6 Tips for Freight Forwarders to Win More e-Commerce Business

It has been widely reported that, even as the economy slows, US e-commerce is expected to reach $1 trillion for the first time ever. It’s a significant driver of the overall freight and package delivery market, a segment that any wise freight forwarder should keep a close eye on. 

Even if you’re not moving cargo for e-commerce shippers, don’t be fooled… your business is definitely being influenced by e-commerce trends. 

After all, the way we shop has changed. It’s so easy to complete a purchase online, track the shipment from our phones, and more often than not, rejoice when the package arrives the very next day. That simple everyday activity has shaped our expectations in other areas of our lives. We want everything faster, cheaper, easier… and we want full visibility along the way. 

What does that mean for freight forwarders? If you’re looking to win more e-commerce business, you not only need to be hyper-efficient and cost-effective, but you also need to deliver full transparency and visibility along the way. The expectations are high… and so are the stakes. Do e-commerce well, and a whole world of opportunity opens up to you (quite literally).

Key Takeaways

• Your warehouse is the first place to look for opportunities to increase efficiency: shaving just a few seconds off of each parcel or pallet you handle can add up to massive savings overall. Look for warehouse automation solutions and mobile WMS to keep things moving fast and without sacrificing accuracy.
• Look for a customs compliance solution that saves you time with automation and gives you the shortcuts you need – like creating and submitting documentation for mass filings by uploading one Excel document.
• With an online portal like the Magaya Digital Freight Portal combined with Magaya Supply Chain, your customers can view warehouse receipts, view and create cargo releases and pickup orders, pull inventory reports, and so much more. You can even automate package tracking via email notifications or an online portal.

Given the high volumes of small packages and the elevated customer expectations that come along with the territory, e-commerce fulfillment requires thoughtful strategy and smart technology investments. Here are a few areas where technology can support your e-commerce fulfillment business:

Warehouse Optimization

If you operate warehouses and stock cargo for e-commerce, you’re going to want to ensure that your WMS supports a broad array of products – including serialized, perishable, lots, and more. As an FTZ or CFS warehouse operator, you can add yet another level of value to your e-commerce customers, so you may want to consider freight management software that supports all the related regulatory requirements. Ultimately, your warehouse is the first place to look for opportunities to increase efficiency: shaving just a few seconds off of each parcel or pallet you handle can add up to massive savings overall. Look for warehouse automation solutions and mobile WMS to keep things moving fast and without sacrificing accuracy.

Customs Compliance

FTZ (e214), Air and Ocean AMS Section 321, ACAS/ISF, Type 86… your many compliance obligations can easily consume all of your time with high-volume e-commerce shipments. What’s worse? The fines for non-compliance can be crippling. Look for a purpose-built, integrated customs compliance solution that saves you time with automation and gives you the shortcuts you need – like creating and submitting documentation for mass filings by uploading one Excel document.

Inventory Control

Your freight management software should do more than just streamline bookings and shipments. You need a superior level of control and visibility with features that keep your inventory accurate like built-in cycle counts, automated replenishment, out-of-the-box inventory reports, and more.

Shopping Cart Connections

Manual order entry is simply unsustainable in today’s fast-paced e-commerce market. It wastes time and can allow errors to occur, angering impatient customers. Automate your order fulfillment workflows by connecting your freight management system with all the major online shopping carts and marketplaces, saving you valuable time and keeping your data clean.

Customer Service

Your e-commerce customers want more self-service visibility and control than ever. With an online portal like the Magaya Digital Freight Portal combined with Magaya Supply Chain, they can view warehouse receipts, view and create cargo releases and pickup orders, pull inventory reports, and so much more. You can even automate package tracking via email notifications or an online portal.

Shipping, Receiving, and Distribution

Look for software that helps you optimize receiving, picking, transportation, and even returns, along with functionality for the best shipping method for parcels and packages. You will also need to create all the necessary shipping documents and labels. If your logistics software enables you to create them directly from a cargo release or shipment using the rates established for each carrier, you’ll save lots of time and avoid potential errors that can slip in when you’re doing manual keypunching.

Learn more about Magaya’s e-commerce fulfillment solutions. Download the solution sheet.