Singpost to work with Shippit on last-mile fulfilment

• Shippit has added SingPost’s delivery services on their platform, plus exclusively-negotiated delivery rates
  
  
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can leverage on the partnership to deliver parcels to all addresses in Singapore

SMEs now have more delivery options for e-commerce fulfilment through a partnership between logistics technology company Shippit and Singapore Post (SingPost), Singapore’s homegrown e-commerce courier.

SMEs on the Shippit platform will now be able to offer their customers in Singapore the option of parcel collection at any time by tapping into the island-wide POPStation self-collection network that SingPost currently operates. As part of the deal, Shippit will also offer SingPost’s Speedpost Express Service to SMEs, alongside discounted, pre-negotiated rates for next day and economy delivery services. Such services used to be reserved for larger companies.

The SingPost services are integrated directly into Shippit’s existing online platform, which enables SMEs to access data-driven delivery insights that can be used to optimise shipping costs and share better customer experiences.

Lavneesh Arora, Director of Market Development at Shippit said: “Shippit aims to disrupt the way legacy logistics firms operate. We are always looking for great partnerships to expand our capabilities and give clients a competitive edge. Through the latest partnership with Singapore’s largest and most prominent logistics company, SMEs can use Shippit to get direct access to SingPost’s premium, enterprise-grade delivery services at a fraction of the cost.”

Shippit’s tracking system offers proactive delay avoidance technology and accurate delivery estimates — SMEs can track exactly where the parcel is, ensuring delivery issues are resolved before customers find out. They can also send branded push emails and SMSes to keep their customers informed. On the receiver’s end, one-link tracking and smart notifications are automated, so customers can monitor their shipment, get real-time updates and access delivery support directly from the tracking page.

Sara Kalle, Senior VP of Group Sales at SingPost, said: “Customers can look forward to a hassle-free shipping experience from the moment they confirm their order on Shippit’s award-winning platform, to collecting their shipments from us at their doors or at a nearby POPStation.”

Australia-founded Shippit officially launched its regional headquarters in Singapore in mid-July. The company's clients include Sephora, UNIQLO, CottonOn, and Harvey Norman.

Shopmatic merchants to deliver products more easily through Easyship tieup

Source: Shopmatic. Shopmatic co-founders from left: Kris Chen,
Anurag Avula, and Yen Ti Lim. 

Shopmatic, the Singapore-based e-commerce company, has partnered Easyship, the all-in-one shipping platform for global e-commerce. The collaboration will allow merchants registered with Shopmatic to deliver their products efficiently and scale their online business globally.

Easyship offers integrated shipping services with over 100 vendors including DHL, FedEx, and UPS, and facilitates instant shipping of orders with up to 70% discount. Buyers can choose the best available option for a particular destination based on item specifications like type, weight and dimension. 

For every order, Easyship compares all shipping couriers, and provides visibility to the buyer to check delivery time, shipping cost, and taxes. It also provides taxes and duties for shipments worldwide, based on the type of item and its customs value. All the customs forms for international shipping are printed with the packing label and come with custom invoices and declarations. The international shipping provider helps online retailers to create an account instantly at just the click of a button, thereby enabling its clients to immediately roll out services to their customers.

Anurag Avula, CEO of Shopmatic said, “Shipping and logistics have always been a major pain point for all online retailers. E-commerce merchants face several challenges in terms of cost, tracking, weight, time etc. when it comes to international shipping. With Easyship’s comprehensive services at very economical rates, online merchants with Shopmatic no longer have to worry about the unnecessary complexities of international shipping. We believe that this alliance will give a greater boost to our value proposition and enable our online sellers to enhance their customers’ experience and leverage the larger overseas markets.

Paul Lugagne, CTO and Co-founder of Easyship, said: "Our synergies make a natural fit, as both the firms have a customer-centric approach. We are committed to add value to our clients’ businesses, making sure that the sellers never experience unexpected costs or delays with international shipping. We aim to offer an effortless shipping experience to e-commerce sellers on Shopmatic and help them explore the best possible ways to sell their products in the international space.”

DHL eCommerce opens Fulfillment Center in Sydney

DHL eCommerce, a division of the logistics company, Deutsche Post DHL Group, has launched of a Fulfillment Center in Sydney, Australia to support booming demand for overseas goods amongst Australia’s online shoppers.

“Australian shoppers are the second-most likely in the world to buy online from overseas merchants*, and the significance of their purchasing power will only increase as cross-border e-commerce grows at an average of 29% per year until 2020^,” said Damien Sheehan, MD, Australia, DHL eCommerce.

“Online retailers need to overcome the traditional problems associated with overseas expansion – finding new suppliers in each market, delivering shipments within days not weeks, and keeping costs in check – if they want to stay competitive in this borderless future.

“The launch of our Australian Fulfillment Center gives our customers immediate access to one of the world’s most mature and fastest growing e-commerce markets, with the scalability and quality needed to reach Australia’s highly savvy online shoppers.”

The Fulfillment Center will provide overseas merchants with fast, flexible shipping that integrates inbound freight, inventory, and last mile delivery in a single consolidated service. The centre also operates using the same service level agreements, management platforms, and customer support as all other parts of DHL eCommerce’s global Fulfillment network, allowing existing customers to expand their sales into Australia with minimal onboarding time and hassle.

“E-commerce has gone borderless, and order fulfilment needs to do the same,” says Charles Brewer, CEO, DHL eCommerce. “Our Australian facility adds another node to our standardised global network of Fulfillment Centers located in US, Mexico, India, Hong Kong and Central Europe, eliminating the need for e-commerce merchants to hunt for new logistics partners as they look to expand their global reach.”

The centre accommodates front-end integration with a range of popular marketplace and web-shop platforms, as well as multichannel order management and last-mile solutions for immediate and highly-accurate deliveries all across Australia. All of the center’s services operate on a pay-per-use model with no capital spend or fixed costs.

“The value of Australian e-commerce sales is expected to grow by nearly 50% between now and 2020, making cost-effectiveness and scalability the critical issues for online retailers in the country,” said Malcolm Monteiro, CEO Asia Pacific, DHL eCommerce.

“Whether it’s extending into new channels, offering more delivery options, or simply increasing inventory and warehouse capacity, global brands need fulfilment solutions that can adapt to their needs without requiring hands-on intervention every time a change occurs.

“Global e-tailers can access our latest fulfillment centre for simplified nationwide inventory and last-mile delivery and also as part of a rapid and painless global expansion.”

*http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161011006722/en/Pitney-Bowes-Survey-Finds-Majority-Global-Consumers
^https://www.accenture.com/t20160830T101949w/cn-en/_acnmedia/PDF-29/Accenture-Cross-Border-Ecommerce.pdf  (PDF)

Zyllem introduces for next-day delivery services in Singapore

Source: Zyllem.

Singapore logistics company Zyllem, one of the few same-day delivery players in Southeast Asia, today launched a domestic Next-Day delivery service for the Singapore market, where it has a customer base of over 30,000.

The Next-Day service is an extension to Zyllem’s Same-Day and Express delivery services portfolio. Zyllem’s Next-Day services has the benefit of a single pick up by one delivery partner, with sorting done in a secure facility.

“We received tremendous customer feedback for our Next-Day Early Access campaign which we conducted in March and April this year. Due to the positive early response and overwhelming demand, we are pleased to make our Next-Day delivery service available to the general public,” said Eric Ong, Zyllem Singapore Managing Director.

“While we have always excelled at delighting our customers seeking speed and reliability with our premium Same-Day delivery services, we recognise that there is a segment of market who want other options for less urgent shipments. Even in this competitive landscape, we are confident we can take on the Next-Day delivery market segment and apply our Same-Day delivery expertise to exceed customers’ expectations. Since the pilot, we have delivered thousands of parcels on a daily basis for established and well-known brands in the market.”

Zyllem is constantly looking for ways to grow its delivery partner network and offer a more comprehensive service. "Strong relationships between retailers and logistics providers have never been more important in ensuring positive experiences for end consumers,” said Noam Berda, Zyllem CEO & Co-Founder. “We are constantly seeking collaborations with both local and regional partners who are aligned to our vision of creating a leading logistics platform to serve the rapidly growing e-commerce growth in the region.”

Interested?

For a limited time period, Zyllem is offering introductory fixed rates that are as low as S$4 per parcel for high volume bookings. Book a delivery (an account is required)

Shopee Malaysia collaborates with Pos Malaysia for fulfilment

Shopee Malaysia is collaborating with the national courier delivery service Pos Malaysia, to give all sellers on the platform the ability to ship their sold items for free.

Shopee, a mobile-first social marketplace with over 12 million users in the region, is a free-to-use online customer-to-customer (C2C) platform. Launched in December 2015, Shopee aims to empower entrepreneurs, both individuals and businesses, to buy and sell safely and securely on mobile. In Malaysia Shopee has seen more than a million downloads of its app within six months.

Shopee already has no listing fee and no commission fee. The Shopee Free Shipping Program further lowers barriers to entry for all by making buying and selling easier as the cost of shipping is removed.

The beta version was launched in early May to selected sellers through several batches to monitor the growth and engagement for the Free Shipping Program. The programme grants sellers a capped subsidy for deliveries of items to West Malaysia and East Malaysia respectively.

“Since the launch of the Shopee Free Shipping Program, we have seen tremendous growth on our platform. The daily orders of most of our sellers have doubled and even tripled in some instances,” said Ian Ho, Regional Managing Director of Shopee.

Randy, owner of the zmobile store on Shopee, says the programme has benefitted sellers. "Before joining the programme, my customers are mostly from Kuala Lumpur. But thanks to the Free Shipping programme, now I have buyers from East Malaysia and my sales have increased by five times in three months,” he remarked.

On top of generating tremendous benefits to sellers, this programme is also attractive for buyers. “This prestigious partnership will also help buyers across Malaysia to shop and not worry about paying for shipping fees on our platform,” Ho added.

Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh, Pos Malaysia’s Group Chief Executive Officer said, “The collaboration between Pos Malaysia and Shopee is a significant milestone for us to delve and tap further into new business opportunities, especially in the e-commerce sector. With the launch of our e-Commerce Hub and the Pos Laju EziBox, the entrepreneurs on Shopee would now be able to benefit from greater convenience by having greater touch points and the ability to perform online transactions 24-hours globally. We are aligned with Shopee’s vision in helping local entrepreneurs grow their business via our platform and would work hand-in-hand with them to roll out more services in the near future.”

In addition to the Shopee Free Shipping Program, Shopee provides access to free entrepreneurship programmes and workshops conducted by Shopee University to educate and empower entrepreneurs.

“Shopee University actively provides guidance on how to run an online business and insights into the latest mobile e-commerce trends for our sellers. Attendees are taught about Shopee, and are given exclusive updates on our latest features, products and promotions. Our main aim is to maximise the potential of our sellers and empower more online businesses to utilise mobile e-commerce platforms as a revenue-generating platform,” explained Ho.

The curriculum at Shopee University is developed based on the best practices of Shopee’s top sellers, featuring more topics such as online marketing methods for e-commerce, product photography and supply chain optimisation.

Interested?

The Shopee app can be downloaded for free on all mobile platforms via Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store.

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about developments at Shopee Singapore and a lesson at Shopee University on how to take #instagramworthy shots

posted from Bloggeroid

Shopmatic merchants get Aramex logistics support

Shopmatic, a Singapore e-commerce SaaS (software-as-a-service) company, is collaborating with Aramex, a global provider of logistics and transportation solutions to allow online merchants to deliver their products efficiently and securely.

Shopmatic offers an all-in-one e-commerce solution that enables business owners to build and manage their businesses online, commission-free. This collaboration between Shopmatic and Aramex serves to boost Shopmatic's capabilities as a reliable and comprehensive e-commerce solution provider for anyone who wishes to sell online.

"There is enormous potential for online shopping spending in Singapore, which is projected to grow from S$4.8 billion in 2015 to S$6.9 billion by 2018. Shopmatic wants to enable its users to take advantage of this growth by simplifying the online selling experience. We recognise that managing the last-mile delivery is one of the biggest challenges for homepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and we want to help them solve this problem," CEO & Co-Founder of the Shopmatic Group, Anurag Avula, said.

"We feel that the partnership with Aramex is a natural fit because both companies share many of the same values, including a shared passion for excellence and a customer-centric mindset. We are confident that our collaboration will enhance our 'one-stop-shop' value proposition, managing the entire ecosystem, enabling anyone to sell online."

Othman Aljeda, CEO of Aramex in Asia, said: "We are excited to partner with Shopmatic to enable local entrepreneurs, particularly SMEs and homepreneurs, to sell their products internationally. Aramex offers a wide range of customised e-commerce solutions. We are committed to expanding our e-commerce offerings and geographical footprint to meet the increasing demand for global online shopping delivery solutions and to support e-tailers to grow their business."

Aramex e-commerce solutions will come as part of all custom-built Shopmatic platforms, which are now available in India, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Guaranteed couriered deliveries with Zap Delivery in Singapore

Source: Zap Delivery.

Zap Delivery, an on-demand express courier service, has rolled out a mobile app that guarantees the fast, secure and reliable deliveries of documents and parcels in Singapore in under two hours. The app, which features advanced authentication technology and real-time tracking, aims to offer greater peace of mind to users in Singapore expecting deliveries.

“We’ve personally gone through numerous delivery misfortunes, so we decided to develop an app that is easy to use and one that will garner user confidence,” said Michael Tan, Zap Delivery Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. “With this app, we hope to transform and disrupt the way the traditional logistics industry works.”

Drawing inspiration from the public’s familiarity with the one-time password (OTP) used in secure banking transactions, Zap Delivery features a similar patent-pending, authentication technology, which replaces the arbitrary signatures that traditional couriers usually use to confirm delivery receipts. This process ensures that items arrive not only safely, but also to the rightful recipients. Additionally, the app features real-time tracking that allows senders to know the exact location of their items, every step of the way.

With a transparent and attractive pricing structure, and a cashless payment system in place, Zap Delivery seeks to keep express delivery costs affordable for users, from as low as S$5.

Anyone who is eligible and looking for additional income can partner Zap Delivery to provide a courier service. The app matches courier partners with the nearest customers who need immediate service within their vicinity. Zap Delivery’s courier partners can act upon delivery requests immediately, without having to go through a hub-and-spoke network used by traditional courier services. With this system, they will be empowered to complete more deliveries and earn a higher supplementary or main income, as compared to being traditional couriers. They are also free to choose their preferred modes of transportation – from driving, cycling, to hopping onto the public transportation network or even a hoverboard.

Interested?

Zap Delivery currently has a network of more than 500 courier partners, all of whom have passed stringent qualification and background checks. The app is available on iOS and Android. Download the app or apply to be a courier

Ninja Van launches self collection service

A Ninja Van delivery van.

Southeast Asian logistics provider Ninja Van has launched Ninja Collect for self-service delivery.

Lai Chang Wen, CEO, Ninja Van, said: "Young Singaporeans nowadays live very busy lives. They work, hang out with friends.. There's no time to waste during the day. I understand the frustrations of having to put aside a few hours on any given day just to wait for my e-commerce purchase, which is why I felt the need to expand our range of services to include Ninja Collect. We want to give young Singaporeans the autonomy and flexibility to pick up their parcels at a time and place that is most convenient for them.”

With Ninja Collect, customers can collect their parcels from either Ninja Boxes or Ninja Points. Ninja Boxes are automated parcel lockers strategically located in accessible and urban sites including universities and business parks. Ninja Points are partner retail shops also located in urban areas with high footfall. Customers can currently collect parcels from retail, pharmaceutical, hardware and grocery outlets.

Customers of a participating e-commerce vendor can select convenient Ninja Collect venues online, then specify the Ninja Point as the shipping address when they checkout. Once the parcel has been delivered to a Ninja Collect location, the customer is notified via email or SMS and given a verification code. The code must be verified, either with the cashier at a Ninja Point or scanned at a Ninja Box, before collection.

Ninja Van says it currently runs the largest network of collection points across Singapore, and is looking to expand. The company welcomes all retail establishments, regardless of size, to become Ninja Point partners, and e-commerce businesses to integrate Ninja Collect services with their e-commerce websites.

posted from Bloggeroid

InPost officially launches Malaysia operations

Source: InPost.

InPost, the provider and operator of the world's largest international network of automated parcel lockers in dozens of countries in the world, has launched its operations in Malaysia in conjunction with a roadshow.

InPost Malaysia Managing Director Rosland Mohd Jannes said the initiative, themed Malaysia E-commerce Day (MED) 2015, aims to reach out to businesses and individuals in creating awareness of developments in e-commerce, e-payments and the logistic industry.

"MED can further boost consumers’ confidence in online shopping as well as help mitigate the customer's delivery concerns. The roadshow will bring e-commerce players closer to the housing estate areas starting this September and till year-end, at locations where InPost already installed its automated parcel lockers," said Rosland during the launch of the first roadshow at Petronas Bukit Antarabangsa on 12 September.

Source: InPost. List of roadshows, which will be held till 24 October 2015.

The half-day roadshow, from 11am to 5pm, was a collaboration between InPost's e-merchant retail partners, courier companies, fulfillment companies and location hosts of the self-service parcel lockers by InPost. Rosland said next roadshow will continue at Petronas NKVE Damansara on September 15, followed by others at other Petronas stations where the lockers have already been deployed. Signups for InPost can be done during MED.

"The public as well as small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) can meet us and e-commerce merchants in real life at MED to learn about the development in the industry and get fresh ideas on delivery options," he said.

Rosland added that the delivery is one of the biggest concerns of shoppers before placing online orders as consumers might be worried about the additional cost, delivery time frame and risk of failed delivery. MED addresses such issues through highlighting the convenience of parcel lockers as a delivery option.

By integrating InPost’s e-commerce solution, retailers can provide customers with more flexibility in their delivery and return options as they can now opt for their nearest InPost locker at check out.

"With online retail continuing to grow at a rapid pace, consumers want innovative solutions to prevent them missing parcel deliveries. From InPost’s data it transpires that more than half of users collect their parcels outside normal opening hours or during the weekends. Parcel lockers are available 24x7 at customers' convenience and they can pick their parcel anytime with no queues or opening hours. The introduction of this innovative e-commerce solution means parcels wait for shoppers rather than the other way around," said Rosland.

"We hope Malaysians will start familiarising themselves with the convenience features of this automated self-service parcel delivery lockers which have now become a familiar sight in Klang Valley."

InPost has had lockers in 30 locations in Klang Valley since June 2015, and is targeting to have 140 locations in Greater Klang Valley within 2016 and 350 locations nationwide in 2017. InPost self-service parcel lockers are now available at selected Petronas petrol stations, Tesco hypermarkets, TAR University College Kuala Lumpur and soon at selected LRT stations. 

Petronas Dagangan Head of Retail Business Shaharuddin Muhammad Sidek said the partnership with InPost Malaysia brings greater value and convenience to customers, in addition to other facilities currently available at over 1,000 Petronas stations nationwide.

"The addition of InPost lockers is in line with Petronas stations' one-stop convenience concept and matches our aspiration in promoting innovation in our brands, products and services. Now when you fuel tanks, you can also collect your online shopping at the same time," said Shaharuddin, adding that there are currently 15 Petronas stations in the Klang Valley which provide the InPost locker facilities.

"Coupled with over 700 Kedai Mesra outlets nationwide, we are continuously looking at collaborating with our partners to bring greater ease, convenience and a rewarding retail experience to our customers," said Shaharuddin.

InPost already has a designated delivery courier, Skynet Worldwide. Clients can tap on the courier service through integrating their systems with Skynet services through a web application programming interface (API).

Skynet Worldwide Malaysia's Executive Director Dr Teo Bee Yap said, "We are confident with the availability of parcel lockers in selected locations in Malaysia will help to enhance the customer experience in e-commerce purchases." 

IStoreISend.com is another local InPost partner, offering full e-fulfillment services such as warehousing, picking and packing, and delivery to the InPost parcel lockers to retailers.

IStoreISend.com Sales Director Tommy Yong Chu Zheng said customers love InPost. "No more waiting, no more missed delivery. We love InPost for its flexibility and availability anytime. Collect your parcel at your convenience," he said.

Interested?

Check the locations of operational lockers