How to choose the right delivery partner for your eCommerce business

Why a strong delivery partner matters

Whether your customers are in Melbourne, Moama or Montreal, they want one thing: their order, delivered promptly and reliably. 

That’s why choosing a partner with a vast delivery network, a track record for on-time deliveries, transparent pricing and scalable savings is essential.  

3 steps to finding the right delivery partner

1. Define your top delivery priorities

Start by identifying what matters most for your business. Common priorities include delivery speed, cost, sustainability and ease of returns process.

Amar Meh, owner of Bookbinders Design, a Melbourne-based boutique stationery retailer, listed these as his priorities:

• Nationwide reach. "The most important consideration for us was a strong network, so we have peace of mind that our orders will get anywhere in Australia efficiently.” 
• Reliable delivery every time. “Once we ship, we want to know customers will receive their order quickly without us chasing delayed or lost parcels.”
• Competitive pricing for international markets. “Sending internationally is surprisingly cheap. Shipping to New Zealand costs about the same as to Western Australia, opening new growth opportunities for us. 

Tip: Using a single delivery partner with the best network reach can save hours on lodgement, pickups and processing, giving you more time to focus on growing your business.

2. Make delivery part of your unique selling points

Your delivery experience can differentiate your business. Bookbinders Design’s partnership with Australia Post has added reliability and transparency to their customer promise. 

“It’s an opportunity to instil confidence among our customers,” says Amar. “We encourage them to download the AusPost app to track and manage their deliveries. This reduces inquiries and boosts customer confidence, saving us time.”

Delivery speed is a key selling point for many businesses. For Bookbinders Design, offering flexible delivery options is more valuable than just prioritizing speed.

In addition to Standard and Express services via MyPost Business, they now provide next-day delivery through StarTrack Courier. "Customers don’t always want the fastest option if it costs more, but when urgency matters, we can meet their needs," explains Amar.

Tip: Highlight using Australia Post as your delivery partner in your messaging so customers know they have access to a wide range of collection points throughout Australia.

3. Use time-saving tools to streamline shipping 

Efficient tools can make daily shipping tasks simpler. Amar credits integrating with MyPost Business with saving them hours. “The automation lets us generate and print labels in bulk, which significantly streamlines the process.”

“We’ve also changed our shipping platform partner through Australia Post to speed up our international shipping processes. These sort of partnerships that Australia Post facilitates are hugely beneficial in helping us with our international expansion.”

Tip: Automate your shipping process by integrating your online store with a delivery partner’s platform.

4. The big picture: It’s about more than cost 

While following the three steps above was a winning strategy for Bookbinders Design, they also stumbled across an extra surprise.

As it turned out, choosing the right delivery provider is a big picture strategy: a combination of cost, reliability and a large network.

Amar says, “While some services offer lower prices upfront, hidden costs like remote delivery surcharges make them less economical in the long run.”

“And based on reviews and experiences from other businesses, you also quickly realise that the potentially lower price is not worth the missed pickups, lost parcels and customer complaints.”

Tip: Be wary of pricing structures with hidden fees like GST or fuel surcharges. 

Choosing the right delivery partner isn’t just about shipping—it’s about creating a seamless customer experience and freeing up time to grow your business.