Here’s What You Need to Know About the BigCommerce Shipping Shutdown

In the beginning of last year, BigCommerce ventured into the shipping and fulfillment side of ecommerce to give their merchants an easy and integrated experience. The result was BigCommerce Shipping, an end-to-end fulfillment solution brought to life by ShipHawk and ParcelCast that was free to BigCommerce sellers. 

The BigCommerce community is massive, spanning 65 countries and over 60,000 stores strong. It’s no wonder why the provider wanted to compound on its success and create a new offering for its customers in the form of label generation and order fulfillment. All seemed to be going well, but BigCommerce Shipping only lasted for a year. The service is quietly being phased out, and all operations will halt on May 1, 2020. 

Many BigCommerce sellers are now scrambling to find a replacement shipping solution so as not to disrupt the customer experience. If you’re in that category, there is no reason to panic. There are dozens of shipping solutions on the market, which means that even if you have an existing strategy, there may be room for improvement.

BigCommerce Shipping: 3 Advantages

BigCommerce Shipping boasted three advantages: discounted rates, an excellent customer experience and a holistic solution. This approach garnered the service thousands of users and made it an attractive option for ecommerce sellers worldwide. 

How did BigCommerce accomplish this? The platform partnered with major shipping carriers—USPS, FedEx and DHL Express—to get better shipping rates, which translated to steep discounts for users. Direct access to these carriers allowed online shoppers to see accurate shipping prices in their carts, which boosted each seller’s reputation and trustworthiness, improving the customer relationship. The sellers also got more control over the fulfillment process and could see in-depth reports and analytics so they could constantly be improving their businesses.  

What it Means for You

If you have been relying on BigCommerce Shipping for any part of the last year, you might be wondering what happened to the service. Surprisingly, BigCommerce has kept the shutdown quiet and did not alert sellers beforehand, and there has been no guidance provided since. This is where we jump in to help. Here is what may happen in the upcoming weeks.

You’ll Need a New Shipping Solution

This one is a no-brainer. In the wake of BigCommerce shuttering its shipping service, you’ll definitely need a new shipping solution. Even if you have a temporary solution in place right now, you will eventually need something for the long haul. Right now is the time to do your due diligence, research the many options and utilize free trial offers until you find a solution that fits your business needs. 

We recommend ReadyShipper, which integrates with BigCommerce and offers the same advantages that BigCommerce Shipping did. Once you connect ReadyShipper to your BigCommerce store, you can sort, edit and manage your orders with ease, while also being connected to serious savings on USPS Priority and Express Mail with built-in Flat Rate Select. Take a look at this video of ReadyShipper’s features, and you will get a better idea of why it’s the preffered shipping software solution for e-tailers. 

You May See Delays

Your customers keep placing orders, but your shipping service has shuttered. This is good news for you because you’re continuing to make sales, but it’s also bad news because there’s a good chance you’ll see a backlog as you make the switch to a new shipping solution. Rather than stress, look at this as an opportunity to provide stellar customer service and be open with your customers about the transition. They’ll appreciate the transparency.    

Prices May (Temporarily) Increase

As a BigCommerce Shipping user, you were getting excellent shipping rates and seeing major savings. This means until you find another shipping provider that can give you the same benefits, you’re looking at higher fulfillment costs. Fortunately, that is only temporary. Ecommerce is continually growing, and more and more shipping providers want a slice of the pie. Customers want the low rates, and increased competition among providers will drive prices down across the board. You’ll have options, and you’ll simply have to find the right fit.

ReadyShipper is Here to Help Right Away!

Your active ReadyShipper license comes with built-in shipping discounts that save you some serious dough! Flat Rate Select is included in each license and connects you to instant savings on USPS Priority Mail and Express Mail on all of your packages up to 20-pounds. There’s never been an easier way to save on the items that you are shipping the most. The more you ship, the more you save. Just choose the Flat Rate Select option from the available rates to see how much you’ll save instantly. There’s no limit to how much you can use this service, and you only get it with ReadyShipper X.

We even just dropped a major update to ReadyShipper this month that adds even more new features, functions. 

What You Can Do

Now that you know you have to find another way to fulfill your orders, you can dig deep into your supply chain processes and determine what needs improvement. Consider this a step-by-step guide for how to bounce back. 

Evaluate Your Current Shipping Process

As your business has grown, so have your shipping quantities. When was the last time you took stock of how many shipments you’re sending per month? Are you now sending a variety of package sizes and weights? Make notes of all of these answers so you have the most up-to-date information for your store when you start to research new shipping providers.  

Analyze Your Financials

Part of your deep dive should most certainly include a look at your cash flow. Whether you use an accounting automation solution that tracks your shipping spend or you track your expenses manually, the data will show you if there is room for improvement. Crunch the numbers and come up with a budget so you can search for new providers within your means.

Choose a New Shipping Solution

Now that you have your parameters in terms of needs and budget, you can begin shopping around for shipping providers. You may need to set up accounts with the major carriers before you can see up-to-date shipping rates, but that is a small time investment with a big return. 

One of the best things about BigCommerce is that it easily integrates with hundreds of apps and extensions, so you’ll be able to build a full order fulfillment process similar to the one you were using within the platform. When you’re on the hunt, keep in mind that ReadyShipper integrates directly with BigCommerce, supports the way you work and gets it done fast, really fast. You’ll cut down on fulfillment time, improve accuracy and ship faster than ever.

Transition to the New Solution

In an ideal world, you’d be able to phase in your new shipping solution without disrupting your operations. However, you’ll more than likely have to plan ahead and choose a date on which to make an abrupt switch. Again, keep your customers in the loop and informed as you’re transitioning. They’ll be impressed by your honesty, which is a solid foundation for the merchant-customer relationship.

Grow Your BigCommerce Business!

Despite the bumps in the road along the way, you’ll soon find that you’ve adjusted to the new normal. Your new shipping solution is in place, and you can go forth and grow your BigCommerce business. 

Ready to make the switch to your new shipping system? We’re here to help! Get started with a 14-day free trial of ReadyShipper shipping software today, no credit card is required. Take advantage of user-friendly features and baked-in USPS savings. Click the button below to learn more about ReadyShipper. Questions? Call us toll-free at: 877-818-7447.