Improving International Shipping Times: A Guide for Online Sellers 

Online sellers face the complex challenge of meeting customer expectations for rapid delivery times, even across international borders. For decision-makers at 3PLs and merchants, the stakes are high—slow shipping can erode customer satisfaction and impede repeat business. Customer expectations are the same as domestic, but it is extraordinarily difficult to achieve with cross borders and trade complexities. Enter FlavorCloud: an international shipping API platform that revolutionizes global logistics for seamless, speedy, “prime-like” international deliveries. 

The Importance of Speed in the Global E-commerce Market 

In today’s fast-paced e-commerce landscape, customers expect quick, low cost or even free deliveries—a trend accentuated by services like Amazon Prime. The State of Shipping Report 2022: Why Faster Shipping Matters reveals that 62% of shoppers expect their orders to arrive in less than 3 business days. Slow international shipping and not automating a seamless DDP (delivery duties paid) experience can dissuade customers from completing a purchase, making expedited delivery a competitive necessity. 

Challenges in Reducing International Shipping Times 

Navigating the complexities of international shipping often involves overcoming significant hurdles such as export and import customs delays, carrier performance variability, and inefficient routing across first mile, global mile and last mile. These challenges can dramatically extend delivery times, increase operational costs for 3PLs and merchants with unforseen carrier and customs fees, and potentially impact customer satisfaction and loyalty.  

It is critical for businesses engaged in global trade to work with logistics partners that can effectively manage these obstacles to maintain a competitive edge in cross-border commerce. 

Leveraging Technology for Faster Deliveries 

Shipping APIs and apps seamlessly integrate into merchant checkout, offering real-time carrier optimization and service comparisons. FlavorCloud’s API platform taps into this by providing immediate access to an expansive carrier network, with deeply discounted rates and enabling dynamic country specific carrier selection shopping based on multiple shipping variables inlcuding performance.  

Strategic Carrier Selection 

International shipping is even more fragmented than domestic, and no carrier is great at every weight band, commodity, country, clearance etc. Selecting carriers with expertise in specific regions and service levels is vital. FlavorCloud’s platform partners with over 300 carriers globally, with deep relationships with each carrier to better understand their strengths and performance, alongside heavily discounted, volume-based shipping rates to provide the best fit for each shipment. This access to 4 diverse service levels allows us to customize the best services tailored to the merchant or 3PL needs and allows consumers to choose services at checkout based on transit times, cost, and geographical specialization.

FlavorCloud offers four tiers of shipping service so it can be tailored to merchant or 3PL needs and optimizes first mile costs, pickups and scheduling accordingly. . These simplified tiers are easier to navigate than competitors that push complex accessorials and customs fee structures. They are:

• Express Premium – 1-5 day guaranteed delivery for high-value shipments 
• Express Economy – 2-7 day delivery for medium-value shipments 
• Standard Premium – 4-8 day delivery for lower-value shipments 
• Standard Economy – 6-10 day delivery for low-value shipments 

Customs Clearance and Compliance 

Staying up to date with compliance can be a full-time job, consuming resources while leaving room for error. Automated customs documentation and compliance checks are crucial for avoiding delays. FlavorCloud’s customs network streamlines this by calculating duties, taxes and most importantly fees across call carrier and customs aspects real time, providing transparent costs to customers, and ensuring compliance with local regulations, while ensuring guarantees around DDP so there is no margin hit to merchants.  

Data-Driven Logistics Optimization 

Data analytics and AI play an essential role in optimizing shipping routes and predicting delays. FlavorCloud processes vast amounts of shipping data across the global network to refine routes across first mile, global mile and last mile and makes proactive adjustments. This data-driven approach leads to informed decisions that improve overall shipping times and cost savings. 

Improving international shipping experience is a complex, but solvable challenge. FlavorCloud’s international shipping API provides the technology, carrier network, customs network, and data-driven insights needed to overcome these obstacles. Decision-makers at 3PLs and merchants looking to enhance their global logistics can turn to FlavorCloud for a comprehensive solution and a reliable partner. 

If interested, reach out to our team to discuss how we can create a tailored logistics solution that aligns with your business objectives.