It’s hard to even imagine the existence of eCommerce without the logistics and the shipping industry side by side. The tremendous growth of the logistics industry has fuelled the rise of eCommerce globally at an unprecedented rate, enabling the development of robust supply chains for the movement of goods and services via different modes. There are many third-party logistics providers or shipping aggregators in the industry today that work tirelessly to provide hassle-free shipping solutions to eCommerce companies, which is basically called outsourcing.
The domestic logistics sector is predicted to develop at a CAGR of 8–10% over the next few years, outperforming the overall economy. According to a number of reports, the GDP contribution of the logistics sector is around 13%.
Outsourcing logistics operations is a common practice among eCommerce businesses and this is the reason behind the rapid growth of 3PL providers in the logistics sector that not only radically transform the domestic logistics landscape, but also create their own brand value in international courier services. Some of the leading examples are NimbusPost, Shiprocket, Ecom Express, Delhivery, etc.
Role of The Logistics Industry in The Success of eCommerce
The role of logistics in eCommerce cannot be understated. In fact, it could be argued that logistics plays the most important role in the success of eCommerce. Here’s why:
eCommerce is all about convenience. Customers want to be able to purchase items quickly and easily, without having to worry about the hassle of shipping and delivery. This is where logistics comes in. A good logistics company will be able to ensure that orders are delivered quickly and efficiently, without any delays or problems. This is essential for keeping customers happy and ensuring that they keep coming back for more.
In addition to convenience, another factor that is important to customers is cost. A good logistics company will be able to keep the shipping costs down, which will in turn help to keep the overall cost of the items purchased lower. This is important because customers are often price-sensitive, and they may be put off by high delivery charges.
Finally, it is also important to consider the environmental impact of logistics. With the rise of eCommerce, there has been an increase in the amount of packaging and waste generation. A good logistics company will be able to minimise the environmental impact of its operations, by using recyclable materials and investing in green technologies.
How Shipping Aggregators are Transforming the Indian Logistics Landscape
Given the requirement for minimal entry barriers and less capital investment compared to the establishment of an asset-based business model, online freight platforms and aggregators are growing in the Indian logistics market. By 2025, manufacturing in India has the potential to contribute between 25 and 30 per cent of the country’s GDP, which will fuel the country’s growing warehousing market.
Shipping aggregators have existed for decades in the logistics and shipping sector, but in recent times, their significance has increased as more and more eCommerce businesses are choosing to collaborate with multiple courier partners to fulfil their different logistics needs.
Aggregator’s business model is aiding eCommerce businesses in delivering their services to the most remote locations, along with offering the most flexible payment options, automated NDR panel, return order management, detailed shipment analytics, COD reconciliation, data-backed AI platform, satisfactory order fulfilment, and what not.
10 Best Shipping Aggregators in India
eCommerce shipping services are offered by numerous courier aggregator companies in India. Some of them, like NimbusPost, Shiprocket, Ecourierz, and iThink Logistics are leading a way ahead in the Indian logistics sector. These businesses provide technology-driven shipping services that can be adapted to your company’s specific needs. In order to give you a wide range of options to select the best courier service for your business needs, they also collaborate with a sizable network of courier partners.
- ECourierz
ECourierz, one of India’s top-rated shipping aggregators, has been in business for over five years. Although they still manage to deliver services with some effectiveness, they are renowned for their effective international courier services. The bulk of their clients depends on the safety standards they provide and ship internationally at reasonable prices. - NimbusPost
NimbusPost, a tech-enabled logistics aggregator platform, was introduced in 2018 to assist MSMEs, large businesses and D2C brands to optimise their end-to-end logistics operations. It provides options for warehousing fulfilment, and local and international shipping services. The company works with 27 different courier partners around the country, including Blue Dart, Delhivery, XpressBees, DTDC, and Shadowfax to facilitate seamless shipping to eCommerce merchants across 29000+ pin codes and 196+ countries.
A few of the features on the NimbusPost dashboard include an automated order verification system, non-delivery report, live shipment tracking, quick order import, shipment booking, post-shipping alerts, and performance tracking. In order to prevent fraudulent orders, the platform also provides a fraud detection tool that uses AI and Machine Learning. NimbusPost, a Gurugram-based company, now supports over 60,000 online businesses by helping them increase their delivery reach and profit margin by offering the most cost-effective shipping services.
- Pickrr
In the eCommerce industry, Pickrr is currently a well-known logistics service. This is a result of their proficiency in providing prompt delivery to even the most inaccessible regions of India. Pickrr offers discounted charges based on the volume of orders processed each month. For orders that total less than INR 1000 each month, a shipping fee of Rs. 29 is assessed. - Shiprocket
Over time, Shiprocket has established a solid reputation in eCommerce logistics and now supports about 20,000 pin codes in the country. Aramex, FedEx, and Blue Dart are among their shipping partners among others. The company offers four pricing tiers, depending on order volume: Lite, Basic, Advanced, and Pro. Additionally, it supports cash on delivery and has a 14-day cycle for remittance payment release. - Vamaship
They provide a complete shipping solution for all logistical requirements in eCommerce. It ships to 200 different countries and offers services for more than 20,000 pin codes in India. It offers numerous location pickups, reverse shipments, analytics for shipping competency, ongoing support, and automatic data inflow. More than 500 companies, including Amazon and Alibaba, are among their customers. - Shipyaari
One of the most reliable shipping companies in the business, Shipyaari was founded in 2013 by Vishal Totla and Nayan Ratandhayara. This Mumbai-based business has overcome several obstacles to build a solid reputation in the sector. Additionally, depending on monthly and yearly intervals, it offers somewhat flexible time frames. They also offer international shipping services along with having a significant domestic market share.
- iThink Logistics
Their logistics services are highly regarded by eCommerce firms, and they have improved their image by reliably fulfilling orders. As a shipping aggregator, iThink Logistics does not have a minimum order volume restriction. Instead of charging monthly fees, it bases its prices for each shipment on specific criteria. With their free-to-install Shopify app, they also offer NDR management for consistent updates and reports on undelivered orders. - ShipKaro
One of the best shipping aggregators for last-mile delivery is Shipkaro. The platform has incredibly low prices for drop shipping and large orders. In India and abroad, it provides services to some of the biggest delivery partners. Although their free basic plan is available, it has restrictions on the number of carriers you can utilise for shipments and doesn’t support bulk order uploads or analytical reports. - Shyplite
Shyplite is an effective shipping aggregator that offers a single dashboard for all your shipping requirements. Customers frequently compliment them for their incredibly receptive and efficient customer support crew, which they offer at comparatively reasonable pricing. With Shyplite, the cost of each order’s shipment is calculated depending on variables such as shipment size, weight, and delivery location. - Rocketbox
Rocketbox, a product of Bigfoot Retail Solutions Pvt Ltd, uses technology to simplify the logistics process for their customers by taking care of all the technological complexity. They have serviceability across 28,000+ pin codes in the country, helping online businesses to concentrate on their core business functions while saving time, money, and effort by bringing the best delivery carriers together on a single platform.
Conclusion
While hiring a shipping aggregator can turn out to be the most cost-effective decision for fulfilling your logistics requirements, you are also making sure that your merchandise reaches every nook and corner of the marketplace, with the help of a reliable shipping partner.