Published on the 21/07/2015 | Written by Donovan Jackson
Under pressure postal service looks to capitalise on online retail boom…
New Zealand eCommerce software company ShipIT has partnered with Australia Post to offer customers an integrated order and shipping management system.
Like many postal services businesses across the world, Australia Post is feeling the effects of digital disruption. It has seen mail volume decline by 25% between 2009 and 2014 and a concomitant impact on financial performance. ABC News recently reported job losses as the ‘letters business’ tapers off.
However, National Australia Bank’s latest online retail sales index offers some hope: Australians spent $16.9 billion in the 12 months to April – a year-on-year increase of 9.6 percent, with growth in online shopping outstripping traditional retail sales.
By equipping itself to offer improved service to ecommerce operators and internet shoppers, Australia Post is positioning itself to take advantage of the online retail boom.
With ShipIT’s technology, online retailers can generate shipping labels directly from orders, reducing double data entry and speeding up the delivery process. It also allows for tracking of shipments.
In a statement, ShipIT CEO George Plummer said the partnership will save time for online retailers, giving them all the information they need on one screen, without having to log into multiple systems. “Shipping has traditionally been a manual process. This means that merchants have to cut and paste order data, handwrite courier labels and manually create customs forms and documents.”
By automating the process, ShipIT reduces administrative work.
Australia Post eCommerce GM Ben Franzi said the digital world is changing the competitive landscape at an unprecedented pace. “As a result, we have been changing at Australia Post in response to help customers get online to shop, pay, deliver and transact securely in the digital world.”
The partnership with ShipIT, he said, provides businesses with insight and transparency across logistical requirements, resulting in improved visibility through the supply chain.
