eCommerce in India has evolved as one of the fastest-growing industries in the past few years and the aftermath of the pandemic has further fuelled the popularity of online shopping among avid shoppers. When it comes to the e-commerce and retail sector, the logistics part is one of the most crucial business operations, which not only takes a lot of time and effort but also a lot of money.
When you are just starting in the e-commerce business, you lack the required expertise and knowledge to carry forward the shipping, warehousing and order fulfilment on your own and that's when you look for a shipping service provider who you can offer safe and reliable shipping at competitive prices.
With eCommerce sales surging day by day, the logistics and shipping industry is also witnessing parallel growth and those eCommerce companies that have just entered the eCommerce arena are tilting more towards finding a reliable shipping partner. While outsourcing your logistics operations is a crucial factor in outgrowing your consumer base, choosing an affordable shipping partner would go easy on your budget.
For aiding your growing eCommerce business with shipping and logistics, here is a comprehensive list of some of the best affordable shipping services in India.
5 Best Affordable Shipping Services in India for eCommerce
- NimbusPost
With their extremely reasonable international shipping rates starting just from INR 215/50 gm per parcel, the tech-based shipping aggregator NimbusPost provides robust and reliable shipping solutions to various D2C, MSMEs and large-scale businesses in India and overseas. Through NimbusGlobal, a fully integrated logistics platform, it offers warehousing, fulfilment, and the best domestic and international shipping options. The business collaborates with more than 27 top courier companies in India, aiming to provide flexible and the most cost-effective logistics shipping to online businesses.
An order verification system, an automated non-delivery report, a live shipment, order booking, post-purchase shipping alerts, and performance tracking are some of the useful features that can be explored on the NimbusPost dashboard. To promote seamless and comprehensive international trade, it is quickly expanding its footprint in numerous Southeast Asian and European nations.
- Blue Dart
The best express air and integrated transportation & distribution firm in South Asia, Blue Dart Express Ltd., provides secure and reliable delivery of packages to more than 35,000 destinations throughout India. With access to the largest and most complete express and logistics network in the world, Blue Dart provides a full range of distribution services, such as air express, freight forwarding, supply chain solutions, and customs clearances. This network spans over 220 countries and territories.
Express delivery, time-based delivery, and overnight delivery are among the options that Blue Dart offers. Additionally, it offers eCommerce enterprises options that increase productivity, such as automatic proof-of-delivery and weatherproof packaging.
- Delhivery
Delhivery, an Indian company that was founded in 2011, has carved out a distinct position for itself in the industry. It now has 10,000 customers, 75% of which are big online retailers like Nykaa, Myntra, Flipkart, etc., making it one of the most well-known shipping providers.
Delhivery guarantees express, same-day, and next-day deliveries. It handles specialist goods like high-value orders, heavyweight orders, and hazardous items, and it serves more than 17,500 pin codes.
- DTDC
Desk to Desk Courier & Cargo usually referred to as DTDC, is an Indian courier delivery service with its corporate office located in Bangalore, Karnataka. Around 12 million shipments are handled by DTDC each month. It has been operating in the mainstream business for the past 32 years since its establishment in 1990.
DTDC provides services to more than 240 countries and over 9000 pin codes in India. Since its fleet of vehicles is GPS-enabled, DTDC is a top choice for eCommerce businesses to ensure that clients are consistently updated on the progress of their orders. Express delivery, customized packing, and priority delivery are extra shipping options provided by DTDC in order to keep clients completely satisfied.
- Ecom Express
The Gurugram-based company Ecom Express was established in 2012, making it a relative newbie to the eCommerce courier service industry. In any case, buyers looking for both shipping and logistics services perceive it as a realistic choice.
With the safest, most affordable, and most reliable pick-up and delivery services in India, it is a trustworthy partner for its clients.
Over 27,000 pin codes and 2600 cities are covered by Ecom Express in India.
During storage and transportation, it offers additional security and monitoring services. This makes it a popular option for eCommerce businesses that deal with high-value goods like jewellery. They offer a wide range of courier services to sellers, including rapid delivery and doorstep quality checks for returned goods.
What are the Other Factors to Consider While Choosing the Right Shipping Partner for Your Online Business?
- Weight
You can choose a national postal service with flat charges for eCommerce and small enterprises if your products don't weigh much. A private carrier or courier with a variety of choices for deliveries would be more practical and appropriate if your goods are heavier or longer.
- International shipments
Don't forget that transporting goods overseas involves the submission of documentation, which you must obtain from the relevant authority. Always go through the international shipping guidelines to understand whether the local customs fee is covered by the shipping company or not to avoid possible chaos later.
- Packaging
Nowadays, buyers value packaging that is sustainable. Make sure the packaging is made of recyclable and recycled materials, is simple to open, and is the proper size to accommodate the product.
- Delivery times and return policy
Getting their orders delivered on time is what exactly the customers really adore. Make sure to properly research the order fulfilment of the shipping provider you choose.
Specify whether the customer should prepare and pay for returns, or if you will provide a printable return label and collection by a pre-arranged carrier. If you choose the latter, make sure to hire a company that will ensure the package is collected in good condition and within the time limits that you've promised to the customer.
Conclusion
Among the other South Asian countries, India has great potential and a diverse customer base for single-handedly shaping the future of the eCommerce industry. The tremendous growth of shipping and logistics service providers will further boost this process, but you need to pick wisely the shipping company that can cost-effectively manage all your logistics and shipping requirements.
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