So you’ve finally landed your hands on the shipping APIs you need for your business and the only step remaining is actually integrating it with your e-commerce platform. But what is the proper way to actually do it?
To answer this question, we’ve come up with a step-by-step guide that will outline how you should integrate shipping APIs within your store. Let’s go!
Why are Shipping APIs Important?
A quick detour before we get into the actual guide. Shipping APIs allow you to streamline your delivery processes. They let you connect with your carrier’s system and request information like tracking data or order status. Once you do have this data, you can display it to customers in real time.
The data retrieval action is relatively quick. Hence, you can update your customers frequently throughout the entire delivery process. Not only does this improve your overall consumer experience in the long run, but you also avoid facing WISMO (where is my order) queries and let your support staff focus on more intricate issues.
How to Integrate Shipping APIs With Your E-commerce Platform
Now, while there’s no thumb rule to integrating shipping APIs, eCommerce businesses can make the process much more efficient by taking a step-by-step approach. Here’s how you can do so.
1. Keep your goals clear
Before getting into the actual integration part, sit with your team and discuss your main expectations. What is it that you want to achieve with this integration?
Is your focus on lowering delivery update times? Or are you looking to improve your customer reviews on the delivery experience? Regardless, make these goals clear on day one. This allows your IT team to leverage custom-built APIs that work exactly how you need them to.
2. Get access to API keys
The next step is visiting the official website of your chosen API company. Go ahead and create a developer account on their platform. Now, request for the respective API keys or credentials. If you’re not exactly tech-savvy, then you can let your IT team handle this task.
3. Read API documentation carefully
After getting access to API keys, understand the limitations of your API. Check the platform’s API documentation to know the kind of actions it can or cannot perform.
For instance, not all APIs may support XML file formats for importing orders from an Excel sheet. This is also a great time to double-check the type of authentication your API provider uses such as OAuth2.0.
4. Plan for release
Ensure that your team knows when exactly an API needs to function. For instance, a shipping API can occur as soon as an order is placed in your store. This would let you keep all delivery information transparent from the get-go.
In fact, you can take this one step further and use a communication system to send milestone alerts and let customers know when their parcel is picked, packed, and out for delivery.
5. Optimization
Many modern-day APIs allow online store owners to connect without any coding knowledge. However, if your API doesn’t offer this, then you’ll most probably need your IT team to code the integration in your platform.
There are various languages like Ruby and Python that let developers write integration codes. However, the former method is easier and much quicker to complete.
6. Test your API
Once you’ve got the ball rolling with your API integration, remember to test it within different use cases. Testing helps you identify any inefficiencies from the start and lets you maximize output.
In fact, any errors spotted early on will be much easier to configure at present than later down the road. Additionally, you will also be able to release a solution that ensures to meet the majority of all your expectations.
7. Create a backup
Once everything is set in motion, create a backup plan or SOP that guides your team on what they need to prioritize in case of an error. These workflows will help you find and resolve issues quickly.
The Benefits of Using Shipping APIs With Your Ecommerce Platform
Now that you know how you can integrate shipping APIs with your online store, let’s explore how beneficial they are from a business perspective.
1. Lower logistics costs
One of the greatest advantages of shipping APIs is getting discounts. While not every platform may offer this, a good amount of them do. When you use certain APIs, you receive lower shipping rates for well-known carriers like UPS and DHL.
These discounts aren’t always available via the carrier’s official website and are a great way to lower your overall logistics costs. In fact, you can even get real-time shipping rates and compare which courier partner suits your needs best.
2. Tracking information
Shipping APIs enable you to retrieve live tracking information for any parcel. You can forward this data to customers and lower the overall shipping inquiries.
If possible, small businesses can also use advanced communication platforms to provide automated alerts for delivery milestones. This further enhances the buying experience since customers won’t have to look up their order status every day.
3. Bulk shipping label generation
The third advantage of shipping APIs is their ability to print bulk shipping labels automatically. Some may even offer downloading them in different formats like PDF or PNG.
Not only does this speed up your shipping processes, but it also eliminates the risk of entering wrong customer information (such as address) and prevents any NDR instances in the long run.
Conclusion
Overall, integrating a shipping API can be an intricate task for newer e-commerce companies. However, as long as you follow the best practices, and test things before release, you’ll be all set.
Feel free to take inspiration from our guide above and add/remove any step to cater to a solution that works best for your store. We hope this guide has been helpful in your API journey!
