International shipping is complex, but it opens the door to billions of new customers. Guy Gemmill, president and co-founder of APC Postal Logistics, joins Lori on this episode of Unboxing Logistics to explain how consolidators simplify cross-border shipping.

Why use consolidated shipping?

Guy explains that shipping consolidators “receive shipments from various merchants in the U.S. on a daily basis, [then] consolidate those shipments into drop areas overseas and into Canada.” 

The advantage of this system? “Because the economies of scale are better, the cost is going to be lower.” Merchants can save up to 60% on international shipping by taking advantage of a consolidator’s bulk discounts.

Consolidated shipping vs. expedited shipping

The consolidated vs. expedited choice comes down to individual preference. Guy says, “[Some] consumers want products within a certain timeframe, and others are going to be shopping based on the cost and shipping rate.” When cost is the main concern, consolidated shipping is the way to go. When time matters most, expedited is the better option.

When is it time to ship internationally? 

Is international shipping worth it for your company? According to Guy, you should turn to data to answer that question. “Understand what your website traffic is. Are international consumers hitting your website? Are they looking at your products? How long are they spending on your website?” If you have enough international traffic, it may be time to start tapping into that new market. 

Links

• Connect with Guy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-h-gemmill-64b3481b/ 
• Visit APC Postal Logistics’s site: https://www.apc-pli.com/