The effectiveness and profitability of the store largely depends on the speed of delivery. By delaying the product, you can permanently scare away the buyer, earn negative reviews and spoil your reputation. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the issue of delivery and providing customers with a high level of service.
However, what is the best way to deliver goods from an online store? What is more profitable and efficient: to create your own courier service or to transfer its functions to one of the companies engaged in professional delivery?
Today we will look at delivery services that work in Ukraine and compare them with our own courier service.
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Delivery for the online store from Nova Poshta
Delivery speed: from 2 hours in the city
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Postman: +
The Nova Poshta network has more than 7,100 branches throughout Ukraine. Currently, the company is the most popular provider of delivery services among Ukrainian entrepreneurs. A separate division works here with e-commerce customers, and the company "NP Logistics", which is part of the "Nova Poshta" group, offers online stores a fulfillment service (storage, assembly, packaging and delivery of goods to the recipient). NP also offers delivery to 24-hour post offices for fully prepaid parcels up to 30 kg and no larger than 42x24x58 cm.
In order to organize delivery from an online store with NP, you need to sign a contract. After registering the documents, you can send your goods with the help of the organization. NP also provided for the possibility of automating processes: you can issue and control shipments using a personal business account on the NP website or via API.
The Nova Poshta business office will allow:
- Issue express waybills (EN) and form registers of receipt and delivery of shipments
- Control the cost of delivery of shipments
- View the status of shipments
- Get access to the mutual integration of databases of the Nova Poshta company and the client
New Poshta API allows:
- Create express invoices and registers from them
- Calculate the cost and delivery date
- Track shipment (tracking)
- Get the names of settlements, regions and streets
- Create counterparties (recipients)
- Receive information about types and types of shipments
- Work with product returns
- Make changes to the shipment
- Forwarding shipments
Another useful solution for the online store offered by Nova Poshta is widgets, which can be simply "embedded" in the site and give users the opportunity to independently track the product, calculate the cost and receive information about delivery conditions.
Delivery for the online store from Ukrposhta
Delivery speed: from the 1st day in the city
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Postmates: –
The undeniable advantage of the state carrier Ukrposhta is that it delivers shipments even to the smallest and most remote settlements of Ukraine. The company has 11,700 post offices.
In order to organize delivery from the online store with Ukrposhta, business clients need to call the contact center to clarify information on tariffs, discounts and terms of cooperation, conclude a contract with Ukrposhta, agree on the place of shipment of postal items ( list of branches ) and fill in forms and declarations or to process the shipment in a personal account or through АРИ. Users of a personal account or АРИ receive a 10% discount on shipments (subject to the conclusion of a contract).
API of Ukrposhta allows:
- Exchange data about senders and recipients
- Generate unique shipment numbers for parcel tracking
- Calculate the cost of delivery
- Form supporting documentation
Delivery for the online store from Meest
Delivery speed: from 5 hours in the city
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Postman: +
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Without queues and contacts with people - the main advantage of the carrier. Meest is an international postal and logistics operator, whose branches and post offices are located in 1,100 settlements across Ukraine. In Kyiv and satellite cities, there are more than 550 post offices within a radius of 500 meters from each other.
To connect and start making deliveries from the online store with Meest, you need to fill out an application for installing a post office, receive a confirmation letter by e-mail and contact the support manager to sign a cooperation agreement.
Meest delivers in Kyiv in 5 hours (+\- 3 hours) - 80% of parcels will be delivered within 5 hours from the time of collection from the store, to post offices in regional cities of Ukraine (except Uzhhorod) within 24 hours. If Meest does not have time to deliver the goods to the selected post offices within 24 hours, then the delivery cost for the online store is free.
The average cost of delivery is UAH 25. The online store decides who pays for the delivery - the sender or the recipient.
Meest is currently running a promotion: for 5 months, online stores can use post machines for free (until April 30, 2021). According to the terms of the promotion, integration through Meest API 3.0 with daily information updates for the online store is provided.
For the duration of the promotion, Meest and the online store are jointly financing joint marketing activities for "Free delivery" to mailboxes. Meest and the store share the marketing costs equally.
The Meest API allows you to:
- Search for the nearest branches and post offices
- Search for postal codes
- Download a map-widget for choosing a branch and a post office
Delivery for an online store with Justin
Delivery speed: from 2 hours in the city
API: +
Postmates: -
Chatbot: +
The carrier Justin is part of the Fozzy Group and has more than 800 branches throughout the country, located in the stores of the chain: Silpo, Fozzy and Fora. The delivery time is from 2 to 48 hours. To arrange delivery of goods from the online store with Justin, you need to conclude an agreement. Parcels are issued through a personal account, integration through АРИ is also provided. Likewise, Justin offers partners joint promotions, advertising in social networks, on the website and other communication channels. In addition, the company offers a number of additional services: inspection of the product when receiving the parcel at the post market, courier pickup at a place convenient for the client, forwarding several parcels in one for greater savings on delivery, free change of the recipient's personal data (surname, first name , patronymic or phone number) and extended periods of free parcel storage (up to 10 days).
The Justin API allows you to:
- Receive data on settlements, cities, addresses and departments
- Receive information about branch opening hours
- Create, modify and cancel shipments
- Track delivery status
Own courier service for an online store
Before organizing courier delivery for an online store, you should assess the actual sales volume. For small shops, hiring employees and vehicles can become a heavy expense item that will only hinder the development of the business. In addition, if the productivity of your own courier service is not sufficient to fulfill the incoming orders (for example, in the case of an employee's illness or a sudden jump in sales), there will be difficulties with delivery.
It will be justified for large stores with high sales volumes to organize delivery for the online store on their own. In this case, the cost of unit delivery is reduced compared to the services of a hired courier. Own courier delivers goods within the settlement or to the branch of the transport company. The transport company, depending on the wishes of the buyer, delivers "warehouse-warehouse", "warehouse-door", "door-to-door".
The organization of courier delivery for an online store with the involvement of the services of a third-party specialized organization provides a number of advantages that are very relevant for new companies. In this case, the customer pays only for each individual delivery, so his costs are proportional to sales volumes. The services of such a courier usually include receiving goods from the store, delivering them to the buyer, providing information about the status of the shipment, and receiving payment from the client.
The customer has only to contact the courier and give him all the necessary information. Companies often provide the widest possible range of services, allowing the buyer to inspect and try on the delivered goods and pay only for those that suit him. This way of organizing delivery for an online store reduces the burden on the budget and saves you from trouble.
For example, for delivery within the city, you can use a small local service that will deliver the goods day in and day out, and for work throughout the country, conclude a contract with a larger player.
Conclusions
You should choose a courier service based on the specifics and geography of the business, as well as the needs of customers. Depending on this, you can choose a small local service or a large operator operating throughout the country. The most optimal option is a combination of several delivery methods so that each buyer can choose what is convenient for him. You can test various offers, adapting to changes and market conditions and customer requests. And then a well-arranged delivery will become the driver of the successful development of the online store.
In addition to delivery, an important aspect of the business of selling goods via the Internet is the stability of the website. In order for customers to always be able to place an order, you can host an online store on a VPS server, which will ensure uninterrupted operation of your business.
Read also: Choosing a CMS for an online store .
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