If online businesses are looking for a fast and cost-effective method to offer customers doorstep delivery, the best solution available in an eCommerce shipping aggregator. Courier aggregators partner with multiple logistics companies to offer a variety of rates and shipping speeds.
Aggregators can help online selling companies reach their customers with the efficiency of a large enterprise and a fraction of the cost.
Looking for a courier aggregator that is right for your eCommerce business can be a confusing process, especially when the options are limited and there is minimal reliable data available on different aggregators’ operations.
In this article, we will be providing you with a breakdown of the top shipping aggregators for ecommerce in Saudi Arabia to help you find one suitable for your business needs.
What Is a Logistics or Courier Aggregator?
Courier aggregators (also known as shipping or logistics aggregators) are companies or platforms that bring multiple individual carriers together in a single portal and help brands easily handle multiple logistics companies at the same time. These courier aggregators also offer other logistics solutions, like smart carrier selection, integrated tracking, cost comparison, failed delivery management, etc.
In simpler words, you can think of a logistics aggregator as a middleman that connects eCommerce companies with logistics providers to ease their end-to-end shipping process.
Importance of Shipping Aggregators in Saudi Arabia
Online stores in Saudi Arabia can benefit greatly from shipping aggregators. There’s always a chance that your present carrier partner cannot reach a certain PIN code.
In such cases, shipping aggregators can easily switch your carrier for a parcel and let you deliver it to the destination.
A wide range of carrier options also lets you pick the fastest or most cost-effective option at hand. Further, such platforms also usually offer shipping API integration with eCommerce store. This enables you to sync all orders automatically and only select the courier you wish to deliver with.
Top 10 eCommerce Aggregators in Saudi Arabia for eCommerce Shipping
By now, you’ve probably got a good idea of how shipping aggregators in Saudi Arabia work and their importance. Let’s now take a look at the best current options available in the market today!
1. Easyship
Founded in 2019, Easyship is a shipping aggregator that helps businesses partner with a variety of courier partners across the world. When it comes to Saudi Arabia, the platform provides carriers such as DHL and USPS.
Online store owners can also delegate all customs paperwork to this company. They automatically generate documents like shipping labels and commercial invoices.
With pre-negotiated rates, you can leverage cost-efficient services from some of the best international carriers.
2. OTO
OTO holds its headquarters in Saudi Arabia and provides tech-supported courier aggregation services. These services encompass a wide variety of ecommerce integrations, including 20+ popular sales channels like Zid and Shopify.
Additionally, you can tie up with more than 150 shipping carriers and handle all your shipments using a single dashboard. This dashboard enables you to handle four different operations—shipping, order management, tracking, and analyzing data simultaneously.
It also provides multiple express delivery options including, same-day and bulk delivery. Further, the platform also hosts additional features such as adding custom rules for shipping, temperature-controlled delivery, and quick label printing.
3. AfterShip
The next aggregation platform on our list is AfterShip. Headquartered in Hong Kong, this eCommerce logistics software has been operational for over a decade.
It is integrated with over 900 different shipping partners as well as storefronts like Shopify and WooCommerce, alongside various marketplaces and other ecommerce supporters.
Like most shipping aggregators, AfterShip gives eCommerce businesses access to multi-carrier integrations and a unified dashboard for tracking all orders.
Additionally, it also provides a customized branded tracking page that can be displayed on your online store so customers can track orders through your website directly.
Through this platform, you can calculate and display EDD to customers, send shipment tracking notifications, and receive shipping analytics.
4. Wimo
Wimo was started in Dubai, but it currently operates in 5 different countries across the MENA region, including Saudi Arabia. This courier aggregator has been a major player in the shipping industry for 5+ years, and continues to be despite its acquisition by another company.
Nevertheless, its ability to deliver products has not faltered as it also offers shipping services to international companies. eCommerce companies can use Wimo’s integration services to select the carriers of their choice from all the integrated carriers available.
The company’s web dashboard enables you to easily automate your orders from one place. Overall, it’s a good choice for businesses of any size in Saudi Arabia.
5. Metapack
Metapack is a courier solutions provider started in London in 1999. It is one of the most popular platforms in the EU and provides services in Saudi Arabia along with other Middle Eastern countries.
It offers integrations with 350+ platforms (carriers and eCommerce platforms included) while helping you leverage key services like branded tracking pages or tracking API.
These help you stay one step ahead of your parcel’s location and provide timely updates to customers in a personalized manner.
In fact, Metapack gives you the ability to display different delivery options right at the checkout page. These options contain precise estimated dates of delivery to help customers make better buying decisions. Providing such information at checkout also reduces the chances of cart abandonment.
6. Shipsy
Typically, Shipsy is an India-based logistics aggregator. But, with constant upgradation in its services, it has reached across various countries worldwide. In fact, Saudi Arabia is also no exception.
Its automated carrier allocation engine will help you select the best logistics provider based on factors, like performance, location, pricing, etc. This courier aggregator provides you with an integrated system to track all your orders, sends time-to-time updates to customers via multiple channels, shows ETA, and does much more. It also provides an integrated portal for carrier booking.
Shipsy goes beyond being just a courier aggregator. It also offers other services and technology solutions. For instance, it will help you handle cash-on-delivery orders, collect proof of deliveries, and process orders. Apart from these, Shipsy helps you with shipment consolidation, hub-to-hub order movement, route optimization, multi-carrier management, and so on.
7. Carriyo
Carriyo is integrated with over 100 logistics providers including some major carriers operating in Saudi Arabia. These are DPD, Aramex, Shipa delivery, etc.
This shipping aggregator will help you create accounts with different carriers, automatically delegate orders to multiple carriers, and generate shipping labels. At the same time, you will be able to book, schedule, and cancel shipments with absolute ease.
Through its rate calculation API, you can calculate the entire logistics expenses. One of the best parts that has made it one of the best solutions is its carrier comparison capability. You can add multiple carriers and fetch the most convenient one based on factors like delivery time, delivery rate, etc. It also helps you with COD shipments and lets you track COD amounts with each carrier company.
Not only that, Carriyo offers other value-added solutions, such as shipping from the store, branded tracking, returns management, storage solutions, and more.
8. SIDEUP
SIDEUP first came into existence in 2019. Under its carrier library, you will find some of the best couriers. These are Aramex, AyMakan, RedBox, and more.
Through an integrated portal, brands will be able to tackle contracts with carriers, track customer parcels, and handle each order in the most efficient way. If you go for SIDEUP, you can reach your international customers within just 3-5 days.
Apart from these, this courier aggregator has a fast cash remittance cycle. Plus, it has come up with warehousing solutions for eCommerce businesses.
9. Shipway
The list will remain incomplete if we don’t include Shipway here. To date, this platform has integrated 550+ logistics companies worldwide. If you take a look at its service portfolio, you will get three options— one is for marketing automation, the second one is for shipment management, and the third one is for post-purchase customer experience.
It has a smart carrier allocation engine that will help you choose the perfect logistics provider for your business. Within seconds, it syncs orders from websites, so you can speed up the process. Shipway is a great option if you are looking to improve customers’ post-purchase experience. For example, it will send shoppers on-time notifications and provide them with a white-labeled tracking page.
Brands often face RTOs that directly hamper their profit margin. To help you in this situation, Shipway has incorporated options such as fraud detection, order verification, failed delivery management, etc.
10. ShipStation
ShipStation offers a multi-carrier integration option and lets you manage orders on a unified platform. For instance, it lets you combine orders, split orders, edit orders — everything on a centralized portal.
One of the main reasons behind adding ShipStation to this list is its ability to provide discounted shipping rates across carriers. In fact, you can save up to 89% on carrier rates.
With ShipStation, you can automate most repetitive tasks like label creation, address verification, customer updates, branded tracking, etc. At the same time, it offers easy integrations with eCommerce marketplaces and platforms.
How to Choose a Logistics Aggregator in Saudi Arabia
So now you’ve got a good picture of the current best logistics aggregators in Saudi Arabia. But how can you pick from the best? Let’s learn below:-
1. Check the price
Complete no-brainer but still, remember to check the price of a shipping aggregator before you partner with them. Analyze whether other trusted platforms are providing the same service quality at lower rates.
2. Evaluate carrier options
The main point of shipping aggregation is to provide you with a range of shipping companies to ship with. Ensure that your shipping aggregator provides integration with a wide range of carriers.
3. Value-added services
While not necessary, see if your shipping aggregator provides any value-added services. These can come in handy if your current shipping software doesn’t host a lot of features.
Features like branded tracking pages, comprehensive dashboards, and custom rulings give you more control over your shipments. They’re also a great way to add a hint of personalization to your service and improve the buying experience for customers.
4. Check the speed of delivery
If you consider the latest report, two-thirds of the global shoppers want the parcels in their hands within 24 hours. Meaning that customers want fast delivery. So, while choosing a shipping aggregator, please make sure that it offers flexible delivery options.
You can take the example of Carriyo. It provides multiple solutions like same-day, next-day, and express delivery services. Like Carriyo, there are lots of other logistics aggregators mentioned in this list that offer expedited delivery options. You can choose the one that suits you the best.
5. NDR management solution
RTO (Return-to-Origin) is a major obstacle on the way to eCommerce success. You definitely didn’t work hard to get products back to their origins. To combat this issue, you must go for a shipping aggregator that integrates carriers that are specialized in reducing RTO%.
Make sure it offers a dedicated NDR(Non-delivery report) management solution and fraud detection option to help you improve your delivery rates.
6. Ensure it has automation functionality
To be honest, as a business owner, you have lots of tasks on your plate. Now, if you spend time in handling logistics operations, when will you get time to focus on your marketing campaigns?
Hence, you need to check if the aggregator offers automated solutions. If yes, you can put the repetitive tasks like label creation, customer updates, NDR management, and order tracking on autopilot and invest the time into the most important tasks of your business.
7. Assess the tracking option
Next, you’ll have to check the tracking option provided by the platform. Check if it provides an integrated tracking portal where you can get all the tracking information across carriers without any back and forth. This will help you monitor your shipments on a granular level and solve WISMO (Where Is My Orders) queries instantly.
8. Negotiated shipping rates
One of the main perks of going with an aggregator is optimized shipping costs. Many options mentioned above (Like ShipStation) offer discounted shipping rates. Plus, Carriyo and Shipsy let you compare shipping rates across different logistics providers. If your chosen aggregator offers this solution, it’s surely a green flag.
Conclusion
Whether you call them couriers, or shipping aggregators in Saudi Arabia, these tech-enabled 3PLs and 4PLs give online businesses an easy means to tie up with multiple carriers.
Instead of building a logistics infrastructure from scratch, e-commerce companies can get access to an established network supported by industry experts.
We hope our list will help you in the process of finding the best logistics aggregator in Saudi Arabia. Happy shipping!
