As the eCommerce landscape continues to expand, the demand for faster and more efficient shipping solutions has never been greater. Over the past seven years, the US parcel market has grown steadily with an average 9% annual increase in volume and 10% revenue growth. In 2023 alone, 687 parcels were shipped per second, totaling 59.3 million parcels per day. Looking ahead, the Pitney Bowes US Parcel Shipping Index forecasts parcel volume to reach between 23 billion and 35 billion by 2029.
Etailers today face mounting challenges, including rising carrier fees, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating shipping networks. However, the biggest challenge is ensuring accurate, efficient order fulfillment while meeting growing customer expectations for fast, reliable and cost-effective delivery. Errors in order processing—such as incorrect item selection, mislabeled shipments or inaccurate package dimensions—lead to costly returns, delays and lost customer trust. Online sellers must speed up fulfillment and improve order accuracy and inventory management to avoid inefficiencies that slow operations and inflate costs.
ShipAccel, powered by Pitney Bowes technology, is transforming eCommerce fulfillment by combining multi-channel order management with intelligent multi-carrier shipping. Whether selling orders through online marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart and eBay or directly from your own Shopify store or website, ShipAccel automates carrier selection, optimizes label generation and provides real-time tracking visibility—helping retailers scale while improving customer satisfaction.
With Pitney Bowes technology—which powered over $1 billion in shipping in 2024—ShipAccel offers a centralized fulfillment system that simplifies order processing, delivery selection and in-transit monitoring. By maximizing speed, accuracy and cost savings, ShipAccel helps both large retailers and startups overcome fulfillment challenges and keep pace with the increasing demand for faster, more transparent deliveries.
The challenges of eCommerce fulfillment today
As order volumes grow, so do the complexities of picking, packing and shipping orders efficiently. Retailers are pressured to fulfill orders quickly and accurately while controlling costs. However, outdated fulfillment processes, disconnected systems and manual data entry create bottlenecks that slow operations and increase errors.
One major challenge is ensuring accurate order size and weight capture to generate precise delivery service pricing. Without these inputs, businesses risk unexpected surcharges, incorrect packaging and costly delays. Additionally, mispacked or mislabeled orders lead to returns, customer dissatisfaction and increased operational costs.
Retailers must also navigate carrier network shifts and rate changes. FedEx, UPS and USPS continually adjust pricing structures, fuel surcharges and transit times—making it harder to predict costs and service levels. These fluctuations, combined with peak season surges, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions, add further complexity to fulfillment operations.
At the same time, customer expectations for fast, free and flexible delivery are higher than ever. To compete, retailers need fulfillment strategies that eliminate inefficiencies and remove any hurdles keeping them from getting orders out the door faster. Streamlining workflows, automating order processing and optimizing carrier selection are essential to maintaining a competitive edge.
How ShipAccel is revolutionizing eCommerce fulfillment
Lower volume etailers often struggle to secure the best shipping rates across multiple carriers. ShipAccel solves this challenge with pre-negotiated, multi-carrier rates. Using smart business rules, online sellers fulfilling more orders can seamlessly optimize shipping routes and dynamically choose the most cost-effective carrier. This gives smaller businesses access to discounted rates with no volume restrictions or hidden fees—lowering shipping costs without compromising speed.
But ShipAccel goes beyond just shipping rates—it streamlines the entire fulfillment process by integrating order management, carrier selection and shipment tracking into one centralized system.
Retailers are able to:
- Automate carrier selection and choose the right delivery service for every order.
- Centralize shipment tracking and monitor all shipments in one place, regardless of carrier, ensuring visibility across FedEx, UPS, USPS and regional providers.
- Provide customers with automated tracking updates and notifications to reduce WISMO inquiries and improve satisfaction.
Solving key operational challenges
Retailers also face rising labor costs and inefficient, error-prone manual fulfillment processes that slow operations. A single address correction mistake can cost up to $24 per shipment, while incorrect order routing can result in late or misdelivered packages, which can damage customer trust and brand reputation.
A lack of real-time shipping status and visibility leads to delays, customer service issues and poor delivery experiences. ShipAccel’s unified dashboard provides a centralized tracking system, automates customer notifications and helps resolve shipment delays before they impact the customer.
The impact of automation and data analytics
According to the Pitney Bowes Shipping Index, companies that implement automated fulfillment systems reduce processing time by up to 50%, allowing them to handle more orders with fewer resources. Faster fulfillment means higher customer satisfaction and fewer abandoned carts.
Beyond fulfillment automation, data analytics play a crucial role in reducing logistics costs and improving efficiency. A McKinsey & Co. study found that leveraging AI-driven shipping optimization can cut logistics costs by up to 30%. ShipAccel provides actionable insights to analyze shipping performance, identify inefficiencies and drive cost savings.
Smarter returns management
Returns can account for up to 30% of an order’s total value, making them a major cost driver in eCommerce. Additionally, research from Appriss Retail shows that 1% of consumers drive 8-12% of all returns, often due to fraud or return policy abuse. ShipAccel helps businesses identify fraudulent return patterns, optimize return workflows and implement policies that balance customer convenience with profitability—ensuring smooth returns while protecting revenue.
With ShipAccel, eCommerce retailers can streamline fulfillment, reduce costs and deliver a seamless shopping experience—from order placement to delivery and returns.
The future of eCommerce fulfillment
Adapting to an evolving marketplace means embracing technology. Etailers can stay competitive by using AI-powered solutions to meet fluctuating demand.
For eCommerce brands, careful planning is essential to ensure long-term success. As order volumes increase, traditional shipping models become inefficient, leading to higher costs, delays and logistical bottlenecks.
With ShipAccel, etailers can optimize shipping strategies by using location-based analytics to identify local carriers with competitive rates. Brands can efficiently track orders across selling channels and shipping carriers, enabling support teams to promptly address WISMO inquiries and keep customers informed in the loop.
ShipAccel empowers businesses to navigate challenges with scalable, cost-effective solutions tailored for growth.
Discover how ShipAccel can optimize your fulfillment strategy. Request a demo today to explore the future of eCommerce shipping efficiencies.