How to Implement a Connected Shipping Strategy Step-by-Step

Shipping used to be simple: pack an order, slap on a label, hand it off to a courier, done. But in today’s world, shipping is no longer just about getting a package from A to B. Customers expect lightning-fast deliveries, real-time tracking, and a seamless returns experience. Meanwhile, shipping costs are climbing, international expansion is a headache, and juggling multiple couriers feels like a never-ending puzzle. Sound familiar?

Here’s the thing: shipping isn’t just a necessary evil—it’s a growth driver. The right strategy can help you cut costs, boost customer loyalty, and scale globally without the chaos. That’s where Connected Shipping comes in.

Connected Shipping isn’t about adding more tools—it’s about making them work together while fulfilling customer demands. It’s the difference between managing a messy pile of puzzle pieces and seeing the full picture. So how do you go from a conventional shipping setup to a truly connected system? This guide walks you through the key steps to making it happen. Let’s dive in.

The key components of a Connected Shipping strategy

Before we talk strategy, let’s talk expectations. Because no matter how great your tech stack is, it won’t matter if you’re not meeting customer demands!

Today’s shoppers want:
✔ Fast and predictable deliveries: A significant 44% of European consumers abandon their shopping carts if delivery takes too long.
✔ Real-time tracking updates: Approximately 71% of customers prefer to shop with e-commerce businesses that offer real-time tracking. (Because let’s be honest, “Where’s my order?” emails are a pain for everyone).
✔ Easy returns: 95% of shoppers are likely to buy again if they have a smooth return experience.

Now, to make that happen, here’s what you need:

Real-time data integration – Your couriers, warehouse, and e-commerce platform should talk to each other.
Automated workflows – Reduce manual work and shipping errors.
Multi-courier shipping options – Flexibility to choose the best courier for every order.
Personalised tracking & notifications – Keep customers informed at every step.
Smart returns management – Make returns simple without cutting into your margins.
AI-powered optimisation – Use AI to save time, process orders faster, get better insights into your shipping data, and make smarter shipping decisions.

Now, let’s break down exactly how to make this a reality.

Step-by-step guide to implementing Connected Shipping

Step 1: Audit your current shipping setup

Before you optimise, you need to know what’s broken. Ask yourself:

What’s frustrating my customers about shipping?

Dig into customer feedback by conducting interviews, analysing support tickets, or reviewing post-purchase surveys. Look at common complaints—are deliveries too slow, tracking unreliable, or returns too complicated?

If you want a broader perspective, check industry benchmarks like our E-Commerce Delivery Compass to see how your shipping experience compares.

Where am I losing time or money in my process?

Look at inefficiencies in fulfilment, courier selection, and manual processes. Are slow workflows delaying shipments? Are too many support requests driving up costs? Identify operational bottlenecks that impact both your team and your bottom line.

Are my current couriers meeting my needs?

Assess delivery speed, reliability, and service quality – not just costs.

Do I have visibility into my shipping costs and performance?

If you’re manually pulling shipping reports from different sources, it’s time to centralise your data.

By taking a data-driven approach, you’ll uncover hidden costs and inefficiencies and set the foundation for a smarter, more cost-effective shipping strategy.

Step 2: Define your shipping goals

What do you actually want to improve? Faster deliveries? Lower costs? Better tracking? Define clear KPIs—things like delivery speed, return rates, and customer satisfaction scores—to track your progress. Here are some examples:

Speed – Are you for example aiming for next-day or same-day delivery? Make sure your internal processes support this promise! For instance, customers in the Netherlands expect evening deliveries between 6-8 PM, while in Germany, deliveries are expected between 4-6 PM. Focus on reducing delivery times and improving efficiency.
Cost savings – Lower shipping expenses through automation and multi-courier selection! In fact, 51% of online shoppers prefer out-of-home delivery when it helps lower shipping costs—making it a great option to consider as well!
Customer experience – Imagine this: you’re waiting at home for your package, but it gets delayed—and you weren’t informed. On average, consumers check the tracking page 4x per delivery. This highlights the importance of accurate and timely updates, as your customers rely on you to keep them informed.
Other key metrics to check: On-time delivery rates, return rates, customer satisfaction.

Step 3: Choose the right shipping platform & integrate your systems

Not all shipping software is the same—and choosing the wrong one can lead to disjointed processes, manual headaches, and rising costs. Instead of just handling labels and shipments, the right platform should bring everything together— connecting your e-commerce store, couriers, fulfilment partners, and customer communication in one place.

When evaluating your options, ask yourself:

Does it eliminate manual tasks? Look for automation features that reduce repetitive tasks like courier selection, tracking updates, and returns processing.
Can it scale with my business? Your shipping needs today won’t be the same in a year—choose a platform that supports growth, new markets, and evolving customer expectations.
Does it provide visibility into my shipping performance? A good platform doesn’t just move packages—it gives you insights into delivery times, courier reliability, and cost trends so you can continuously optimise.
Is it flexible enough for different shipping strategies? Whether you need multi-courier support or out-of-home delivery options, your platform should adapt to your strategy—not the other way around.

The key is to think beyond shipping as a cost center and instead see it as a competitive advantage. The right platform doesn’t just help you ship—it helps you deliver better, faster, and smarter.

But, choosing the right platform is only half the battle—leveraging the right tools is what truly brings your Connected Shipping strategy to life. Explore the essential tools you need to execute your strategy in this blog!

Step 4: Optimise courier selection & international shipping

When choosing couriers, don’t just compare shipping rates—analyse the Total Cost of Shipping. Otherwise, it’s like booking a flight based on the ticket price alone, only to get hit with extra fees for baggage, seat selection, and more.

Instead, you should find the correlation between the couriers you use, the cost of those shipments, and the average customer review for each courier. A courier with the lowest rates might actually be costing you more due to delays, lost packages, or increased customer service workload. Use courier performance reports, tracking data, and return rates to get a full picture. Learn more about Total Cost of Shipping here.

But choosing the right courier isn’t just about cost—it’s also about how shipping is presented to your customers:

Your shipping strategy starts at checkout

Because that’s where customers decide whether to complete their purchase or abandon their cart. The delivery options and pricing you offer at this stage set the tone for the entire shipping experience.

Show the right delivery options: Customers expect speed, flexibility, and affordability, so offering multiple choices—express, standard, and out-of-home delivery—can increase conversion rates.
Be transparent about costs and delivery times: Unexpected fees or vague delivery estimates lead to abandoned carts. Make shipping costs clear upfront, and provide estimated delivery dates for each option.

But once the order is placed, the real challenge begins: making sure that shipments arrive on time, across different couriers and international markets.

A single-courier strategy won’t cut it anymore

Relying on one courier makes you vulnerable to delays, service disruptions, and pricing fluctuations. Smart businesses use multiple couriers to balance speed, cost, and reliability—ensuring flexibility when one courier experiences delays or price increases.

And if you’re shipping internationally, additional complexities come into play. Make sure your setup includes:
✅ Dynamic & automated courier selection: Choose the best option for each order, tailored to local customer preferences.
✅ Streamlined customs handling: Avoid unnecessary delays with automated HS code classification and duty calculations.
✅ Easy returns for international customers: Offer local return addresses, pre-paid labels, or international return hubs to avoid high return shipping costs and improve customer trust.

Step 5: Automate and optimise shipping operations

Manual processes slow you down. Automate what you can:

Label printing & courier selection – Speed up order processing by automatically generating labels and assigning the best courier based on delivery speed, cost, or destination.
Tracking notifications – Keep customers informed at every step with automated email, SMS, or WhatsApp updates—reducing WISMO (“Where is my order?”) requests and customer support workload.
Shipping rules – Set up smart automation rules to optimise costs and efficiency, such as:
✅ Automatically selecting the cheapest courier for standard shipping.
✅ Offering express shipping only for high-value orders.
✅ Routing international orders through the most reliable courier for each region.

The more automation you integrate, the less time your team spends on manual tasks—allowing you to focus on growing your business instead of managing shipping complexities.

Step 6: Improve customer communication & tracking experience

Customers expect transparency, reliability, and engagement throughout the delivery process. A strong post-purchase experience not only means fewer customer service headaches but also builds trust and loyalty. You might not win on price against giants like Amazon, but you can win on experience. Stay connected with your customers by:

Owning the post-purchase journey – Create a branded tracking page where customers can check their order status instead of relying on courier websites. This keeps them engaged with your brand, not the courier’s.
Turn customers into promoters – Automate review requests after successful deliveries to encourage happy customers to leave positive feedback. More reviews boost your credibility and influence new buyers.
Build a community around your brand – Engage with customers on social media and post-purchase touchpoints to create a stronger bond beyond just transactions. Provide value through content, behind-the-scenes insights, and direct communication to keep customers connected.

At the end of the day, great shipping isn’t just about speed—it’s about how well you communicate and engage with customers throughout the whole journey.

Step 7: Optimise your returns management

A frustrating returns process can turn one-time buyers into lost customers. Make it easy with:

✔ Automated return labels: Offer automated return labels and a self-service returns portal to make returns hassle-free. Efficient refund processing not only boosts customer trust but also encourages repeat business.

✔ Faster refund processing: With support automation you can make use of AI-driven solutions to detect and resolve delivery issues swiftly. This automation reduces claim processing times by up to 80%, ensuring customers face minimal disruptions!

✔ Balance free returns and fraud prevention: While 79% of buyers prefer shops that offer free returns, it’s essential to protect your business from return fraud, which accounts for an average of 13.7% of all returns. Consider implementing flexible return fees based on return reasons and conducting manual reviews for suspicious activities to maintain customer satisfaction while safeguarding profits.

Step 8: Continuously monitor and improve with data-driven insights and AI

Connected Shipping isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it system—it’s a strategy that evolves with your business. The key to staying ahead is leveraging AI and data analytics to optimise every stage of your shipping process.

Here’s how to keep improving:

Use AI to predict and prevent shipping issues – AI-driven insights can help detect delays before they happen, suggest better courier choices, and automate claim management for lost or damaged shipments.
Analyse your shipping performance in real time – Track delivery speed, return rates, and courier performance to spot trends and make data-driven improvements.
A/B test different shipping strategies – Experiment with delivery options, pricing models, and courier selections to see what drives better customer satisfaction and cost efficiency.
Refine automation based on insights – Use AI to continuously optimise courier selection, tracking updates, and returns management, ensuring your shipping process is always running at peak efficiency.

With AI and automation, you’re not just keeping up with the competition—you’re staying ahead of the curve by creating a smarter, faster, and more resilient shipping experience.

Ready to connect the dots?

Connected Shipping is the future—because customers expect more, and conventional shipping just can’t keep up. If you’re ready to optimise your shipping, cut costs, and boost customer experience, start today. The first step? Find the right shipping platform to bring all your systems together.

Talk to a Sendcloud Connected Shipping expert now or explore our Connected Shipping solution.