
ShippingEasy
FreightMaster TMS is an on-premise or web-hosted transportation management system, offered at a low up front cost. A great tool for users who need to improve shipping control and planning....Read more
Brokerware is a cloud-based freight management solution that assists brokers in shipment tracking and payment processing. Key features include carrier selection, customer portal, payment processing and load board integrations. ...Read more
Manhattan's Transportation Management System's supply chain management solution helps companies with transportation optimization problems, including multi-modal and multi-leg issues, related to international planning....Read more
Built on a true SaaS platform, LeanTMS by LeanLogistics offers scalable, mutli-tenant architecture that encompasses both Transportation and Supply Chain Management....Read more
For companies of all sizes and types looking to improve efficiency within their transportation and shipping, Cirrus TMS provides a way for companies to compare shipping routes and carriers, improving efficiency and limiting costs....Read more
With over 100,000 members, Real Time Freight is a cloud-based Transportation Management System that offers total visibility and complete transparency. Real Time Freight can support companies of all sizes....Read more
Freightview is a standalone transportation management system designed for small to midsize businesses that ship less-than-truckload (LTL) freight and work with multiple carriers or brokers. Their customers include manufacturers an...Read more
Alpega TMS is a flexible and scalable cloud-based Transportation Management System delivered as a Software as a Service (SaaS). Alpega TMS enables shippers, logistics service providers, and carriers to collaboratively manage and s...Read more
UltraShipTMS is a cloud-based transportation management system with integrated private fleet management capabilities for in- and out-bound logistics across all modes. The core TMS module automates the processes associated with rat...Read more
Transcount is a cloud-based freight and logistics management solution designed for the needs of small logistics providers and freight forwarders. Key features include document management, fleet management, order management, quotat...Read more
Logiwa WMS is a cloud-based warehouse management and order fulfillment solution built on a .NET framework. The solution supports disparate warehousing processes, separate product groups and the needs of different sectors within a ...Read more
AscendTMS is a cloud-based supply chain management (SCM) solution designed for businesses of all sizes. Key features include load management, accounting, finance management, branch management and payment management functionalities...Read more
When your customers place an order, their satisfaction and repeat business could be in jeopardy with poor shipping management. When the package arrives late or not at all, you've lost future revenue.
That's why shipping software is seen as an invaluable tool for any business that ships products—solutions are available to help streamline the entire process, from the second the order comes in to the moment it arrives on the customer's door.
This guide is designed to help you learn what shipping software can do and which features and capabilities to keep in mind when seeking a solution.
Here's what we'll cover:
What Is Shipping Software?
Common Functionality of Shipping Software
What Type of Shipping Software Buyer Are You?
Key Integrations
Market Trends to Understand
Whether your store is online or a brick-and-mortar location, shipping software allows you to manage orders as they arrive, determine the most appropriate shipping option, generate printed shipping labels with all the correct information and send the package with your preferred carrier.
A lot of work goes into making sure each order is fulfilled accurately and at an acceptable cost, and shipping software assists or, in some cases, fully automates parts of the shipping process.
Due to the growth of e-commerce businesses, shipping software vendors offer a wide array of integration options with carriers to offer the best possible rates, no matter what you're shipping.
A list of orders and order details in ShipStation
Shipping solutions can offer a wide variety of features, which often include several of the following:
Order management | Sort and prioritize each order based on predetermined filters, or users can manage manually. Most systems offer a “dashboard" where users can see all orders and their status to avoid lost packages. |
Label printing | For bills of lading or shipping labels, many systems offer tools to streamline label generation for large batches. |
Order tracking | Monitor orders and customers can track them using emailed tracking numbers. |
Drop shipping | Facilitates selling for stores that don't stock all their products. Instead, when they sell a unit, the store buys it from a third-party and has it shipped directly to the customer. Software can help manage this specialized process. |
Route optimization | For companies using a private fleet for shipping, this helps reduce costs by finding the quickest, cheapest route to a delivery. |
Rate management | Find and compare the best carrier rates in real time. Most systems work with the top carriers, e.g., USPS, UPS, DHL, FedEx. |
Reporting and analytics | Spot trends in shipping operations, such as cheapest carrier rates or average cost per trip. This gives users the ability to make more strategic decisions based on historical data. |
Shipping software users can expect some key benefits specific to their business type. These can include:
In addition to partnerships with carriers, many shipping software users choose to integrate other solutions to close the loop on the supply chain and gain a more holistic view of their business. Some of these integrations include:
Here are a few important trends in the shipping industry that could impact your business: