Every online shopping experience should lead to a delivered product. Yet, taking control of transport operations (and associated costs) is challenging for most e-commerce businesses.
It's said that transportation already accounts for up to 50% of total delivery costs in e-commerce logistics. Given the current economic outlook, transportation management doesn't get any easier — nor cheaper.
Not without the right transportation management system, that is.
The role of transportation management systems (TMS) in e-commerce
To offer and manage a wide range of delivery options that consumers expect today, every online merchant needs to have a proper system in place. Transportation Management System (TMS), also known as Transport Administration (TA), simplifies complex processes like carrier integrations and continuously assists in optimizing resources.
Traditionally, companies had to purchase on-premise licenses and deploy transportation management systems on their own servers. Nowadays, however, cloud-based SaaS, or Software as a Service, solutions are much more common — and there's a variety of options to choose from.
If you’re using such a transport management technology, it’s time to take a closer look at it. What value your SaaS transportation management system adds in terms of your business needs? What are you being charged for, exactly?
We’ve done our research based on these questions, identified key decision criteria and compared some of the best TMS tools out there to help you find the right SaaS provider for your e-commerce business.
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What's the right transportation management system (TMS) software for your business?
First, let's look at the main TMS criteria you need to consider when choosing the right SaaS technology for your online order fulfillment.
Implementation
How complex is the implementation process? How much time will it take? To what extent does your tech team need to be involved?
Integrations
Can it be easily integrated into your current tech stack? Think e-commerce platforms, delivery checkout solution, Enterprise Planning System (ERP), Warehouse Management System (WMS), etc.
Carrier connectivity
Your TMS system should support various carrier integrations to book shipments and fetch tracking details. Can your transportation management system provider offer new carrier products for free upon request? Is there a limit to the carrier library or an extra fee for each addition?
Features
What do you need from an automated transportation management system to resolve your business challenges and start scaling? Available features ultimately depend on different TMS systems and pricing models.
Customization
Can you tailor your TMS solution to your business objectives, such as reducing your transport costs while achieving a higher order fulfillment efficiency?
Support
Can you count on support during implementation and onboarding? Will you have a dedicated customer success manager to turn to in case of any questions or concerns?
Pricing
What’s the value for money? What are the available pricing options?
Client testimonials
What e-commerce companies are using the TMS solution? Client reviews and relevant case studies will certainly help you work out the business value each SaaS transport management tool generates for different e-retailers.
That being said, here's a comparison of the top TMS software for e-commerce for you to consider.
Ingrid
Ingrid Transport (part of the Ingrid Delivery Platform) is a cloud-based transport management software for booking and managing all your e-commerce delivery orders from one place, regardless of the scale of your operations. It ensures exceptional service, performance and uptime, with the industry-leading response time of 200 ms.
Business value
Ingrid Transport, built in collaboration with major online retailers in the Nordics, is an advanced TMS tailored to the main requirements and objectives of thriving e-commerce businesses. Ingrid Transport supports smart automation and simplifies transport operations where carrier booking and label printing are critical.
Carrier integrations
Over 250 carrier integrations. Unlimited carrier connectivity — new carriers can be added upon request, free of charge.
Key features
- Simplified shipment booking;
- Multi-carrier management;
- Automated booking rules;
- Shipment history;
- Batch label printing;
- Customs declarations;
- Split delivery;
- In-store solution;
- Return labels;
- Rate calculation.
Killer feature
Apart from the standard TMS features and full visibility over the delivery process, Ingrid Transport caters to more business-specific goals. Thanks to automated booking rules and scenarios, e-retailers can reduce costs and carrier errors, while the in-store solution streamlines inventory management and order fulfillment process.
Ingrid users can select the least expensive, the most reliable, the fastest or the most sustainable carrier for specific types of orders, always.
Sounds like a deal? Book a demo to see it in action.
Pricing
Ingrid Transport pricing starts at 2 999 SEK/mo.
— With Ingrid Transport, Haypp Group easily creates and books B2C shipments. The biggest win for us has been the decrease in downtime, we’ve actually seen a huge improvement after we switched to Ingrid. It’s worth a lot to us: we run operations 24/7, and can’t afford any problems with the system, Jenny Mitts, Chief Logistics Officer at Haypp Group says.
nShift
nShift is a parcel delivery management company formed in a series of mergers between Unifaun, Transmart and Consignor, as well as the acquisition of Returnado and Webshipper. nShift's Transport Management System digitizes crucial transport management processes, helps build customer experience and provides access to business intelligence data.
Business value
nShift TMS is an advanced cloud-based software with a full visibility and control across the supply chain. nShift users can ship more efficiently, cut on transport and operational costs an achieve easier collaboration with partners.
Carrier integrations
The world's largest carrier library featuring 1 000 delivery companies. There’s no limit to how many carriers you can integrate, but there’s a cost associated depending on the number.
Key features
- Simplified shipment booking;
- Multi-carrier management;
- Automatic carrier selection;
- Label printing;
- Shipment history;
- Returns management;
- Integrated analytics tool;
- Emissions reporting.
Killer feature
Emission calculation — nShift's emission tariff engine calculates the levels of emissions on shipments in real time and helps drive improvements in supply chain management.
Pricing
Different plan levels, depending on the volume of orders. All prices in nShift TMS are subject to negotiation and there is no free trial.
Logtrade
Logtrade's digital logistics ecosystem and SaaS solutions empower sustainable logistics by reducing various types of waste and allowing fleets to run at capacity. Logtrade Delivery Management System (DMS) is a multifunctional solution that connects you with your shipments in real-time and enables you to automate how you plan, send, track and analyze deliveries, including returns.
Business value
Logtrade DMS connects with the Internet of Logistics (IoL)—the emerging logistics ecosystem that sets the basis for predictive and autonomous supply chains. The IoL and the applications Logtrade develops together with companies and entrepreneurs help businesses face tomorrow's logistics challenges.
Carrier connectivity
Five carriers included in the DMS license — DHL Express and Freight, DSV, Bring, DB Schenker and PostNord — with a possibility of adding 40 more carriers for an additional fee.
Key features
- Multi-carrier management;
- Shipment booking;
- Shipment price query;
- Automated notifications;
- Shipment history and statistics portal;
- Returns management;
- Dangerous goods labels and markings;
- Automated printing.
Killer feature
Logtrade’s Internet of Logistics (IoL) technology assigns each product a unique identity (URI). Digitized, each product can connect independently with other IoL stakeholders — smart locks, vehicles, depots — through data sharing, which marks the start of predictive, autonomous supply chains.
Pricing
Logtrade DMS starts at 400 USD/mo and goes up to 1 500 USD/mo depending on the scale of business operations.
— It's extremely important to have a delivery management system that's connected to the other parts of the business and works in real-time... with Logtrade we have a more reliable system all-around, Andreas Ekberg, CEO at Royal Design says.
Sendcloud
Sendcloud is one of Europe's largest TMS platforms available. With Sendcloud Shipping Automation, online retailers can build a custom workflow for picking, packing, and shipping to save time and money on every single delivery.
Business value
Sendcloud shipping automation enables e-retailers to save time on each created shipment, lower transportation costs with the platform's pre-negotiated rates, or upload their existing shipping contracts.
Carrier connectivity
Sendcloud clients can choose from over 80 pre-negotiated carrier integrations, including automatic activation of the most popular carriers in the merchant's country, and use discounted carrier rates. Clients with paid plans can additionally upload their own shipping contracts.
Key features
- Streamlined shipment booking;
- Multi-carrier management;
- Batch label printing;
- Custom automation rules and workflows;
- Automatic generation of customs documents;
- Returns management;
- Analytics dashboard.
Killer feature
Besides Sendcloud Shipping Automation, paid users get access to an optimized delivery checkout with the best carriers and delivery options in the area.
Pricing
Sendcloud platform offers four levels of monthly pricing depending on the volume of orders per month, including a free 14-day trial:
- Essential for less than 100 parcels/mo - free;
- Small Shop for merchants that send from 100 to 400 parcels a month — 45 EUR/mo;
- Large Shop for merchants that send from 400 to 1 000 parcels a month — 99 EUR /mo;
- Business for merchants that send over 1 000 parcels a month — 199 EUR/mo.
— Sendcloud has made the processing of online orders much more efficient — our expenditures of time and costs are significantly reduced, Maximilian Hermann, Project Manager at the THE DUKE Distillery says.
Paazl
Paazl was built as a platform that makes delivery seamless and convenient for brands & retailers, carriers, and consumers alike — especially when shipping internationally. Paazl TMS forms part of all-in-one platform that offers a scalable solution with the best options for any type of e-commerce delivery.
Business value
Paazl generates shipping and return labels to simplify your shipping process and save on expensive integrations and delivery rates.
Carrier connectivity
Over 40 carriers in 220+ countries and territories.
Key features
- Streamlined shipment booking;
- Multi-carrier management;
- Shipment history;
- Custom label designing and printing;
- Manifests and customs documentation;
- Order tracking;
- In-store solution;
- Returns management;
- Data insights.
Killer feature
Access to carrier data and long-term trends helps you analyze and optimize your delivery options accordingly.
Pricing
Unfortunately, the pricing plans are not displayed on the website. For more information on the current offer, contact Paazl.
— Paazl provides flexibility in the way we want to approach the last-mile. This has resulted in significant savings on our transportation costs, Dik Hoogenes, Logistics Manager at Hans Anders, says.
Choose among the best TMS systems out there
There's no 'one size fits all' transportation management tool in e-commerce, but consideration of the key criteria should help you narrow down your choices and, eventually, choose the best e-commerce TMS system for your needs.
Once you're at it, you might want to give Ingrid a try. Book a demo to learn more about its competitive advantage.
