Top Shipping APIs with Easy Integrating and Tracking Solutions

What is a Shipping API?

For starters, an application programming interface — or simply an API — is a programming code that enables the proper interaction between multiple software services. With the help of APIs, completely distinct channels can share required information, automatically collect and transfer data, analyze it, and even send messages. Moreover, the application programming interface plays a pivotal role in the functionality of various platforms.

Therefore, a shipping or courier API is a solution specifically designed for the e-commerce industry that streamlines and optimizes the overall performance of the software applications. Thanks to the usage of strategic programming codes, logistics API is great in helping manage and track shipments. The most significant value of this integration is that e-commerce businesses can connect their management systems with improved shipping capabilities and operations that are a nightmare to perform manually. Delivery APIs are fully automated and consequently both cost and time-efficient.

Discover more: the best framework for API testing!

In other words, shipping APIs come in handy if you want to incorporate shipping functionalities into business operations and effectively coordinate them. They collect information from different platforms and display everything in one place. This way, you have to forget about stressing out and running from one application to another, manually gathering all the data. Long story short, an API for shipping is one of the most beneficial ways to gain fulfillment and enhance the communication between a business and its customers.

Key Functions of Shipping APIs

As we know, the shipping API for e-commerce is an incredible way to enhance all internal processes, making the workflow more efficient and less complicated. And the ability to have all essential features in one place rather than multiple freight management systems is the most vivid proof! In fact, the functionality of shipping APIs changes depending on the specialization of delivery services.

For instance, some companies might need profound third-party package tracking, while others need functionality for international shipping. Nevertheless, let’s review some key functions of basic shipping APIs that can help companies improve their shipping software.

Shipment tracking

Certainly, customers want to be updated with real-time information about products. That might include an estimated delivery time of their purchase, whether sold-out goods are back in stock or the launching of brand-new ones. Shipping APIs can incorporate all that information with the help of different channels — email, text message, website or a mobile application. Hence, users will instantly receive notifications via the preferred option with every status update or change. This function allows the company to improve its customer service and inventory management from behind the scenes!

Label creation

One of the primary and basic functions of shipping API integrations is the ability to create shipping labels. Right after customers make purchases, a shipping API sends all related information to the shipping carrier. This way, the label data will be returned with a URL to download the auto-generated label, print it, or save it for the future. And just like that, the order is ready to start its shipping journey! With the help of the API and such easy label generation, shipping tracking is no longer a burden.

Address validation

The most common mistake that can be made while placing an order is putting a typo in the customer’s address. Since we are all humans, such tiny errors never seem inevitable. Nevertheless, fixing such issues might cost the company a fortune: printing new shipping labels – check, managing the return process — check, losing revenue from customers because of a poor experience they had — check.

However, shipping APIs can help you save your tears for another day and prevent any unfortunate events! The website, delivery app or any other platform won’t let the user move further if they haven’t verified their shipping address. In case an API identifies it as invalid, the customer will be immediately notified by the platform.

Benefits of API for Shipping

The logistics industry benefits from API shipping integration, which can not but rejoice. No supply chain partners (shippers, carriers, brokers and customers) can get lost in the constant communication process! API shipping integration manages to ease the work by automating many functions. That includes transferring information, managing and tracking shipments and raising customer service to a higher level. To specify all the significant advantages, we will discuss this topic right away! Here are the benefits that the integration of top shipment tracking APIs brings to the logistics businesses:

Increased efficiency

Imagine the resources a company would need to spend when performing the majority of tedious tasks manually — seems like a nightmare, right? Making shipping APIs perform administrative tasks allows you to concentrate all the energy, creativity, time and money on a company’s needs and high priorities. Additionally,  APIs allow you to customize the entire interface of the platform. Hence, you can not only see all the supply data in one place but also set it up in the way you want!

Versatile functionality

The company’s flexibility and productivity are a golden ticket right to the top of the industry. And since APIs are known for their rapid adaptation and flexibility of any changes, many of the best shipping APIs provide multi-carrier shipping software. This function allows us the integration of different shipping carriers to create universal and valuable e-commerce companies. For instance, FedEx is very well-known for its swift delivery, while UPS – for its low-cost services and international presence. Hence, we can notably benefit from multiple shipping carriers, interchanging the data between one another.

Reduced shipping cost

Thanks to the shipping APIs, e-commerce businesses charge their customers for delivery services at a much smaller fee than it would be without it. We already know how significantly task automation saves time, money and decreases error-prone situations. To go one step further, we also need to mention that shipping APIs can minimize the number of possible losses and prevent such cases by collecting and analyzing data. Therefore, top APIs for shipping are powerful enough to make their customers cherish them even more!

Lower cart abandonment

Everyone involved in e-commerce businesses knows the pain of abandoned checkout. This phenomenon happens because of the terrible delivery experience or extremely high cost of the delivery services — anything that frustrates customers enough to “leave their cart” at the checkout. Well, not a chance with shipping APIs! They manage to enhance customer service by making it more convenient, accessible and personalized. Therefore, the shipping process becomes more transparent for customers, providing them with a more pleasing experience that would never make them leave their carts!

What are the Best Shipping APIs?

Now that we got to know the concept of shipping APIs better, let’s see how they are implemented in real life. So why not look at the top shipment tracking APIs within the market? Here’s a list of shipping APIs that will help you enhance your business!

Shippo

This shipping API for e-commerce websites, logistics providers, online marketplaces and retailers manages to quickly connect to a global network of providers. The Shippo API is a reliable multi-carrier shipping API that integrates FedEx API, DHL Express APIs, SPS API, UPS API and almost 50 others to provide international delivery in leaps and bounds.

Its main functions include maintenance of online documentation, branded tracking page, shipping insurance, multi-piece shipment as well as basic API features. Being such a powerful and easy-to-use delivery tracking API, Shippo is an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes to efficiently control their shipment operations.

AfterShip

Another robust shipment tracking platform that is known for its exceptional willingness to enhance the e-commerce industry. AfterShip ensures the most potent APIs with more than 1,000 carriers all over the globe! It provides the auto-detection of carriers, branded tracking page, online documentation management, shipment visibility, instant notifications and more. With the help of its rich features and excellent workflow, AfterShip has become the favorite choice of thousands of industry’s best, including eBay, Etsy, Wish and many others!

EasyPost

A modern, flexible shipping API EasyPost provides effective tracking solutions and multi-carrier shipping for e-commerce companies. With more than 100 supported carriers, this delivery tracking software enables automatic notification, carrier auto-detect, online documentation, shipments insurance, branded tracking page, and many more! All of these features help boost the efficiency of the shipping process and notably simplify it, making EasyPost one of the best tracking APIs for courier services.

The EasyPost API also offers international shipping services with approximately 250 countries’ addresses supported! Along with the basic functionalities, like address verification, shipping labels and tracking, this API allows you to perform batch operations that can handle many different shipments.

ShipEngine

ShipEngine is also considered one of the best APIs for package tracking from small to large sizes. This shipping API helps traders, e-commerce platforms and third-party logistic companies to get and provide the most cost and time-efficient delivery services possible. ShipEngine supports almost 20 carriers, including DHL Express APIs, Canada Post and UPS API. Moreover, this shipping services provider allows you to print labels, work with online documentation, manage real-time tracking and returns.

Pitney Bowes

A global shipping and mailing company Pitney Bowes has a 100-year history of commerce innovation behind its shoulders. It became a reliable partner of small and medium enterprises, retail and government clients around the world. Pitney Bowes delivery services API are exceptionally proficient in carrier processing, refund management, shipping cancellations, etc. In addition, the APIs allow developers to access all the data and functionality from its services, such as tracking, shipping and billing.

Tips on How to Choose the Best Shipping API

Having such a long list of top logistics APIs seems like a real blessing! Indeed, you have a wide variety of options, so there’s nothing to worry about. Yet, how do you decide which will suit your business the most? Choosing shipping API solutions requires you to be extremely careful and attentive. Hence, we prepared another list of the best shipping API criteria that might come in handy in your uneasy choice!

Examine its scalability

The fact remains that the broader the carriers’ network is, the more successful an API is! This factor shows the ability of API to extend along with the ever-growing businesses, its reliability and scalability. If you want all of that and more, you should look for shipping APIs that allow the connection with multiple carriers: both domestic and international ones. Choosing an API aggregator over company-specific solutions enables interaction with the apps of various logistics organizations.

Check its features

Certainly, the best shipping APIs provide unique feature packages full of customizable and powerful solutions. Prioritize all the vital features your organization wouldn’t survive without and try to find the most suitable option among the APIs. Knowing all too well about the features the chosen API offers, you’ll be able to boost your return on investment (ROI) right after the integration process.

Analyze its limits

The trick is that some shipping APIs can limit the number of calls a business can make per minute or even per hour. And naturally, such limitations can influence the workflow since constant notifications of errors may notably delay the shipping process. Anyhow, while choosing an API for your e-commerce business, pay attention to its API call limit number so you won’t experience unwanted inconveniences.

Reasons Why Shipping APIs Used in the eCommerce Industry

Shipping APIs play a crucial role in the eCommerce industry as they facilitate seamless communication and integration between online retailers, shipping carriers, and other logistics services. Here are some of the most common reasons to use shipping APIs in the eCommerce industry: 

Order manifestation and AWB generation

Shipping APIs allow eCommerce platforms to automate the generation of shipping labels and Air Waybills (AWBs) and streamline the order fulfillment process.  Integration with shipping carriers through APIs enables real-time communication, ensuring that shipping information is accurate and generated and shared between the retailer and the carrier.

Sending tracking updates

Shipping APIs enable the automatic sending of real-time tracking updates to customers and keep them informed about the status and location of their orders.  Also, with tracking information readily available, customer service inquiries related to order status are reduced, leading to improved customer satisfaction.

Displaying estimated delivery dates (EDD)

Shipping APIs allow eCommerce platforms to calculate and display Estimated Delivery Dates (EDD) based on real-time carrier data. This helps set customer expectations regarding when they can expect to receive their orders. Providing accurate delivery estimates contributes to a positive customer experience and helps build trust between the retailer and the customer.

Managing cancellations

Integration with shipping APIs facilitates the automation of cancellation processes. This allows eCommerce platforms to communicate directly with shipping carriers to halt the shipment in transit or reroute it back to the retailer. It can trigger automatic updates to inventory systems when cancellations occur, ensuring accurate stock levels.

Consider Inoxoft Your Trusted Partner

Inoxoft is an international software development company that offers software integration services to ensure the most efficient way of integrating your enterprise data, applications, and processes. Our dedicated team manages to implement customer requirements while focusing on the top quality of the final product. Having years of experience, they can perform application integration, web-based systems integration, and enterprise application integration.

Moreover, Inoxoft also provides custom software development for logistics that challenges today’s perception of the transportation industry. We create outstanding custom-made solutions for our customer’s needs, values and business ideas. Furthermore, we develop smart solutions that automate the delivery workflow and significantly streamline it. That includes:

• Decreasing risks by analyzing data and tracking products
• Informing on road traffic, geolocations, and the state of the vehicle
• Tracking and showing information templates on product data
• Outlining the supplier-carrier relations by collaboration in a transparent system
• Enabling robust financial transactions

Final Thoughts

A shipping API is a solution specifically created for the e-commerce industry. It streamlines and optimizes the overall performance of the software apps and is a great tool to manage and track shipments. E-commerce businesses can connect their management systems with enhanced shipping capabilities and processes that usually require manual interaction.

If you want to receive a solution that facilitates your business growth, we are more than pleased to discuss all your ideas together! Contact us today to start your journey of developing a successful project.