding an International Parcel Service You Can Trust

Finding an international parcel service needn’t be complicated. Here at Pro Carrier, we aim to simplify shipping for retailers whether you sell in the UK or abroad. Our range of delivery options, extensive global coverage, localised services and exceptional rates mean you only have to deal with one partner for all of your shipping needs.

Find out more by reading about Pro Carrier Plus, our premier service, or get in touch with a team member by sending us a message.