The unexpected closure of parcel delivery company Sendle has left small businesses nationwide scrambling to deliver orders. If you’ve been affected by the sudden collapse of Sendle, this guide contains everything you need to know to ge t your shipping program back on track with a reliable Sendle alternative.
What happened to Sendle?
Sendle, an Australian-founded company launched in 2014 had built a reputation as a reliable, low-cost shipping partner for small business owners. Stunned Sendle customers were left scrambling when the company abruptly announced on January 11 that they were ceasing operations. Customers were informed via email that all scheduled pick-ups would be cancelled, and parcels already in transit would be delivered only at the discretion of the delivery partner.
What impact has Sendle’s closure had on small businesses?
Small businesses relying on Sendle as their shipping partner have been left high and dry. Some of the impacts being felt by Sendle users nationwide include:
- Financial loss from products lost in transit or perishable goods unable to be delivered on time
- Customer dissatisfaction due to delayed or missing orders
- Unexpected staffing costs with teams working overtime to resolve shipping issues
- Difficulty finding a new, reliable shipping partner
I was a Sendle customer, where do I go from here?
If you were a Sendle customer, there are a few steps you need to take as soon as possible.
Track any parcels already in transit
- Take note of the tracking information in your Sendle dashboard
- Check the status of parcels in transit, and contact the carrier partners where needed
Notify your customers
- Contact customers with pending or shipped orders to advise them of potential shipping delays
- Consider placing a temporary disclaimer on your website to let customers know that new orders may take longer than usual to dispatch
Find a Sendle alternative shipping partner
- While temporary shipping solutions may work for your business short term, it’s critically important to find a reliable, cost-effective Sendle alternative to support your business into the future
How to find a Sendle alternative shipping partner
Finding the right shipping partner for your business might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be. Follow these simple steps to help you find the right Sendle alternative for your needs.
1. Identify your ‘Must Have’ integrations
Even the most streamlined Sendle alternatives won’t be much use if they don’t integrate with the tools you use every day. Identify which tools your ideal shipping partner must integrate with. Shipping software and leading Sendle alternative Zappy integrates with all major ecommerce platforms including:
- Shopify
- Squarespace
- Ebay
- WooCommerce
- Amazon
2. Consider your delivery options
If your parcel delivery company provides only a few courier options, keep looking. A good shipping partner should give you access to more options and better prices. Shipping software providers such as Zappy utilise a vast network of couriers, giving you the power to choose which courier networks you do business with. Having access to all the major courier networks also means you can provide your customers with a wide range of delivery options including standard, same-day, weekend delivery and more.
3. Make a wishlist of features you’d like to see in a Sendle alternative
Think about the features you want your shipping platform to have.. How do you like to work? How do you want your customers to receive order updates? Your wishlist items could include things such as:
- Address validation to prevent undeliverable packages
- Branded tracking to ensure your customers are well informed via email and SMS
- Branded returns portal with the ability to generate personalised return shipping labels
- Powerful data analytics and reports to help you improve your delivery experience
Once you’ve narrowed down your wishlist, compare it with the features offered by various Sendle alternatives. Shipping platforms such as Zappy offer all these features and more.
4. Ask for recommendations
Word of mouth is the most powerful research tool at your disposal. Ask your peers which shipping platforms they work with. Find out what they like and dislike about their shipping platforms, and use the opportunity to view a live demonstration of how their platform works.
Is Zappy right for my business?
What is Zappy?
Zappy is a multi-carrier delivery platform packed with valuable features for entrepreneurs and businesses of any size. Designed to put your shipping on autopilot, Zappy is a breeze to use.
- Seamlessly import your website orders from popular ecommerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento
- Let Zappy run the numbers and bring you the best prices from their wide network of trusted couriers
- Print your shipping label and Zappy will let your courier know that the parcel is ready to be picked up
It doesn’t get much easier than that!
How can Zappy help me?
Zappy has been watching the Sendle situation unfold and is poised to offer practical support to businesses experiencing disruption. If you’ve been affected by the Sendle closure, talk to Zappy today to take advantage of transition support such as:
- Priority onboarding
- Multiple courier options
- Transparent pricing
- Pickups
How much does Zappy cost?
Zappy is a reliable, feature packed shipping platform and best of all, it’s free to use. That’s right, FREE.
When you use Zappy, you pay for the courier and Zappy takes care of the rest. Zappy uses volume discounting to provide you with a seamless shipping platform and valuable data insights, while ensuring you never pay more than you would going direct to parcel carriers.
Is Zappy ideal for businesses of any size?
Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a large scale operation, Zappy is here for you with 3 unique pricing plans.
Pay as you go
Ideal for small businesses sending less than 20 parcels per month.
- Pay standard courier pricing
- Enjoy all the basic Zappy features
- No minimum monthly courier spend
Pre-paid
Ideal for small businesses sending less than 20 parcels per month, but wanting some discounts.
- The more you prepay, the bigger the discounts you can receive
- Enjoy full Zappy features
- No credit card required
On account
Ideal for medium to large businesses sending 20 to 10,000 parcels per month.
- All the features and benefits of a pre-paid plan
- Your own personal local account manager
Get your shipping back on track
If you’ve been impacted by the Sendle shutdown, time is of the essence. Zappy offers quick onboarding, an intuitive shipping platform and powerful analytic insights to help your business not only recover, but thrive. Supporting Australian businesses since 2012, Zappy is your local, reliable shipping partner platform.
How to get started with Zappy
Take your business to the next level with the leading Sendle alternative, Zappy.
Getting started is easy. Simply contact us or sign up with Zappy, and let us take the hassle out of your shipping process today.
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